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CINEMAXX will be the largest in New Zealand, beating the 23.5 meter-wide screen at Hoyts’ Riccarton cinema complex in Christchurch, currently the biggest. Hoyts has made an application with the Guinness World RecordsTM to determine whether the largest screen in the complex, at 30.670 metres-wide and over 13 metres tall, will be the world’s largest! The gigantic screen, which took 20 people to install, was made specifically for Hoyts and requires a projector run by an 8000-watt bulb to project images onto the surface.

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 03-27-2007, 03:53 AM:
 
8000 watts? Hope they plan on replacing the prints on a regular basis.


 

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Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 03-27-2007, 04:18 AM:
 
John , have you moved ???
 

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Posted by Cameron Glendinning (Member # 3516) on 03-27-2007, 04:53 AM:
 
John dont worry about the prints, knowing hoyts,

Paul forget the hype, Big is only better if its IMAX.

[ 03-27-2007, 11:19 AM: Message edited by: Cameron Glendinning ]
 

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Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 03-27-2007, 05:24 AM:
 
Yep I'll be seeing 300 in the IMAX , I can say that Hoyts here in NZ used to have the best people working in there cinemas , I only hope they continue to "focus" on presentation and not on gimicks , too many times I have gone to complex's and seen out of focus , wrong aspect and incorrect masking , splicing etc , this takes the magic out of watching a movie , I don't care too much about How Big or better their toys are , just give me film done right and I'll be back .
 

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Posted by Cameron Glendinning (Member # 3516) on 03-27-2007, 06:47 AM:
 
Paul, Having worked in a 10 plex, I can honestly say that it is possible to do film done right in those conditions.

Its just that in those many years that I went there to the local Hoyts, never once did I see a film as the filmakers intended. dark picture, crap speakers (woofers for the surround chanel ? um bass is NOT directional), wow and flutter. I am not exagerating when I say it made VHS a higher quality choice.

There later cinema complexs are better designed, so I hope you have much better time than I did.

They have assured me that the problems at that complex will finally be solved this year. um over 10 years after they opened.

With customer focus and service like that...

[ 03-27-2007, 08:35 PM: Message edited by: Cameron Glendinning ]
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 03-27-2007, 10:10 AM:
 
Hi Paul,

Yes. For a short time before returning to The Emerald City.

John.
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 03-27-2007, 02:51 PM:
 
I'm not impressed by a big screen at all unless the image projected onto it is both properly bright and properly sharp.

A 23.5 by 13 meter screen is big enough to warrant use of 5-perf 70mm projection. They can try running 35mm on it, but I'll bet the images end up looking dim regardless of the custom 8000 watt lamp house.
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 03-27-2007, 03:09 PM:
 
Just because they say it's 8000 in the press don't make it so.

Whatever the size...it'll be under-lit, over-size and out-of-focus...guaranteed.

16 foot lamberts??? Ha! The public'll never know.
 

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Posted by Ron Curran (Member # 3631) on 03-27-2007, 06:11 PM:
 
Unfortunately, the hype works on a section of the market. I have had some of my customers say they will go to see x on a really big screen (never mind the quality, feel the width) - then tell me later that it was great but the print wasn't good.

There are probably 200 posts on this site that confirm 70mm prints are not coming back. Those giant screens are like building a 4 metre wide car to use in the city.
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 03-27-2007, 07:55 PM:
 
Biggest 35mm??? Hardly: most older drive ins are 100+ feet. Locally, we had/have 3 that are 150 ft. Even our local first run 13 screen built in the '60s has 2 at 75 ft and one at 80 ft. Louis
 

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Posted by Geoff Jones (Member # 3668) on 03-27-2007, 11:26 PM:
 
I agree that a screen like this needs 70MM prints to do it justice.

But I have to say, as a moviegoer, this is pretty appealing to me. A 100' screen is a reason to go to the movies. It is not something I can replicate in my home.

There are too many small screens out there and not enough big ones. If this one is "a little too big," then that's still preferable to "a little too small."

