NEC Display Solutions Europe and ODEON have installed an LED digital display measuring 107sqm on the facade of the ODEON Leicester Square, London, for the world movie premiere of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
The huge display – said to be the size of half a basketball court – replaced the building’s old poster board and is flanked by two 18sqm displays.
The trio of displays, which were officially launched for the world premiere of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, will display images for the ODEON’s latest movies and – during events such as premieres – live footage including celebrity interviews and clips that will be screened for the passing public to view.
In comparison to the poster board, the installation gives ODEON Leicester Square greater control over what content is displayed and eliminates the need to regularly hire traditional ‘cherry picker’ lifts to change what is displayed.
The new NEC screens will also enable the display to divide into multiple screens, allowing ODEON to screen different content simultaneously, a feature which will be particularly utilised during premieres where live film footage of the red carpet can be screened alongside clips of the film.
The scale of the project meant that the main screen, which weighs several tonnes, had to be built off-site and installed in three separate stages. NEC Displays’ experience in public displays also ensured uniform colour consistency of images across the huge LED display.
Andy Edge, commercial director at ODEON, commented: “The recent regeneration of Leicester Square has breathed new life in to the area, and we hope that these screens, which are the largest of their kind in Europe, will help re-assert the square’s position as London’s home of entertainment.”
Leicester Square underwent significant redevelopment in the run up to the London 2012 Olympics, enhancing its function as a backdrop for film premieres while retaining the Square’s historic character. The new screens further this redevelopment, bringing together the heritage of ODEON’s long-standing presence in the square with the most impressive and engaging display possible.
The latest project reinforces NEC’s longstanding relationship with ODEON, which has also seen all of its theatres across Europe upgraded to NEC digital cinema projectors over the last five years.
