South Korea unveils 270-degree cinemas to show Screen X format
Format lets filmmakers shoot each scene from three angles to create an impressive result
A format that gives movie-goers a panoramic, 270-degree view will be introduced by South Korea's biggest cinema chain this month, using the walls of cinemas as additional screens.
Screen X, developed by cinema chain CJ CGV, was on show at the Busan International Film Festival last week in the premiere of a 30-minute spy thriller The X, directed by Kim Jee-woon, a film commissioned to showcase the expanded three-screen format.
Kim, who directed this year's Arnold Schwarzenegger action adventure The Last Stand, said the technology brought a more immersive experience to the cinema.
He likened it to a "horizontal" version of Imax, a format that offers greater size and resolution than conventional film.
Screen X requires filmmakers to use three cameras to shoot the same scene simultaneously from different angles to create the "surround" effect.
"The space in front of you is filled up completely," Kim said. "It provides a new depth for viewers."