WITH A LIVE PERFORMER

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to method and system for digital cinema presentation.

BACKGROUND

In premium theaters, a motion picture or feature show is often introduced by live personnel in each auditorium. Current methods for live introduction require a performer to deliver the introduction at the front of the auditorium, and a projectionist to operate the projection equipment and house automation (including lights, audio, and curtain).

Typically, at or before the scheduled start time of a presentation, the projectionist manually cues up the projection system, and waves through a booth window as a signal to the performer that the system is ready to go. If a microphone is needed by the performer, the microphone input would be routed to the auditorium audio. After the projectionist's signal, the microphone is turned on, and the performer can begin the introduction.

With a pre-arranged signal by the performer at or near the conclusion of the performer's introduction (or the conclusion of the presentation itself may be the signal), the projectionist manually triggers the playout of the feature show. The show playout may also trigger automation systems that switch over the audio, dim the lights, and open the curtains, or these actions may be initiated by the projectionist.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention provide an enhancement to a live presentation by implementing a followspot using a composition playlist. One embodiment provides a method for use in digital cinema, which includes playing out a composition playlist, and synchronizing the playout of the composition playlist with a presentation of a live performer.

Another embodiment provides a digital cinema system, which includes a processor for playing out a composition playlist, in which the composition playlist includes content to be displayed in coordination with a presentation of a live performer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The teachings of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing components of a digital cinema system;

Figure 2 is a timeline showing a portion of a playlist that implements one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 shows an auditorium configured for implementing one embodiment of the present invention; Figures 4a-b show a spotlight illuminating a performer at an early stage of a presentation, with and without curtains in front of a screen, respectively; and

Figures 5a-b show a spotlight illuminating the performer at a later stage of a presentation, with and without curtains in front of a screen, respectively.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In digital cinema presentations, a show playlist (SPL) is a file containing a list of composition playlists and/or event playlists, with instructions relating to the sequence in which these playlists are to be played. A composition playlist is a textual list that specifies how a composition is played and the track files required, while an event playlist is a playlist of compositions, and describes an assembly of compositions in sequence.

Additional explanation of these concepts or terminologies can be found in the Digital

Cinema System Specification, vl .O, July 20, 2005, published by the Digital Cinema Initiatives, LLC, and in publications by the Society of Motion Picture and TelevisionEngineers, of White Plains, NY, e.g., "SMPTE 429-7-2006 D-Cinema Packaging -

Composition Playlist" and "SMPTE 429-3-2006 D-Cinema Packaging - Sound and

Picture Track File."

Various modern implementations of show playlists are provided by digital cinema equipment manufacturers, including Doremi Labs, Inc. of Burbank, CA, manufacturer of the DCP2000; Dolby Laboratories of San Francisco, CA, manufacturer of the DSPlOO and DSSlOO, Eastman Kodak Company of Rochester, NY, manufacturer of the CineServer JN2000; and others; and taught by Morley et al. in US Patent 6,700,640.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and system for use in digital cinema presentation, in which the playout of digital content from a composition playlist (CPL) is coordinated or synchronized with a live presentation.

When used in conjunction with a live performance, such implementations can produce savings in resources as well as enhanced viewing experience. In one embodiment, one or more lighting or illumination configurations are provided by executing a CPL. One example involves the generation of a followspot or spotlight, in which the time sequence or evolution of the followspot is coordinated with a live presentation of a performer or an exhibition employee. The performer can also control the playout of the CPL, e.g., by pausing and/or resuming the CPL playout to match the live presentation of arbitrary duration. The content of the CPL can be used to enhance the artistic expression or achieve special effects, e.g., panning the spotlight off-stage with a gradual diminishing size of its iris, thus allowing a more professional theatrical presentation to be achieved without a need for extra personnel to operate a regular spotlight. Such an implementation can be integrated into a show playlist and allows for coordination with other auditorium components (e.g., lights, curtains, audio, etc.) through an automation system. In addition, audio to provide an introduction or fanfare may be present at various points in the followspot simulation content.

FIG. 1 depicts one embodiment of a digital cinema system 10 that can be used for implementing embodiments in accordance with the present principles. In this example, digital cinema system 10 includes a theater management system 22, a screen management system (SMS) 14, a digital projector 12 and a screen automation system (SAS) 16. In another embodiment, the theater management system 22 and the SAS 16 may be omitted, and the SMS 14 can be configured for direct communication with the projector 12 and with automation elements such as curtain 20 and lighting 18.

