Equipped with this immersive technology, Pathé Gaumont cinemas put viewers at the heart of the action, giving them a physically-engaging experience.
Impressive stuff: 4DX, the latest technology being rolled out to rekindle interest in movie-going, blows wind and sprays water at the viewer whose seat starts to vibrate when the earth opens up on screen, while flashes of light mimic lightning bolts from the movie scene… The South Korean 4DX movement is supported in France by the Pathé Gaumont group which is carrying out a comprehensive retrofit programme, filling auditoriums with technology to deliver the ultimate experience.
“We need to be able to start a project 48 hours after the order has been placed and to deliver a retrofitted auditorium within 5 to 6 weeks at the very most”
Having completed projects in three cities and with more under way, Cegelec Tours Electricité (VINCI Energies) specialises in the specific wiring required for 4DX-enabled cinemas. The combination of special effects is achieved by activating sophisticated mechanisms in the auditorium itself and in the articulated cinema seats which move in all directions and feature concealed sources of ventilation and mist in the headrest.
In the auditorium, two 6m-high articulated hoists and mounts with integrated fans, scent diffusers, and strobes are powered by cables that fold in and out “like snakes”, with a capacity of up to 100 million cycles. As well as being technically complex, these installation projects involve time constraints that call for tight management, particularly in terms of human resources.
Time constraints
“We need to be able to start a project 48 hours after the order has been placed and to deliver a retrofitted auditorium within 5 to 6 weeks at the very most, taking into account the absolute need to keep quiet in auditoriums while screenings are taking place next door and the 4-week period required for the delivery of seats and devices from Korea,” says Jeremy Barque, project manager at Cegelec Tours Electricité.
At the end of the 5 weeks, the equipped auditorium still needs to get the go-ahead from the safety committee and the South Korean supplier. Barque points out that there is not a single detail missing at handover of the works, which are delivered without any complaints from the client and on time. Get ready for the ride with Godzilla and the X-Men!
13/06/2019
