Display Standards for French Cinemas

French cinema theaters follow strict rules; there are two standards that must be followed when granting theater operation licenses. One standard is concerned with architectural considerations and the other movie reproduction parameters. These two standards undergo periodic revisions. The main goal behind these specifications is to ensure that movies are reproduced uniformly in all theaters while matching the intention of the creative team during the final check. Another goal is audience satisfaction and the avoidance of unnecessary physical or audio visual stress. The specifications listed in the standard related to movie reproduction include a uniformity formula. Counterexamples demonstrate problems with the validity of this uniformity. A new uniformity method of measurement is under study. The proposed method unifies projection and display systems in the same measurement. The projection vignetting effect is canceled using the current room and screen dimensions. The formula is also independent of the reproduction system's dynamic range. Nine locations on screen are used as points of measurement. The proposed measurement of uniformity is based on a statistical measurement called the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) distance. It compares the current results with a standard statistical distribution. The type of distribution is chosen based on practical considerations. © 2002 Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Inc.