For photos of past conferences, click here.
2022 International Conference
The GSCA 2022 International Conference was hosted by the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX Theater in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on September 28-30, with Dome Day at the McWane Science Center in Birmingham, Alabama, on October 1. In addition to the in-person event, new films and films in production that the producers and distributors had agreed to make available virtually were available to registered attendees on the Filmocracy platform October 14-28.
As the first in-person GSCA International Conference since September 2019, awards were presented for films released in 2022 as well as for each year the conference was not held during the pandemic (2020 and 2021). Marketing and education awards were not presented this year, only because as theaters are coming out of the pandemic, many have not had the resources to create their typical campaigns and programs, or the time to submit their entries for awards consideration. Those awards will be back in 2023.
2022 Film Expo
The 2022 Film Expo was GSCA's first in-person event since March 2020. New Films, Films in Production, Projects in Development, and the Innovations Session "Drones and Helicopters: Only the Best Tool Will Fly, Part 2" were presented at the AMC CityWalk IMAX Theater in Los Angeles. The Film Expo also included GSCA's first-ever Student Film Showcase, which featured film presentations from USC students. All content was available to registered attendees on the Filmocracy virtual platform March 14-25 as well. On March 10, we traveled to the Cosm Experience Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, for a demonstration of Evans & Sutherland's LED Dome technology.
Click here for a Word document with all the film descriptions
Click here for a PDF with all the film descriptions
Click here to see photos from the event
Virtual Conference 2021
Films were available on demand September 13-October 1. Sessions were presented on September 20, 22, and 24.
- Click here for a Word document with details about all the new films, films in production, and projects in development presented at the Virtual Conference.
- Password-protected
recordings of the Virtual Conference sessions are available to
everyone
who was a registered attendee, with the exception of the awards and
recognition, which is accessible to everyone. The password has been
e-mailed to all attendees, but contact kelly@giantscreencinema.com if you need a password reminder. Please note that a GSCA member login does not provide access to these recordings. Access the recordings here
Virtual Film Expo 2021
Film screenings were available on demand from April 12-30. Sessions were presented April 19, 21, and 23.
- Click here for a Word document with details about all the new films, films in production, and projects in development presented at the Virtual Film Expo (no login required).
- Password-protected recordings of the Virtual Film Expo sessions are available to everyone who was a registered attendee, with the exception of The State of the GS Industry, which is accessible to everyone. The password has been e-mailed to all attendees, but contact kelly@giantscreencinema.com if you need a password reminder. Please note that a GSCA member login does not provide access to these recordings. Access the recordings here
Virtual Conference 2020
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, GSCA hosted its annual September event virtually, with film screenings and sessions taking place online.
2020 Film Expo
Los Angeles, California
March 9-10
Hosted by AMC CityWalk IMAX Theatre and Universal City Hilton
2019 International Conference and Trade Show
September 10-12
Hosted by IMAX Victoria in Victoria, BC, Canada
Dome Day September 13, hosted by Science World British Columbia in Vancouver
2019 Film Expo & Filmmaker Symposium
Los Angeles, California
March 11-13
Hosted by the AMC CityWalk IMAX Theatre
2018 International Conference and Trade Show
Chattanooga, Tennessee
September 21-23
Hosted by Tennessee Aquarium
Dome Day September 24, Hosted by McWane Science Center in Birmingham, Alabama
2018 Film Expo
Seattle, Washington, US
March 12-13, 2018
Hosted by Pacific Science Center
2017 International Conference and Trade Show
Chicago, Illinois, US
September 26-29, 2017
Hosted by AMC Navy Pier IMAX Theatre and the Museum of Science & Industry
2016 International Conference and Trade Show
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
October 4-7, 2016
Hosted by the Cineplex Scotiabank IMAX Theatre and the Ontario Science Centre
2016 Film Expo and Filmmaker Symposium
Los Angeles, California
March 7-10, 2016
Hosted by Universal CityWalk IMAX Theater and Hilton Universal City
2015 International Conference and Trade Show
San Francisco, California
September 9-12
Conference hosted by the AMC Metreon IMAX Theater
Dome Day hosted by the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose
2015 Film Expo & Filmmaker Symposium
Los Angeles, California
March 9-12
