Dan Taylor Awarded Inter-Society’s Highest Honor at ShoWest
The year was 1983. Seated around a small conference table at Bally’s were representatives of five trade organizations and four corporations. They had gathered to discuss how their collective efforts might improve cinema presentation. Seated at the head of the table was the new president: Dan Taylor, representing Kintek. Next to him sat Ken Mason, VP of Kodak, who had founded the organization, then known as the Inter-Society for the Enhancement of Theatrical Presentation. The second officer was Ken’s son, John Mason, also representing Kodak. During John’s tenure as President, he presented the first annual Ken Mason Award to his father, whose health was failing. Mr. Mason passed away several years hence, but he would be delighted to know that one of his hand-picked few, Dan Taylor, is the 2008 recipient of the award named for him.
Today, the Inter-Society boasts a membership roster of 56 trade organizations, corporate and individual members, and adds a few more every year. The group owes a great deal to Dan Taylor. Dan had the foresight to realize that the group was static and that it would continue to languish as just an elaborate “Koffee Klatch” if studios, exhibitors, vendors, and all the industry’s trade organizations didn’t drive it forward. He set out to spearhead that drive, signing members from all facets of the industry, both during his tenure as President, as Chairman, and as a Past President. Dan began his movie career as a projectionist for Sack Theatres in Boston while working on a degree at Emerson College. In 1973, he was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications. Shortly thereafter, he began a 14-year relationship with Kintek, manufacturer of audio components and theatre systems for cinemas. After expanding the business to a 40% market share, he was promoted to National Sales Manager and, in 1982, to VP of Sales and Marketing.
In 1993, he was recruited to join Sony as Vice President, Business Development - SDDS®, while the Sony Dynamic Digital Sound® product was still in development. The division was officially renamed Sony Cinema Products Corporation (SCPC) the following year, and the SDDS system was launched in theatres in June of 1994.
In 1994, Dan was primarily responsible for a $20 million agreement with AMC Theatres to install playback units in over 2500 AMC screens across North America, Japan, and Portugal, as well as those that were to be installed in all AMC screens built worldwide over the next few years. Dan's efforts positioned SDDS in the top 200 grossing theatres.
In 1999, he was promoted to Vice President, Industry Relations for Sony Cinema Products Corporation, responsible for licensing the SDDS format for all motion pictures. In this role, Dan was successful in developing relationships with studio distribution, operations, production, and the studio’s creative executives. By working with filmmakers like producer Jerry Bruckheimer as well as directors Michael Bay and Steven Soderbergh, his efforts resulted in the increased use of the premium 8-track format, unique to SDDS.
In addition to being honored with the Ken Mason Award, Dan was awarded the ICTA’s Allen Award following his stint as President. He is the only person to preside over both the Inter-Society and the International Cinema Technology Association and receive both top awards as well.
With so many years of experience as well as a solid reputation throughout the motion picture industry, Dan Taylor turned his efforts to improving the presentation quality in movie theatres by forming his own company, Dan Taylor Marketing. Recognizing the unprecedented challenges facing exhibition, Dan focused this company on marketing the finest in presentation technologies to motion picture exhibitors.
Most recently, Klipsch Audio Technologies recruited Dan to join their Professional Cinema Division, bringing his marketing and sales vision to their growing market share in cinema loudspeakers.
On March 11, at the opening breakfast of ShoWest 2008, former Inter-Society President Dan Taylor will be presented with this year’s Ken Mason Award: the organization’s highest honor. The following day, he will likely fight for a seat in the large room that now hosts up to 100 members gathering for the ShoWest meeting of the once-tiny Inter-Society. Dan’s tireless recruiting efforts have surely been fruitful.
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