Ellesmere Port, CH65 9HD
Original owners: Village Theatres.
16 Screen Multiplex.
Original seating capacity: 3566.
Date opened: 17th December 1999.
Rebranded as a Vue Cinema: 2006.
Iwerks screen replaced with IMAX: 2015.
David A Ellis account of his visit behind the scenes of the Warner Cinema, Ellesmere Port during 2001.
I was shown around the Warner village cinemas at the Coliseum, Ellesmere Port by former technical manager Nick Stubbs, who is now in Australia showing films. I returned recently to be shown around by Kim Mobbs, the new technical manager.
The frontage of the Warner is impressive and unlike many modern units, it reminds us of the show places of yesteryear. The foyer is massive with banks of TV monitors showing pop videos. There are also video projectors, which are used in the evening.
Two boxes
There are two projection rooms. One is a long corridor housing equipment for fifteen screens, with auditoriums to the left and right. The projectors are Cinemeccanica Victoria 5s with cake stands. Cinemeccanica lamp houses provide the light with rectifiers built in. The power output varies from 2–4 KW, depending on the size of cinema. The system is fully automated; all screens controlled by Vector 1000 automation. Information for each projector is viewed on a computer screen and selected – just like a home PC. There is only one nonsync, which is fed to the fifteen screens. One operator takes care of all fifteen, which have no tabs.
Iwerks
The other box houses the 3D system, known as the ‘extreme screen’. This cinema is known as the ‘IWERKS’ and is on a different level of the building. This seats 320 and is run by another operator.
There are two 70mm Strong projectors with Strong non-rewind platters. Strong Highlight 2 lamp houses, with a power output of 7000 KW each provide the projection light.
The gates are water cooled by a unit placed at the back of each machine. Air is jetted around each projector gate to keep the film steady.
Side by side. The two projectors in the Iwerks screen.
Sound
The sound is the DTS 6D system. There are fifteen amplifiers rated at 500 watts each, delivering sound through six channels. When showing a 3D film, the left machine starts first, followed by the DTS and right projector. The 3D 70mm has eight perforations per frame, giving the picture great depth. It runs at 24fps. Optics are by Harold Johnson and filters have to be placed in front of the lenses when running 3D.
Tabs too
Tabs are used in the IWERKS cinema, covering the 51’ by 62’ foot screen. I am told that the picture throw is around 90 feet.
70mm kit
Time coded DTS is the only sound system in the 70mm theatre and it is a pity that provision wasn’t made for the screening of the old six track magnetic, which was excellent. The 70mm picture heads are bolted to 35mm optical sound heads. I am told that the 70mm heads can easily be removed and replaced by the Strong 35mm head. There is a Strong 35mm head in the box, in case it is decided to run 35mm in the theatre.
My thanks go to the management, Nick Stubbs and Kim Mobbs for their great help.
David A Ellis©chestercinemas.co.uk
IMAX replaced the Iwerks screen during 2015, opening with “Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation”. The new theatre includes an advanced projection system and a floor-to-floor, wall-to-wall curved screen measuring 57ft wide and 33ft high, making it the largest cinema screen in Cheshire. It was one of the first IMAX screens to be install by Vue.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________