The theater management system manages the overall workflow and equipment within a theater, and provides control, supervision and report status on the theater equipment. In general, a movie theater can have multiple auditoriums, each having its own screen management system, automation system, digital cinema projector and associated screen. For ease of discussion, FIG. 1 depicts a configuration for one auditorium, with its SMS 14 controlling a projector 12 and SAS 16. Digital cinema system 10 also preferably includes audio equipment suitable for reproducing a sound track in the auditorium for digital projector 12. For example, an audio chain 24, which is connected to both the SMS 14 (to receive digital audio streams) and SAS 16 (for control, e.g., as channel select, volume, mute), may include a number of digital-to-analog converters (e.g., for different channels), equalizers, amplifiers, and in some cases, switchers, digital signal processors, and/or matrix decoders. The audio chain 24 is further connected to one or more speakers 26 installed in the auditorium. The SMS 14 typically includes a digital cinema server 15 that contains instructions and data for controlling both the digital projector 12 as well as the SAS 16. A decoder (not shown) is also included in the digital cinema server 15 for responding to commands received from the theater management system 22. Examples of a digital cinema server include those manufactured by Dolby Laboratories, San Francisco California, Doremi Digital Cinema, Burbank California and Eastman Kodak, Rochester, New York, among others.

The SAS 16 controls certain systems such as a theater lighting system 18 and a screen curtain system 20, among others. Control signals can be sent from the SAS 16 to the theater lighting system 18 for controlling the auditorium lighting, or to the screen curtain system 20 for controlling the opening and closing of one or more curtains across a screen. The SAS 16 can also control the audio equipment, e.g., by controlling audio level and the playing of announcements.

During the playout of digital content, the digital cinema server 15 provides a data stream, e.g., a video or image stream from a composition playlist, to the digital projector 12. Digital cinema projectors are available from several manufacturers, such as Barco Media & Entertainment, LLC, Rancho Cordova, CA; NEC Corporation of America, Irving, TX; and Sony Electronics, Inc, Park Ridge, NJ; among others.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portion of a show playlist (SPL) 200 for use in a digital cinema system, with the direction of timeline 203 indicating the progress of time during playout of the digital content. SPL 200 contains a reference to composition playlist (CPL) 201 of the present invention, with preferably one or more additional CPLs referenced, such as CPL 202, which may correspond to a motion picture or other primary feature presentation.

SPL 200 preferably contains cues 231 and 233 that can trigger automation sequences in the auditorium, e.g., sequences associated with the start of a show and the feature presentation. In addition, a cue 232 may be provided for triggering a specific action, e.g., a pause during the playout of SPL 200, and a marker 230 is preferably provided in CPL 201 for use in connection with positioning the cue 232 within SPL 200.

The playout of digital content in a digital cinema system is further discussed by referring to both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Instructions in the SPL 200 are acted upon by the server 15 to direct the playout of the digital content, which includes the projection of the audiovisual content on a screen, as well as other actions to be undertaken by one or more components of the cinema system. For example, during playout of the SPL 200, cues 231, 232, and 233 are used by the screen management system (SMS) 14 to control the automation system 16 of FIG. 2. The Start of Show cue 231, which is positioned immediately before the first frame of content of the CPL 201, will result in the SMS 14 sending a signal to the automation system 16, e.g., for adjusting the theater lighting 18 to levels appropriate for CPL 201. Upon encountering the Start of Feature cue 233 during content playout, the SMS 14 may trigger the automation system 16 to adjust the theater lights to levels appropriate for CPL 202. In one embodiment, the CPL 201 includes content relating to an illumination pattern or lighting configuration. For example, the CPL 201 can be used to "simulate" a followspot, e.g., as a spotlight for drawing attention to a performer or object on stage. The word "simulate" is used because the followspot is not generated by a physical lighting system such as a conventional spotlight that is pivoted by an operator to track a performer. However, the illumination pattern generated by the playout of the CPL 201 does provide actual illumination 310 (shown in FIG. 3) similar to that of a physical spotlight, including, that the performer 305 will cast a shadow (not shown) on the curtains 304 or screen 303 behind, except that in this implementation, the lamp of projector 12 serves as the light source. FIG. 2 illustrates that CPL 201 references a picture media asset track 210, which includes a series of images to be displayed in sequence, of which images 21 1 -217 are representative. Preferably, CPL 201 also references an audio media asset track 220, which may contain audio presentation elements such as an introduction 221 and/or a musical score 226. Under implementations compliant with the present or emerging digital cinema standards, e.g., SMPTE standards, the SPL references a CPL, which in turn references external assets such as picture track file 210 and audio track file 220. However, present invention is generally applicable to all playlists. For example, if CPL 201 were substituted by an MPEG file, then the SPL will simply reference the MPEG file. There is no need for the CPL to further reference other video or audio files because the MPEG file already includes the associated audio and video content. The sequence of images in the picture track file 210 referenced by CPL 201 provides a presentation that begins with a substantially dark field, as shown in image 211. In image 212, a small bright spot 252 appears near a left edge 242 of the field. In subsequent images, e.g., image 213, a bright spot 253 has a size and position that are different from those of a spot in at least one previous image or frame, e.g., image 212. In this specific example, spot 253 is larger in size compared to spot 252 (e.g., larger diameter), and its distance from the left edge 243 of the image field is also increased compared to spot 252.

