Cinerama Screen Treatment Idea in Pictures at an Exhibition

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Cinerama Screen Curtain Treatment Idea - 8/4/2012

Originally posted in my main diary 6/15/2012... in contrast to the rest of the entries in this diary, none of the photos below were taken by me.. I enclosed them to illustrate my idea of how to accommodate pre-show advertising in a Cinerama theater without degrading or detracting from the experience of viewing the feature on the Cinerama screen.

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As most know, I'm a fan of Cinerama... not just the 3-strip photography and exhibition process [need to do something to make the join lines less obtrusive], but also the venue with its big, wide, and deeply-curved screen.

I've often thought that a sectioned screen curtain would heighten the experience. Unfortunately, though, a commercially-viable Cinerama theater would also have to allow for onscreen advertising, as those ads help pay the bills for the venue. I suspect that the Seattle Cinerama Theatre, which does not have onscreen advertising (and also does not make use of its deeply-curved screen outside of film festivals... grrr), is not a commercially successful enterprise but is rather a money pit labor of love for its billionaire owner, Paul Allen.

Anyhow, here's my idea:

In front of the closed curtain for the deeply-curved screen

hang a smaller drop-down movie screen

which is left extended for the pre-show advertising. The idea here is to "save" the main screen for the actual Cinerama experience.

Once the advertising program is finished (or it's time to start the show), retract the drop-down screen.

The main screen curtain would be sectioned similar to a center-opening two-speed elevator door (images of Andy Warhol below from an elevator door at the Anchorage Museum of Art).

For the preview trailers, venue introduction, etc, open only the center two panels of the screen curtain (in the above image, Warhol's face would divide in two, and his shoulders would remain stationary while his face would be tucked behind his shoulders). Just before the start of the feature, close the curtain, then open all four panels like the elevator door below.

Following the feature, close the curtain in the same manner as the elevator door closes.

I'd love to build a CGI video for this, but haven't the faintest idea as to where to begin, especially as I use rental computers exclusively.

Just my thought for an installation that probably won't ever be realized. grin