This is topic Film Aroma-Tron ... a new product for Brad Miller? in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Joe Schmidt (Member # 822) on 12-31-2003, 01:33 AM:
 
One of the postings in the companion thread about prepopped popcorn mentions a spraycan product named Pop-A-Roma that the FDA ordered off the market years ago. If sprayed around in the back of the house, after a few minutes people would come rushing out to buy popcorn, not knowing what had hit them.

I'm no expert in the chemistry of fragrances, but am aware the science is in a highly developed state today. Nearly any fragrance imaginable can be analysed and replicated, as can flavorings, and perhaps Brad could get in touch with a fragrace company to help produce a product that could be safely sprayed in the air.

The next step would be to create an Aroma-Tron machine which would automatically spray the product in the auditoriums from time to time. It could be tied in with the automation systems.

This concept was inspired by Woody Allen's film "SLEEPER," in which a household robot was instructed to "Regulate The AromaTron" before the guests arrived.

And after he's got all this done, Brad might want to develop a Household Robot that can do everything associated with running a projection room, followed by Robots that could sell tickets and run the concession stand. This would relieve exhibitors from the annoying problem of not being able to get around the old minimum wage.

Allegedly, the formula for success in business is "Find A Need and Fill It!"
 

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Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 12-31-2003, 01:59 AM:
 
And it must be constructed of Legos.
 

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Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 12-31-2003, 01:28 PM:
 
How about an air freshener to spray around the booth that smells like Film-Guard?

=TMP=
 

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Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 2038) on 12-31-2003, 01:37 PM:
 
The oldtimers will remember that this was tried years ago! We jokingly called it SmellSurround, where various aromas relating to scenes onscreen would come from vents around the auditorium! Popcorn smells were also part of the menu and I'm sure whatever they used back then would be branded toxic today. It wasn't very successful to say the least.

As I posted in another thread, I worked for a theatre owner who vented his popcorn popper exhaust into the auditorium. We laughed about it until he showed us how much popcorn he sold. It does work!

My theatre vents the popcorn popper outside and we have had people come in just to buy popcorn! Addicting aroma.
 

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Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 12-31-2003, 01:50 PM:
 
I believe there was an attempt at something like this called "Smell-O-Vision" by William Castle. It used a piece of cardboard with scratch and sniff places on it. At certain points in the film a number would appear on the screen and you were supposed to scratch the designated area on your piece of card board. It would have made a great audience picture to show everyone sniffing the cardboard at the same time during the film.
 

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Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 2038) on 12-31-2003, 02:09 PM:
 
Greg, an even better audience picture if they were sniffing those cards while wearing cardboard 3D glasses!

I remember than Smell-O-Vision stuff. A real flop.

What smells would you use during a 3-projector showing of Cinerama's roller coaster? Or the same thing in Imax? The lilting aromas of half-digested carnival food? Blehh!
 

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 12-31-2003, 02:35 PM:
 
The film with the numbered card with scents was POLYESTER, a film by John Waters. I have one of the cards framed in the room next to this. There also might have been a kids animation film in the last couple of years that did the same thing.

SCENT OF MYSTERY used a complicated series of pipes and chemicals to waft scents into the auditorium. A Google search for "Scent of Mystery" limited to newsgroups will pull up a lot of information on this.
 

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Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-31-2003, 03:14 PM:
 
Disney pumps various scents into the air in their theme parks. Chocolate Chip cookies and homemade bread are two I've heard about. (Sure beats the "sweaty tourist" smell.)
 

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Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 12-31-2003, 03:33 PM:
 
Smell-O-Vision (Scent of Mystery) was promoted by Michael Todd, Jr. It put odors into the HVAC system. There was also a system called Aroma-Rama which, IIRC, had small tubes dispensing scents from the back of the seat in front of each person. The odors could be switched more quickly that way.

John Water's Polyester Scratch-N-Sniff cards system was called Odorama.

Speaking of which, whatever happened to Scratch-N-Sniff technology? For a time it seemed like it was replaced in magazine inserts with perfume samples that were like envelopes that had to be torn open. Apparently these were too prone to leaks causing irate customers. Scratch-N-Sniff seemed to be a much more robust technology yet it seems to have disappeared. The demise of the wide availablity of phonographs explains the disappearance of the Eva-Tone Soundsheet (thin flexible records that could be bound into a magazine). But what explains the disappearance of Scratch-N-Sniff cards?
 

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Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 12-31-2003, 03:35 PM:
 
While at Iwerks, I have designed and approved a "Smell-O-Vision" type of system and they have been installed in several special venue theatres.

It's a system that that "projects" various scents into the immediate area of a viewer synchronized to the screen action. Along with the special EFX of "rain", leg ticklers, etc, the scent gag works really well.

There are many problems associated with this type of show. For instance, the ability to quickly present a new scent while evacuating the last scent. Or making sure that the current scent is not too over-powering as to be obnoxious! And, I'm not talking about the YUK scents like barf, or doo-doo, etc…Hahhahahaa

As mentioned, I too, have enjoyed "Polyester" with the scratch-and-sniff cards of Odorama. Ummmm…I still have many of those cards...but not on my wall though...

>>> Phil
 

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Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 12-31-2003, 03:59 PM:
 

quote:

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what explains the disappearance of Scratch-N-Sniff cards?

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They probably found it cheaper to send the paper, off the printer and through a perfume sprayer, on its way to the cutter. A lot of these mags smell like they've been dipped in the stuff. You could probably just tear off a page or two each day and rub it on!
 

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Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 12-31-2003, 06:37 PM:
 

quote:

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Speaking of which, whatever happened to Scratch-N-Sniff technology?

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