July 28, 2008--MediaMerge has added the Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater at the Milwaukee Public Museum to its Service Partnership Program (SPP), the largest third-party IMAX servicing agent in the world.

"Cost savings was the biggest factor," recalls Bob Bonadurer, director of Planetarium and IMAX at the Milwaukee Public Museum, which signed a five-year contract with MediaMerge last month. "After checking around and talking to other theaters who'd switched to MediaMerge, it was obvious that they were doing pretty well, so we decided to step in line. We definitely heard good things."

"Taking care of customers isn't just another catchphrase at MediaMerge, it's what we do," comments Doug Jackson, VP Technical Services at MediaMerge. "Our technicians have the training and experience required to keep these theaters going strong. The first time we do a site visit, our clients are pleased to see that the reduction of costs doesn’t lead to a compromise in the quality of service they receive. In fact, many of our clients have reported that our techs resolved issues that existed prior to partnering with MediaMerge. We're thrilled to have the Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater on our roster, and we look forward to being their service partner."

The Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater became acquainted with MediaMerge's jet-setting staff of technicians fairly swiftly. Four days into their contract, the need arose for an emergency service visit. Hardly any screen time was lost before the 260-seat theater was up and running again. "They've been very helpful," Bonadurer enthuses.

The only IMAX theater in the Milwaukee metro area, the Humphrey is a real draw for visitors, and consequently, service and maintenance are of the highest priority. The venue recently installed new seating, and last January the facility implemented a new lighting system. Before that, a digital planetarium system was added to the space, taking full advantage of the 74-foot-diameter dome screen.

"The planetarium is a nice complement to the IMAX shows," Bonadurer observes and points out that the theater continues to be a boon to the Milwaukee Public Museum's business. "Our public still appreciates the communal experience of seeing a movie in the theater, especially the large-format films. Even though people have got some huge TVs at home, they don't match the breadth and quality of a big-screen film."

MediaMerge has already set to work in maintaining that immersive experience for visitors to the Milwaukee Public Museum. "The team at MediaMerge has been very responsive, very efficient, and very proficient," Bonadurer concludes.