Gainesville —
DMAX Cinema developer Phil Silva said Wednesday if he can get the development chaos settled, his multiplex may shed curtains for a midnight July 14 screening.
He admitted the date is tentative.
But opening day at 4319 N. Interstate 35 is surely within the month and shouldn’t fail to impress.
Silva said the six-screen, all-digital movie theater, long in development and longer in the rumor mill, will likely premiere with a midnight show of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, which opens July 15 nationwide. From there, the opening roster could include Zookeeper and Transformers: Dark of the Moon, both of which are already in release.
But the doors of his DMAX Cinema, formerly known as Gainesville Cinema, won’t open until Silva finalizes the theater in full.
“We’re just down to the end, trying to get all these details taken care of,” he said. “You always find something that should have been done or something done wrong or whatever.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, the six screening rooms appeared largely complete, with their Texas Instruments RealD digital projectors mounted and powered in a level upstairs. The developer said he’d just sent contracts to movie studios which, once finalized, will allow the theater to rent new releases via digital hard drive. Silva’s leasing process includes the exchange of special antipiracy keycodes allowing theater managers to access the movie within the drive.
These technical steps are still pending — as is the completion of the snack bar, the front and interior lobbies, the theater’s website www.dmax.net and an official coordination with online ticket vendor Fandango.
Announcements about upcoming shows such as the Harry Potter premiere and regular showtimes should unfold within the next week. Silva, who has nearly 40 years in the movie theater business, also said it isn’t likely his new multiplex will offer any “cold opening” event prior to its opening day.
“We have too many unfinished things right now,” he said. “I’ve never done that before. Before, we’ve always just opened up for business and continued on.”
But this developer’s multiplex business experience may be different with his Gainesville DMAX, given that he’s gone entirely digital. Silva currently also operates the McCurtain Cinema in Idabel, Okla., which has used digital projection for two years but not on all its screens. He explained Wednesday he’d been supervising the full digital conversion in Oklahoma before driving to DMAX to see to the building’s completion.
And whatever problems he may face with Gainesville’s DMAX, they won’t include the more traditional issues such as damaged film prints or scratches on the projected image caused by dusty equipment. Silva explained digital projection quality remains the same no matter how many times the movie is shown, and can only be interrupted by a power outage.
“As long as the stuff is operating, you will get the same image every time,” he said. “It doesn’t degenerate. It’s not being degraded as it’s used.”
Local News
Related Photos
-
Gainesville’s DMAX Cinema is set for a July opening day, though that exact day is pending. Developer Phil Silva said he hopes to finish the site in time for a July 14 late-night screening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 but the slate of opening day showings isn’t final. Photo by Greg Russell
-
The multiplex boasts digital projection and stadium seating in all six screening rooms — and three of the screens are outfitted for 3-D presentations. Photo by Greg Russell
Guest Book
Theater opening inching closer
- Local News
-
-
Gainesville PD joins 'Click It or Ticket' campaign
The 2012 national “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement
mobilization began Monday to help save lives by cracking down on those
who don’t buckle up. -
Don't let food poisoning ruin your holiday
As with all holiday feasts, Memorial Day cookouts may carry a
heightened risk of food poisoning, depending on the “hows and whats”
of the meal. -
Education Award Winners
Staff photo by Greg Russell
Gainesville Daily Register Publisher Jim Perry (left) and Assistant
Editor Delania Trigg display awards recently granted to the newspaper
for coverage of education. Perry holds a “Community Member
Recognition” award, granted by Gainesville Independent School
District; and Trigg holds a “School Bell Award,” presented by the
Texas Retired School Personnel Association. -
Gainesville PD joins 'Click It or Ticket' campaign
The 2012 national “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement
mobilization began Monday to help save lives by cracking down on those
who don’t buckle up. -
Tallying continues in Gainesville hospital board election
The tallying continues for administrators of the May 12 Gainesville
Hospital District election — who have scheduled a recount for 2:30
p.m. today in the North Texas Medical Center boardroom.
-
Hirings and kind words fill GISD board meeting
Hirings and commendations highlighted Monday’s regular Gainesville ISD
Board of Trustees meeting.
-
Additional Cooke County sentencings released
Jeremiah Johnson Jarvis, convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly
weapon, was sentenced to seven years probation and fined $1,500, plus
$253 in court costs. -
Letter carriers collect tons of food for VISTO
A Cooke County benefit organization currently has another several
thousand pounds of food to spread among families in need, thanks to
collection efforts by the Gainesville Post Office. -
'Pink ladies' now seeing red at medical center
For the first time in their history, North Texas Medical Center
Auxiliary members are wearing red. -
Eclipse over Lake Ray Roberts
Sunday evening’s partial annular eclipse of the sun is shown here as
seen from the Lake Ray Roberts shore during sunset. - More Local News Headlines
-
Gainesville PD joins 'Click It or Ticket' campaign
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released
