Page 11 - RD_2015_12
P. 11

Another feature of The Electric is a
          fully stocked bar at the rear of the
          cinema and within the confines of the
          auditorium. The bar closes as the film
          begins.

















          A unique screen arrangement.
            If the seating configuration is
          unusual the screen arrangement is
          unlike anything seen before. The
          proscenium arch had always posed a
          problem with aspect ratios greater than
          the Academy ratio of 4:3. The lighting
          truss system for the cinema was
          designed by Unusual Rigging, a
          company which is world renowned for
          solving problems with rigging
          structures. Their solution has to be seen
          to be believed, and is best explained by
          describing the film performance itself.
          The lights are dimmed and the screen
          tabs are slowly opened to reveal the
          Academy sized screen within the
          proscenium arch. Images are projected
          onto the screen welcoming patrons to
          The Electric, including a short slide
          show depicting vintage shots of
          England’s oldest operating cinema.
          Slowly the screen structure moves
          forward of the proscenium arch and
                                             Clockwise from top: The unique horizontal scissor-action and expanding screen.
          proceeds to expand sideways, as the ads
                                             Auditorium wall and ceiling detail and the sound speakers.
          and trailers begin to roll, to take on the
                                             The public bar near the rear exits.
          size of the CinemaScope or widescreen
          picture. The house lights dim to zero as
                                            speaker has ever been installed in a  Heritage
          the feature film begins. The process is
                                            commercial cinema. The new speakers   The globe map from the original
          reversed when the film ends.
                                            deliver a ‘softer and cleaner sound’ and  1910 cinema is still intact above the
            This ingenious idea utilizes
                                            provide greater clarity in quieter films  proscenium (below).
          aluminium tubing over which the
                                            in which conversations predominate. As
          screen fabric is stretched, with the
                                            a lot of media people frequent The
          vertical rollers driven by tooth belt
                                            Electric, according to Jason Moore, it
          drive and the horizontal movement
                                            was important that the sound system in
          controlled by a scissor guide.
                                            the cinema was of the highest quality.
          Sounds great.                     The cinema is fitted with an infrared
            The cinema surround speakers    system, using headsets, for patrons with
          consist of the Martin Audio Surround  a hearing impairment, should they wish
          System with “state of the art and  to use this. Subtitling is available for
          ground breaking” ArtCoustic DF75-55  the hearing-impaired using the Dolby
          slimline speakers fixed on to the  Screen Talk system.
          moving screen frame at left, centre and                              Mandy Kean says that in one sense this
          right behind. According to Jason                                     “symbolises The Electric Cinema’s
          Moore, Chief at The Electric Cinema,                                 commitment to showing the very best
          this is the first time the ArtCoustic                                of world cinema including its rich


                                                                                       CINEMARECORD 2005 11
   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16