Hosted by the AMC Universal Citywalk IMAX Theatre
2014 International Conference and Trade Show
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
September 20-23
Hosted by Ontario Science Centre and Cineplex Scotiabank
2014 Film Expo
Austin, Texas
March 24-25
Hosted by The Bullock Museum
Event Photos
2013 International Conference and Trade Show
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
September 14-17
Hosted by Canadian Museum of Civilization
Session Materials
2013 Film Expo and Digital Symposium
Galveston, Texas
March 18-21
Hosted by Moody Gardens
Session Materials
2012 International Conference and Trade Show
Sacramento, California
September 18-20
Hosted by Esquire IMAX Theatre
Dome Day September 21
Hosted by The Tech Museum, San Jose, California
2012 European Film Expo
Poitiers, France
March 20-21
Hosted by Parc du Futuroscope
Dome Day March 22
Hosted by La Géode, Paris
2011 International Conference and Trade Show
Austin, Texas, US
September 20-22, 2011
Host: Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
Hotel: AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center
Dome Day September 23
Host: Fort Worth Museum of Nature and Science
Nearly 400 delegates attended the GSCA 2011 International Conference and Trade Show held in Austin, Texas. “Digital” was a hot topic at this conference. It marked the first time more films were presented digitally than in 15/70. The GSCA Technical Committee presented “4K on the Giant Screen,” an on-screen comparison between 15/70 print and 4K digital projection: same content, different technologies. This session was presented in 2D, with an emphasis on resolution, and featured 65mm/15p original negative live-action content provided by leading giant screen producers and distributors, as well as technical charts designed specifically for assessing high resolution image capture. And the session “The Wonder Years or Twilight Zone? What Does Digital Transition Mean for All of Us?” assembled a panel of some of the industry’s leaders in production, distribution, delivery, and exhibition of giant screen films to offer their view of current realities and visions of the future.
New films presented in 15/70 were Air Racers: Forces of Flight (3D Entertainment Distribution), Born to Be Wild (Warner Bros., IMAX), Flying Monsters 3D (National Geographic Entertainment), Rescue 3D (The Stephen Low Company, K2 Communications), Tornado Alley 3D (Graphic Films, Giant Screen Films). A special presentation of Texas: The Big Picture (Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum) opened the conference, and the awards ceremony featured a special presentation of 2010 IMAX Hall of Fame winner Rolling Stones: At the Max, with a Q&A session with filmmakers James Neihouse, David Douglas, Diane Roberts, Toni Myers, and David Keighley sharing anecdotes about the film shoot.
New films presented digitally were Cosmic Journey: Through Hubble and Cassini (Kallisti Media, BIG & Digital), Dinosaur Passage to Pangaea (Tandem Motion Picture Studios, Cinema Group), The Last Reef (Yes/No Pictures, Giant Screen Films), Life in a Day (National Geographic Entertainment), The Little Prince (nWave Pictures), Space Junk 3D (Melrae Pictures, K2 Communications), Turtle Vision (nWave Pictures), Waking the T. Rex: The Story of Sue (Giant Screen Films), and a fine cut of To the Arctic (MacGillivray Freeman Films).
The following 15/70 clips of films in production were presented: Dinosaur Passage to Pangaea (Tandem Motion Picture Studios, Cinema Group), Dragons: Real Myths and Unreal Creatures (Productions Thalie, BIG & Digital), Everest: Conquering Thin Air (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Flatland: Search for the Third Dimension (Objects in Motion Pictures, RPG Productions), Great White Shark 3D (Yes/No Productions), Happy Feet 2: An IMAX 3D Experience (Warner Bros., IMAX), Jerusalem (Arcane, Cosmic Picture), Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol: The IMAX Experience (Paramount Pictures, IMAX), Outside In (SV2 Studios), Overlord (N3D Land Productions), Real Steel: The IMAX Experience (Walt Disney, IMAX), Red Crabs: Australia’s Christmas Island (STREAMnet Digital, BIG & Digital), Space Junk 3D (Melrae Pictures, K2 Communications), To the Arctic (MacGillivray Freeman Films).
Digital clips of films in production presented were Aurora (Kallisti Media), The Bachelor King (Atlantic Productions), Bomb (Kallisti Media, BIG & Digital), Dinosaurs Under the Aurora (D&D Pictures), Flatland: Search for the Third Dimension (Outside In Motion Pictures, RPG Productions), Flight of the Butterflies (SK Films), Humpback Whales 3D (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Just Listen 3D (Foxfire Interactive, Masters Digital), Kenya: Animal Kingdom (3D Entertainment Distribution), One World One Ocean 3D (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Outside In (SV2 Studios), Overlord (N3D Land Productions), Somme (Kallisti Media), Time: The 4th Dimension (3D Entertainment Distribution), Unknown Universe (December Films, MacGillivray Freeman Films).
