Picture this: you're looking to fritter away the time between layovers at the airport, and the present options just aren't cutting it. Well, if you're passing through Portland International Airport next spring, you'll have a brand new movie theater to enjoy between flights. Just don't expect any showings of Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice, as this theater's focus is on a more narrow window of time.
When we say narrow, we mean that it's designed to show 1 to 5 minute short films only. Not to mention, the specifications laid out in The Register-Guard's item on the project states the seating capacity will only be able to hold 18 people at a time, with an equally restrictive standing room. So even if you have some time to spare, you might have to be careful how you spend it in this venue. The idea was inspired by a similar exhibition space in a Tokyo, and will also be used for live performances inside of the airport.
Despite the theater's lack of major Hollywood material on display, the idea of an airport screening room is still a pretty awesome idea. With so many shorts on display, and the theater being a quiet respite from the usual hustle and bustle of an airport terminal, it's not a bad way to kill a half hour of time between decent length flight changes. Of course, if your stay is a moderate to long range time suck, you'll probably be better off seeing the local sights or logging into your Netflix account in order to stay sane. Still, with the idea of a dedicated screening room that shows only short form material, the possibilities are endless.
For example, movie studios could take advantage of the limited exhibition space and craft a short form look at their latest product coming to theaters. Think of how Disney Parks has used attractions to showcase first looks at films like Tomorrowland, only take away the increasingly fitting theme and open up the demographic to a wider field. So while you wouldn't be able to watch Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice in its entirety in Portland International Airport, you'd be able to watch some choice clips of footage priming you to do so as soon as you land wherever your final destination may be.
Of course, the likelihood of this happening, at least for the moment, don't seem to be too high. Airport management doesn't want to look like they've had real estate bought up by big Hollywood, so don't expect trailers to be show in the theater anytime soon. For now, it sounds like the Portland International Airport will be using this space for more experimental, and dare we say independent, art. Which should still help pass the time as you're flying home from whatever brought you to Portland in the first place.
