Our new movie theater at the new Palladio Mall in Folsom has now added 2 rows of D-BOX seats to one of the mid sized theaters. For weeks I've walked by the demo seats in the main auditorium but never had a chance to try them. If you are un-familiar with what D-BOX is then here is the link:
My wife and I had just seen the movie Inception. Needless to say it was a spectacular film that is very deep, and one that you would want to see twice to catch all the details. Now, when purchasing our second set of tickets to the film I finally caved to my curiosity impulse and paid the extra $5-$10 or so to finally discover the D-BOX Motion Code Experience. I figured the movie would be perfect for it due to all the spinning cameras, explosive sounds, and edge of your seat music. It was late, the grandma's were sitting our baby girls, so why not?
When we arrived at the nine or ten o'clock showing we were handing over our tickets at the same time Jean-Martin Lizotte the Technical Director of D-BOX was speaking with the attendant. At some point I mentioned that this was our 1st D-BOX experience and 2nd time to see Inception so we were looking forward to the comparison. Jean was interested to hear our thoughts on this, gave me his card, and met us in the theater to chat a bit. Because it was such a late showing there was pretty much nobody at the movie and we were the only ones in the D-BOX seats. This gave us lots of time for Jean to be kind enough to explain all the D-BOX technologies, history, etc. It was amazing to hear how those seats are controlled and even a bit spooky to hear how much info the can access about the person using the seat each time. Really cool! Mr. Lizotte was such an awesome character and really represented the D-BOX company extremely well. Nothing makes an experience better then knowing that the people behind it are not only extremely kind but are also really into their own technology!
Here is my thoughts on my D-BOX experience:
For the 1st 30 minutes or so of the movie you can't help but concentrate fully on the actual seats. Thinking how cool and fun they are. How it actually gives you the feeling of dropping, turning, etc. The seats are extremely advanced and there is no doubt that the technology is there. Period. Technology is nailed. It's a roller coaster ride!
However, I'd say at about the part where Leo and the girl are sitting outside a cafe and the windows start exploding is when I noticed something. There is not 1 specific perspective that the seats follow successfully. They kind of move around to whatever motion is going on around them. When this happens and you realize it, there is suddenly a glitch in your experience. You lose focus just like when your looking at a stereogram and loose your attention. Once this happens it takes a few mins to get back into focus and during that time you have lost out on the story and part of the details.
Another glitch example was when they shot a rocket launcher and your looking at the man from the side perspective. The seat throws you from right to left to match the gun fire. Again my body seems to notice that although this is correct when watching a movie, I would expect to be blown backwards if I was really standing beside a guy at the side profile when he shoots a rocket launcher. I know it's kind of minor and sounds like I'm being a wanna-be critic but I'm really not. The body and mind notice things like this automatically and it causes a glitch in your focus on the movie.
Several years back I read a book called the Five C's of Cinematography where the author explained when it is appropriate for an actor to look directly into the camera and in most cases why it's not. Reason being if an actor in the movie looks directly into the camera it suddenly causes a glitch to the audiance and makes them loose focus. You feel as though the character has suddenly looked at you. It's uncomfortable and I've noticed that in films after reading it. Every once in a while you get a director trying to break the rule without the proper warrant and it always fails.
When looking at a stereogram, reading a book, or watching a movie you become completely submerged into the artist, author, or directors vision. We all want minimal interruption to enjoy these medias experience at their fullest potential.
Anyways, I returned to my deep involvement with the movie and thrilling van chase scenes until I realized something else. This time it's at the part when the van is slowly falling off the bridge. I noticed that when I watched the regular version, although I was looking at the van falling from the front window perspective... I still felt as though I was holding me breath and falling backwards. With the D-BOX seats it feels as though you are falling forwards on-top of the van. Don't get me wrong... this feels fun and right if you hadn't seen the film in the regular version but at that point I noticed that the D-BOX seats can actually change the way the director may have wanted you to view the film. For better or worse... it changes the directors planned experience. Even if it isn't a big deal for this particular scene... when looking at the technology you can see how this is possible to happen in other films.
Again I was uncomfortable when it came to the scene of the young girl killing herself by jumping out the window. In the normal version of the movie the camera follows her down to the ground. In D-BOX this same thing happens but because your in these seats it gives you the feeling that your actually falling on her and land on her. Fun, not a big deal, but you think about it and it pulls you out of submersion for a moment.
There was 1 more part in the snow lands where the camera is panning a building from afar and the seat moves with the pan. The next scene requires the seat to be back in the original position so it kind of resets and is very noticeable.
Now that it may seem as though I'm picking on D-BOX, let's compare it to other technologies.
When surround sound came into our lives it worked because you were always at the dead center of what was going on. Everything could happen around you. You were always grounded and had a natural sense for what perspective you were watching.
Stereoscopic movies. This is an improving technology but one that is very do-able. For some movies it just works, for some it doesn't. There are scenes in movies including Avatar where your submersion is interrupted for a second. Heck even little things like a smudge on your glasses can unplug you for a moment.
Although primarily, what seems to make the difference in the movies that work and the movies that don't? The director. When a director like James Cameron has filmed the movie with 3D in mind the entire time... it works. If your directing a movie for 3D you can control the way a scene works so that it keeps the 2D and 3D viewers submerged the entire time. When movies are just converted to work on 3D it stands out greatly and ruins the experience in almost every case. Only exception to me is 3D cartoons because they are designed from a 3D perspective. They can get away with more because it is already 3D. Just not stereoscopic yet.
D-BOX Motion Coding. This is certainly a white knuckle and fun way to watch an action movie! Worth every penny of the upgraded and assigned seat. They have done an absolute fantastic job with the technology and hardware. It's all there and it undoubtably works great for video games, theme park rides, etc.
Is this something that you want to watch a movie for the 1st time in? In my opinion no. You will likely miss some of the story. You won't see the movie from the way the director meant for you to experience it.
Will I see another movie in D-BOX? Heck yes! 1st on my list is TRON! I will watch it the second time at the D-BOX to be sure that I focus on the movie as it was meant to be seen the 1st time. D-BOX seats are a great and fun way to enjoy a movie and have a night out with some friends. It really was fun with no regrets. The TRON previews in the D-BOX seats seemed un-missable. Those motorcycle scenes... Yeah!
How could D-BOX be improved? Well, I believe they are already working on this but they need to get in at the director level. If they can manage to get a major director to support their technology and film with it in mind... it can make for a seamless experience and from a proper perspective. This would be the ULTIMATE MOVIE EXPERIENCE! If this was to happen they have a long course ahead of them as did 3D movies coming to the theaters but with time and a supportive director this has finally been achieved and is not going anywhere. Don't get me wrong... I'm sure that a director won't film a movie "for" D-BOX. He wouldn't have a reason to as there is very little theaters out there that support it. A director just needs to film with D-BOX in "mind". Rethink a couple pans. Rethink a couple camera perspectives to include Surround Sound, 3D, and D-BOX. It is very achievable and would pay off huge!
Well, that's all I got for you. A big thanks to D-BOX for an enjoyable experience and thanks to Jean-Martin for really representing well! We look forward to and support the future of D-BOX entertainment, improvement, and technologies!
