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CATHS VISITS

The Australian Centre For The
Moving Image is a worthy tenant for
Federation Square, Melbourne - cutting
edge in intent, even radical - just like
the building around it.
For many of the CATHS’ members
who took the tour on Saturday 26 May,
only the role of the cinemas was
familiar: screenings with a theme, or
films for Seniors and children’s holiday
shows.
ACMI’s twin cinemas take
minimalism to the limit; their
auditoriums designed to negate all
sensory experience until the moment
the light beam hits the screen. The goal
is audio and visual perfection, in very
comfortable seats.
Cinema One is fitted for 35mm,
70mm and true digital projection. The
auditorium, which seats 400, is THX
accredited, the walls and ceiling so
absorbent that basically what comes
from the speakers is the only sound
which registers.
The first six rows of seats nearest
the entrance are gently stepped, then
steeply so, descending towards the Top: The Flinders Street entrance to ACMI
screen at an angle comparable to an Above: So minimalist is the décor that simple lighting is arresting. This is Cinema 2.
IMAX cinema.
ACMI is the successor to The State Allied to this is the Memory Grid,
This auditorium is dominated by a
Film Centre, that great film lending an interactive exhibition space for
wall-to-wall screen, which can be
library for schools and film societies. independent film-makers. The works
masked for all formats. The masking
ACMI opened at Federation Square in are selected for their teaching value
was described by our guide, Ms. Gael
October 2002 with a charter to match a from a variety of sources, including
McIndoe as working on the principle of
world of multi-media. home movies.
the iris diaphram in a camera.
ACMI relates to a world in which On this visit it was uncanny to be
Cinema Two was a smaller, simpler an owner of a mobile phone can be an reminded that the underground, platform-
layout. As is common in many a artist of sorts, where the traditions of like space that is ACMI’s Screen Gallery
multiplex, the entrance leads into a narrative film have been appropriated for specialist installations, occupies what
narrow passage along a side wall. At and changed by television, video and was once Prince’s Bridge Station. Just
the screen, patrons then climb the steps computer games, and can re-emerge as behind the wall, trains were passing
of a side aisle. installation art in museums. unseen, unheard and unfelt - the entire
The central projection suite is ACMI challenges students from building is cushioned by giant springs.
equipped with the most comprehensive prep. to tertiary level to engage In the Screen Gallery the exhibition
film and video projection facilities in meaningfully in the world of the audio- Video Art 1965 -2005, surveyed the
Australia. Options for large screen visual. It runs hands-on sessions for evolution of the video image and the
presentation range from 8mm, 16mm, teachers and students in screen literacy, way artists can now play with a century
35mm and 70mm film formats, to using the Digital Studio and so-called of film images. In The Third Memory
multiple video formats including HD Screen Pit, making the experience a (1999) French Director Pierre Huyghe
Cam, Digital Betacam, SP Betacam, mix of fun and formality. interspersed scenes of Al Pacino in Dog
DV Cam and VHS. Day Afternoon (1975) with an
interview with the actual bank robber.

6 2007 CINEMARECORD