Chinese Cinemas Introduce Bullet Screens
No, these aren’t super awesome ultra mega uber HD screens that shoot supreme visuals into your eyeballs! No this isn’t a giant cannon that shoots movie screens either! This is… well…
Do you ever get the urge to take your phone out in the middle of the movie and text your mate and tell them how awesome/crap/confusing/[insert adjective] the movie is? No? GOOD! You’re one of the decent ones! For those of you who do… (and please not I am judging you right now), a number of cinemas in China have introduced ‘Bullet Screen’ technology that allows cinema-goers to text their thoughts about the movie and they’ll appear on screen for the rest of the theatre occupants to read, ponder and in some cases turn back in their seats and glare angrily.
One Chinese cinema owner spoke about the screens, “People like it right now, as it’s a new thing…In the long term, it might affect people’s concentration. We are trying to continue with some bullet screen activities and play some films that young people like. Time will tell.”
Shen Leping director of The Legend of Qin, has pushed his film for the the new screens, using audience feedback to shape the final outcome of the movie: “We are exploring how the response from the audience can affect the movie itself… We are, in fact, putting the director and viewer on equal terms, and I think many of the opinions of the viewers are very helpful for film makers“.
It’s not the first time cinema has encouraged audience interactivity, ever been to Rocky Horror Picture Show screening? This might seem different and even preposterous but the concept has merit, special screenings would allow filmmakers/producers to gain feedback like Leping and it adds a social media aspect to the movie going experience.
Would you head to bullet screen presentation?
Source THR
Editor-in-Chief, part-time super villain and hoarder of cats. If you can’t find me writing, I’m probably in the kitchen!
