Tow #5: Article: "One Possible Future for Movies: Projecting Them in 270 Degrees" by Leslie Finlay

ScreenX 270 degree experience

Leslie Finlay, a woman from New York who now lives in South Korea, wrote "One Possible Future for Movies" for The Atlantic to inform American movie-goers about a new technology developing in South Korea. This technology is called ScreenX. ScreenX display allows the audience to be fully immersed in a 270 degree motion picture in order to create the effect that the members of the audience are actually in each scene. As shown in the picture above, there are three screens to create this 270 degree effect: the traditional one in the front, and a screen on the left and right sides. Finlay truly believes that ScreenX could be the future of movies and was informing movie fans of this possibility. However, I love movies and I completely disagree with Finlay. ScreenX has no chance of being the future of movies because 3-D and IMAX movies are novelties that have yet to completely replace traditional movies. ScreenX seems like just another novelty that a person will enjoy once, but then never watch again. Finlay attempts to show that ScreenX is a possible future for movies by using quotes from the director of the first ScreenX movie and audience members' reactions after viewing the movie. Also Finlay appeals to logos by addressing the counterargument that ScreenX is better than traditional movies and IMAX. However, Finlay was not smart to mention that the director said the movie was a nightmare to film and that it was hard for the crew members to stay out of the 270 degree camera's way. If the director struggled to make this movie, which was only a half hour long, how hard will it be to film a full length film? I believe that Finlay was ineffective in achieving her purpose, mostly because she failed to refute all counterarguments. She never once mentioned the idea of buying a movie and watching it at home. How would a person be able to watch a movie with three screens at home? She does not answer this question and many others in her article. Overall, I agree with Finlay that Hollywood will try to incorporate this technology soon, but I, a frequent movie-goer, am not convinced that ScreenX is even a possible future for movies. Based on the comments listed below the article, I'd say that most movie-goers agree with me.