Severtson Provides 46’ x 76’ Silver Cinema Screen for the Audubon Nature Institute’s Newly Renovated 3D Digital Theater

Giant 2.2 Gain SēVision 3D GX Silver Screen at Center of Upgraded Theater Along with Christie Duo 4K Digital Projection, 46-Channel Dolby ATMOS Immersive Sound, and QSC Audio Components

New Orleans, USA, Nov. 10, 2015 – Severtson Screens (www.severtsonscreens.com), a global leader in innovative and quality projection screens for the cinema, commercial, pro AV, and home theater markets, has announced that the recently renovated Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans now boasts one of the largest immersive digital 3D cinema experiences in the country, thanks in large part to a 46-foot high x 76-foot wide 2.2 gain Severtson SēVision 3D GX silver screen.

“The digital transition allows us to continue to offer quality institutional movies, and maybe participate in alternative content such as live concert or theatrical events, speaking presentations, gaming events, and movie festivals,” said Audubon Director of Theater Operations Rodney Daniels of the potential of the renovated Entergy Giant Screen Theater.

The Audubon Nature Institute’s $1.2 million Entergy Giant Screen Theater soft opened on October 15th with Disney’s full-length feature “The Little Mermaid” in 3D. A grand opening is slated for November 18th which will include the premiere of “Journey to Space,” a documentary on the ongoing mission to Mars, narrated by Patrick Stewart and presented by the theatre’s sponsor, Giant Screen Films.

Entertainment Supply & Technologies (Tampa, Fla.) cinema engineers renovated the existing theater at Audubon, coordinating and installing an entirely new, fully digital experience. In addition to the Severtson screen, the new Christie Duo 4K digital projection allows Audubon to have its pick of first-run Hollywood features, and the state-of-the-art 46-channel Dolby ATMOS sound provides an unparalleled experience for the guest. The new immersive sound is supported by QSC audio components mounted on StarGrid, a proprietary speaker grid system by Adaptive Technologies Group.

“We knew the quality of the Severtson giant screen was what we were looking for, and that they could produce it on schedule was vital because timing was everything for this project,” explained Bruce Schneiter, Entertainment Supply & Technologies senior vice president of technical services. “Severtson was not only able to create and deliver the desired screen on time, but their new folded shipping capability made it so we didn’t have to take any walls down in order to get the enormous screen into the auditorium.”

According to Dan Maxwell, Severtson Screens vice president & chief operating officer, typically a screen of this size would need to be packed into a 50-foot wide crate. “Due to our folded screen technology,the crate size was merely 14-feet, making it very easy to maneuver into and through the building,” he said. “These folded screens are highly efficient for significant international savings with shipping, but also offer great benefits domestically with complex installation such as this one where it was nearly impossible to get a long crate into the building without cutting a hole in the wall.”

Shipping costs associated with such large packages as these were out-of-reach for so many customers up until recently. Now, Severtson Screens’ SēVision 3D GX screens can be folded and packed into a much smaller crate without any loss in structural integrity or performance abilities. “Severtson’s new folded screen process not only reduces international shipping fees, the smaller packaging simplifies delivery to theaters and is more convenient for installers as folded screens are much easier to get into buildings and uncrate than standard long-tube roll packaging…especially when a theater is in a unique structure, such as a high-rise or multi-story theater complex,” added Maxwell.

The new folded line of SēVision 3D GX and Ultra Wide cinema screens have numerous advantages, including:

• available in standard or micro perforation (white and silver)
• coated surface that is harder to bruise and scuff
• small micron flake coating produces a sharper image, eliminating graininess in bright scenes
• viewing angles range from 30 to 40 degree half-gain depending on the specific screen gain requested
• water-based coating promotes longevity by maintaining optical properties over time, eliminating flaking and cracking of the screen surface
• perfect for all large cinema applications, such as movie houses, museums, universities, etc.

Severtson Corporation is a member of the Giant Screen Cinema Association. They have manufactured cinema screens for theaters in countries all over the world, including the United States, Mexico, Canada, Korea, Japan, Brazil, Indonesia, Singapore, Spain, Germany, France, New Zealand, Australia, Netherlands, Thailand, Scotland, China, Russia, and many more. To meet the challenge of creating extremely large screens, Severtson Corporation designed a robotic spray-arm application system to paint its high-performance optical coating in-house on screens as large as 67.75ft.x 150ft. (20.7m x 45.8m). It is currently the largest in-house cinema screen optical coating system in the world. Severtson Screens certifications and partners include Technicolor, MasterImage, Dolby, Volfoni, LightspeeD & DepthQ, and RealD (www.severtsonscreens.com/certifications).

Approaching its 30th anniversary in 2016, Severtson Corporation continues to be a global leader in innovation and quality. The Severtson family’s extensive experience in manufacturing small home theater screens and large cinema screens has given Severtson Corporation the expertise to meet the needs of the professional and consumer AV markets for both indoor applications as well as large outdoor venues. With its three Arizona-based production facilities and its state-of-the-art robotic application system, Severtson has massive production capabilities and an unusually wide array of screens. The screens range in size from massive movie theaters, comfortable home theaters, and everything in between.

Please visit severtsonscreens.com, call 480-610-5155, or email sales@severtsonscreens.com.

About Severtson Screens

Mesa, Ariz.-based Severtson Screens, which celebrated its 25^th anniversary in 2011, is an award-winning global leader in innovative and quality projection screens in the home theater, pro AV, and cinema markets. Its low rejection rate coupled with the high quality of all its products has made Severtson Corporation the industry standard for quality and customer service worldwide. From its unlikely origins in the family kitchen to today’s three modern production facilities, Severtson Corporation has remained committed to the principles of innovation and uncompromising quality that have made them who they are today.

This article is featured in the following publications:

• AVNetwork
• Sound & Video Contractor

Tags: 3D, Audubon Nature Institute, cinema, folded, screen, Severtson, SeVision 3D GX