Projects in development were The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn: An IMAX 3D Experience (Paramount, IMAX), Dakar: The Final Deep Dive (Playback Pictures), The Dark Knight Rises: The IMAX Experience (Warner Bros., IMAX), Great Memories Alive 3D (Camera Lucida Productions), Hidden Worlds (National Geographic Entertainment), The Ice Age (Giant Screen Films, D3D Cinema), Leonardo da Vinci 3D (Camera Lucida Productions), Patagonia 3D: Into the Wild (3D Entertainment Distribution), Puss in Boots: An IMAX 3D Experience (Dreamworks, Paramount, IMAX), Volcano (Scandinature Films USA), Volcano (Giant Screen Films), Wild Antarctica (Giant Screen Films, D3D Cinema).
Professional development sessions offered at the conference were the always popular “Giant Screen 101: Lessons for Success,” “The Wonder Years or Twilight Zone? What Does Digital Transition Mean for All of Us?” Wake up to Great Marketing Ideas,” “4K on the Giant Screen,” “Behind the Curtain,” “The Big E’s: Examining Evaluation and Education in Giant Screen Films,” and “Don't Mess with Texas: Marketing Strategies from Austin Powerhouses.”
Links:
2011 Film Expo
Los Angeles, California, US
March 8-9, 2011
Host: Rave Motion Pictures IMAX (formerly IMAX Theatre @ the Bridge)
Hotel: LAX Marriott
Dome Day March 10
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
San Diego, California
2010 International Conference and Trade Show
September 25-27, 2010
Chattanooga, Tennessee, US
Host: Tennessee Aquarium and IMAX 3D Theater
Hotel: Chattanooga Marriott at the Convention Center
Dome Day September 28
McWane Science Center, Birmingham, Alabama
2010 Film Expo
February 23-24, 2010
Los Angeles, California
Host: IMAX Theatre @ the Bridge
Hotel: LAX Marriott
Dome Day February 25
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
San Diego, California
2009 International Conference and Trade Show
September 21-23, 2009
Indianapolis, Indiana, US
Host: IMAX Theater at the Indiana State Museum
Hotel: Hyatt Regency
Dome Day September 24
Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
2009 Film Expo
Los Angeles, California
March 17–18, 2009
Host: IMAX Theatre at the Bridge
Hotel: Marina del Rey Marriott
There were 182 delegates in attendance at GSCA’s 2009 Film Expo in Los Angeles for new film screenings, films in production presentations, and committee and special interest group meetings. The 10 new films screened included Animalopolis (Graphic Films, K2 Communications), Call of the Wild (Check Entertainment, 3D Entertainment; a special digital theatrical presentation); a re-edited version of Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Journey to Mecca: In the Footsteps of Ibn Battuta (Cosmic Picture, SK Films), Molecules to the MAX (Renssalaer/Nanotoon), Monsters vs. Aliens: An IMAX 3D Experience (Dreamworks, Paramount, IMAX Corporation), Mysteries of the Great Lakes (Science North), Slit Scan 3D (Graphic Films, K2 Communications), Under the Sea 3D (Warner Bros., IMAX Corporation), and Van Gogh: Brush With Genius (Camera Lucida, La Geode, MacGillivray Freeman Films).
Films in production included Arabia 3D (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Around the World in 50 Years (nWave Pictures), Call of the Wild (Check Entertainment, 3D Entertainment), Game Day! College Football to the Max (GRAiNEY Pictures, IMAX Corporation), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: An IMAX 3D Experience (Warner Bros., IMAX Corporation), Legends of Flight (The Stephen Low Company, K2 Communications), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian: The IMAX Experience (20th Century Fox, IMAX Corporation), Pangaea 3D (Tandem Motion Picture Studios), Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey (Jupiter 9 Productions, Digimax), Red Crabs: Australia’s Christmas Island (Mark Simpfendorfer Productions), Return to Everest 3D (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Sea Rex (N3D Land Productions), Sharkwater 3D (RPG Productions), Star Trek: the IMAX Experience (Paramount, IMAX Corporation), To the Arctic 3D (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The IMAX Experience (Paramount, IMAX Corporation), and Ultimate Wave Tahiti (The Stephen Low Company, K2 Communications).
Trailers were also screened at the Film Expo: Dolphins and Whales 3D: Tribes of the Ocean (3D Entertainment), Galapagos 3D (IMAX Corporation), Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Mysteries of the Great Lakes (Science North), Pulse: a STOMP Odyssey (Yes/No Productions, Giant Screen Films), Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure (National Geographic), Space Station 3D (IMAX Corporation), U2 3D (National Geographic, 3ality Digital Entertainment), Van Gogh: Brush with Genius (Camera Lucida, La Geode, MacGillivray Freeman Films), and Wild Ocean (Yes/No Productions, Giant Screen Films).
