LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The seats inside the Sphere began to rumble as an image of a helicopter passed over the crowd.
As the lights went down, U2 took the stage, began to play as the background behind them changed, and Bono started belting out "Zoo Station".
Some fans grabbed their cell phones while others began to clap, dance, and sing along.
It looked like scenes from a normal concert except for one thing: U2 wasn't actually there.
It's actually "V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film" and the film immortalizes the band's residency at Sphere. It is the second Sphere Experience. The first was "Postcard From Earth."
V-U2 was developed collaboratively by the U2 team and Sphere Studios team, who worked on the project in Burbank and on-site in Las Vegas.
The way the film was shot, you feel like you're actually at a U2 concert, which is exactly what co-directors The Edge and Morleigh Steinberg were aiming for.
"The goal was to give the immersive movie goers as close to the live U2:UV concert experience as possible — and then some," The Edge said. "I've never seen a U2 show. I'm so relieved I caught a great one."
On Wednesday, some U2 fans got access to a preview screening and seemed to agree.
"It's freaking chef's kiss," one woman said.
"If you haven't seen U2 in concert, you have to see this. And if you have seen U2 in concert, you have to see this," another woman said.
Is it affordable?
Some fans found it difficult to afford tickets to U2 concerts during their Sphere residency.
Tickets ranged anywhere from $300 to $9,000.
However, prices for the concert film are cheaper and are between $100 to $200.
How was the film shot?
The film was shot with Big Sky, an innovative camera system that was developed by Sphere Studios. Research began in early 2021 with the camera system's first shoot taking place in October 2022. SphereLab image processing software was also created specifically for Big Sky. The camera system also allows filmmakers to capture large-format images from a single camera without having to stitch content together from multiple cameras.
"Big Sky significantly advances cinematic camera technology, with each element representing a leap in design and manufacturing innovation," said Deanan DaSilva, lead architect of Big Sky at Sphere Studios. "Big Sky allows us to capture cinematic content at a level of detail never before possible, opening up extraordinary possibilities and pushing immersive imaging technology forward in a way that will resonate throughout the entertainment industry."
The Sphere team also worked with STMicroelectronics to develop the world's largest image sensor for the Big Sky camera system. The 316-megapixel sensor is almost seven times larger and 40 times higher resolution than the full-frame sensors found in high-end commercial cameras.
"ST has been on the cutting edge of imaging technology, IP, and tools to create unique solutions with advanced features and performance for almost 25 years," said Alexandre Balmefrezol, Executive Vice President and Imaging Sub-Group General Manager, STMicroelectronics. "Building a custom sensor of this size, resolution, and speed, with low noise, high dynamic range, and seemingly impossibly yield requirements, presented a truly novel challenge for ST — one that we successfully met from the very first wafer out of our 12" (300mm) wafer fab in Crolles, France."
Before Big Sky, capturing images for Sphere's 160,000-square-foot screen required large camera arrays of 10 to 15 commercially available cinematic cameras.
To date, Sphere Studios has filed over 10 patents related to Big Sky's technology.
As for audio, there are 167,000 speaker drivers, amplifiers, and processing channels, including the world's largest loudspeaker array coming from 1,586 permanently installed loudspeakers and hundreds of mobile modules.
The technology is one reason why The Edge said U2 was interested in opening Sphere.
"[It's] a canvas of an unparalleled scale and image resolution, and a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We all thought about it and decided we’d be mad not to accept the invitation.”
Will there be other Sphere concert films?
Other artists have or will play Sphere, including Phish and The Eagles.
While future concert films aren't on the table right now, Sphere officials have previously told Channel 13 they continue to look for ways to use their technology to bring new experiences to guests.
The U2 concert film will rotate with Postcard From Earth and you can learn more about both shows here.
When it comes to future concert dates, Jim Dolan, the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for Sphere Entertainment, said he anticipates additional Eagles dates will be added to the calendar. In the company's quarterly earnings call, he also said a country artist will be announced and will perform at the Sphere in 2025.
According to Dolan, the Sphere has welcomed 900,000 people at 230 events this quarter.
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