Cineworld Cinema - The O2 Greenwich
The O2, Peninsula Square,
London,
SE10 0AX
The O2, Peninsula Square,
London,
SE10 0AX
2 people
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Addendum: The stretched lacquered black fabric mentioned in the above post was fitted to the foyer ceilings only.
A couple of weeks ago, I went to the Cineworld O2 to attend a screening of “The Meg” in the ScreenX (Screen 9, IIRC.)
The least said about this “monster” (pun intended!) of a movie, the better.
Cineworld O2 Extension/“Project Loop” Update:
On the day I visited the O2, the external fabric of the building was partially complete.
(It will have to be kept in mind here that the O2, aka the “Dome,” is a large tent—thus it does afford a degree of protection against the elements, but does not provide the necessary insulation, nor, obviously, any insulation between the new building and the other parts of the Dome.)
In some parts of the facade, Rockwool mineral wool slabs and Tyvek breathable water resistant membrane visible in other areas, pending the installation of the cladding; in others that cladding had been attached.
Other parts remained “open,” allowing for a view into the building shell, where already installed services (e.g. HVAC ducts.)
Cineworld O2 ScreenX Auditorium:
Detailed notes were stored in my head and typed up as a late night “brain dump” on returning home.
As it has now been a couple of weeks since my visit, I will do my best to unravel them here.
On entering the ScreenX auditorium, it seemed quite comfortable—however, the seating, which had a slight “rocker” action, was narrow and uncomfortable. Legroom, however, was on the generous side for “standard” seating. The vinyl floor in front/under the seating also looks “cheap,” not matching the quality of other parts of the venue, and ditto the handrails on the sidewall(s.)
Presentation before/after the feature was poor—e.g. I had entered the auditorium not long after the doors had “opened” for the performance—all that could be heard was ventilation (perhaps on the slightly loud side?) Abruptly, non-sync music started, then the Cineworld slideshow. After the feature, the house lights came back up and, IIRC, the non-sync music started, and a sudden “thump” sound and it came to a halt again. Admittedly, I was the only one left in the auditorium by this time, as all other patrons left the auditorium as soon as the credits started!
There was also a clear stepping in the “ventilation” sound level after the feature ended which may have been the ScreenX projectors internal fans or extraction turning off or perhaps an “energy saving” mode being used whilst the auditorium was empty.
The sidewalls were a grey colour not too dissimilar to the post-1989 tile colour in the old Empire 1, and were reasonably effective in terms of not reflecting too much back from the main screen (just appears as a sort of “colour wash” towards the front) whilst the brightness level from the ScreenX projectors matched the main scope “stage” screen.
The image on the “stage” screen (floating, no moveable masking) seemed to me not to be as bright as it might have been; however, it did match the sidewall brightness levels.
Picture alignment on the “stage” screen was good, with little or no barrel distortion, and also appeared to have good colour calibration. However, there was some visible centre to edge (vignetting) brightness loss, and the black level could have been better, but I didn’t notice too much clipping of low level detail.
There were 4x ScreenX sidewall projectors, two on each sidewall. As Zappomatic noted, there is an overlap in the middle of each sidewall between the two ScreenX sidewall projectors; whilst this could be seen clearly when no sidewall content was played but the projectors remained on, it was primarily only visible in darker scenes as an increase in black level.
The ScreenX projectors did not quite fill entire height of sidewalls, with a gap top and bottom; the upper gap was where the sidewall projectors and the (small) rear array sidewall speakers were positioned vertically; there was also a slight shadow cast below each ScreenX projector.
With the ScreenX projectors being fed content to display, it seemed to me that a “cylindrical” type stretch was used towards the rear of the auditorium with the ScreenX projectors, presumably to accomodate for different auditorium depths, and/or it is intentional since the human visual system is used to this stretching at the extremes of the horizontal visual field. In any case it works perceptually.
As Zappomatic noted, there was a noticeable delay between the “stage” projection and the sidewall projectors. I can’t be sure, but it also seemed that the right sidewall projectors were further delayed slightly compared to the left sidewall projectors, sometimes it seemed like there was some “tearing” indicating a lack of “vertical synchronisation.”