Cheers,
Jonesy
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 03-27-2007, 11:49 PM:
 
I didn't come to my negative judgment about 35mm on really large screens just from reading statistics. I've watched a good number of movies over the years on indoor screens larger than 70' in width. 35mm projection has looked dim on all of them. The really large screens also do more to amplify the appearance of grain or just blur detail.

35mm film projection just isn't suitable for giant screen use...at least not the normal 4-perf variety. VistaVision would work a LOT better. But since the industry couldn't even adopt things like 30fps frame rates, 6000' reels, etc., there's no chance in hell of seeing VistaVision making any kind of comeback outside of special venue use.
 

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Posted by Geoff Jones (Member # 3668) on 03-28-2007, 12:01 AM:
 
Fair enough. I'm only expressing the opinion of a single movie-goer, not a film god, or a film jedi, or even a film handler, though it says so at the left.

I too have seen a number of films on 70'+ screens, and I can only remember being disappointed with dimness once. (And I politely brought it to the attention of the staff afterwards.)

I have also been in a number of auditoriums where, in order to have the image fill my field of vision (my personal preference), I had to sit so close that I could see the perforations in the screen.

My ten bucks will go to slightly dim and giant over perforations and tiny any day. And when my only choice is "tiny," I'll wait and see it at home.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-28-2007, 12:12 AM:
 
Yea, isn't the Radio City Music Hall's screen in scope opening close to this 100 x 42 ft size?

quote: Bobby Henderson

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VistaVision would work a LOT better ..

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quote: Monte L Fullmer

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..if VistaVision can look good on that big of screen since it was a flat format and using prime IB prints...(unless you're talking about doing the actual 8 perf lateral feed projection instead of the 90 degree printed release prints of the same ..)

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quote: Monte L Fullmer

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Yea, isn't the Radio City Music Hall's screen in scope opening close to this 100 x 42 ft size?

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The screen, or "picture sheet" at the Hall is 69 1/2´ x 34 1/2´ (21,2 x 10,5 m) and the full aspect ratio 70mm picture is 69´ x 31´ (21 x 9,4 m). The 1.85 70mm picture when run at maximum size is 63´ x 34´ (19,2 x 10,4 m).

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When Disney came in to look at test reels prior to the premiere of "The Lion King", we were able to run 70mm and 35mm reels of "Aladdin" locked together. It became obvious that the 35mm 1.85:1 picture size of 48´ x 26´ (14,6 x 7,9 m) couldn't compare with the larger image made possible by 70mm

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quote: Geoff Jones

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But I have to say, as a moviegoer, this is pretty appealing to me. A 100' screen is a reason to go to the movies. It is not something I can replicate in my home.

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I personally find it more about scale and proportion. I have worked in some small cinemas (110 seat), which have had a far too big a screen, (this case common width), where the audience always seem to sit in the back row or on the edges, in an attempt to be at what most would find a comfortable distance away from it. I would say most of the seats would not provide a good cinema experience even after they reduced the screen size by 30%, which they did.

On the other hand I have been to a small cinema of say 80 seats, which I thought had a perfectly proportioned, extremly large screen experience. Enjoyable from most of the seats.

In my opinion there are still far too many long narrow corridors with postage stamp proportioned screens out there.

A friend of mine who has experienced the LARGEST MULTIPLEX screen in australia at Hoyts Blacktown, Puts the experience into the first example, a screen simply too big for the room for comfortable viewing.

I wonder how far from this monster screen they place the first row of seats?

I find that auditorium shape is more important than size of screen.
 

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Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 03-28-2007, 02:13 PM:
 
Well it opens today with the New Kiwi splatter flick BLACK SHEEP , so will check it out to see if all the hype is justified .
 

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Posted by Andrew McCrea (Member # 674) on 03-28-2007, 03:25 PM:
 
With Hoyts having all these ginormous (forgive the use of unreal words, but it feels fitting) screens, I'm suprized there's no Hoyts in the picture warehouse.

Could someone do a photo shoot?
 

