While the whole 48fps debate rages on, there is one new technology that we will get a chance to see when THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY opens on December 14th. Or, we will hear the new technology.
THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY will utilize the newest surround sound from Dolby called Atmos. Atmos adds an additional set of speakers above the audience which allows the sounds to be truly immersive. If all goes well, I can see Atmos being a cool feature for big summer blockbusters. Imagine seeing a movie like AVATAR or even SKYFALL where the action is truly around you. This is not stereo, my friends. This is truly the next step in sound. Now, replicating for the home is likely not going to be any time soon because of the intricate nature of the speaker arrangement, but it does mean that filmmakers can use mixes better than 7.1 when making their movies. I can only imagine what tricks could be used for everything from horror films to epic battle sequences.
Dolby Senior Marketing Manager Stuart Bowling said “(Jackson) felt it was going to make a big difference in how he tells stories. He doesn’t want people to just go and observe his movies. He wants you to feel like you’re part of the experience of the stories that’s he’s trying to tell on the screen and allow you to be part of Middle-earth.”
To date, the only films released in Atmos have been Pixar’s BRAVE and CHASING MAVERICKS. Ang Lee’s LIFE OF PI will also be given the Atmos treatment, but THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY will be the biggest movie to use the format. As far as where you can find a theater with Atmos, good luck. Currently only about a dozen theaters are equipped with it, one of which is not too far from where I live.
Check out this video from Dolby explaining the Atmos experience.
About Dolby Atmos from Dolby Laboratories on Vimeo.
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