ACTSCENE: ANGA Cinemas set to open first 4D theatres in Kenya
Anga iMax CEO Oleksii Sierkov. 4DX presents an all-five-senses immersive cinematic experience allowing everyone to connect with the movie, says its creators.
What you need to know:
- MX4D Motion EFX Theatre is the newest evolution in the 4D cinema experience, it has immersive environment where one can actually “feel” the action on the screen
- A South Korean company CGV Sangam introduced the world’s first 4D movie theatre in 2009 with the release of Avatar.
In October, ANGA Cinemas will be launching the first 4D theatres in Kenya.
MX4D Motion EFX Theatre is the newest evolution in the 4D cinema experience, it has immersive environment where one can actually “feel” the action on the screen from the built-in motion and effects in the seats.
The idea behind 4DX is to bring viewers inside the film using a wide array of special effects. Seats move, vibrate, shoot bursts of air and water while giant fans create wind gusts. Fog machines pump out smoke.
Like the seat movement coordination, 4DX editors synchronise when the relevant effects need to be executed.
Speaking to ActScene the CEO of ANGA Cinemas in Kenya, Mr. Oleksii Sierkov said they were happy to open their third theatre at the new Diamonds Plaza 2 in Parklands.
FROM FEELING EXPLOSIONS TO SMELLING COFFEE
“I hope we are going to create another place for our clients in Kenya where we can provide entertainment for all kinds of movies. We will provide all movies from Hollywood, Bollywood and Kenyan movies,” said Mr. Sierkov.
A South Korean company CGV Sangam introduced the world’s first 4D movie theatre in 2009 with the release of Avatar. In 2016 they aimed to reach 300 auditoriums. 4D theatres can be found in more than 40 countries.
The cinema’s chairs are equipped with motors which allow three base movements: heave (up and down), pitch (left and right), and roll (tilt backwards and forward).
This allows the seats to mimic movement on screen, like a plane flying or a car speeding down a street. A team of 4DX editors coordinate the seats’ movement for each movie shown.
Wind, bubbles, lightning, fog, scent, vibration, air shots, and water shots are used during the movie to simulate explosions, storms, or the “smell of coffee”.
“4DX presents an all-five-senses immersive cinematic experience allowing everyone to connect with the movie,” said its creators.
ANGA Diamond will have four theatres which are able to show 2D, 3D and 4D.
“We opened our first movie theatre in 2013, on Mama Ngina Street, Nairobi which is ANGA IMAX, then we opened another one on Mombasa road, ANGA SKY and now we will be opening ANGA Diamond. Although we are not reaching our targets as we would want, we are not badly off,” he added.
ANGA Cinemas are hoping to open more theatres in and around Nairobi before moving outside the city. Their target is to open 35 cinema theatres in the next five years with at least 100 screens.
