The 3D film Ice Age: No Time for Nuts takes visitors through a sensory experience that includes physical effects in synchronization with the film such as shaking seats or wind effects. Eight Platinum SBX hybrid moving head fixtures installed in the cinema's ceiling project film-supporting special effect projections around the movie screen and into the audience.
"The SBX is an excellent fixture for this application because of its clear optics and effects possibilities," commented Daniel Danzer of Elation partner sld mediate, the entertainment technology solutions provider responsible for sales and consulting on the project. "Its high quality optical system makes for extremely sharp projections and its hybrid abilities allow it to be used for a great variety of special effects. For example, under spot mode it makes some excellent thunderstorm or snow effects and then it can easily transition to a beam light for other special effects such as when beams are used for Scrat's eyes."
The hybrid fixture houses a dual optical system that allows Movie Park Germany personnel to quickly switch between beam and spot modes. The Platinum SBX also includes a frost system for complementary colour washes which can be splashed around the screen or onto the audience. Graphics possibilities are many from two gobo wheels, one with eight rotating, interchangeable gobos and the other with 12 static-stamped gobos. The fixture's beam shaper can also be employed for more accurate projections and to keep light off of the movie screen.
"The Platinum SBX has plenty of power for this application," Daniel says of the fixture's 15,000 lumens which is punchy enough to read through any ambient light from the movie screen. "The SBX was also chosen for its energy savings benefits," he adds. "The 350W Platinum lamp is comparable to 700W fixtures and because it basically has to work 24/7, the savings is huge."
(Jim Evans)
