Gary Engvold on the future of cinemas, and the past that brought us here
Ask Gary Engvold, president of Integrity Entertainment Systems, why he has succeeded in the cinema business, and he'll pause — and tell you it's because he nearly didn't.
Starting Integrity
Back in 1999, the story goes, he'd been asked to set up a new division for his then employer. So, he moved everything, life and young family included, to a new home in a new city. Soon after, that organization declared bankruptcy, and Gary was unemployed, unfunded, and with no place to turn. Or so he thought.
"Knowing you'll get to a day when the doors open, and the people rush in — amazed and engulfed in what we've created."
"Although they were under no obligation, a client asked if I would stay on to finish a job we'd been working on together — and promised to finance the entire project. That act of confidence and kindness was how Integrity got started. Even now, more than 25 years later, I still think our success comes down to treating people the way I was treated then — as part of the family.”
He says that when he started Integrity, he'd been working for large exhibitors that had preferential buying power because of their size, and that his original goal was to bring that same buying savvy to the small independent market — and that his success in doing this has driven the success of the business. It helped, of course, that he knew Christie from way back when he was working for exhibitors. "I’d had the luxury of working with many key people at Christie, but it wasn’t until I connected with Jason Jacobson that we truly blossomed. The philosophy that the customer is always right was universal in our approach as a team."
Gary's favorite cinema projects
But when you ask Gary which of his many projects makes him most proud, he's uncharacteristically reticent, claiming that he, "Couldn't put one above the other. I've so many customers and consider them all very dear friends — so highlighting one wouldn't be fair — I've learnt from them all."
Very diplomatic; but when pushed, he reveals that what he likes best are the projects where he's involved from start to finish. "When I'm on a job site, with my hard hat on, walking around with things starting to grow from nothing, it's exciting to see the progress, knowing you'll get to a day when the doors open, and the people rush in — amazed and engulfed in what we've created."
You only have to look at Art Deco cinemas of the thirties to realize buildings that amaze and engulf audiences have always been part of cinema’s magic, and Gary says he still strives for it in the cinemas he builds — with tech replacing plaster and gold leaf. For example, in recent builds for Phoenix Theatres, Integrity not only used Christie tech in the auditoria, including 4K projection and Dolby ATMOS in larger venues, but they've also brought the projected image out into the foyer using Christie Captiva projectors. By creating this special entryway, just as the architectural flourishes of old once did, the movie magic begins long before the audience enters the auditorium.
Our Captiva projectors illuminate the foyer at Phoenix Theatres' new Governor’s Square Mall location.
It's clear that Gary believes in the future of the movies, and that that future is bright. Certainly, things won't remain as they are today. Gary recently announced his partial retirement for one thing and — given his service over the past 25 years — that's one big industry change right there. We shall have to look elsewhere for calm words and wise advice.
Thankfully, Integrity’s next generation of leadership has plenty of both in the shape of Gary's son Gabriel and Integrity's VP Sales and Marketing Sam Lansing. Gabriel’s insight into emerging technologies, paired with Sam’s strategic vision mean Gary's approach, set out all those years ago, is in safe hands. As are the next generation of cinema entrepreneurs.