Images in CPL 201 are provided such that, when the CPL 201 is played out for a time sequence corresponding to images 212, 213 and 214, the presentation will include a bright spot moving away (preferably smoothly) from the edge 242, e.g., in a horizontal direction, until it reaches approximately the center of the image field. This is shown in image 214, whose spot 254 has attained full size, i.e., maximum size among the images 212, 213 and 214 in CPL 201.

In this example, bright spots 254 and 255 in images 214 and 215 have substantially the same size and position for a given time duration. In subsequent images (after image 215), the bright spot effectively reverses its time sequence or evolution, i.e., decreasing in size and returning towards a position near the edge 242 of the field, as shown by spot 256 in image 216. In image 217, the bright spot disappears from the field. The relative positions in the field of images 211-217 correspond approximately to those of a stage or display screen, e.g., bright spot 252 in image 212 will be projected near the left edge of the screen or stage, while spot 254 in image 214 will be positioned near the center of the screen or stage. In CPL 201, the light source of the digital projector provides the illumination for the bright spots in the images. Such implementation can be done using a variety of digital projectors from various manufacturers, such as, but not limited to, those previously identified. The sequence of images 211 through 217 is intended to simulate a folio wspot, with a gradual opening of its iris aperture as the followspot moves from one edge of a screen to the center of the screen, pausing for a given time duration (e.g., initiated by cue 232), before gradually closing the iris and returning to the edge of the screen. The purpose of this sequence is further discussed by referring to both FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows an auditorium 300 for implementing embodiments of the present invention. Audience members 302 are preferably seated in seats 301 facing a screen 303, which, in one embodiment, is equipped with adjustable curtains 304, with performer 305 in front of the screen 303 for making a live presentation to the audience members 302. The live presentation is coordinated with the projection of images 211 through 217 (see FIG. 2) onto screen 303. For example, the simulated spotlight 310 illuminating the performer 305 near the center of the screen 303 results from the playout of spots 254 and 255, which are located near the center of their respective image field (in images 214 and 215).

Marks 311 and 312 provided on the floor in auditorium 300 are preferably used to identify reference locations that the performer 305 should be positioned during different times of the presentation. In this example, mark 31 1 identifies the location of the performer 305 at the beginning of his appearance, which also substantially coincides with the beginning frames of CPL 201.

The start of CPL 201 may be indicated to performer 305 by an audio cue such as introduction 221 or a visual cue such as the fading of the house lights triggered by Start of Show cue 231. As CPL 201 is played, the spot 310 appears at one edge of the projected image field (e.g., image 212 of FIG. 2) and gradually increases in size.

The corresponding scene presented to the theater audience is shown in FIG. 4a, with the performer 305 standing in front of closed curtains 304, and alternatively, in FIG. 4b, with the performer 305 standing in front of the screen 303 not equipped with any curtains. In both FIG. 4a and 3b, spot 310 effectively serves as a spotlight to bring attention to performer 305, with the light from the projector illuminating the performer 305 and a portion of the curtains 304 or screen 303 behind the performer.

As the playout of CPL 201 progresses, performer 305, having rehearsed the presentation in advance, begins to move towards mark 312 at a rate that is about the same as that of spot 210 tracking across screen 303. Note that in FIG. 4a, screen 303 is hidden behind closed curtains 304, which furthers the illusion that the bright spot 310 in the projected images from picture asset file 210 is a conventional spotlight that illuminates not only performer 305, but curtains 304.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 5, once spot 310 reaches a position on screen 303 that corresponds to the performer 305 reaching position mark 312, i.e., when marker 230 is reached in the CPL 201, cue 232 in the SPL 200 triggers the digital cinema server (e.g., server 15 in FIG. 1) to pause playout of CPL 201, thus freezing the current image on the screen. This freeze-frame will be an image between images 214 and 215 in the sequence of picture asset track file 210. In other embodiments, the pause function can be achieved by issuing a command to the digital cinema server 14, e.g., via remote control 320 by the live performer, or via local control (not shown) of server 14 by other personnel.

