Carmike Cinemas, Inc. (NASDAQ: CKEC), a leading digital cinema and 3-D motion picture exhibitor, announced today that it will be offering patrons a one-of-a-kind immersive audio experience that is bringing many of today’s movies to life: 3-D cinema sound thanks to Auro 11.1 by Barco, which was recently installed at the Riverstone 15 in Canton, GA in Carmike’s premium large format “BIGD” auditorium.
The premium cinema trend, in which giant screens, plush seating, and gourmet concessions/refreshments, digital 3-D projection and now digital 3-D sound, is attracting a new breed of moviegoer. This wide array of amenities is helping leading theater owners such as Carmike differentiate themselves from the at-home and small screen cinema experience and provides patrons with more value for their entertainment dollar. Immersive 3-D audio is emerging as the logical next step in premier cinema, and the Riverstone 15 in Canton, GA is the region’s first location to further elevate the movie going experience with the latest 3-D sound system by Barco, a leader in digital cinema technology.
The perfect match for visual 3D, Auro 11.1 by Barco, has enhanced dozens of recent feature films by DreamWorks Animation, such as “The Croods,” “Rise of the Guardians,” and most recently, “Turbo,” as well as Disney’s “Oz the Great and Powerful,” and Lucasfilm’s “Red Tails.” Barco now has more than 50 titles committed to be released in Auro 11.1 worldwide.
“We pride ourselves in offering our patrons a special movie going experience and the new Auro 11.1 by Barco is a unique, immersive sound system that takes cinema entertainment to a whole new level,” comments David Passman, CEO for Carmike Cinemas. “Barco has been a great partner, helping us make the transition from 2-D to 3-D cinema audio in our premium auditorium an easy one, and also offering excellent support from planning through implementation to ensure our ultimate success.”
Auro 11.1 consists of a three-layered speaker arrangement (surround, height and overhead) to project sounds from their relative point of origin to deliver sound all around and above the patron. So when a plane flies overhead, the sound is heard zooming above the patron; similarly, when a thunderstorm erupts, the sounds immerse you from all directions, just as they would in real life. Auro 11.1 offers the most natural immersive sound experience possible.
“Carmike Cinemas is on the forefront of the ‘cinema of the future’ trend, and is wisely investing in the best technologies to offer patrons a truly differentiated movie going experience,” comments Patrick Lee, Vice President Digital Cinema for Barco North America. “When movie theater owners consider what kinds of improvements they can make to lure people from their living rooms to the cinema, Auro 11.1 is definitely a smart option.”
Carmike Cinemas will debut its first movie mixed in Auro 11.1, ‘Turbo 3-D,’ on July 19th, 2013 at the Riverstone 15 in Canton, GA in the “BIGD” auditorium.
Visit www.carmike.com or call 770.720.9520 for show times and more information.
About Auro Technologies
Auro Technologies (www.auro-3d.com; www.auro-technologies.com) is a spin-off of the Galaxy Studios Group and owner of the Auro-3D® Technology Suite. The Auro-3D® system has been designed by Wilfried Van Baelen, founder of Galaxy Studios, which is renowned worldwide for its state-of-the-art leadership in audio innovation for music and film sound. The Auro-3D® suite offers groundbreaking, easy-to-use and unprecedented levels of sound reproduction capabilities to the professional, automotive, broadcast and consumer electronics (such as gaming, smart phones, multimedia PC, notebooks, tablets, audio players, digital TV, media libraries and packaged media) markets.
