Knocking at the door of cinematic artifice: Dolby Atmos, challenges and opportunities

This article explores the significance of Dolby's ‘new innovation in sound cinema’, Dolby Atmos. Introduced as a ‘cinema audio platform’, Atmos has been heralded by both Dolby and content creators as a highly significant development in the emerging field of immersive cinema technologies, promising to provide audiences with a ‘completely new listening experience’. In the article, Atmos is first framed as a historical evolution from Dolby's previous sound systems, then outlined in the way it functions and it deviates from established audio cinema technologies. Finally, the article outlines the significant opportunities and challenges the system presents to all cinema constituencies, from studios to filmmakers and from exhibitors to audiences. In particular, the article identifies key questions concerning the role Atmos is likely to play in redefining the way filmmakers structure their approach to the relationship between sound and image. The article is intended primarily to a) stimulate thinking and further...