While the digital cinema presentation is paused, performer 305 can take as long as is needed to deliver the live presentation. Once the live presentation is finished, the digital cinema presentation can resume. The resumption of the digital cinema presentation can be done by performer 305 using a remote control 320, as shown in

FIG. 5a-b, which sends a signal to the projector to resume playout of the CPL 201. This remote signal preferably also triggers an automation sequence by the automation system, which may include dimming the house lights further, starting to open curtains 304 (in the example of FIG. 5a), among others. FIG. 5b shows the view with the performer 305 in front of screen 303 that is not equipped with curtains.

As playout of CPL 201 resumes, performer 305 begins his/her exit by moving towards mark 311, and preferably continues past mark 31 1 to exit the stage or auditorium 300. The movement by performer 305 is timed and paced at about the same rate as that of spot 310, which is configured in the CPL 201 (as sequence of images that include images 215, 216 and 217) to move towards the left edge of screen 303 while diminishing in size. Following the final image 217 of CPL 201, the remainder of the digital cinema presentation continues with Start of Feature cue 233 triggering subsequent actions and beginning the playout of feature CPL 202. Actions that remain to be taken in response to Start of Feature cue 233 might include, for example, lowering or dimming the house lights and releasing door magnets that close the doors (not shown) to auditorium 300, as needed. Alternatively, the auditorium 300 may already have been fully prepared for the start of the feature portion of the digital cinema presentation by an automation system during the playout of CPL 201.

In an alternative embodiment, a preset timer can be used to resume the playout instead of using the remote control 320. In yet another embodiment, a projectionist in a projection booth (not shown) can manually trigger the digital cinema presentation to resume, e.g., in response to a verbal or visual cue from performer 305.

In still another alternative embodiment, there is no pause during the playout of CPL 201 (i.e., pause cue 232 is absent), and the length of the presentation by performer 305 substantially corresponds to the predetermined time duration of the CPL 201. In this embodiment, having a musical soundtrack in audio asset track file 220 can help performer 305 with maintaining the correct pace. An appropriate phrasing of the music, such as a crescendo, may serve as a cue to performer 305 to conclude.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that other illumination patterns or lighting effects may be simulated or produced by providing proper image data in the CPL. For example, the spotlight could be fixed at the center of the stage with the only animation being an iris open and an iris closed; or a fade up and fade down of a fixed-sized spot. A more elaborate lighting arrangement could include marquee lights chasing around the edge of the field, or a neon halo effect or rainbow replacing and/or surrounding the spot. In other alternative embodiments, the CPL 201 can be used to produce other special lighting effects and/or scenes in combination with the followspot.

For example, in auditoriums or screens not equipped with curtains (e.g., FIG. 4b and FIG. 5b), the images in picture asset track file 210 can include curtains in addition to the spotlight. That is, the dark areas in images 21 1 through 217 may be replaced by images of curtains (or more generally, a scene). These curtain images can then be projected onto the screen 303, perhaps adding artistic flairs such as fading to black at the edges. The portion of the curtain image that lies inside the area of the bright spot 310 can be provided with higher light intensity compared to the portion of the curtain image outside the bright spot 310, to simulate the curtains being illuminated by the spotlight. In this example, each image can be considered as having two components, e.g., one component associated with the bright spot or illumination pattern, and the other component associated with the curtains or another scene.

In order to create the appearance that the simulated curtains are located behind the performer 305, the central and lower-center regions of the bright spot 310, i.e., projected areas corresponding to the location of the performer 305, are configured to have only plain spot illumination, i.e., without any curtain images (so that the curtain image will not be projected onto the performer). This would create the appearance that a portion of the curtain is blocked from the audience's view by the live performer 305, i.e., the performer is located between the scene (curtain) and the spotlight illumination.

As an example, representative images to be shown at the earlier part of the live presentation (similar to images 21 1-214) may show the curtains being closed. Preferably, the images of the simulated closed curtains may include the curtains being ruffled as if in response to the passage of performer 305 moving from mark 31 1 to mark 312. Representative images to be shown at the latter part of the live presentation (similar to images 215-217) may show the curtains opening as the bright spot 310 moves back to the edge of the screen and disappears.

Those skilled in the art will be able to provide further embellishments to the presentation without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, a series of advertisements or trailers may be provided as additional CPLs in SPL 200 before CPL 201. A cue occurring prior to CPL 201 could close the curtains 204 (if present) before the live presentation sequence of the present invention occurs, or simulated curtains 304 might be shown to be closing at the beginning of CPL 201 prior to performer 305 taking up a position at mark 311.

Such coordinated delivery of digital content with a live presentation can result in enhanced viewing experience without assistance from additional exhibition personnel. While the forgoing is directed to various embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. As such, the appropriate scope of the invention is to be determined according to the claims, which follow.