2008 International Conference and Trade Show
Jersey City, New Jersey and New York, New York
September 9–12, 2008
Host: Liberty Science Center, Jersey City
Co-host: AMC Lincoln Square IMAX Theatre, New York
Returning to Jersey City after a 10-year absence, the 2008 Conference saw 482 delegates in attendance. Ten new films were screened: Animalopolis (Graphic Films, K2 Communications), Dolphins and Whales 3D: Tribes of the Ocean (3D Entertainment Ltd.), Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk 3D (MacGillivray Freeman Films), The Light Before Christmas (Tandem Motion Picture Studios), Mummies 3D: Secrets of the Pharaohs (Giant Screen Films, Gravity Pictures), Mysteries of the Great Lakes (Science North), Proud American (LightSource), U2 3D (3ality Digital Entertainment, National Geographic), Van Gogh: Brush with Genius (MacGillivray Freeman Films, Camera Lucida, La Geode), We the People (Inland Sea Productions), and Wild Ocean (Yes/No Productions, Giant Screen Films).
The 21 films in production presented were Animalopolis 3D (Graphic Films, K2 Communications), Arabia (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Around the World in 50 Years (nWave Pictures), Eagle Eye: The IMAX Experience (IMAX Corporation), Grand Canyon 3D (Destination Cinema, National Geographic), Journey to Mecca (Cosmic Picture, SK Films), Legends of the Sky 3D (K3 Communications, The Stephen Low Company), Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa: The IMAX Experience (IMAX Corporation), The Magic Tale (Orbita Max), Molecules to the Max (Nanotoon Entertainment, Renssalaer Institute), Monsters vs. Aliens: The IMAX Experience (IMAX Corporation), Outside In (Outside in Films and SV2 Studios), Quantum Quest (Jupiter 9 Productions and Digmax Animation Studio), Red Crabs 3D: Australia’s Christmas Island (Mark Simpfendorfer Productions), Return to Everest (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Sharkwater 3D (RPG Productions, Sharkwater Productions), Slit Scan 3D (Graphic Films), To the Arctic (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Under the Sea 3D (IMAX Corporation, Warner Bros.), Watchmen: The IMAX Experience (IMAX Corporation, Warner Bros.), and We the People (Inland Sea Productions).
The 17 films in development presented were Beauty and the Beast (Principal Large Format, SK Films), Cool Planet (Stephen Low Company, K2 Communications), Dolphins 3D (Liquid Pictures, Giant Screen Films), Flight of the Butterflies (Principal Large Format, SK Films), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (IMAX Corporation, Warner Bros.), Heart of Africa (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Hubble 3D (IMAX Corporation, Warner Bros.), Humpback Whales 3D (MacGillivray Freeman Films), The Ice Age (Giant Screen Films), Iceland (Day’s End Pictures), Journey to the Ends of the Earth (Science North), Native America 3D (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (20th Century Fox, IMAX Corporation), Rescue (Stephen Low Company, K2 Communications), Sea Turtles 3D (3D Entertainment), Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Paramount Pictures, IMAX Corporation), and Ultimate Wave 3D (The Stephen Low Company, K2 Communications).
Keynote speaker David Meerman Scott is author of The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly. In the months following the conference, there was a definite surge in GSCA members on Facebook, which may or may not be attributed to Scott’s presentation. Other professional development sessions included The Brand Is Dead; Long Live the Brand, Commercial Theater Success Stories, New Films Marketing Sessions, New Members Workshop, Enhancing the Lifelong in Lifelong Learning, The Projector Ate My Film, Giant Screen Digital: Contradiction in Terms or the New Paradigm. The GSCA mentor program also saw continued success at this conference.
Technical sessions included The Digital and Postproduction World Flow Integration, presented by David Keighley of DKP 70MM Inc.; The Data After Tomorrow, presented by Daniel Rapo of FotoKem; Kodak Vision 3 500T Color Negative Film presented by Bev Pasterczyk of Kodak; From Location to Theater: A Look at Creating Soundtracks for Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey and Wild Ocean, presented by Mike Roberts of Yes/No Productions and Brian Eimer of ImagesInSound; Getting the Most Out of 4K, presented by Andrew Oran of FotoKem; 3D to the Max: Bubbles, presented by Greg MacGillivray of MacGillivray Freeman Films; and 2D to 3D Update, presented by Rick Gordon of RPG Productions.
Presenter materials can be found here: 2008 Presentations.
