Inventors:
Harry C. Corbin - Orlando FL
Jim Crossley - New Windsor NY
Nicholas H. Drobnis - Universal City CA
Fred Gallo - Poundridge NY
James M. Lehner - New Windsor NY
Harry E. Largman - Orlando FL
John Leisner - Universal City CA
Frank Masi - Los Angeles CA
Edward S. Newquist - Glendale CA
Assignee:
Universal Studios, Inc. - Universal City CA
International Classification:
A63J 102
Abstract:
A film to live-action theater includes a screen facing an audience seating area. The screen has exit and entrance openings and movable panels to open and close off the openings. A screen elevator lifts the screen from a lowered position, wherein the entrance and exit openings are concealed behind a stage, to an up position, to allow an actor and/or a prop to move through the openings. The audience views a film presentation projected onto the lowered screen. At a predetermined time, the screen is quickly raised and a live actor and/or a prop move through the screen to a front stage area, on a track. The opening of the door panels is preferably partially concealed through special effects such as fog or lighting. As the film presentation is preferably made with three dimensional film technology, the audience perceives a film-to-live transition.