How our NOC and Cinergy helps Celebration Cinema’s operations stay on track

Eighty years ago, Celebration Cinema opened its first theatre in Grand Rapids, Michigan, followed by the area’s first drive-in. In the 1980s, they opened what was the largest multiplex in the United States at that time. In 2007, they were one of the original adopters of digital cinema when they transitioned from 35mm film to digital – and now they’re moving from lamp illumination to RGB pure laser.  

Today, with 11 locations in West and mid-Michigan, Celebration continues to deliver an exceptional moviegoing experience for its guests. We spoke with them about managing their theatre operations and how they rely on Christie Professional Services and Cinergy to help keep operations running smoothly. 

Remote monitoring 

The secret behind the best-run cinemas is often what audiences don’t see: the dedication to ensuring all the technology runs as it should. To accomplish this, Celebration Cinema depends on Christie Professional Services and its Network Operations Centers (NOCs) for preventative maintenance, emergency field support, and effective remote troubleshooting capabilities using Cinergy. 

Cinergy is a cloud-based theatre management platform that seamlessly integrates with cinema equipment, regardless of manufacturer. In addition to secure remote monitoring capabilities, Cinergy provides real-time system health monitoring and proactive issue management.  

Key delivery and TDL management  

“One of the advantages of Cinergy remote monitoring is the key [delivery] function. We’ve been able to resolve some issues and saved a couple of shows where a key had expired or the wrong feature file was scheduled to play,” says Kevin Wolters, a member of the Celebration Cinema team. Cinergy has the most accurate and trusted device list (TDL) on the market. It polls data hourly to eliminate missing key delivery messages (KDMs) that can result in delayed or missed shows.  

Asset tracking 

Cinergy’s cloud-based platform keeps track of digital and non-digital equipment all in one place, which helps Celebration Cinema save time managing their assets. 

“We have a lot more access and control [with Cinergy],” says Wolters. “Cinergy allows us to better keep track of which equipment is in each house as we have varied equipment between locations. Previously, we had to create a laborious Excel spreadsheet, which was cumbersome, and it was hard to find the information we needed. With Cinergy, with the click of a button, we can pull reports and find that information readily.”  

A premium moviegoing experience 

While Wolters and the team work behind the scenes to keep operations running smoothly, Celebration Cinema continues to evolve the moviegoing experience for its guests. Recently, the chain opened its new “C Premium” PLF auditorium in its Grand Rapids South location, complete with Christie^® RGB pure laser projection, Dolby Atmos™ surround sound, and luxury heated recliners. 

“Attention to technology supports the moviegoing experience,” says Emily Loeks, an owner of Celebration Cinema.  “In short, our goal is for guests to really feel something when they’re at the movies.  Presentation quality makes the stories told more impactful and brings people together in an even more powerful way.”