Montreal: Softimage founder Daniel Langlois of Terra Incognito is dedicating the state-of-the-art Ex-Centris complex to the future of alternative media, independent filmmakers and practitioners of new digital technology.

The architecturally exquisite complex, financed by Langlois at a cost of $35-million, is a five-story, 14,400-square-feet design gem of concrete and steel, granite floors, cut-stone walls and 22-meter-high glass ceilings. The complex officially opens its doors June 1.

Ex-Centris houses three multiformat theatres, a two-story cafe, a digital toy/tool boutique and terrace, production offices and a post-production studio. It’s located on Boul. St-Laurent adjacent to the Softimage building on Clark Street.

The building’s integrated systems include a telephone system with voice recognition, a computer network linked by fiber optics, an audiovisual network and an outdoor self-heating sidewalk.

Langlois is the complex’s principal designer. Andre Riopel of Riopel + Associes is the architect.

Langlois says one of goals for Ex-Centris is to build profitable, sustainable operations within three years, although he says the actual cost of the building will never be recouped.

All three primary theatres open up on the complex’s ground-level foyer, a naturally lit environment topped by a 22.2-meter-high glass ceiling.

Cinema 1 (Le Parallele) will be rededicated to experimental film and new media and will be programmed by Luc Bourdon. It has a 100-seat capacity, is post-production convertible, and can project film in 16mm (optical projector) and variable-speed projector 35mm formats.

Video capability includes Betacam SP, HDTV, VHS, SVHS, DATA, SXVA and dvd. Sound surpasses thx standards.

Cinema 2 (Fellini) houses an automated reconfiguration system and can accommodate 495 people in exhibition mode and 240 in cinema mode. Its optimal comfort seats are self-ventilated. Two variable-speed projectors for 35mm film allow for the projection of all formats, including early archival material and 3D with digital Dolby sound, dts and ssds. Cinema 2 also has multi-video and 16mm film format capability.

Cinema 3 (Cassavetes) can be reconfigured for theatre, film and conference events. It seats 300 and is networked for post-production capability, specifically a large-scale audio mixing studio.

Both Cinema 2 and 3 will be programmed by Claude Chamberlan, director of the International Festival of New Cinema and New Media (Oct. 14-24). Langlois says the larger theatres will program high-quality independent movies.

Cinema 4 is located on the complex’s fifth floor. It houses a private post-production and projection studio and integrated video-conferencing system.

Mixing stage

The complex’s digital post-production studio includes dvd production facilities and Avid and Softimage ds suites. The studio is networked to the center’s screening theatres, one of which is convertible to a ‘full cinema experience’ audio mixing studio. Langlois says a digital film transfer unit will be added to the production studio in the spring of 2000.

The Ex-Centris complex is wired directly to a Bell Satellite center for live program and event transmission.

Terra Incognito is currently undertaking a second building development in New York City.

Launch programs

Following the official June 1 launch, Ex-Centris features Magnifico, the second edition of the Al Fresco Summer Film Event (June 2-6), a series of 50 free indoor/outdoor movie screenings.

Movie premieres set for the summer include Emir Kusturica’s Chat Noir, Chat Blanc (Alliance Vivafilm), Tom Tykwer’s Cours, Lola, Cours (Behaviour Distribution), Wim Wenders’ Buena Vista Social Club (Alliance), Erik Pauser and Johan Soderberg’s Lucky People Center International (Film Tonic) and Tsai Ming-Liang’s Le Trou/The Hole (Film Tonic).

Wenders will be in Montreal with a film crew June 2-6 to introduce his new movie and film highlights of the Ex-Centris opening.

The complex will also host the 1999 FantAsia movie festival.

Langlois founded 3D animation and special-effects producer Softimage in 1986. The company was listed on nasdaq in 1992 and acquired by Microsoft in a stock swap in 1994. In August ’98, Microsoft sold its Softimage division to Avid Technology. Langlois is an active member of Avid’s board of directors.

Langlois’ production company, Media Principia, is currently on location in Europe shooting its first digitally produced feature-length movie.