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Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 03-29-2007, 12:50 AM:
 
I have asked to do a video tour of the complex , they have advised that this is possible in May after all the teething has been ironed out , this is the only photo Ive seen of the New screen , this is still during comstruction BIG SCREEN
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-29-2007, 01:02 AM:
 
Now, why would a place like that use ORC consoles shooting 90 degree BENT light to hit that screen 180 ft away, when they could have opted for a direct mirror console or lamphouse..? Before those consoles were put in, I've seen picts of that booth where they used Peerless HyCondensant condensor arc lamphouses..lamphouses had to go since the condensors were getting busted and no more were being made..
 

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Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-29-2007, 02:24 AM:
 
According to the link above they are spending 3 MILLION per screen! They had damn well better have studio grade Kinoton equipment in there.
 

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Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 03-29-2007, 02:46 AM:
 
Would that be $3 NZ?
 

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Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 03-29-2007, 02:50 AM:
 
NZD is worth about 70 cents USD
 

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Posted by Mark Strube (Member # 4190) on 03-29-2007, 02:51 AM:
 

quote: Cameron Glendinning

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crap speakers (woofers for the surround chanel ? um bass is NOT directional)

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Do you mean subwoofers not behind the screen, in the surround channel area? How'd they pull that off? I've always been a fan of using large rear speakers, since mid-low range sound is directional to a point... but subs back there is really strange.
 

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Posted by Cameron Glendinning (Member # 3516) on 03-29-2007, 05:13 AM:
 
umm no, just a surround channel of 12" woofers in boxes that have nothing to do with their Theale/Small parameters, they sound like crap, probably no damping material used inside the box to surpress standing waves ect.
If this driver also had a midrange and a tweeter in a properly designed box. It would sound great however.

Dont worry though those cinemas feature DIGITAL sound.

Link



Brad, Hoyts seem to always use Christie, 1 blade shutter, I guess?

Paul I loved the trailer for BLACK SHEEP, Did you enjoy it? that film looks like it will perpetuate certain myths about New Zealanders.

[ 03-29-2007, 02:49 PM: Message edited by: Adam Martin ]
 

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Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 03-29-2007, 05:52 AM:
 
I don't think they are all myths Cameron , the Tag line for the film is "there are 40 million sheep in New Zeland and they are pissed off" , I heard that they are Kinoton, as their current complex where they did the training for this location has Kinoton as well, actually most of the complex's in NZ have this set up ,"Sky City" used to be Village Roadshow had them as well
 

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Posted by Cameron Glendinning (Member # 3516) on 03-29-2007, 06:25 AM:
 


Im very happy to hear it, um not about the sheep but I'm a big fan of Kinoton. Sounds like Hoyts has their act together in New Zealand. It actually gives me some hope for over here.

If the auditorium is 180ft long. It seems to me like its going to be a pretty good shape. Paul I think Im finally getting a bit envious

I just want to make clear that that speaker in the last post is an example of what one of their first multiplexs were like (and still are), not there later and most current installations.
 

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Posted by Phil Blake (Member # 2012) on 03-29-2007, 09:03 AM:
 

quote: Louis Bornwasser

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Biggest 35mm??? Hardly: most older drive ins are 100+ feet.

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quote: Brad Miller

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According to the link above they are spending 3 MILLION per screen! They had damn well better have studio grade Kinoton equipment in there.

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quote: Paul Cassidy

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New Kiwi splatter flick BLACK SHEEP

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"Violence of the Lambs" ya gotta love it.
 

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Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 04-10-2007, 01:42 AM:
 
Well I was able to visit the New shopping Mall and check out the New cinemas , I liked the extra leg room and big high back seats , while it is stadium seating its not as steep as some in Nth America , the film I had to test the image was "Mr Bean's Holiday" and it was a flat (16x9) image , but still very impressive , the screen was well lit with no dark areas although the focus at times was soft , they used a video projector for the adds and film for the coming attractions etc, overall a good presentation , noticed that the projectionist was from the old school , splicing well done and I could watch the film without being disturbed in anyway .
HOYTS Banner
Leg room
 

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Posted by Darren Powell (Member # 3914) on 05-14-2007, 11:01 PM:
 
yeh it is quite impressive. i managed 2 take a nosey at it
erm yeh shame bout their cinema 2 screen dow.. big seem down the right had side haha (they ment to be getting a new screen put in though) . they using fp20's also a fp30e and fp30d. as well as the christie digital.
 

