|
|
This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
|
|
Author
|
Topic: Dolby Cinema at AMC Installs Accelerated
|
Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."
Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001
|
posted 08-19-2016 03:05 PM
Dolby and AMC are dramatically speeding up the pace of Dolby Cinema installations at AMC locations. The original 100 screen order was supposed to take 10 years to install. Now it will be finished by the end of 2017. As many of 50 systems may be operational before the end of this year. AMC may install another 100 systems after completing this order.
Press Release at DCinemaToday
quote: Dolby Press Release at DCinemaToday
In response to impressive guest reaction and the overwhelming success of Dolby Cinema at AMC in its first full year, Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB) and AMC Theatres (NYSE: AMC) today announced plans to accelerate Dolby Cinema™ at AMC installations to 100 operational sites by the end of 2017, seven years ahead of the originally announced schedule. The original agreement, reached in 2015, was for 100 auditoriums over a 10-year deployment.
In addition, AMC and Dolby are collaborating on expansion plans to increase the amount of Dolby Cinema at AMC locations beyond the initial 100.
To date, 22 Dolby Cinema at AMC locations are open around the country, earning rave reviews from guests. Eight more locations are currently under construction and approximately 50 are expected to be open by the end of this year.
“The popularity and success of Dolby Cinema at AMC led to its expansion at an accelerated rate, with 22 locations already open and a few dozen more planned for 2016,” said John McDonald, Executive Vice President, U.S. Operations, AMC. “It’s clear that our guests enjoy the premium audio, vibrant contrast and color, and the incredible comfort of the plush, power recliners at Dolby Cinema at AMC, and with this announcement, we’re thrilled that more guests than ever will have access to this incredible experience.”
“Dolby Cinema has clearly become a preferred cinema experience of consumers, and we look forward to offering the best films to more AMC guests with the most spectacular image, immersive sound technologies and inspired design at Dolby Cinema at AMC,” said Doug Darrow, Senior Vice President, Cinema Business Group, Dolby Laboratories. “Today’s announcement of the expedited expansion of Dolby Cinema at AMC theatres is a direct result of the incredibly enthusiastic responses we have received from consumers nationwide.”
Since its launch in spring of 2015, more than one million Dolby Cinema at AMC moviegoers have experienced Hollywood movies from a variety of genres, including action, drama, science-fiction and fantasy. With support from all major Hollywood studios, 50 Dolby Cinema titles have been released or announced. Recent and upcoming titles this year include Warner Bros. Pictures’ Suicide Squad, Disney's Pete's Dragon, LAIKA and Focus Features’ Kubo and the Two Strings, Paramount Pictures’ Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Marvel's Doctor Strange, Sony Pictures’ Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, Warner Bros. Pictures’ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Disney's Moana, Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Warner Bros. Pictures’ Wonder Woman and Disney•Pixar's Cars 3.
Dolby Cinema at AMC includes award-winning technologies Dolby Vision™ and Dolby Atmos®. The Dolby Vision laser projection system delivers high dynamic range with enhanced color technology that produces incredible blacks and a contrast ratio that far exceeds any other image technology on the market today. The result is a richer, more detailed viewing experience that delivers strikingly vivid and realistic images that make audiences feel like they are in the movie’s world. Dolby Atmos moves audio around the theatre, even overhead, with amazing richness and depth. The lifelike sounds of music, people and things flow all around the theatre in sync with the action to create a more immersive and moving experience.
The inspiration for design elements came out of the desire to achieve technically superior sight and sound capabilities for all Dolby Cinema at AMC locations. The design of the cinema itself has been created to set a mood and draw audiences deeper into the story. Through the Dolby technology, combined with the ultimate comfort and experience of the AMC power, reserved recliners with seat transducers, guests will feel closer than ever to the action on screen.