The 2008 conference saw the debut of Southside Johnny and the GSCA Jukes, a band comprised of GSCA members who also happen to be talented musicians. Download a copy of the song lyrics of Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish" customized for GSCA,
2008 Symposium
The Greater Potential of Giant Screen Experiences: Connecting Society and Science
Jersey City, New Jersey
September 8, 2008
On September 8, 2008, GSCA hosted a one-day symposium, The Greater Potential of Giant Screen Experiences: Connecting Science with Society, in Jersey City, New Jersey, one day prior to the GSCA International Conference and Trade Show. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and developed by GSCA’s Lifelong Learning Committee, the symposium was designed to address issues in science and society, provide multi-disciplinary inputs to inform innovative approaches in filmmaking with learning goals, and aim for the development of synergistic producer-exhibitor-distributor relationships.
The symposium included presentations by experts in cognitive neuroscience, education, science communication, and the evaluation and communication of science and scientific controversy. These invited speakers provided participants with insights on how best to seize upon the greater educational potential of giant screen film experiences. The symposium offered opportunities for dialogue between the invited experts and science communication researchers; and for giant screen filmmakers, exhibitors, and educators to address key issues in the giant screen industry.
The symposium format was informed by the 1999 NSF-funded symposium Giant Screen Films and
Lifelong Learning, which changed the way we think about giant screen films and led to industry awards recognizing the best in educational filmmaking, an emphasis on research and evaluation for film development, a greater openness in film development industry-wide, and a focus on the promotion of learning outcomes from the films.
Symposium presenter papers and video of the presentations may be found here.
2008 Film Expo
London, England
March 3-5, 2008
Hosted by the Science Museum of London and the BFI IMAX Theatre
Co-sponsored by Euromax, the GSCA 2008 Film Expo saw 214 delegates attending new film screenings, films in production presentations, and committee and special interest group meetings, with an opening reception and special screening of U2 3D hosted by National Geographic. New films screened included Dolphins and Whales 3D: Tribes of the Ocean (3D Entertainment Ltd. and McKinney Underwater Productions), Fly Me to the Moon 3D (nWave Pictures), Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs 3D (Giant Screen Films and Gravity Pictures), Scarecrow (Cinema and Photo Research Institute), Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure (National Geographic), Shine a Light: The IMAX Experience (Paramount Pictures), The Spiderwick Chronicles: The IMAX Experience (Paramount Pictures), 3D Sun (K2 Communications and Melrae Pictures), U2 3D (3ality and National Geographic), and Wild Ocean 3D (Giant Screen Films and Yes/No Productions).
Films in production included Animalopolis (Graphic Films), Arabia (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Bluebeard (United Multimedia Projects Studio), The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience (Warner Bros.), The Greatest Journey: Pilgrimage to Mecca in the Footsteps of Ibn Buttutah (SK Films and Cosmic Picture), Legends of the Sky (The Stephen Low Company), The Magic Tale (Orbita Max), Molecularium/Atoms (Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute and Nanotoon Entertainment), Mysteries of the Great Lakes (Science North), Proud American (Lightsource LLC), Return to Everest (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Sea Rex (N3D Land Productions), To the Arctic (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Van Gogh: Bigger Than Painting (Camera Lucida and Les Productions de la Géode)
2007 International Conference and Trade Show
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Connecting Giant Screens to Giant Ideas
September 23–25, 2007
Hosted by Science World and the IMAX Theatre at Canada Place
A total of 487 delegates attended the 2007 GSCA International Conference and Trade Show in Vancouver, with everyone glad to be back in that beautiful city. It had been 10 years since the industry had last held a conference there.
Twelve new films were screened during the conference: African Adventure: Safari in the Okavango (nWave Pictures), The Alps (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Dinosaurs Alive (Giant Screen Films, David Clark Inc., Maryland Science Center), Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia (Sky High Entertainment), Fly Me to the Moon (nWave Pictures), Galaxy Express 999: The Stars Are a Time Machine (Toei Animation), Lions 3D: Roar of the Kalahari (Tim Liversedge Productions, National Geographic), Moon Man (National Film Board of Canada), Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs (Giant Screen Films, Gravity Pictures), The Scarecrow (Cinema and Research Institute, Studio NUKUFILM), Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure (National Geographic), and Space Elevator (Walk Co.).
The Films in Production session included 16 projects: Animalopolis (Graphic Films), Arabia (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Beowulf (IMAX Corporation), Champions of the World (Tenare Pictures), Dolphins and Whales: Tribes of the Ocean (3D Entertainment Ltd.), Grand Canyon Adventure (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Legends of the Sky (Stephen Low Company, K2 Communications), The Magic Tale (Orbita Max), Ocean Frenzy (Giant Screen Films and Yes/No Productions), Proud American (LightSource and MultiImage Productions), Return to Everest (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Sea Rex (N3D Land Productions), U2 3D (3ality Digital and National Geographic), Volcano (National Geographic and Graphic Films), We the People (Inland Sea Productions), Wonders of the Great Lakes (Science North).
