Sony Digital
Cinema has confirmed a ground-breaking initiative with the National Theatre and
Vue Entertainment International to screen four National Theatre Live stage
productions in detail-packed 4K Ultra High Definition.
A landmark in ‘
Event Cinema’, this unique three-way
partnership represents the first agreement of its kind between a leading
cultural brand, a cinema chain and an electronics manufacturer.
Over the next year, audiences at Vue Cinemas
across the country will be able to enjoy a world-class theatrical experience without
travelling far from home. The four shows will be captured with Sony cameras at
4K resolution, with four times the detail of ordinary Full HD television
broadcasts.
During the 12-month tie-up, Vue customers
at its 83 sites across the country will exclusively be able to enjoy the productions
projected in 4K – the highest quality currently possible with commercial
digital cinema projection.
Beautiful forever: 4K
shines over celluloid
First fruit of the new partnership is the
NT’s acclaimed production of David Hare’s Behind
the Beautiful Forevers, based on the book by Katherine Boo,directed by Rufus Norris and starring
Meera Syal.
Captured in 4K using
Sony’s F55 cameras, the recorded performance
will be distributed to Vue Cinemas as a 4K DCP (Digital Cinema Package). Stored
on a hard drive or transmitted securely by satellite, this high-resolution
‘digital print’ replaces bulky reels of celluloid film that were formerly used
for movie distribution to cinemas.
It’s anticipated that National Theatre Live,
Sony and Vue Entertainment International will push the boundaries of event
cinema even further with other technical innovations during the course of the
12-month agreement, including live 4K capture and transmission of future
productions.
“National Theatre Live continually aims to
push the boundaries and ensure we’re at the cutting edge” remarks Emma Keith,
Producer of National Theatre Live. “By partnering with Sony and Vue Entertainment
International and enabling our audiences to experience our broadcasts in 4K
Ultra High Definition we’re ensuring the best quality experience.”
Fresh experiences: leading
the way in Live Event Cinema
On
February 27th 2014, National Theatre Live (NT Live) broadcast War Horse live from the New London
Theatre to cinemas across the world. The performance was captured using Sony
F55 cameras and projected using a Sony 4K projector, ensuring cinema-goers
enjoyed the best possible 4K viewing experience. The recording was subsequently
made available as a 4K DCP, allowing 4K enabled cinemas to also show encore
screenings. 36 Vue Cinemas in the UK screened the theatrical production on Sony
4K projectors throughout March 2014. In total, the broadcast attracted an audience of almost 400,000 people watching War Horse from around the
world.
In August 2014, Sony cameras were used to capture the
summer’s footballing action in Brazil, with images from FIFA World CupTM Final
beamed live in 4K to fans at Vue’s prestigious Westfield multiplex in London.
Vue Entertainment International has been a trailblazer in the switch to digital
projection, with all its 755 screens in the UK now converted to 4K digital
projection with the help of Sony.
“At
Vue we’re constantly innovating with new ways to bring customers experiences that
stand out from the ordinary“, comments Kevin Styles, UK & Ireland MD, Vue
Entertainment International. “Event Cinema is an incredibly important facet of
our offering that’s attracting brand-new audiences to cinemas. Our auditoriums
are the perfect environment to enjoy world-class artistic and cultural events
in comfort – and naturally projected in Sony 4K for the finest picture
quality.”
With a unique capability extending from live
production to digital projection, Sony is a key player in the growing Event
Cinema market. From sports, opera and music to alternative comedy and
high-profile public events, Event Cinema lets exhibitors expand their offering
beyond traditional feature films and represents an increasingly important slice
of box office receipts.
“If there’s a medium that’s naturally suited to the
immersive detail and realism of 4K, it’s got to be live theatre”, says David
McIntosh, Vice President, Sony Digital Cinema 4K Solutions for Europe and the
Americas.
“Cinema Projection in 4K, delivers the best
possible image quality which enhances the event cinema experience so that the
performance can be enjoyed whether you are in the live theatre or watching in a
cinema. We’re hugely excited to be working with both the National Theatre
and Vue Entertainment International on this project that promises to redefine
the boundaries of event cinema with extraordinary new viewing experiences.”
About National Theatre Live
National
Theatre Live is an initiative by the National Theatre to
broadcast live performances onto cinema screens around the world.Since
its first season, which began in June 2009 with the acclaimed production of Phédre
starring Helen Mirren, almost 4 million people have now experienced the
work of National Theatre Live in cinemas worldwide. In addition to the
record-breaking broadcast of The Audience starring Helen
Mirren as The Queen (winner of two 2013 Olivier Awards, including the Best
Actress award for Mirren), recent broadcasts have included the Manchester
International Festival production of Macbeth with Kenneth
Branagh in the title role, Nicholas Hytner’s acclaimed production of Othellowith Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear, the Donmar Warehouse
production of Coriolanus with Tom Hiddleston, in the title role,
the Young Vic’s production of A Streetcar Named Desire with
Gillian Anderson and Skylight from the West End with Bill
Nighy and Carey Mulligan.