Furthermore, the sound and front “stage” projection also seemed to be delayed with respect to the audio, with the dialogue preceeding the picture by a perhaps few tens of milliseconds.
However, I may have become oversensitive to this from having adjusted video/sound synchronisation myself, e.g. due to the large latency caused by the processing in modern TVs.
The scenes which used the “full width” afforded by ScreenX seemed to be somewhat random, and sudden jumps between the “stage” screen only and the “full width” being used was sometimes jarring.
The system was very effective in producing an “immersive” wrap-around display, an amazing sense of width and activation of the peripheral vision motion sensitivity.
The overall brightness level seemed sufficient with all projectors in use.
It did, however, seem to me that the “stage” screen was insufficient in size relative to today’s expectations, but, obviously, this is something of a trade-off with the ScreenX system, and I did sit quite far to the back in order to get the full width experience.
Furthermore, the colour rendering match between the “stage” and sidewall ScreenX projection was inconsistent; at times close, at other times, obviously out, being too green—but this depended on the colours being displayed.
The sound system was reasonably good, with sufficient brightness sounding, although not quite at the high end of refinement. Playback didn’t seem to be at reference level though, and may have been peak limited. LFE was OK, and the rear array may have been calibrated at too high a level.
Reverb time was outstanding, and this might be due to the performance of the Armstrong Tectum product noted in previous posts on this page as being used by ScreenX for the sidewall “screens.”
(Incidentally, the seams and lack of colour consistency between these were sometimes (or often?—can’t remember) visible.)
As Zappomatic has mentioned, the “honeycomb” lights work well and were not distracting during the main feature.
Cineworld O2 – Foyer/lobbies/toilets—some random observations:
I was not as impressed by the finishes and standard of work toilet fit-out as Zappomatic. A screw missing in one of the grilles above the urinals.
However, they were super clean and feature the excellent Mitsubishi Jet Towels—“Made in Japan” as the label on them boasts—which in my view are superior to the Dyson Airblades that I have encountered, which lack sufficient room to insert my hands without touching the sides.
The background music speakers in the foyer/lobby areas did not achieve a high quality of sound; some were wall mounted, with ceiling units in the toilets.
Some areas had what looked like black lacquer stretched fabric, as used in Cineworld (Empire) Leicester Square’s newly refurbished foyer. However, on section of these appeared not to be sufficiently tensioned, as it “flapped” about slightly, presumably being moved by the HVAC air flow.
ScreenX was being heavily promoted, with signage—and there was also ScreenX sign on the rear of the auditorium.
Numerous displays (LED module type and large, presumably LCD, display types) throughout the foyer/lobby areas.
The standard of finishes in the foyer/lobby areas remains inconsistent, with the lowest level foyer still having “bumpy” walls and ceilings. Perhaps a further makeover to this area will occur when this foyer is expanded into the cinema’s extended area.
Staff were all very good, and one stood outside the auditorium thanking me for visiting, even though this was some time after all other patrons had left the auditorium, and two members of staff were waiting in the vomitory to clean the auditorium.
Overall, I thought the ScreenX system was effective at what it did, and could be put to very good use; its niggles could be overlooked, but they ideally need ironing out.
With Cineworld committing to numerous installations, it will be interesting to see how much content is made available for the system. But it is getting ridiculous that key titles can now be seen in an IMAX, “PLF” with Dolby Atmos, 4DX, ScreenX, soon in the UK Dolby Cinema, and “regular” auditoria. And, given the choice, I can’t imagine why ScreenX would be chosen over a ~90ft. wide screen fitted with an IMAX with Laser projection system.
Photos of the Cineworld O2 Extension/“Project Loop” under construction and the foyer/lobby areas of the Cineworld O2 to follow.
LARGE_screen_format: Indeed, 2000 was before the emergence of IMAX in the feature film sector and the development of PLF screens as “competitors” of sorts.
Besides, 20m wide would be on the very large side (outside of perhaps “drive-in” locations!) for 35mm and 5/70mm film projection?
