SID GANIS TO RECEIVE INTER-SOCIETY’S 2011 KEN MASON AWARD

Washington, D.C. (February 15, 2011) – The Inter-Society for the Enhancement of Cinema Presentation, Inc. (The Inter-Society), in concert with CinemaCon, announced today that industry veteran Sid Ganis, former President and current governor of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will receive the Inter-Society’s 2011 Ken Mason Award at CinemaCon 2011 to be held March 28-31, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV.

The award, named after the Inter-Society’s founder, will be presented to Ganis during the Breakfast and Industry Awards Presentation on Tuesday, March 29 by Ioan Allen, Senior VP of Dolby Laboratories on behalf of the Inter-Society.

Presented yearly at ShoWest since 1995, the Ken Mason Award honors an individual who has made outstanding and long-term contributions leading to the overall improvement of the motion picture experience. Some of the previous recipients include: Ken Mason, Barry Reardon, Al Shapiro, Bud Stone, Ioan Allen, Mark Christiansen and Gary Weaver.

“Throughout his career Sid Ganis has had a major impact on the motion picture experience, from marketing, distribution, and in his role as President of the Academy. I salute Sid for his long and ongoing support for the motion picture going experience,” said Mark Christiansen, Executive Vice President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution Operations, Paramount Pictures and the President of the Inter-Society.

“In recognition of the outstanding work that The Inter-Society does on behalf of the entire motion picture industry, CinemaCon is delighted to carry on this great tradition with regard to the presentation of the annual Inter-Society Ken Mason Award,” noted Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon. “And to know in our first year Sid Ganis is going to be the recipient makes us extremly happy and delighted.”

Ganis got his start in New York City with 20th Century-Fox in the early 1960s, and after stints at Fox, Columbia, Seven Arts, and Warner Bros., he became senior VP at Lucasfilm in 1979, where he worked in marketing such blockbusters as “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” In the 1980s he became president at Paramount where he oversaw such hits as “Top Gun,” “Fatal Attraction,” and “Ghost.” From 1992 to 1996, he returned to Columbia as vice chairman and prexy of worldwide marketing for Columbia/Tristar, and then in 1996 founded his own company, Out of the Blue Entertainment.

Ganis served as President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 2005 until 2009 — ensuring the visibility of the theatrical motion picture-going experience though the broad range of Academy activities. In addition to the Oscar program, for example, one little known Academy function is the Science and Technology Council, created in 2003 in response to the explosion in digital motion picture technology, which continues to transform the production, post-production and exhibition of movies. The Council’s activities are focused on industry-wide problem-solving and research projects, preserving the history of motion picture technology, and educating professionals and the public about the role of technology in moviemaking.

“I’m flattered to be recognized by the Inter-Society for the Ken Mason Award, in particular because the Society represents all branches of our industry, from production through to exhibition” said Mr. Ganis.

About The Inter-Society

The Inter-Society for the Enhancement of Cinema Presentation, Inc (the Inter-Society), promotes interactive dialogue and information exchange between cinema-related entities with the goal of resolving issues affecting the overall cinema presentation. Founded in 1978 by Eastman Kodak VP Ken Mason, membership is composed of its five charter trade organizations—the Association of Cinema and Video Labs (ACVL), the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA), the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE)—along with over 40 member companies, made up of trade organizations, motion picture studios, exhibition companies, manufacturers, technical consultants and other industry stakeholders. Previous activities include playing a major role in the implementation of cyan (silverless) soundtracks for 35MM film and procedures for controlling excessive loudness on trailers and feature films. Current committees include the Inter-Society Digital Cinema Forum (ISDCF) which is focused on resolving issues affecting the global digital cinema deployment, and the Inter-Society Environmental Committee (ISEC) which promotes green conservation and awareness within the cinema industry.

About CinemaCon

Held March 28-31, 2011 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, CinemaCon is expected to play host to more than 6,000 motion picture theater industry professionals. Additional information on CinemaCon, the Official Convention of NATO, can be found at www.cinemacon.com.

About NATO

The National Association of Theatre Owners is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 30,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and additional cinemas in 50 countries worldwide. NATO’s membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world and hundreds of independent theatre owners, too. For more information visit www.natoonline.org or email nato@natodc.com.

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Jessica Erskine
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310.854.8129
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