Films in Development included 29 projects: Beyond the Great Wall (SK Films), The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience (Warner Bros., IMAX Corporation), Deep Earth: The Journey Begins (Graphic Films and Space Inc.), Deep Sea-quel 3D (Warner Bros. And IMAX Corporation), Flight of the Butterflies (Principal Large Format and SK Films), Frontier Antarctica (Giant Screen Films and Liquid Pictures), Great White 3D (Principal Large Format and SK Films), The Greatest Journey: Pilgrimage to Mecca in the Footsteps of Ibn Battuta (Cosmic Picture and SK Films); The Greener Way (K2 Communications), Heart of Africa (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Hidden Universe 3D (National Geographic and Blacklight Films), Humpback Whales (MacGillivray Freeman Films), I Am Legend (Warner Bros. and IMAX Corporation), The Ice Age (Giant Screen Films), Journey to a Black Hole 3D (OmniCosm Studios), The Last Headhunter (Golden Chariot Productions), Molecularium (Nanotoon Productions), Mysteries of China (National Geographic), Native America (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Orca: Killer Whales (Graphic Films), The Passion of Flight (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Predators (Bushrag Productions and Graphic Films), River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Greatest Adventure (MacGillivray Freeman Films), The Romans (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Scat (Surreality Productions), Sharkwater (RPG Productions), Silent Surf (Summerhays Films), To the Arctic (MacGillivray Freeman Films), Tornado Alley (Bushrag Productions), Vincent Van Gogh: Bigger Than Painting (La Geode and Camera Lucida).
John Fahey, President and CEO of National Geographic Society, gave the keynote address “Musings From a CEO Grappling with Change.” Professional Development sessions included the GSCA New Members Workshop: An Insider's Guide to Giant Screen Success, Mission and Money, The Digital Age, Know Thy Audience: An Industry–Community Conversation, Presentation Excellence for Theater Managers and Projectionists, Seven Habits of Successful Giant Screen Marketers, and Commercial Theater Success Stories: Leveraging Your Assets.
In 2007 the Professional Development Committee established the GSCA mentor program, which welcomes new attendees to the GSCA community by partnering them with already-established members of the association. Mentors and mentorees met for the first time at the conference's First-Timers Welcome Reception.
In the technical session, Sean Phillips presented the stereoscopic visual effects techniques used in Sea Monsters; Greg MacGillivray presented how the aerial scenes were filmed for The Alps and Hurricane on the Bayou and the innovative production plan for Return to Everest; Phil Streather’s presentation addressed giant screen 3D filming techniques; Marty Mueller reviewed production use of the Gemini 3D camera; and Tim Archer gave an update on location audio recording for giant screen films.
At the distributors bash, the distributors offered a rousing rendition of the Village Peoples’ “YMCA,” with new lyrics for “GSCA.” For a copy of the lyrics, click here: GSCA song lyrics. The 2007 award winners can be found here, and a PDF of the Vancouver conference program is available here. Presenter materials can be found here. The 2007 Conference marked the first conference that session audio was made available on the GSCA website. Session audio can be found here. Member login is required for the presenter materials and session audio.
2007 GSCA Film Expo
Los Angeles, California, US
April 24–25, 2007
At GSCA's 2007 Film Expo 251 delegates attended 10 new film screenings and 9 films in production presentations at The Bridge: Cinema de Lux IMAX Theatre. New films included African Adventure 3D: Safari in the Okavango, produced by nWave Pictures, distributed by nWave Pictures Distribution and National Geographic; The Alps, produced by MacGillivray Films, distributed by MacGillivray Freeman Films Distribution; Dinosaurs Alive!, produced by David Clark, Inc., Giant Screen Films, Maryland Science Center, Stardust Blue, LLC, distributed by Giant Screen Films; Dinosaurs: Giants of Patagonia, produced by Sky High Dinosaurs Inc., distributed by Sky High Entertainment; Fly Me to the Moon, produced by nWave Pictures, distributed by nWave Pictures Distribution; Hurricane on the Bayou, produced by MacGillivray Films, distributed by MacGillivray Freeman Films Distribution; Lions 3D: Roar of the Kalahari, produced by National Geographic and Tim Liversedge, distributed by National Geographic; Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs, produced by Giant Screen Films and Gravity Pictures, distributed by Giant Screen Films; Pikachu's Ocean Adventure, produced by Shogakukan Production Co., Ltd., distributed by Sarai Inc., and Wild Ride, produced by Trinity Films, distributed by Giant Screen Films (re-edited version of Ride Around the World).
