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Museum & Heritage Case Study
The pace of technology change in the audio-visual sector is accelerating at an amazing rate. While that's good news in terms of what can ultimately be achieved, it also means increasing levels of complexity in terms of both hardware and software implementation. That's why, from its inception more than ten years ago; Metropolis has focussed on providing complete systems solutions, including the provision, where appropriate, of actual context. Its ability to do so was significantly enhanced during 2005 when Metropolis Entertainment acquired the assets of AI Camber Entertainment, company which, in 2004, won 'The Museum & Heritage Award for Excellence' for its 3D/4D theatre project at Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum in the United States.
Metropolis's full range of capabilities extends from lighting, audio-visual technology, special effects and simulation-based attractions. Its skills include creative design, hardware and software engineering, project management and systems integration, as well as onsite installations and ongoing support. Its systems and technology are installed at museums and visitor centres around the world, including the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum; Singapore Science Centre; Space Centre, Houston; Munich Airport and the US Astronaut Hall of Fame at the Kennedy Space Centre. Most recently, Metropolis completed a full effects theatre for Toyota's new corporate visitor centre in the Middle East. As well as providing all the sound, projection lighting and control systems, its subsidiary Metropolis Films has broken new ground with the production of a 10-minute corporate film, originated, post produced and displayed in full high definition resolution. The results in terms of image quality on a very large screen are simply stunning and move audio visual presentation into an entirely new area.
The emergence of high-definition (HD) technology has also created many new opportunities, including highly cost-effective video-based 3D. As part of its award-winning attraction at Kalamazoo, Metropolis Films, together with the Sheffield-based animation company, Red Star Studios, created an 11-minute World War II B-17 mission film in full HD 3D, which was displayed onto a 180° cylindrical screen with a 60-foot circumference.
The projection system made use of a dual hard-disc HD video server and three banks of projectors, which used Metropolis specified software to cope with edge-blending and linear dissolution on the curved screen. Metropolis also designed and installed the vibration and drop motion seats, aroma and lighting effects which completed the overall attraction. The ultimate test of any such system is client reaction and, according to Museum Director, Bob Ellis, this is one of the most powerful stories and presentations in the US and probably the world today. "When we went out to research the project we were told either it can't be done, or you can't afford it," he said. "The guys at AI Camber got their act together, though, and really pulled off a wonderful display. Now two years on, we are truly delighted, as the entire theatre's reliability has been fantastic."
But while this is a good case study, Metropolis has been involved with many equally interesting projects in the ensuing period. They have, for instance, created an animated film through a jet engine and the human heart (for GE transportation and GE Healthcare respectively). They have installed a complete motion theatre at the new International Wetlands Park in Hong Kong, and, most recently, they moved the Aliens exhibition from The London Science Museum to Millennium Point in Birmingham.
Looking to the future, it is undoubtedly the case that, as the cost and performance of components falls, these types of attraction will become more and more accessible to the museum and heritage sector. So, too, will the provision of content to play on them, with the result that designers will have an even more powerful array of tools to absorb and immerse their audiences.
Metropolis Entertainment will stay at the very forefront of this technology, and is very pleased to discuss its applications to project, large or small.