Remember also that the “classic” viewing distrance guidelines were based on the limitations of conventional projection of 35mm film prints, i.e. placing the audience far enough away that their perception of the inherent artifacts was kept at an acceptable level; and, also, that IMAX introduced their “DMR” process, initially so that 35mm sources would be acceptable when blown up to 15/70 and shown in an IMAX auditorium, including the use of digital noise reduction to reduce grain.
IOW… it would make no sense to stick in an IMAX-sized screen relative to the auditorium size without suitable projection (and content!) to match…
Or to put it another way, if you like super large screens, then consider yourself lucky that today there’s an ever-expanding embarrassment of riches to choose from thanks to digital. ;–)
A screen 20m wide doesn’t seem so big by today’s standards for an auditoria containing 2,500 seats. But then it was built all the way back in 2002.
LARGE_screen_format: According to the above linked ES Global Solutions page, the “Skyscape” building took 16 weeks to build, 8 weeks to dismantle, and cost £10m(!) As the “project completion” date was April 2002, I assume that’s when “dismantling” had been completed.
The page also says: “Skyscape was required for the duration of the Millennium Dome event as dual cinema venues each having capacity for 2,500 people. The East cinema was also designed to be deployed as a 5,500 capacity auditorium for music shows and other events.”
The former gasworks on Greenwich Peninsula have been (and continues to be) built out since the “Millennium Experience”—on the Dome site per se AFAIK the only (major?) buildings left are the Dome itself—if an oversized tent* can be called a “building”!—and the above-ground part of North Greenwich station.
(*Not to demean it… excepting that the fabric seems to permanently be in a state requiring cleaning, it looks cool and is definitely iconic, and I’d be fairly annoyed if it was ever torn down!)
Looking at an interior photo courtesy of ES Global Solutions, it looks fairly “barebones” and—hard to say from this photo—but it doesn’t look like there’s any acoustic treatment to the ceiling.
Having said that, it turns out that it was fully equipped in terms of film projection and “A-chain” sound equipment—in70mm.com – 70mm DTS at the Millennium Dome—to quote:
“Cinemeccanica Victoria 8 35/70 & Console 7kW Xenon. Cinemeccanica 70 CNR Platter. DTS 6AD with ES Processors. Screen size 20m wide.”
Skyscape was a temporary structure and dismantled after the Millennium Experience closed. I believe it actually ran as two side by side 2,500 seated cinemas and could be used as one large space for live performances.
According to the above Skyscape promotional video it was the UK’s largest cinema with 3,300 seats! :O
It was originally located outside of the Millenium Dome. Is that still the case or has it since been integrated/joined to the main Dome structure?
Ventilation grilles above the ScreenX projectors are new and slightly above existing ceiling level.
The carpet on the steps inside the auditorium is new, it’s just the linoleum/vinyl flooring in the rows that remains from the original fit out plus wall coverings.
Nothing from the interior of the Millennium Experience was kept, all structures inside the O2 including the Superscreen (originally called Screen 11) were purpose built. I would imagine AEG built screen 11 on such a huge scale plus green room facilities with an eye to hosting premieres.
Zappomatic:
The fabric coverings sure look (and measure in Photoshop!) purple as shown in the photo on Chapman Taylor’s site, with blue wall carpet on the vomitory walls and lower sidewalls.
The lighting features on the sidewalls are exactly the same as are/were (at least on opening) fitted to the IMPACT/Superscreen in Basildon, and can also be seen in an Eomac Case Study. It would have been better if the wall and stadia steps carpets had been replaced, though.
Slightly odd that Cineworld have left bits and pieces untouched, particularly as this must be one of their premiere sites.
Incidentally, during the period when the “dome” and environs were operating as the “Millennium Experience” exhibition, there was a Sky-sponsored cinema in a temporary building adjacent to the dome:
ES Global Solutions – Skyscape.
Skyscape – Promotional Video.
I did visit the “Millennium Experience” in 2000, although I don’t remember visiting Skyscape—frankly it was all so dire that I was quite glad to get out of there ASAP!
