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When you go to the cinema, you're most likely watching a movie that's being displayed via a projector. You'll be familiar with the dim, slightly washed-out quality, but Samsung's new cinema tech is bringing a new experience for film audiences.
We'll explore this new technology through the lens of the animated film, Flow, which was shown on the screen.
Samsung Onyx is a giant LED screen —like a massive TV—that replaces the projector and white screen entirely. The screen is made up of millions of tiny LED lights, each of which can be individually controlled. The image is shown directly on the screen itself, so the colours and details are exactly as the filmmakers had intended.
Because it's a giant screen made of light-emitting diodes, it can achieve true black levels and an infinite contrast ratio. Dark scenes look rich and detailed, rather than a washed-out grey.
Onyx is also six times brighter than old cinema standards.
Even the seating arrangement is different! Traditional cinema seating is set on a sloped floor to ensure a clear path for the image to be projected. In contrast, Samsung Onyx cinemas removes the need for a projector and allows for more flexible seating arrangements, including a flat floor.
A New Level of Visual Storytelling
The animated film "Flow" follows a lone, individualist cat who likes to be by himself. Then, he finds himself relying on and becoming friends with other animals when a huge flood destroys the cat's home.
The movie has no dialogue, so visual storytelling is important here. Filmmaker Matīss Kaža explained how the Onyx screen brought his vision to life.
He noted that the screen showed tiny details that would have been missed on other screens, such as the "smallest twitching in the ear and the smallest gaze of the eye" of the characters.
He also praised the screen for its "vivid colour" in a scene that featured tiny butterflies and other critters, which helped create a peaceful atmosphere. In short, the technology shows the film exactly as the filmmakers intended.
“I would have to say that Flow on the Onyx screen really flows,” Kaža said.
He shared that the screen helped him feel "in the middle of the experience" as a viewer, a feeling that he believes will bring back the magic of seeing a film on the big screen.
"Filmmakers can do a lot of interesting things using environments, visuals, and powerful storytelling to put audience members in an active relationship with the film."
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