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Posted by Robert John Jeromson (Member # 2559) on 05-15-2007, 11:17 PM:
 

quote: Paul Cassidy

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most of the complex's in NZ have this set up ,"Sky City" used to be Village Roadshow had them as well

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quote: Brad Miller

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According to the link above they are spending 3 MILLION per screen! They had damn well better have studio grade Kinoton equipment in there.

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Sylvia Park only has one new 35mm projector that is the E model in Cinema One, the rest are reconditioned and range from 2-10 years old, all the lamp houses are new however.
 

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Posted by Darren Powell (Member # 3914) on 05-17-2007, 05:42 PM:
 
Manukau and hamilton village also use kinotons
 

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Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 05-18-2007, 01:17 AM:
 
I don't understand the metric system. How big is that screen?
 

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Posted by Rick Hunter (Member # 1606) on 05-18-2007, 01:51 AM:
 
30.6 x 13 meters = approximately 100 1/2 x 42 1/2 feet
 

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Posted by Robert John Jeromson (Member # 2559) on 05-20-2007, 03:46 PM:
 

quote: Darren Powell

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Manukau and hamilton village also use kinotons

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Thanks D (Drinks glass of water to wash shoe out of mouth)
 

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Posted by Darren Powell (Member # 3914) on 05-20-2007, 05:57 PM:
 
nice work sylvia park. they have replace that screen in cinema 2
 

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Posted by Jonathan Akrigg (Member # 4306) on 06-07-2007, 04:57 AM:
 
"Hoyts' biggest-screen claim ruled misleading"

Interesting article on the NZ Herald site (www.nzherald.co.nz)
at top, search for Hoyts
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-07-2007, 09:46 AM:
 
Here's the story Jonathan tried to let you know...

NZ Herald

Hoyts' biggest-screen claim ruled misleading
5:00AM Thursday May 31, 2007

Hoyts Cinema Ltd's claim of "the biggest screen in the world" was likely to mislead consumers, the Advertising Standards Authority has ruled.

A Hoyts Cinemaxx newspaper advertisement in the New Zealand Herald promoted the films 300 and Mr Bean's Holiday, making the following claim: "Cinemaxx, the biggest screen in the world."

A complainant told the authority the newspaper also featured an advert on the same page by SkyCity Cinemas making the same claim. Only one of these claims could be correct, the complainant said, adding consumers often selected which cinema to visit to view "action" movies based on screen size.

Hoyts Cinema said more than 95 per cent of all new films were delivered and projected exclusively on 35mm film format. The cinema at Sylvia Park was the country's only industry-approved digital cinema.

It said the Cinemaxx cinema screen at Sylvia Park was 30.63m wide and 12.29m high and could play all 35mm films. Hoyts said it believed the Imax SkyCity screen was 27.3m wide and 19.92m high. Imax could not project 35mm films to the full height or width of this screen.

The complaints board noted the advertiser provided a certificate from Guinness World Records stating the Hoyts Sylvia Park Cinema had the largest fixed 35mm projection screen in the world, but this differed from the wording of the advertisement.

The authority upheld the complaint, finding Hoyts Cinema Ltd's claim of "the biggest screen in the world" was likely to mislead consumers.

- NZPA

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And for those confused by the metric system...here's an excellent conversion tool.
 

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Posted by Jonathan Akrigg (Member # 4306) on 06-07-2007, 09:42 PM:
 
Thanks John, being new I wasn't sure if it was ok to link or copy/paste external content etc..

Interesting article
 

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Posted by Robert John Jeromson (Member # 2559) on 06-07-2007, 10:44 PM:
 
Thanks for posting that article, I had been meaning to.
 

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