I do wonder why the “Sky Superscreen” was opened as a disproportionately large auditorium by today’s standards, unless it actually was part of the original “Millennium Experience” structures built inside the “dome”?
Zappomatic: Thanks for the photos, your comprehensive observations of the ScreenX auditorium and update on the O2 “Project Loop” construction.
I am minded to visit today on the way back from dropping someone off at Heathrow, but even the last performance is heavily booked. Argh!
Hmm, were these there before?
Yikes—that’s very jarring. I imagine that the hardware/software to split the picture over all those projectors adds a bit of lag.
LARGE_screen_format: The auditoria at the O2 are quite well lit so I just touch the screen in a few different places to find the best exposure level, and then see what difference auto enhance makes. If I’ve arrived after the adverts have started I wait for a bright one, ideally with a white background – Red Bull or Old Mout Cider adverts are ideal!
For a long time this cinema was a strange mish-mash of house styles. Even as a Vue the carpet and seats weren’t typical and then for some years under Cineworld much of the signage was still in the Vue font, and you had the bespoke Sky Superscreen Bar fit-out to add to the confusion.
The “purple” wall coverings you mentioned in a previous post are in fact a midnight blue colour and are part of the original decor, unaltered in Cineworld’s recent refurbishment. Also still remaining is blue floor covering in the rows (which matched with the original blue carpet) and a couple of blue spotlights in the screen entrance areas. At the foot of the escalator down from the upper screens there’s an area of cream floor tiles beyond a railing, also from the original fit-out.
Had a look through all of the photos of this cinema for the first time this evening. Sure looks different now compared to some years ago.
Zappomatic – How do you manage to get interiors of auditoria so well and evenly lit using a smartphone? It’s always really dark when I go inside. Sometimes, if it’s the first performance of the day in the particular auditoria that I’m watching a movie in, they don’t even switch the ceiling lights on so you’re basically trying to find your seat in almost total darkness. This is where having a flashlight on ones smartphone comes in handy!
New seatcount will be 850 – 776 is the old figure before the balcony was reconfigured.
Yes, I believe it is. Is the new seat count 850 or 776?
Followed of course by Cineworld, Leicester Square which has 727 seats.
Just a thought, since Cineworld’s refurb increased the Superscreen’s seatcount and with Odeon Leicester Square closed for refurbishment, is the O2 Superscreen currently the UK’s largest dedicated cinema auditorium by seating capacity?
Thanks for the detailed feedback Zappomatic. ;o)
There’s now two reasons I’d like to visit Cineworld, O2. To check out the huge Superscreen and also ScreenX.
How is it that the Empire Cinemas chain are able to achieve a ‘Black Box’ effect with no ceiling lights remaining lit during a movie yet other cinema chains such as Cineworld and Vue ‘claim’ that ceiling lights must remain on (dimmed) during a movie for health and safety reasons. I’ve emailed both in the past to let them no that I found it very distracting having so many lights on and at some sites they certainly didn’t seem as dimmed as others. :/
As suspected, ScreenX is also Screen 9.
Overall I think ScreenX is quite effective at creating an immersive environment and will come into its own when more films are made with the technology in mind. It’s perfect for retrofitting into multiplexes where a PLF or IMAX screen of a worthwhile size would not be possible. It seems to be generating a good level of interest and my screening was surprisingly full for a Tuesday afternoon (yes it’s the school holidays but the majority of the audience was made up of adult couples and groups). I saw The Meg, and the sidewalls were generally used in action sequences with the more dialogue/story driven scenes using only the main screen. If you were to look straight at the sidewalls you’d see a stretched out, slightly pixellated image and notice the structure of the wall panels however that’s not how it’s meat to be viewed.
The seating etc in the auditorium is unchanged from the recent refurb. Obviously gone are the bulges in the walls that previously concealed lighting and surround speakers (now relocated to just below the ceiling). Ventilation grilles are visible above the side projectors. I suspect the main screen has been replaced as it appeared slightly curved whereas the screens originally installed at the O2 are all flat, bar the Superscreen, which results in terrible hot-spotting on the 3D equipped screens not helped by the patchy silvering.
