Client:
University of Sunderland
Absolute Cinema in the North East
Project
The newly refurbished David Puttnam Media Centre Cinema at NEUPC member, the University of Sunderland, has been transformed into a state-of-the-art Dolby commissioned facility, offering students and visitors a modern, professional-grade cinema experience.
The original venue on St. Peter’s Campus was damaged beyond use due to Storm Arwen in 2021, but after a £1.3m investment the 120-seat cinema is back in action once again. The project marks a significant upgrade with the introduction of Dolby Atmos, ensuring the cinema exceeds all expectations for both visual and audio quality.
Before
After
Key Features
Christie CP4415-RGB 4K DLP Cinema Projector, delivering vibrant images with precise colour and clarity.
8m wide 16:9 Matt Micro-Perforated Screen with full masking for visual fidelity and audio transparency.
Dolby Atmos surround sound with line array speakers, subwoofers, and ceiling/wall-mounted surrounds.
Centralised control via Crestron CP4N processor and TSW-1070 touch panel.
The Solution
The refurbishment was a collaborative effort, working alongside International Broadcast Consultancy Ltd & Design AV Europe Ltd, led by Damian Orritt and David Girdlestone, who played an integral role in delivering this project. The core of the cinema’s new visual setup is built around the Christie CP4415-RGB 4K DLP Cinema Projector which ensures crisp, vibrant images. The projector is paired with high-performance components, such as a Dolby IMS3000 media server, ensuring flawless playback of high-resolution content. This advanced setup guarantees an exceptional visual experience, with precision in both colour reproduction and image clarity.
The audio system, driven by a Dolby CP950A Processor, features a combination of powerful line array speakers and subwoofers for deep bass, as well as wall and ceiling-mounted surround speakers for immersive sound. Paired with Powersoft Quattrocanali amplifiers and a QSC Q-Sys Core DSP, this system delivers high-impact, cinema-grade audio that enhances the audience's experience. The entire AV system is centrally managed through a Crestron CP4N processor, allowing operators to control everything from projection to audio and lighting with ease. The Crestron TSW-1070 touch panel provides a user-friendly interface for real-time adjustments, ensuring the system is flexible and adaptable to various events or content formats. This intuitive control system simplifies the operation of the complex AV setup, allowing seamless transitions between different setups, content types, and lighting configurations. In addition to the full 4K DCI, Dolby Atmos specification the space can also be used to support non DCI content from a range of sources including 4K Blu-ray, Mac Mini and Blackmagic Design Ultra Studio 4K.
To match the projector's output, the cinema features a 8m wide 16:9 Matt Micro-Perforated Screen with full masking capabilities. The screen is designed to maintain both high visual fidelity and audio transparency, ensuring that sound from the speakers, placed behind the screen, reaches the audience without distortion. This system allows the screen to dynamically adjust for different content formats, ensuring that all films and presentations are displayed at the proper aspect ratio. A standout feature of the refurbishment is the Dolby Atmos audio system, providing a 360-degree surround sound experience.
The Conclusion
The David Puttnam Media Centre now stands as a beacon of innovation at the University of Sunderland, supporting courses such as Film Production and Screen Performance, which rely heavily on professional-grade facilities to prepare students for careers in the media and entertainment industries. With enhancing student experience at the heart of this investment, the cinema will become an integral part of the experience enjoyed by future filmmakers and producers studying at the University – from screenings and lectures, to premiering students’ work. Lee Hall, Head of School of Media and Creative Industries at the University, concluded:
“The Media Centre cinema is an amazing resource for our students, who can experience film and their own content in a stunning environment. We’re extremely grateful to Film Hub North for supporting our ambition for the cinema to also become a community space. The cinema can play host to screenings and add to Sunderland’s vibrancy. We have big plans to show films celebrating the north-east and regional talent as well as everyone’s favourite films."
In January 2025, the cinema screened its first film to the public - audiences were able to watch the Napoleonic war epic The Duellists (1977), directed by Ridley Scott and produced by the University’s former Chancellor, Lord David Puttnam. The film, which kicked off Ridley Scott Season, was shown as part of the Film Hub North screening programme. The University had received funding from Film Hub North as part of their Spotlight Sunderland campaign. This supported a series of public screenings at the relaunched venue to celebrate independent cinema, north-east filmmakers, and the wider region.
Huttson Lo, Partnership Manager at Film Hub North, said:
“We are delighted to be partnering with the University of Sunderland to offer a new cinematic experience to the people of Sunderland, and to highlight the breadth and depth of north-east filmmaking, past, present and future. We look forward to helping the University to build audiences and to nurture future film talents through inspiring programming and innovative screen content.”
Lee Hall, Head of the School of Media and Creative Industries at the University of Sunderland, added:
“Our new screening programme is an opportunity to demystify independent cinema and introduce audiences to brilliant films that may not be on their watchlist – as well as some more familiar titles. Sometimes people think of independent films as inaccessible and ‘not for them’, but with the help of Film Hub North, we have a brilliant line up of movies people will love. We hope people come along and discover our wonderful cinema and fantastic films.”
First Public Screening
To mark World Obesity Day (March 4), academics from the University of Sunderland invited both students and members of the public to explore the issue of weight stigma and the power of film to challenge perceptions in an innovative research collaboration. Professor Yitka Graham, Head of the Helen McArdle Nursing and Research Institute, and Lee Hall, Head of the School of Media and Creative Industries, hosted a free screening of The Whale (2022), where they explored and challenged the film’s themes around obesity stigma. The film starred Brendan Fraser, who won Best Actor at the 2023 Oscars for his portrayal of an English Professor living with obesity.
Prof Graham said:
“Society values a thin or normal size body shape, and this is deeply ingrained into societal discourse. Excess weight is often blamed on the individual when in fact the reasons for this are complex and multifactorial. Biological, genetic, environmental and economic factors are just some of the reasons at play. Weight loss cannot often be achieved by eating less and burning more calories – this is an outdated and superficial way of thinking. As a result, people living with obesity are often subject to stigma, which often results in social isolation, poor quality of life and these can prevent people living with obesity from sources of support and help seeking. Many people living with stigma do not want to speak out for fear of judgement and scrutiny.”
The event was the first in a series of public screenings aimed at exploring the role of filmmaking in challenging and sometimes reinforcing stigma.
Lee said:
“Film has a power to influence audiences and humanise complex issues. It can provoke empathy and is a powerful tool in the hands of filmmakers. Cinema can dismantle harmful views but there is also the risk of sensationalising and marginalise misunderstood communities. The purpose of our screening programme is to give audiences pause for thought and it is also an opportunity for us to understand the impact of film, which will of course be personal to the individuals in the audience.”
This screening was funded by Film Hub North as part of a wider programme which opened up the University’s state-of-the-art cinema to people in the city.
World Obesity Day
Photography: David Wood , Irfan Ul Haq & Shayne Swan at University of Sunderland and Design AV Europe
Partners
See How We Can Help
Whether you need a simple system or a fully integrated solution, our in-house experts are here to guide you every step of the way. See how Roche AV Pro can bring your vision to life.