ScreenX: A next-level movie experience

Professor Junyong Noh and the Visual Media Lab (VML) from the KAIST Graduate School of Culture Technology (GSCT), in conjunction with CJ-CGV, the largest movie theater chain in Korea, developed ScreenX, a multi-projection system specifically designed for ordinary movie theaters.

Article  |  Spring 2014

Professor Junyong Noh and Visual Media Lab (VML) from the KAIST Graduate School of Culture Technology (GSCT), in conjunction with CJ-CGV, the largest movie theater chain in Korea, developed ScreenX, a multi-projection system specifically designed for ordinary movie theaters. This technology allows the general public easy access to immersive experiences in everyday life.

ScreenX has many advantages over the available alternatives. The moviegoers can enjoy a strong sense of immersion created by three-sided virtual screens that surround them. Unlike stereoscopic movies, the technology does not require the audience to wear cumbersome glasses for viewing. The installation of the system is easy as it only requires a small number of inexpensive projectors. This differentiates ScreenX from IMAX technology, which requires the installation of a large special screen.

ScreenX focuses on providing similar movie viewing experiences to the audience, regardless of the choice of theater and the location of the seat. This is important as the dimensions and configurations of movie theaters are diverse and a portion of the side image may be visible in one theater and invisible in another. The system also provides a mechanism to effectively cull out outlier theaters that have an extraordinary dimension in one direction.

Currently, ScreenX is available in more than 50 CJ-CGV theatres in Korea, and this number is expected to increase rapidly. Scores of commercials have been produced for ScreenX viewing, and full-length feature movies are in production. Professor Noh stated that the ultimate goal is to change people’s lifestyles by using multi-projection technologies, so ScreenX is only the first step. We will see more integration of such systems in our daily lives.