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Digital Cinema
Do You Remember Your First Movie?
Cinerama agreed to modify its
system by reducing the frame
rate from 26 to 24 per second
so that the film would have an
exhibition life after its Cinerama
engagements. Don’t you just
love trivia?
Sure, we’ve all seen movies at
home on the TV or at a friend’s
house, but we’ve all known
since childhood that going to
a movie theatre is different…
really different. I bet you can’t
tell me the first movie you saw
at home, but I’m certain you
remember your first movie on
the big screen. For me, it was
How The West Was Won at the
Kachina Theatre in Scottsdale,
Arizona. Although I didn’t know
it at the time, the experience
was definitely the way the
filmmakers intended with a
really big Cinerama screen and
sound that made me feel like the
actors were in the room.
I also remember the rows and
rows of seats, the smell of
popcorn and all the excitement
when the lights went down.
Like many around the world,
I was hooked. Btw, It wasn’t
until I’d became a theatre
manager that I learned the
intermission was required to
allow the projectionists enough
time to re-thread the three
projectors and synchronize the
sound. Additionally, as part of
the collaboration with MGM,
Today, movies are still shown
in a dark room with really
big screens, lots of speakers
and rows and rows of seats.
However, the difference in the
majority of theatres is the film
projectors have been replaced
by modern digital cinema
equipment, the rows and rows
of seats have become recliner
chairs and you’re tempted to
go off your diet with the smell
of gourmet popcorn and tasty
food offerings. Yes, going to a
movie for the first time is still an
amazing experience I’m certain
everyone will remember for their
entire life. Well, maybe. We
live in a world where the best
experience is the premium large
format (PLF) auditorium. If you
go down the hall, the seats are
different, the sound is different
and in some cases, the image
quality is different. Have you
ever asked…why?
I’ve been a strong advocate
of seeing a movie in
theatres for decades, but
why do audiences have to
attend a PLF auditorium
to see a movie the way the
filmmaker intended. I only
bring this to your attention
as food for thought. After
all, the technical advances
in projection technology,
combined with luxury seats
or recliners, make it possible
for theatre owners to offer
audiences an amazing
experience in every auditorium.
However, audiences are often
missing one major component
to truly experience a movie the
way the filmmaker intended…
immersive sound. Yes, I know
that not every movie is released
in immersive sound, but not
every movie was released in
digital format five years ago.
It’s just a matter of time before
the majority of movies will be
released in immersive sound…
so why not consider futureproofing your theatre. The
GDC Immersive Sound Solution
is here today. Now, you can
affordably offer your audiences
an experience they will not forget
in the auditorium down the hall.
When you think about it, the
recipe for a truly amazing
experience is basically still the
same as when I attended the
Kachina Theatre: a great
image, rich, realistic immersive
sound, and a comfortable seat…
along with fresh popcorn and
refreshing soft drinks, of course…
Tony Adamson
Senior VP, Strategic Planning