Industrial News

Earlier this year, a much-anticipated renovation at the Mugar Omni Theater took on a particularly poignant twist when its dedicated IMAX Service Partnership Program (SPP) tech announced he was leaving his post to pursue other interests. A member of Mugar team over the past 20 years, Shawn Fitzmaurice was the first projectionist to attain IMAX SPP certification when the program was launched six years ago.

The renovation commenced on September 4, and the theater expects to re-open for a 20th anniversary celebration on November 23. "The day after Thanksgiving is one of our busiest days," commented Cherie Rivers, Manager of Omni and 3D Theaters at the Museum of Science. Still, Rivers, who is a Board Member of the Giant Screen Cinema Association (http://www.gianctscreencinema.com), anticipates a successful re-launch: "We are looking forward to having a smooth transition to working with MediaMerge, and that having a professional technician with a thorough knowledge of our system available is going to be an advantage."

Rivers will have plenty of help in ensuring that audiences are dazzled by the refurbishment of New England's only 180-degree IMAX dome screen theater. Fitzmaurice will stay on board through the re-opening to train a new projectionist and assist MediaMerge in the transition.

"We will be there during the shutdown to work with Shawn and IMAX to help ensure a seamless transition on maintenance," said Doug Jackson, Vice President of Technical Services at MediaMerge. "I look forward to a renewed relationship with the Museum of Science and to continuing the first-class support that Shawn has provided at the museum all these years."

Jackson has a long-standing relationship with the Museum of Science's IMAX theater. In fact, years ago, in his previous role with the IMAX Corporation, Jackson provided training for Fitzmaurice's SPP certification.

The decision to go with MediaMerge was a multi-faceted one for the Museum of Science. In 2001, when IMAX launched SPP, the decision was made to train Fitzmaurice as the Museum's dedicated in-house SPP tech. The only alternative at that time was to continue to use IMAX's standard service. "Now we have more options," Rivers said. The Museum looked to MediaMerge to provide the thorough service and dedicated support that it was used to with Fitzmaurice.

The economics of the decision were correct as well. Comparing the cost savings of having an in-house tech to those associated with the MediaMerge service contract, Rivers enthused, "We still have a great savings with MediaMerge. It's hard to understand why a theater wouldn't want to go with this option."

Going forward, Rivers expressed relief in knowing that MediaMerge (http://www.mediamerge.com) is just a phone call away. "When the theater is down for a day, even hours, it's very stressful," Rivers observed. "In the past, when my staff was on vacation, I always worried that we would need emergency service from IMAX. Now I don't have to worry about that anymore."

About the Mugar Omni Theater at the Boston Museum of Science

The 335-seat Mugar Omni Theater employs the world's largest IMAX® projector, which weighs 1,600 pounds and handles 336 feet of film per minute. The theater's advanced digital sound system uses six proportional point speakers and DVD technology to provide clear, balanced sound throughout the space.

This year, a $750,000 gift from David Mugar and his family financed the renovation of the theater, which has welcomed more than 15 million visitors since it first opened its doors in 1987. A new screen, state-of-the-art video projection, new seats, lighting systems, and a re-tuned audio system were all part of the refurbishment. The last theater renovation occurred in 1999.

About MediaMerge
MediaMerge, Inc. was established in February 2001 to provide design, installation, service and support for sound, video, control, acoustics and theatrical lighting systems. In 2002, the company established an IMAX service division which rapidly grew to become the largest such operation in the world.