Digital technology pushes Technicolor closer to rival

Hollywood’s rapid march to digital technology is bringing arch rivals Deluxe Entertainment Services Group and Technicolor Inc. together in an unusual partnership.

The companies announced today that Technicolor will subcontract its 35mm film print business in North America to Deluxe, the postproduction company owned by MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc. In turn, Deluxe will farm out its 35mm print distribution business to Technicolor, the French-owned company that is the world’s largest maker of film prints.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

As a result of the move, Technicolor will close its film lab in Mirabel, Canada, outside of Montreal, eliminating 178 jobs. Earlier this year, Technicolor announced that it was shutting its lab at Universal Studios after losing its contract with Universal Studios to Deluxe.

Technicolor is opening a smaller, 40,000-square-foot-lab in Glendale that will release 60-to-70mm film prints for Imax and other big-screen theaters. COMPANY TOWN