ScreenX does seem to have a few drawbacks, most notably the effect of all the extra light in the auditorium. You’ve now got four extra projectors casting light across the ceiling even when projecting black, and the side walls which would previously have been a dark colour are now bouncing light around reducing contrast and black levels (which still managed to be acceptable, all things considered). It’s also obvious where the two projected sidewall images overlap, particularly in darker scenes. Finally it seemed as though there was a very slight lag between the main screen and the side projectors, noticeable in jump cuts and scenes with a lot of movement and I can see this causing motion sickness in some people if not corrected.
I followed The Meg with another film in screen 1 and I’m pleased to say Cineworld have listened to complaints about lighting levels and fitted honeycomb baffles to the ceiling lights in screens 1-5. The lights still don’t dim as much as the improved lumieres fitted in screens 6-10 but the glare issue is eliminated. Elsewhere in the O2 the cinema extension’s structure appears to be almost finished and the outlet village that complete’s the loop is looking almost ready for fit-out. I’d imagine Hollywood Bowl and the bars and restaurants at what is currently a dead end can’t wait for the extra footfall this will bring as it’s a real ghost town down there when there’s nothing on in the arena.
A week or so ago there was not a single cinema listed as having ScreenX in the UK on the Cineworld website, now there are two. Things change quickly!
They seem to have made a mistake with their online ticket pricing for Students at Cineworld, Speke.
Regular price – £12.40 My Cineworld Plus price – £14.43
The annual £4.95 subscription fee is supposed to save you 10% on ticket prices NOT charge you more, lol!
Here’s a review of the ScreenX installation at the O2: https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/screenx-3527280
The seats (Camatic Active Tilt Luxe) are the same as installed in all of the other conventional auditoriums at the O2, and also the same as the ones Cineworld trialled at a few sites as “Star Seating”.
Here’s a review of the ScreenX installation at the O2: https://www.trustedreviews.com/news/screenx-3527280
The seats (Camatic Active Tilt Luxe) are the same as installed in all of the other conventional auditoriums at the O2, and also the same as the ones Cineworld trialled at a few sites as “Star Seating”.
If you search ‘ScreenX’ on YouTube there’s a bunch of short videos demoing the technology including this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG_1-A3PUtc
I guess this is one use where having splayed side walls is an advantage over the auditoria being rectangular shaped (side walls at 90 degrees to the screen)?
Addendum to last post: If they’re using the Armstrong Tectum product mentioned in a linked interview I previously posted on the LSQ page, then based on Armstrong’s product literature then perhaps they are using pre-fabricated panels.
LARGE_screen_format: Indeed! I’ll probably visit myself next week…
The seats look comfy. Guess we’ll find out more about the ScreenX experience after Zappomatic shares his thoughts after visiting this auditoria Tues/Wed…
Looking at a photo of the ScreenX auditorium, it looks like the sidewalls are indeed stretched fabric, as the “seams” between fabric sections (where the fabric meets the profiles to which it’s attached) are visible.
Oddly, these appear to be rectangular sections of fabric, as both vertical and horizontal “seams” are visible, whereas usually the fabric width would relate to horizontal “seams”—Eomac recommends 168cm “usable”—and the fabric length would far exceed this thus requiring fewer vertical “seams.”
The fabric sections also appear not to be entirely colour matched, either.
LARGE_screen_format: The £35m figure is for the entire “Project Loop-Leisure and Cinema Extension” scheme, which also includes an indoor “trampoline park.” I assume Cineworld will be taking a lease on the space and their primary upfront capital cost will be for the fit-out.
As shown on the above-linked planning drawings, the largest auditorium will have an ~18m (~59ft.) wall-to-wall screen, with a centreline screen to last row distance of ~24m (~80ft.); so the last row will be ~1.35x screen width from the screen. (First row ~0.4x screen width from screen in centreline.)
Thus there will be plenty of “immersive” seating positions, and it will be interesting to see if Atmos is installed also.
(FYI, this auditorium is about ~29m deep, for a total area of ~530sq.m. (~5700sq.ft.))