Thought leader

“It’s a true honor and great recognition to be appointed chairman of the Advanced Imaging Society,” says Wim Buyens, Senior VP Entertainment at Barco. “Our continuous quest for innovation − and our commitment to the industry − have made us the cinema leader we are today. We’ve evolved from an equipment supplier into a key opinion leader that’s constantly looking for new ways to redefine global cinemas into entertainment centers. What’s more, as a visualization expert, we’re also active in virtual reality, digital lobby, etc. − so we have all the expertise in-house to take the cinema experience to new heights.”

Lumière award for flagship laser projector
Every year, during its Lumière award ceremony, the Advanced Imaging Society lauds companies and organizations that make movies and content more exciting and successful through their ‘innovation and impact’. In 2014, Barco won the ‘Technology and New Product’ award for its 6P RGB DP4K-60L laser cinema projector. This award recognized Barco as an innovator that’s helping to drive the cinema industry forward.

Redefining cinema
With more than 65,000 projectors in the field, Barco is the market share leader in xenon cinema projection. Barco is also leading the global conversion from lamp-based to laser-based projection. To top that off, Barco is delivering innovative solutions that combine high-quality image and sound with unique, interactive experiences to help exhibitors take cinema to the next level. Barco’s offering combines a wide array of concepts to help exhibitors and storytellers create a value-added moviegoing experience − before, during, and after the show. The Barco Lobby Experience brings the cinema lobby to life by creating an immersive storytelling environment. Barco Escape − the multi-screen, panoramic movie format − treats audiences to an extraordinary experience, while AuroMax® immersive sound provides the perfect complement to a premium visual movie experience.

About Wim Buyens
Wim Buyens is Senior Vice President and General Manager of Barco’s Entertainment division. He started at Barco in November 2007 as Vice President Digital Cinema within the Media & Entertainment division. He has longstanding experience in the global cinema arena with strong links to the Chinese cinema industry. Prior to joining Barco, he held several management positions at the Danish technology company Bruel & Kjaer. Mr. Buyens holds a degree in Engineering and obtained his executive management education at Stanford University and IMD in Lausanne.

About the Advanced Imaging Society
The Advanced Imaging Society was formed in 2009 by the film industry’s creative stakeholders including The Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, DreamWorks Animation (DWA), Sony, Paramount, IMAX, Dolby, Panasonic, MasterImage and others to advance the creative arts and sciences of stereoscopic 3D.

As new cutting-edge technologies including high dynamic range (HDR), virtual reality (VR), high frame rate (HFR), and 4K come to the forefront, the Society has been charged with “informing the content pipeline” of professionals on these emerging innovations.

With chapters in the U.S., China, Japan, Canada, the E.U., India and the U.K., the organization serves thousands of professional participants in over 20 countries active in improving the arts and technologies of advanced imaging. The organization hosts professional education seminars and awards throughout the world.