Reimagining the Cinema

In 2013, Dolby consciously set out to develop a holistic cinema experience that would combine our most advanced audio and imaging technologies, Dolby Atmos® and Dolby Vision™, with innovative environmental design to deliver a consumer experience that eliminates visual distractions, enhances sound quality, and heightens the moviegoer’s sense of immersion in the story.

Going to the movies has long been a way to escape from the ordinary and be transported into another world. More than just the combination of sight and sound, the cinema experience creates a vision that is both believable and dreamlike, realistic and fantastic. But with so much entertainment to choose from, people sometimes overlook the option of spending an evening going to the movies. Through design, we invite people back into the cinema, creating a complete experience that audiences value and will seek out for years to come.

Every element of Dolby Cinema™—the lighting, the seating, the overall atmosphere—was thoughtfully designed to help moviegoers make the journey from the ordinary world to the movie world, and make the moviegoing experience more captivating and fulfilling.

Moviegoers walk through a clean, sophisticated entryway that acts as a gateway to separate the movie world from the noise of the lobby. To build anticipation and usher moviegoers into the subtly lit screening room, the curved wall of the audio/visual pathway serves as a decompression zone, with a floor-to-ceiling projection wall, overhead sound, and content tailored to the movie title.

Inside the screening room, faceted wall panels absorb light and reflections from the screen and even audience members’ faces to enhance the sense of visual immersion. The panels also conceal speakers on the walls and ceiling that immerse viewers in the moving audio of Dolby Atmos. Research shows that concealing the speakers enhances the perception that sounds are placed precisely in the room, a sensation that is diminished when people see the speakers as the source of single sounds.

The cinema’s curved wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling screen features state-of-the-art Dolby Vision laser projection, with spectacular brightness, contrast, and color that make the movie world come alive. Careful control of room lighting—right down to precise lighting on stairs and exit signs—and seating optimized for premium comfort and excellent sight lines set the stage for the audience to be immersed and transported into the movie they’ve come to see.

Dolby Cinema has received a Red Dot Award, iF Award, Spark Award Silver, and a Silver IDSA Award.

As the number of entertainment choices grows, the cinema experience needs to continually evolve to draw people back into the cinema. Though advanced technology is key in cinema exhibition, environmental design creates the space where moviegoers can enjoy the most compelling cinema experience.