Current Dolby Cinema at AMC Locations
Arizona
AMC Desert Ridge 18 (Phoenix)
AMC Mesa Grand 24 (Mesa)
California
AMC Burbank 16 (Burbank)
AMC Century City 15 (Los Angeles)
AMC Del Amo 18 (Torrance)
AMC New Park 12 (Newark)
AMC Norwalk 20 (Norwalk)
Colorado
AMC Flatiron Crossing 14 (Broomfield)
Georgia
AMC North Point Mall 12 (Alpharetta)
Illinois
AMC Hawthorn 12 (Vernon Hills)
Kansas
AMC Town Center 20 (Leawood)
Missouri
AMC BarryWoods 24 (Kansas City)
Nevada
AMC Town Square 18 (Las Vegas)
New Jersey
AMC Garden State 16 (Paramus)
New York
AMC Empire 25 ( New York)
Texas
AMC Deerbrook 24 (Humble)
AMC NorthPark 15 (Dallas)
AMC Village on the Parkway 9 (Addison)
AMC Willowbrook 24 (Houston)
Virginia
AMC Hampton Towne Centre 24 (Hampton)
AMC Tysons Corner 16 (McLean)
Washington
AMC River Park Square 20 (Spokane)
AMC's Dolby Cinema web page lists 23 screens operational and another 11 locations with Dolby Cinema "coming soon."
I think this news is interesting from a couple of angles. I'm still wondering if other North American theater chains will start installing Dolby Cinema systems. Or does AMC have an exclusive deal with Dolby on this thing? And what about IMAX? It's pretty clear their "IMAX with Laser" system is progressing on a far slower, glacial pace. They have no mention of laser at their web site; or it's just hidden from view.
| IP: Logged
|
|
Randy Stankey
Film God
Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99
|
posted 08-19-2016 03:52 PM
Yeah... the slow pace is puzzling. 100 screens in 10 years? That's ten per year. How many of us have installed ten theaters, single handedly, in a week?
You can't claim that it's an expense issue. That kind of money should be pocket change to a company like AMC.
(Okay, that's hyperbole but I think you understand what I mean. AMC can afford to invest capital over a shorter time than ten years.)
So, what is it? Dolby's inability to supply product/equipment? A lack of capable installers? (Why haven't they called me? I'm looking for work!) Lack of public awareness? Poor marketing?
It just seems odd when a company drags its feet on something like this, for so long, then, suddenly, trumpets its "new" strategy as if it was a big, breakthrough innovation.
You'd think that, if they just went forward with the plan at a reasonable pace, from the start, they'd already be well on the way to having Dolby Cinema in theaters already... AND making money from it.
The only thing that I can think of is that they didn't think Dolby Cinema would fly and that they wouldn't recoup their investment with a like amount of increased sales/revenue.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mark Ogden
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 943
From: Little Falls, N.J.
Registered: Jun 99
|
posted 08-23-2016 07:22 PM
I've been in the AMC Paramus Dolby Vision auditorium (screen #3, former Atmos screen) twice, and I don't see myself going back. It's comfortable and has a big screen and all, but there are two issues here that make me crazy, besides that the recliners make me want to take a nap: there is a great deal of structural vibration going on with this house during the louder low frequency passages in the soundtrack. I couldn't quite tell what was rattling, but it seemed to be coming from the right rear along the wall. It's been a few months since I've been, and possibly whatever it is has been located and damped. I haven't been back to check because of the second issue, which to me is unforgivable: there is noticeable ambient red light hitting about the lower third of the screen, from somewhere beneath it. There is no masking at all on the screen, which makes it really stick out. It's not bright, mind you, but I see it, and once I notice it it's pretty much ALL I see, taking me right out of the movie. I've heard, but can't personally confirm, that the AMC Tysons Corners DV screen has this same issue.
A lot of folks used to bust chops about THX certification for screens, but as I recall the specifications, both acoustic rumble and stray light on the screen were right out.
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mark Ogden
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 943
From: Little Falls, N.J.
Registered: Jun 99
|
posted 08-24-2016 07:58 AM
I think you have to consider the multiplex as a whole when deciding if you are getting a better experience with the whole Dolby Vision thing. The AMC Garden State is a very well maintained theatre in a high rolling, high traffic upscale shopping mall. They are pretty meticulous about things there, in fact, when Christie was putting in the DV, I talked for a few minutes with one of their techs, he told me that they were hanging around a few more days to rip out the Sony machines on the other screens and put in their own, the reason being that nobody was happy with the Sonys, especially with some issues about 3D.
