THE FUTURE OF MOVIE THEATERS IS MORE THAN JUST MOVIES
...
The comedian Howie Mandel has joined with MetaMedia, an entertainment company that specializes in streaming to cinemas, and Super 78 Studios, an animation-design studio, to create something called the “Magic Screen.”
The system enables performers like Mr. Mandel to see and interact with fans in theaters throughout the country simultaneously. His live performance is streamed onto magic screens in multiple locations, and from his position in a performance studio, Mr. Mandel can see, and speak with, audience members—and vice versa.
“‘Any theater that is dependent on the studios and does not try to find other sources, or create other products, is not going to be prepared for the future.’”— Alamo Drafthouse CEO Shelli Taylor
The magic screen also has an animation engine that enables an animated character like SpongeBob to appear live and interact with the audience. “It’s like Zoom on steroids,” says Jason Brenek, MetaMedia’s CEO. The product is still in pilot mode, and only a few magic screens have been installed so far, some of them at theaters managed by Cinemark HoldingsInc. ...
See the full story here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-future-of-movie-theaters-is-more-than-just-movies-11633708800