The films in production screened were Arabia 3D (wt), produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films; Deep Sea-quel, produced by IMAX Corporation; Dolphins and Whales 3D (wt), produced by 3D Entertainment Ltd.; Grand Canyon Adventure 3D (wt), produced by MacGillivray Freeman Films; Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: The IMAX Experience, produced by Warner Bros. Pictures; Ocean Frenzy (wt), produced by Giant Screen Films and Yes/No Productions; Proud American (wt), produced by LightSource LLC; Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure, produced by National Geographic; and Wonders of the Great Lakes (wt), produced by Sudbury Science Films.
2006 GSCA International Conference and Trade Show
Galveston, Texas, US
Big Business, Big Future: Part 2
September 18–20, 2006
More than 400 attendees from at least 21 countries attended the 2006 GSCA International Conference and Tradeshow in Galveston, Texas. Hosted by Moody Gardens, the conference featured eight new films, 19 films in production, and 33 films in development. Professional development sessions included a giant screen theater basics workshop, Internet Marketing, the Behind the Curtain Technical Session, and two networking sessions. GSCA extended a special invitation to museum educators, offering two education-focused sessions: Giant Screen 101: From Script to Screen—Designing Educational Films and Revitalize and Revolutionize Your Educational Programming. Educators also participated in a workshop to help plan a one-day education symposium at a future conference. Dr. John Falk, author of Thriving in the Knowledge Age: New Business Models for Museums and Other Cultural Institutions, was the featured guest speaker. Materials from the professional development sessions can be found in the Member Center: Conference Materials. Click the links below for other conference materials.
» List of Award Winners
» Big News conference newsletters (PDF)
2006 GSCA March Conference
Los Angeles, California, US
Big Business, Big Future
March 29–31, 2006
This marked the inaugural conference of the newly formed Giant Screen Cinema Association. Please click here for a PDF of the conference wrap-up report that Judith Rubin wrote for The Big Frame.
2005 GSTA International Conference and Trade Show
Boston, Massachusetts, US
September 19–23, 2005
The last conference held under the banner of the GSTA set the stage for a new, unified association committed to openness, collaboration, and impartiality within the industry. Click here for a PDF of the conference wrap-up report and photos that appeared in The Big Frame.
2005 LFCA Conference and Film Festival
Los Angeles, California, US
The Business of Large Format: Strategize and Thrive
April 26–29, 2005
Click here for PDFs of the conference schedule and a list of the sessions.
2004 GSTA International Conference and Trade Show
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
September 9–13, 2004
Hosted by the Montréal Science Centre and supported by Famous Players, the Giant Screen Theater Association's 2004 conference featured film screenings, professional development sessions, technical presentations, a tradeshow, and the annual Achievement Awards. Two of the professional development sessions were a result of a consumer research work team recommendation to use the results of the GSTA 2003 Worldwide Viewer and Nonviewer Research to further benefit the industry. Click here for a PDF of the conference wrap-up report and photos that appeared in the Big Frame.
2004 LFCA Conference and Film Festival
Los Angeles, California, US
The Business of Large Format
April 28–30, 2004
Digital Symposium held May 1
The 2004 Large Format Cinema Association Conference and Film Festival explored the present state of affairs in the industry with an eye towards sharing strategies for success and ways to look at business with fresh eyes. New technologies, as well as available production and post-production tools and techniques were reviewed, and the latest films were screened. Famed Hollywood producer Frank Marshall delivered the keynote address. A comprehensive one-day digital symposium held the day after the conference covered the latest digital developments, presented at the Digital Cinema Lab (DCL) in Hollywood. Highlights of the digital symposium were sessions on the Digital Cinema Initiative (DCI) digital conversion tests, cameras and data storage systems, digital intermediates, digital projection, and a roundtable discussion focusing on the new digital paradigm and emerging business models.
2003 GSTA International Conference and Trade Show
Glasgow, Scotland, UK
September 19–23, 2003
The 2003 GSTA International Conference and Tradeshow, held in Glasgow, Scotland, on September 19–23, was hosted by the Glasgow Science Centre and supported by Loch Lomond Shores. Highlights of this year’s conference included having an 8-perf/70mm theater as supporting host, as well as the release and review of the results from the highly anticipated GSTA Viewer and Nonviewer Research Study. This year also marked the second in an ongoing forum on the state of the giant screen industry, where key stakeholders and industry experts discussed the evolving dynamic in the giant screen theater business. Click here for a PDF of the conference photos and wrap-up report that appeared in The Big Frame.
