Metamedia and Visaic Launch Global Content Delivery Network Built on Microsoft Azure to Revitalize Cinemas

June 9, 2020

The cloud-based MetaMedia Entertainment NetworkTM will help cinemas re-emerge, streamlining operations and creating new revenue opportunities 

LOS ANGELES, CA – To help movie theaters add new capabilities as they reopen around the world, MetaMedia and Visaic today announced the deployment of a global cloud-based content delivery network for secure delivery of films, trailers, marketing and advertising content, esports and live streamed events to cinemas. Built on Microsoft Azure, the MetaMedia Entertainment NetworkTM will support rapid global scaling and provide cinemas and content owners new opportunities for growth and revenue. 

MetaMedia, a leading entertainment technology company, has developed a content management software and hardware platform that securely delivers digital files, such as digital cinema packages (DCP) and movie trailers, over its managed, high-speed IP network. Visaic operates a live and on-demand over-the-top (OTT) platform for distribution and monetization of content worldwide. It also offers cinemas a rich portfolio of live internationally recognized sports and events, such as soccer, basketball, concerts, festivals, and other lifestyle content.

MetaMedia collaborated with Visaic to build the MetaMedia Entertainment NetworkTM on  Azure, enabling studios to deliver content to cinemas around the world using a streamlined workflow. The centrally monitored service eliminates costly physical hard drive shipping of films and automates content ingestion. Azure also offers secure storage of DCP, allowing cost-efficient redistribution of even repertory films without the need for remastering, re-encoding and repackaging. 

“Emerging from this challenging period, cinemas welcome access to a broader array of content programming options, especially as the Hollywood studios create their new film release plans,” said MetaMedia CEO Jason Brenek. “The MetaMedia Entertainment Network TM with Azure integration allows us to quickly scale globally, connecting cinemas everywhere to live or pre-recorded content produced anywhere. Imagine, for example, the latest South Korean films being inexpensively delivered to American cinemas with large Korean communities. Or first-run Hollywood films, TED Talks, independent or global content, no longer burdened with expensive delivery charges, distributed day-and-date across cinemas in Mexico, New Zealand, and Iceland.” 

“Visaic is excited to partner with a leading technology company like Microsoft and a pioneer like MetaMedia to introduce the vast, global benefits of Azure into the cinema space. And our team’s experience delivering live sporting, music, and newsworthy events into OTT devices around the world make us even more excited to bring this programming to the big, cinematic screen with MetaMedia and its cinema launch partners,” according to Kanaan Jemili, CEO of Visaic. 

Hanno Basse, Azure Chief Technical Officer for Media and Entertainment at Microsoft Corp. added, “We are excited to work with partners like MetaMedia and Visaic to provide platforms for innovation and growth.”  

MetaMedia will announce more about the MetaMedia Entertainment NetworkTM and its content and cinema launch partners in the coming weeks. 

MetaMedia Technologies is an entertainment technology company that creates cost-saving content delivery and new revenue-generating programming solutions for cinema owners and content producers. MetaMedia has created and launched the MetaMedia Entertainment Network TM, the first global, cloud-based distribution platform for securely, rapidly, and cost-effectively delivering a diverse array of programming to a global footprint of cinemas. MetaMedia is headquartered in Los Angeles. For more information, please visit www.metamedia.global. 

Visaic is a full-service digital content distribution platform empowering sports leagues and clubs, media companies, and others to reach, engage, monetize and grow their viewer and fan bases. Visaic’s founding team brings years of domain experience and strong industry relationships to offer scalable, cloud enabled, complete end-to-end solutions for creating, launching and monetizing media applications. Visaic offers clients and partners a range of engagement and monetization models on a modern video platform with artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, customer-focused managed services, best-in-class video pipeline, and the latest UI/UX experiences. Visaic is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, please visit www.visaic.com. 

© 2021 MetaMedia Tech Inc., a Delaware Company.

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Jason Brenek

Chief Executive Officer

Leveraging two decades of senior executive experience across multiple sectors of the film and entertainment industry, Jason Brenek assembled a group of powerful industry leaders with incomparable experience and relationships to forge the building blocks of MetaMedia. As Chief Executive Officer of MetaMedia, Brenek focuses intently on realizing the operational, economic and programming benefits of creating a next-generation distribution network, which are mutually-beneficial to content producers and cinemas around the world.

