NEW TECHNOLOGIES
The MGM
Theater’s
screen wall is
900m2 (9,688ft2);
the size of three
tennis courts
“It could be live entertainment or a
corporate event or a celebration for the
local government.”
The theater’s seating (from Poltrona
Frau) also supports that flexibility, as it
can be transformed from a traditional
proscenium to an immersive thrust
configuration where seats surround the
stage. The theater seats 2,000 people.
The LED screen wall, designed by Scéno
Plus, is one of the brightest, shiniest tools
supporting that flexibility. Coming in
multiple configurations, at its full extension
the screen offers a resolution that’s roughly
four times better than 4K technology –
with 28 million pixels. It can even offer live
video streaming in ultra HD.
Wow factor
Derek Watterud, assistant vice president
of digital and technology solutions at
MGM, says that many audience members
are wowed simply by seeing the massive
wall moving into position. “It’s always the
point where you hear people say wow
during the show,” says Watterud. “Even
knowing it’s there and that it moves, it’s
quite a feeling in the room.”
The Jabbawockeez
perform at the
MGM Theater
The theater has been reaching out
to productions several months before
they’re set to appear, to ensure that the
wall is fully utilized. The theater sees it
as an opportunity to woo fans who may
have already seen a traveling production
elsewhere. “The shows we’re bringing
already have successful track records, but
we want producers to see all the production
tools available to them, to make sure they
exploit those tools to the maximum,” says
Guimond. “We’re looking for people to say,
‘I saw him in Vegas, but seeing him in this
theater is awesome’.”
AUDITORIA 2019 VOLUME ONE 27