Blackout's Tim Searle & Kevin Monks behind the projection screen at Somerset House
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For the second year running, Blackout has provided a massive 18 x 7.5 metre cinema screen to transform the magnificent 18th century courtyard of Somerset House. The complex structure was installed for Film4 Summer Screen a full-scale open-air cinema with 35mm projection and surround sound.
Blackout mounted the screen on to a ground supported truss structure secured into the integral stonework of the building on the first floor balcony. The structure was built using Blackout's Thomas Super Truss and Super Tower System lifted on CM Loadstars. The screen projection surface was provided by Blackouts Paris office, a leading supplier of screen surfaces in Europe.
The 1.5t screen structure was also constructed from Thomas Super Truss. Blackout also provided two ballasted mini-beam structures that were cantilevered through the windows of the main building to create rigging positions for audio speakers. The project was managed by Blackout's Kevin Monks and Tim Searle.
Operating for 9 days in early August, Film4 Summer Screen brought a line-up of classic thrillers featuring stars such as Cary Grant, Jack Nicholson, Sigourney Weaver, Jack Black, and Robert Mitchum in films by Stanley Kubrick, James Cameron, Francis Ford Coppola, Terry Gilliam and Alfred Hitchcock. Each night the sell out audience were able to relax and soak up the atmosphere with good food, drinks and DJs before each film.
Gareth Fry, sound designer at Somerset House used a Dolby 7.1 surround audio system that was played out from speakers situated behind the screen, suspended from the Blackout structures and on PA towers around the courtyard. All sound was computer modelled and themed accordingly to the film showing on the night. A mixing desk and wireless PC would configure the sound depending on the settings during numerous intervals on one night.
For further information, please contact:
Katinka Allender
PR Consultant
Phone: +44 (0)1865 409977
Email: katinka@katinka.org.uk
Kevin Monks
Project Manager
Blackout Ltd
Phone: +44 (0)20 8687 8400
Email: kevin.monks@blackout-ltd.com
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