Prior to MetaMedia, Brenek was President of IMAX HOME at the IMAX Corporation, where he led business and engineering teams around the world to develop and launch multiple new products, technologies, and platforms. Before IMAX, Brenek spent over a decade in senior management roles at The Walt Disney Studios. While serving as Senior Vice President of International In-Home and Head of Global Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, Brenek established partnerships with global brands including Netflix, Google, Amazon, Apple. and Samsung to distribute Disney-owned content across new digital/OTT platforms, television, and retail. Brenek previously served as Disney's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Digital Cinema and Cinema Programming, overseeing the company's global transition from analog to digital cinema. Brenek also developed and co-produced two Disney feature films and multiple live sporting events in cinemas with ESPN. Brenek received his Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School and his Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.

Danny C. Stein

Chairman

Danny Stein is a seasoned, growth-oriented media and technology executive with 30 years of operating and investment experience across media, technology, and consumer businesses. Stein has managed across the full life-cycle of deal origination, deal execution, business building and exit for small and mid- cap public, private and distressed companies. Stein is a digital media innovator having built a portfolio of businesses as CEO of Dimensional Associates 2003-2014, including as the Executive Chairman of the Orchard Enterprises, a global music and entertainment company, specializing in media distribution and 1091 Pictures, a digital and theatrical distribution company. From 2015-2016, Stein was the Senior Vice President, Growth Investments of MacAndrews and Forbes Holdings, Inc., a company that acquires and manages a diversified portfolio of public and private companies across various industry segments.  In that role, Stein’s focus was on building and investing in digital media and technology-enabled businesses. Through MacAndrews and Forbes, Stein also served as President of New Media and Corporate Development at Deluxe Entertainment (a wholly owned subsidiary of MacAndrews of Forbes), responsible for Corporate Development, M&A, Strategy, Digital Media and Innovation.

Chuck Goldwater

President, North America

For over two decades, Chuck Goldwater has served as a senior executive in the entertainment and cinema exhibition industry which has earned him incomparable industry-wide trust and respect. As President, North America for MetaMedia, Goldwater draws upon his broad understanding and deep connections to exhibitors and studios across the country to create a robust network of exhibitor and studio partnerships for MetaMedia. He also applies his knack and experience for building successful entertainment startups to MetaMedia's growing infrastructure and success.

Prior to MetaMedia, Goldwater was co-founder and CEO at cinema chain New Vision Theaters. Before that, Goldwater served as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Carmike Cinemas, which acquired Digiplex Destinations, a cinema chain where Goldwater served as Executive Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors. At New Vision, Carmike, and Digiplex, Goldwater was an energetic and effective advocate for alternative programming and “event cinema” as a means of increasing seat utilization and creating incremental revenue for exhibitors. Before Digiplex, Goldwater was President of Cinedigm (formerly known as AccessIT), the company credited with deploying the first digital cinema infrastructure and electronic delivery network. Previously, Goldwater was selected by the then seven largest Hollywood studios to serve as Chief Executive Officer of Digital Cinema Initiatives (“DCI”), a joint venture that created the industry-wide specifications and the technical quality and security architecture for digital cinema systems. Goldwater was also inducted into the industry’s ShowEast Hall of Fame and is a Will Rogers/Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation Board Advisory Member.

Shaiwal “Shay” Priyadarshi

Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

A dynamic inventor with over a dozen patents, Shaiwal "Shay" Priyadarshi is a trusted leader and mentor to high-performing tech teams, executives and business partners. For over 25 years, Priyadarshi has assembled and led front-end and back-end engineering teams, developed market-leading products and intellectual property that spans from embedded systems and data centers to leading cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform and Oracle Cloud. As chief technology officer (CTO) for MetaMedia, Priyadarshi continues to maintain his exemplary track record of overseeing innovative products from concept to delivery.

Prior to MetaMedia, Priyadarshi was CTO of IMAX Home, where he developed the world's highest-quality, internet-delivered video playback system needed to support IMAX Corporation’s pioneering technologies. Before IMAX, he served as CTO of PRIMA Cinema where he led the research, development and approval processes of the world's first and only movie service that was authorized to distribute new Hollywood movies to private home theaters. And previous to PRIMA Cinema, he worked as director of engineering at DivX, where he led the development of new technologies that power many leading streaming services today. Priyadarshi received his Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science and Electronics from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.