Replacing the World's Largest IMAX Screen 89
lukehopewell1 writes "IMAX Sydney has replaced its screen — the largest in the world — at a cost of $250,000. Weighing over 800 kilograms, painting the screen took over 12 days and 350 kilograms of paint. Lifting the massive screen and installing it took a year of planning and 31 riggers. A neat photo gallery is included so you can get an idea of just how big a job this was."
Pftt australia's imax can't compete with La Geode. (Score:3, Interesting)
Nice, but the IMAX crown goes to La Geode in Paris.
Although it has a slightly smaller screen (1000 m^2), the screen is not planar but hemispherical with a diameter of 36m.
The public is literally at the center of the action, and no cinema and certainly no home theater how ever high end it is can compete with this kind of cinema experience.
What...how...? (Score:4, Interesting)
Why in the world would it take an entire year to plan hoisting a 800kg screen? That weighs less than my car. A few winches could get it in place without putting even the most fragile screen at risk. I wonder what they did with the other 9 months of that year?
FWIW, I have hung a full-sized non-IMAX screen in about half an hour with zero issues. Not 800kg, but at least 100.
Re:Riggers? (Score:3, Interesting)
Not Really... I just raised one in New England two weeks ago. We had 13 people up top pulling, 10 more below helping to pull, and numerous other people who were assisting below to keep the screen surface raised as much as possible. There easily need to be that many, as the screen is extremely heavy and difficult to pull up as a dead load. Additionally, ours had a silver surface for 3D, which means you can't touch the screen or you will ruin it.
Then there was the joy of bringing a 60' box holding the screen through a mall, raising it 2 stories in a food court all night, and then raising up the screen itself...
Re:Soon with crappier image quality! (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Annoying Video (Score:2, Interesting)
"And when I go to another country, my name and it's pronunciation doesn't change"
Umm, actually it does. (Ever been to China?)
Yeah, Americans say 'Zee'. Big whoop. I still remember starting school and exasperated teachers beating it into everyone, "it's ZED, not ZEE, this isn't Sesame Street!!!!"