Are domes part of the future of immersive entertainment? This topic will be explored at Dome Fest West, a 360-degree film festival and conference that kicks off tonight at the Orange Coast College Community Planetarium in Costa Mesa, California.
Among his sponsors is immersive technology developer Cosm, who last month began construction on its first public entertainment venue in Los Angeles’ Hollywood Park, home of SoFi stadium. When completed, it is expected to house a 26.6 meters (about 87 feet) diameter LED dome in a 65,000 square foot facility that can accommodate up to 1,700 guests.
Meanwhile, MSG Entertainment is building its first MSG Sphere in Las Vegas, with an estimated construction cost of $1.865 billion. When completed (it will open in late 2023), it will house a 160,000 square foot wraparound LED display on the inside and a 580,000 square foot LED display on the outside, while accommodating up to 20,000 guests.
Both MSG and Cosm plan to build additional domed entertainment venues to provide entertainment from immersive experiences to live concerts in more cities.
“It’s about this convergence of the physical and the digital. The dome form factor is a great way to bring that to life,” said Jeb Terry, Cosm president and CEO. The Hollywood Reporter. Cosm also develops presentation technology which Terry says is used in an estimated 700 planetariums, including the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and the Costa Mesa location used for Dome Fest West.
He believes these domed venues are a smart way to expand into immersive entertainment.
“We’re seeing operators looking at more types of content and finding ways to leverage their domes,” said Ryan Moore, executive director of Dome Fest West. “For years, the scientific community has built these domes for very specific purposes: educational content. As VR and 360-degree content become more common, they can [also use] these domes for entertainment.” Moore suggests that companies creating immersive experiences can remaster this content for such venues.
“There is so much potential,” Moore says. “People are just beginning to learn the language of immersive cinema.”