Movie-goers to be part of action

By Tom Clarke

AUCKLANDERS can expect an entirely new movie experience when New Zealand's first large-screen IMAX cinema is opened in the city in June by Cinema Plus Ltd.

Nicholas Yates, named as general manager of the company, describes IMAX as "undoubtedly the finest motion-picture system in the world".

The cinema is being built in the new Force Entertainment Centre being developed by Force Corporation in Queen St. IMAX is remarkable because of the screen size and the clarity of the picture and sound, Mr Yates says.

The 35mm film used to make regular movies is just one-tenth of the size of IMAX film. When IMAX is projected, it provides strong all-round peripheral vision that fills the audience's entire view.

Mr Yates says it provides the sensation of being part of the action.

"Movies that you expect to see at an IMAX theatre are usually geographical," he says.

"We expect to open with the movie Everest which will be a dramatic and phenomenal movie for New Zealand."

The company will probably also open with T-Rex, which he describes as undoubtedly the most sophisticated 3-D film even seen in New Zealand.

With IMAX, each person in the audience wears sophisticated computerised glasses, valued at more than $600 each, which have electronically-controlled liquid crystal lenses. The lenses are remotely operated by the projector and flash from left eye to right eye 48 times every second.

The projector runs at 24 frames a second and Mr Yates says the result is an exceptional 3-D experience.

T-Rex is a museum-based movie about dinosaurs and, like many of the films screened by IMAX, is educational as well as being entertaining. Mr Yates says the company is out to supply a product that encompasses all interests and age groups, so all films screened are G-rated. Films are normally 35 to 40 minutes long, and up to six different features will be screened each day.

"IMAX will allow New Zealanders to exposure the depths of outer space as well as the depths of the oceans, where they can see the real Titanic," he says.

Admission pricing is still being worked out, but Mr Yates expects regular 2-D films will cost $14 for adults, while 3-D films are likely to be about a dollar dearer. Special family concessions are also likely.

Mr Yates is joining Cinema Plus Ltd after five years working with the St Lukes Group and Westfield in asset and marketing management. Before that he had his own business in the travel and tourism industry.

He holds a degree in public relations from the University of California which he completed while on a tennis scholarship in the United States.

Cinema Plus Ltd has also appointed Annabel Lush as marketing manager. She has a background in hospitality and tourism, and holds an LLB and diploma in business, majoring in marketing, from Auckland University. She has worked with Sheraton Corporation here and overseas, as marketing manager for Tourism Auckland and with a destination and event management company.