Culture

[Video] CGV's ScreenX: The future of cinema or another theatrical gimmick?

South Korean theater chain CGV is attempting to revolutionize the theater viewing experience with their ScreenX theaters. By utilizing three screens spread across the walls of a theater, ScreenX is pitched as being a more immersive viewing experience for both audiences and filmmakers alike. The pitch revolves around a 270-degree view of the separate screens for audiences to take in more of the film from their peripheral view, creating a 3D-like effect. ScreenX aspires to be the "world's first multi-projection system integrated into a theater," but being the first doesn't always mean being the best.

First and foremost, by implementing two additional screens to line the side walls of a theater, the seating arrangement would have to be altered and potentially lowered to adapt to the additional screens. By doing this, the number of tickets sold for these presumably high-priced films will be considerably less than a traditional screen can offer. Furthermore, the options for ScreenX films will be limited, given its relatively new introduction. Simply put, incorporating ScreenX technology to films involves a bigger production budget and schedule, including extra cameras, production problems such as figuring out new scenes to compensate for potential camera visibility in the existing scenes, and more. Director Kim Jee-woon directed a short film, The X, to illustrate how ScreenX works. However, when asked about the process to create it, he responded, "Making such a movie was like hell and nightmare."

CGV will be expanding internationally next year, so the United States' first domestic experience with ScreenX may not take place until next summer at the earliest. However, would you actually be interested in it? Considering it took this year's Gravity to truly revolutionize 3D films, I don't see ScreenX picking up much steam. As open as I am to furthering technology in both films and cinemas, I don't think ScreenX is the right move. Prove me wrong, CVG!

Below, you can watch CVG's ScreenX pitch, as well as The X trailer playing in a ScreenX theater.

CVG ScreenX pitch:

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The X trailer:

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[via Wall Street Journal]

by Geoff Henao