The Dolby difference
Dolby Cinema is redefining the moviegoing experience at AMC Neshaminy 24
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
Say goodbye to sticky floors and hello to one of the most luxurious moviegoing experiences ever created. On May 27, AMC Neshaminy 24 in Bensalem became the first movie theater in Pennsylvania to receive a state-of-the-art Dolby Cinema. Complete with booming surround sound, cushioned leather recliners and the sharpest imaging in movie technology, the new theater will make audiences feel as if they’re battling alongside Wonder Woman and fighting crime with the minions.
From the instant moviegoers walk into the Dolby Cinema, they’re immediately plucked from the reality of the outside world. The walkway is lined with red lights and matte black walls, and you’re suddenly breathing in that wonderful scent of a brand new car. The main auditorium has stretching rows of black leather recliners arranged so that even if the person in front of you decided to wear a massive top hat, you’ll still see the screen perfectly.
Last week, Wonder Woman was featured in the Dolby Cinema, and audiences were tossed into the middle of Diana’s battle with the god of war. With every explosion and whip of her golden lasso, the theater seats physically shook as the sounds echoed all around the walls. As for the imaging, the colors were vivid and each detail on her face and hair could be pointed out from the last row.
“There is no better way to see a movie than at Dolby Cinema at AMC,” said Doug Darrow, senior vice president, Cinema Business Group, Dolby. “With stunning contrast, dramatic color and immersive moving audio, Dolby Cinema at AMC transports you into the story exactly as the filmmakers intended.”
Though Dolby has almost 325 sites across the globe with 85 titles released or announced, the captivating experience it provides today has been an evolutionary process for many years. Dolby Laboratories was the brainchild of engineer Ray Dolby more than 50 years ago. At that time, he was frustrated with the quality of sound reproduction available, and set out to improve it. Dolby’s technology has been growing ever since with the introduction of surround sound and 3D imaging.
According to Stuart Bowling, director of digital content and creative relations at Dolby, the company took a step back in 2005 to thoroughly evaluate what was missing in movie technology. They quickly realized it was lack of contrast, or the sharpness of the images. What used to be a contrast of 2,000–1 on the average movie screen was maximized to 1 million-1 on the Dolby screen. Thanks to this technology, even 2D films look 3D, and images appear to be almost life-like.
In addition to this major increase in contrast, Dolby doubled the brightness of the screen. While average theater screens have a brightness of 14 footlanders, a unit of light reflected off the screen, Dolby’s reached 31. With this extra brightness, there is the ability to isolate parts of the film to give them more or less light, for example the light level of the moon can be lowered to not overpower the actor. This helps to maintain uniformity and help the audience’s eyes adjust to the overall picture.
Dolby had the technology created, but there was the question of how to get audiences interested in this brand new type of cinema. In a strategic move, they partnered with Eight Inc., an experience design studio that created successful branding campaigns for companies such as Virgin Airlines, but never an entertainment brand. Dolby needed people to think outside the box and beyond the scope of technology. This is where the idea formed to create the matte black atmosphere and add leather seating.
“It’s almost like being in first class,” Bowling said.
No matter where audience members are sitting, everybody gets a great view due to the curved seating. Even if someone is on the very end, they’ll be seated on an angle and won’t have to turn their head.
When it comes to deciding which movies will be shown in the Dolby Cinema, Bowling explained that while AMC has full flexibility of what it wants to book, Dolby is on the back end driving content. Filmmakers are brought into a small Dolby Cinema in Hollywood for a demo to see what it’s like and how they can potentially incorporate filming techniques that will translate onto these new screens.
“They’re always blown away,” Bowling said.
From the moving audio to the pulsating chairs, everything at the new Dolby Cinema comes together to pull moviegoers deep into the story and transform their visit into an event. To view upcoming shows, visit amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/philadelphia/amc-neshaminy-24. ••