2003 LFCA Conference and Film Festival
Los Angeles, California, US
Size Matters
May 14–16, 2003
With the advent of DMR (digital re-mastering) and projection of 35mm studio films on giant screens, the industry and the public are faced with the changing perceptions of our industry and the product we produce. The conference explored our potential to increase profitability in all aspects of giant screen production, distribution, and exhibition through our ability to increase the public's desire to embrace our medium. Is the medium, in fact, the message? Academy Award-winning producer/director James Cameron, who had recently released the giant screen film Ghosts of the Abyss, was the conference keynote speaker. Click here for a PDF of summaries of the conference sessions.
2002 GSTA International Conference and Trade Show
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
September 30–October 4, 2002
The Giant Screen Theater Association held its 25th Anniversary conference in Toronto, the birthplace of the giant screen industry. Delegates were able to screen films on all three of the large format screen types: dome (Ontario Science Centre), flat (Ontario Place), and 3D (Famous Players Paramount Theatre). A record number of films were screened, 20 in all. Film buyers were recognized with special tags and for the first time provided input during the Films in Progress session with a wireless survey system. The 25th anniversary was celebrated at the first permanent giant screen theater ever built, Ontario Place, with an evening of historical films and recognition of special honorees. Click here for a PDF of the conference wrap-up report that appeared in The Big Frame.
2002 LFCA Conference and Film Festival
Los Angeles, California, US
May 15–17, 2002
2001 GSTA International Conference and Trade Show
Chicago, Illinois, US
September 20–25, 2001
With the reality of the events of September 11 still sinking in, nearly 700 giant screen industry professionals from around the world converged in Chicago for the annual Giant Screen Theater Association conference. Click here for a PDF of the conference wrap-up report that appeared in The Big Frame.
2001 LFCA Conference and Film Festival
Los Angeles, California, US
May 16–18, 2001
Over 430 attendees participated in LFCA's annual conference and film festival this year. Highlights of the three-day meeting were the Kodak Vision Award presented to Reed Smoot, a keynote address given by Producer Don Hahn of Walt Disney Studios, a three-part digital symposium, panel discussions on issues facing the giant screen industry, and the screenings and world premieres of over 20 giant screen films. Click here for a PDF of the press release that summarized the conference.
2000 GSTA International Conference and Trade Show
Frankfurt, Germany
September 14–19, 2000
The Frankfurt conference marked the first event planned by GSTA staff at the new international headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Frankfurt IMAX Theatre was host to the conference.
2000 LFCA Conference and Film Festival
Los Angeles, California, US
May 17–20, 2000
1999 GSTA International Conference and Trade Show
New York, New York/Jersey City, New Jersey, US
September 11–15, 1999
In 1999, ISTC, the International Space Theater Consortium, changed its name to the Giant Screen Theater Association, GSTA. Liberty Science Center in Jersey City and the Sony IMAX Theatre in New York City were co-hosts for the 1999 conference, with the American Museum of Natural History, located down the street from the Sony IMAX Theatre in New York City, acting as a third screening venue for new films.
1999 LFCA Conference
Los Angeles, California, US
May 19–20, 1999
1998 ISTC International Conference
Sydney, Australia
September 10–14, 1998
1998 marked the first year an ISTC/GSTA conference was held in the land down under, and Sydney's Darling Harbour provided a scenic location for the event. The conference was hosted by Cinema Plus Limited, with film screenings and various other events taking place at the Cinema Plus Panasonic IMAX Theater, located at the end of Darling Harbour.
1998 LFCA Conference
Los Angeles, California, US
May 13–15, 1998
1997 ISTC Conference
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
September 19–22, 1997
1997 LFCA Conference
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
September 18, 1997
1996 ISTC Conference
Barcelona, Spain
1996 LFCA Conference
Barcelona, Spain
(LFCA, Large Format Cinema Association, formed in 1996)
Other ISTC/STC Conferences
1995 Galveston, Texas, US
1994 Poitiers, France
1993 Charlotte, North Carolina, US (Space Theater Consortium renamed the International
Space Theater Consortium)
1992 Singapore
1991 Hull, Quebec, Canada
1990 The Hague, The Netherlands
1989 New York, New York, US
1988 Chicago, Illinois, US
1987 Paris, France
1986 Seattle/Vancouver
1985 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
1984 Huntsville, Alabama, US
1983 Washington, D.C., US
1982 Hutchinson, Kansas, US
1981 Seattle, Washington, US
1980 Monterrey, San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico
1979 No meeting held
1978 St. Paul, Minnesota, US
1977 Space Theater Consortium (STC) is incorporated