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As I was touring these mini mall and second floors and lots of first floors I was looking at with a cities econom development team they kept saying "would it fit here?" "Is there enough height?" And often I'd be sort of yesing and noing. So: what do you think is the absolute minimum height in an existing space that you can work with to make a decent theatre?

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Mike Hurley
www.bigscreenbiz.com

Mike:

The height required for a theatre is generally a relationship with the width. If your picture is maximized in flat, more height is required. If maximized in scope, which we often do in situations with restricted height, you can calculate the required height as follows:

Width of auditorium - 2' for masking divided by 2.35. Add to this 2' for masking plus the height of the screen above the floor (shouldn't be less than 5'. An example: If the theatre is 30' wide, the height required would be about 19'. Contrary to what you might think, using stadium seating doesn't add to the required height.

mesbursmith, can you clear that up a little bit?

Andy:

Our computer program for designing stadium theatres generates the ideal step heights so that the eye level of the last row is never more than two-thirds up the screen. This assures that no one has unusually severe viewing angles, and that wherever you sit, your sightlines are exactly the same. If a picture is maximized in scope, because of restricted ceiling heights, the stadium steps will be somewhat lower. In any case, the geometry of the screen governs the entire cross section of the auditorium. This is how we are able to give clients stadium seating in restricted spaces, or in retrofits of existing theatres. I have no idea if this answers your question.

Hi all,

Since we use different metric system in Turkey, i don't understand (5'). What does actually means.

Mesbursmith,
It would be great if you provide me any formula or spreadsheet etc. that calculates ideal step heights.

Thanks

Dear fevzigenc,

We are a metric country as well. I only use imperial measurements because this is an American web site. You know that the United States is the only major country in the world which hasn't adopted the metric system, even though the US was the first country to sign the metric system agreement in 1880.

To calculate the screen sizes, we allow 30 cm all around for the screen frame and masking. The screen should be at least 1.50 meters above the floor. If the theatre is 10.00 m wide, the picture will be 9.40 m wide. If you are maximizing the picture in flat, (1:1.85 ratio) the picture size will be 9.40 x 5.08 high. The minimum height for the cinema will be 5.08 + .30 + 1.50 = 6.88 m.

With regard to the formula for calculating ideal step heights, our method is proprietary software, and cannot be given out or used by anyone else. Sorry. If you have a specific auditorium, we can give you any number of options for the stadium heights for a nominal fee. Please contact us by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . I hope this clears up your question.

25.4 millimetres = 1 inch
2.54 centimetres = 1 inch
0.3048 metres = 1 foot
1.6093 kilometres = 1 mile
3.4263 candelas per square metre = 1 footlambert
28.350 grams = 1 ounce
0.45359 kilograms = 1 pound

Here are links to on-line conversion programs:
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/conversions.html
http://www.oknet.com/gometric/
http://www.jacksprogramming.com/

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John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services
Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Telephone: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

I'm on metric too, but I prefer feet (5') when it comes to theatres.

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Enjoy The Show!

Andrew McCrea
Grand Cameo