IMAX experience to hit Visayas via SM Cebu

The dynamic consumer market and its rosy economic environment have attracted diverse investments to keep pouring in Cebu.

One of these developments would be the coming in of the first IMAX Theater in Visayas, which is seen to provide more value added entertainment for Cebu's thriving consumer market.

SM City Cebu's mall manager Sherry Tuvilla said that by November SM Cebu will house the first ever IMAX Theater within the Visayas and Mindanao area. This facility is the second in the country, the first being at the Mall of Asia, which opened in 2006.

Tuvilla said that the opening of an IMAX Theater here in Cebu will be scheduled in time for the screening of the upcoming new installation of the Harry Potter movie series.

"The IMAX will have an entirely different setup from that of an ordinary cinema houses as its screen is tall and wide and the whole theater will be elevated," Tuvilla described.

SM City Cebu's IMAX Theater will have a 400 seating capacity and will feature the latest digital projection system being developed by IMAX.

According to releases, the system is configured for an IMAX MPX(R)-style auditorium, which is designed specifically to enable multiplex operators to more cost effectively enter into the IMAX theater business. The theater will be capable of playing Hollywood movies that have been digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of “The IMAX Experience,” as well as original IMAX productions in 2D and IMAX(R) 3D.

At a P350 movie ticket rate, only selected movies and presentations will be screened for a specified target market such as documentaries, educational materials and big blockbuster movies that will primarily target students, said Tuvilla.

Despite the advancement of technology these days making home theater available to the market, SM City Cebu's theaters are still able to generate a significantly huge number of cinema traffic which oftentimes exceed average rates on blockbuster movies, stressed Tuvilla.

She added that at the moment, face lifting for their two theaters, Cinemas 5 and 6 are undertaken after newly renovating their Cinemas 7 and 8 to provide a more value-added entertainment services to the growing market in the city. 

"We believe that the IMAX will provide SM City Cebu an added patronage because it can generate a separate following from Cebuano moviegoers," added Tuvilla.       

The first IMAX Theater in the Philippines at SM Mall of Asia is one of the largest screens in the world at 22 by 30 meters; the height similar to an eight story building and holds a seating capacity for 600 viewers. The theatre is the first to offer the most advanced cinematic 3D in the world, known as the IMAX 3D.     

This new entertainment technology was brought to the country through the partnership of SM Supermalls with Coca-Cola and San Miguel Corporation. Since it opened, it had instantly become an anchor attraction at the SM Mall of Asia and attendance has already surpassed 175,000 individual ticket sales.

The IMAX brand under the IMAX Corporation in Canada is one of the world's leading digital entertainment and technology companies recognized throughout the world for extraordinary and immersive entertainment experiences for consumers. As of September 2007, there were already 296 IMAX theaters operating in 40 countries around the world.