China Film Giant Screen
China Film Giant Screen (CFGS) is a Chinese premium large film format company. The company was previously known as DMAX, with the name also referring to the film technology. It has been described as a competitor to IMAX Corporation and its IMAX film format.[1] The company is owned by China Film Group Corporation.
History
The CFGS format was apparently developed by the China Research Institute of Film Science & Technology and the China Film Group Corporation. It was created in an attempt to challenge the IMAX film format that dominated the premium large format movie market until that point.[2] The aim was to lower costs and to allow the development of Chinese film projection technology using indigenous Chinese technology and intellectual property.[1]
The format was put into commercial use in 2012.
Lawsuit
IMAX sued CFGS and related companies for theft of intellectual property; this court action was heard on 18 June 2014.[3] IMAX alleged that Gary Tsui (Chinese name: Cui Xiaoyu, 崔晓宇), a former employee that worked for IMAX from 1999-2009, stole confidential information on proprietary technology and set up competing businesses.[4][5][6] Despite a court injunction it was noted that Gary Tsui had ignored the court orders, and his businesses had evolved into a venture known as DMAX, later to change its name to CFGS. In 2014 IMAX won a court victory in Canada upholding that Tsui had stolen the technology to build up his competing company.[7] IMAX hoped that the Canadian court victory would allow successful legal action in China.[7] IMAX and CFGS's lawsuit finally reached a settlement, and IMAX canceled the lawsuit against the defendant(Gary Tsui).[8]
Technical properties
Standard screen size for DMAX is 20x12 meters (for comparison IMAX is at least 22x16 meters).
References
- Coonan, Clifford (13 April 2012). "China bows own version of Imax". Variety. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
- Yihang (9 April 2012). "Makers of DMAX Aim to Break IMAX Monopoly". CRIENGLISH.com. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
- "IMAX Corp. v. Trotum Systems Inc., 2014 ONSC 3863 (CanLII)". Canadian Legal Information Institute. Ontario Superior Court of Justice/Canadian Legal Information Institute. 2014-07-03. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- Prochilo, Dan (13 August 2013). "Imax Sues Movie Theater Tech Co. Over Trade Secrets". Law360. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
- Kearn, Rebekah (28 June 2013). "IMAX Says Trade Secrets Ended Up in China". Courthouse News Service. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
- Quigley, J.T. (3 February 2014). "RoboCop 3D and the Battle over Bigger Big Screens in China". The Diplomat. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
- Kauth, Glenn (14 July 2014). "IMAX wins $7-million victory against ex-employee who stole technology". Canadian Lawyer. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
- http://n.iphouse.cn/cases/list.html?litigantid=68744&anyouid=121