So when I went to see Star Trek Beyond, knowing what I know about screen #3, I opted to NOT pay the $25.00 for the whole 3D Dolby Vision thing and instead saw it in 2D in a smaller house. And honestly, it was about as perfect a technical presentation as you could have hoped for, a bright, razor sharp, perfectly masked show with excellent sound. It didn't quite have the bigger screen or the audio bombast that the DV show would have had, but it didn't have the rattle and stray light either, and frankly, at this point in my movie-going life all of that other stuff doesn't matter too much to me anyway. So I saw a perfect presentation for only $8.00, and I think I came out ahead.
| IP: Logged
|
|
Scott Jentsch
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1061
From: New Berlin, WI, USA
Registered: Apr 2003
|
posted 08-24-2016 02:49 PM
I didn't notice any red glow on the screen at the AMC Hawthorn 12 in Vernon Hills, IL when I saw The Force Awakens there in December, but most of the image was slightly out of focus. The sound was very impressive; probably the best I've heard in a theater in quite some time.
While not part of the presentation, another aspect of this theater was very disappointing and it detracted from the experience. The lobby area was filthy with popcorn, napkins, straw wrappers, etc. laying all over the floor.
See photos from my visit
One could excuse this to them being busy and not having a chance to clean up after a sudden rush of people, but three hours later, the messes still were not cleaned up. This shows a lack of showmanship and care by the employees, and it tarnishes the AMC brand. Even the auditorium was messy, so it would appear the staff is consistent in their lack of cleaning skills.
$18.50 for that? No thanks!
Would you guys be willing to post your experiences on our Reader Comments pages for the theaters you went to? If AMC/Dolby aren't going to respond, at least the issues can be put out in the open for others to see. Perhaps that will apply some extra pressure on them to improve their presentations and other aspects.
Here are my comments that I left after my visit:
Reader Comments page for AMC Hawthorn 12
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jonathan Goeldner
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1360
From: Washington, District of Columbia
Registered: Jun 2008
|
posted 08-25-2016 11:03 PM
yes - the Tyson's location DOES have ambient red light bouncing back onto the screen at the lower left / right hand corners of the bottom of the screen. Dolby drops the screen to nearly floor level, adds red lighting all along the steps and walls and what happens it just goes straight back onto the screen - they can't undo it, or reduce it because it's Virginia safety code to have lights illuminating the steps. This completely ruined 'Batman vs Superman' with it's many dark scenes.
Sound also seems mucked up. During 'Captain America: Civil War' and 'Finding Dory' - voices sound very sibilant, and in some very odd audio instances voices bled into the surrounds for no apparent reason. In my opinion, Arclight Bethesda's 'widescreen' screen's Dolby Atmos system is better balanced and acoustically superior calibrated sound.
I'm not a fan of the rumble seats, but during 'Kubo and the Two Strings' the seats didn't work at all - seems that the cleaning crew somehow extracted the power cord from the electrical outlet. For an improved screen, and it's barely half a year old, it's beginning to fall apart. the wall's foaming is scraping off. The console aren't well maintained - there was a sticky residue that wasn't wiped off ("ewwww").
Add to the fact that Dolby Cinema doesn't do 3D, I'm trekking more out to the Airbus Chantilly Air & Space IMAX-laser system to see movies (it's laser, it's 12-channel sound, it doesn't have 'rumble' seats, it's cheaper).
I don't have my hopes up for the Georgetown Dolby screen - I spoke to the manager over there on my thoughts on the Tyson's screen and mentioned the red light issue, and he was mortified and would look into how this could be prevented. Apparently a Facebook talk with another filmgoer noted: "Jonathan, I have been to 2 different ones, one in Texas and one in Arizona. Both had the red light washing out the screen".
For over twenty dollars a ticket, I don't see how Dolby can tout state of the art presentation when there are very apparent flaws.
question - are the DCP's that the projectors are ingesting specifically created by Dolby themselves - at 4K resolution, is this why most Dolby Cinema systems do not playback 3D content?
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All times are Central (GMT -6:00)
|
This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
|
Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM
6.3.1.2
The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion
and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.
|
Home
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic