May, 2021, marks the 10th Anniversary of the founding of LIPA, the Laser Illuminated Projector Association (www.LIPAinfo.org).  LIPA was born out of a perceived need to provide “one voice” to update and rationalize the regulation of digital projectors that would incorporate Lasers, instead of Lamps, as their projected light source.

At the time LIPA was conceived and founded, a number of companies involved in Cinema Projection and companies developing the lasers and laser engines to power them, had already begun doing demonstrations to various future stakeholders, known collectively as “Hollywood”.  This group of LIPA Co-Founders wanted to be sure that existing laser safety regulations would not impede the development and commercialization of this new technology.

But the story of Laser Projection began long before LIPA’s founding…so we have invited you all to help recall and complete the story, celebrate the progress and “tell the future” of LIPs.

WHEN:  Thursday, May 27th, 2021 

• Session 1: 4-6AM NY / 10AM-12PM Brussels / 4-6PM Beijing / 5-7PM Tokyo
• Session 2: 7-9AM San Francisco / 10AM-12PM New York / 4-6PM Brussels              

WHY:   The goal of these sessions is to inform, recollect, ponder, excite and CELEBRATE what has turned out to be a huge step forward for projection. All of you have made contributions to this massive change in projection illumination – invention, development, forecasting, education, gatekeeping, investing, exhibition – guardians of image quality, economics and safety. Many of you continue to do so!

WHAT:  Each session will consist of a two-hour GoToMeeting.  Participants are encouraged to participate as they wish – anecdotes, questions, answers, stories, mysteries, clues – all with the goal to more completely inform the group as to what happened, when, how, why and “who dunnit”.  The audience will include 10-20 “Pioneers” – many LIPA members, some not – to guide various topics such as:

• When did laser projection start?
• What lasers were used in the early days?
• Were there any products or demos in the 90s?
• What was the impact of the conversion from film to Digital on the development of LIPs?
• Why did it take so long to get from concept to commercialization 1995 – 2014?  – Beck and Niven dialog
• What companies Co-founded LIPA? How much was invested to get the regulations right?
• How did the broader financial markets impact (and impede) development and commercialization?
• How were the conversions from film to digital Cinema and the development of LIPs intertwined?
• How did DCI and Hollywood act as guardians of image quality for Digital Cinema
• What impact did 3D have on LIP development?
• What were the biggest Regulatory challenges and how were they overcome?
• What technical breakthroughs enabled development of laser projection?
• What is the current status of LIP vs. LAMP regulation?
• What is the future of LIPA (Current Members speak)

HOW: Any participant can enter the discussion live, send questions in advance (billbeck59a2@gmail.com) or send questions (or answers) via the GoToMeeting Chat box. All interested in LIPs are welcome. 

**REGISTRATION**: https://www.lipainfo.org/aro/meeting/lipa10years

Any questions please email us at info@lipainfo.org

What: Celebrate LIPA’s 10th Anniversary with members and Laser Projection Pioneers – past and present. The sessions will be informal and a great opportunity to learn some history, find out more about LIPA’s past successes and current work! When: Thursday, May 27, 2021 Two Differnt Times: Session 1: 4:00AM-6:00AM New York / 10:00AM-12:00PM BRUSSELS / 4:00PM-6:00PM BEIJING / 5:00PM-7:00PM TOKYO Session 2: 7:00AM-9:00AM San Francisco / 10:00AM-12:00PM NEW YORK / 4:00-6:00PM BRUSSELS Where: A GoToMeeting. Invitations with topics and login details over the next 2 weeks. All are welcome, including anyone who wants to learn more about the history, evolution and future of Laser Illuminated Projectors.

Want more inforamtion about the meeting? Email us at info@lipainfo.org or subscribe to our mailing list below!

The Laser Illuminated Projector Association, also known as “LIPA”, has announced its officers for calendar year 2021.  Nominations were made in December and LIPA’s Board ratified the nominations listed in the table below.

Position	2021 Officers	2020 Officers
LIPA Chairman	Goran Stojmenovik, Barco	Goran Stojmenovik, Barco
LIPA Vice Chairman	Hideyuki Kanayama, Panasonic	Tsuneharu Nomura, Sony
Secretary	Tim Ryan, Texas Instruments	Tim Ryan, Texas Instruments
Regulatory Business Chairman	Hideyuki Kanayama, Panasonic	Hideyuki Kanayama, Panasonic
Membership Chairman	Wei Gu, Appotronics	Richard Miller, Seiko Epson
Finance Chairman	Richard McPherson, Sharp-NEC	Pamela Lothman, Christie Digital
Communications Chairman	Goran Stojmenovik, Barco	Goran Stojmenovik, Barco

Goran Stojmenovik continues as Chairman of LIPA for 2021.  Goran will also serve as the ad-interim Communications Chairman until a nomination is made and approved.

Hideyuki Kanayama, an early pioneer in the development of laser illuminated projection and an expert in international regulations, has been elected Vice Chairman of LIPA. He will continue to lead LIPA’s regulatory efforts as Regulatory Business Chairman in 2021.

Tim Ryan continues as Secretary of LIPA for 2021.  Tim represents Texas Instruments, a founding member of LIPA and long-time supplier of DLPÒ Chips to the digital projection industry.

Wei Gu of Appotronics Co., Ltd, has been elected Membership Chairman and will take over for Richard Miller of Seiko Epson.  Wei will help expand our membership, and in particular, increase our outreach to Asia/Pacific companies.  He will also help us develop stronger communications channels to LIPA’s existing and new members.

Richard McPherson, of Sharp-NEC Displays, is also a long-time member of LIPA.  He has been elected Finance Chairman for 2021 and will continue as a contributing member of the Communications Working Group.

The International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA), in conjunction Box Office Pro magazine, presented a webinar entitled “Back to the Future – How Drive-Ins and Pop-Up Cinema Complements the Movie Going Experience in the Covid-19 Aftermath.”  Moderated by Frank Tees, VP of ICTA, the group presented five “interviews” describing innovative approaches to exhibiting movies…outdoors.  Yes, ‘Back to the Future’ is right.

I logged in for two reasons:  first, I wanted to see how the exhibition business is finding new (or dare I say “re-imagined”) ways to get movies on the screen for its patrons in the “time of Covid” lockdowns – and second, to see if high brightness Laser Illuminated Projectors (LIPs) are playing an enabling role.  I was not disappointed in either case.

Some background for the youngsters in the audience:  Drive-in Theaters were all the rage in the 50s, peaking at 4,063 outdoor screens in 1958.  Yes, with film projectors and those tinny speakers you hung on your partly rolled down window.  Due to factors both cultural, competing entertainment options and economic, increased real estate values for alternative land uses, screen counts declined continuously from the peak leaving only 549 screens at 305 locations last year. 

But then along came Covid and the lockdowns.  Exhibitors went from a record-breaking start in the first two months of 2020 to dead stop by the end of March.  But then some enterprising exhibitors looked back and decided they could update 50s Drive-ins, build new Pop-Ups or hang “parking lot screens” on the sides of their now-closed multiplexes, keeping their brands alive and patrons happy.

The 5 presenters ranged from seasoned Drive-in owners to “indoor theater” managers desperate to stay connected to their loyal local and summer tourist patrons to a creative neophyte who had never himself been to a Drive-In as a kid.  Lots of cleverness and “learn as you go” – but all animated by the love of Cinema and the spirit of “can do”.  Even new, “inflatable screens” (Yes, big ones! Even two-sided ones) have been deployed to bring outdoor Cinema to some unlikely places – like this one in Venice for the VFF. Not your backyard cinema!

Photo courtesy of AirScreen

But what about Lasers at the Drive In?  Joe De Meo of Cinionic interviewed Rick Cohen, CEO of Transit Drive-In Theatre in Lockport, NY, near Buffalo, a five screen multiplex run by his family for 3 generations since they acquired it in 1957.  No amateurs here!  All the time I spent pushing laser cinema (since 2003), I always thought that Drive-Ins could profit from the benefits of Laser Projection:  Double the brightness of the best Xenon PJ; better color and contrast, power savings – the best for the biggest big screen. But it took a while.

Rick described how they “saw the demo in Rochester ten years ago and wanted laser”.  They held out until 2012, hoping they could go digital and laser at once, but they ultimately decided to convert to digital and wait a bit longer to go Laser.  They “pulled the trigger on Laser this year and installed a 60L in May”, just in time for the lockdown. 

The results?  “Phenomenal.  Unimaginable brightness – on a 100’x41’ screen”.  So, his first laser screen, the biggest of the 5, went from being the dimmest to being the brightest.  Patrons that used to compare pictures for years – the biggest Xenon screen had the dimmest picture.  Laser has flipped this and now the expectation is set.  Transit will soon be the first “All Laser, Drive-In Multiplex” – bringing the benefits of Laser Illuminated Projectors to all 5 screens.  Back to the Future, indeed.