IMAX NEWS

Getting it together for the Big Screen

Tuesday, June 23 by Julie Brown

It might surprise you to know that many films don't arrive at the Theatre pre-assembled. As with the case of Transformers 2, it arrived in eight rather ordinary looking cardboard boxes — containing 45 separate reels. Each reel lasts only three to four minutes on screen. The reels are then spliced together by our projection team here on site — a job taking about eight hours.

Our films screen at 24 frames per second. Each frame is more than 70mm wide... meaning that 1.7 metres of film pass through the projector every second!

The pictures below give you a rare behind-the-scenes look at the process of assembling these giant prints before opening night...


Preparing to cut off the leader of reel #2


About to wind a reel


Making the join of reels 8 and 9. In the background you can see stored some of our many other 45 minute film titles.


Preparing for a join of two reels


Applying splicing tape


Checking the join before winding on another reel


Applying splicing tape


Viewing 15perf/70mm film on the lightbox
  • RiseDarthVader 402 years ago
    Thanks to the projectionists at IMAX for the EXCELLENT splicing jobs you guys do. They are seamless unlike the conventional 35mm prints that I see where I can tell the splice going through. You guys also keep prints the most pristine I have ever seen they are on par with digital projection.
    Reply to this comment
    • J dog 365 years ago
      On par with digital projection? What are you talking about? Digital projection can barely equal 35mm film, let alone 15 perf 70mm
    • kimmik 11 months ago
      J Dog, he meant the "cleanliness" of the prints is on par with digital, not resolution. so what are YOU talking about??
  • chris 402 years ago
    i concur, Those prints look amazing, I'll be there tomorrow 3:00pm session. I'll have to turn up and hope its not booked. I found a new 70mm film product and it has been said to be better than imax. The image is said to very 3d. Sounds a good companion for the imax GT to show 35mm or 70mm filmms while GT does the large format. I think IMAX should liscence the SDS 70 system. Its suppose to be incredible. The do a comparisoon and if your projectionist can concur with the findings its amazing. 35mm positive 3-4 million pixels, 35mm negative 12 million pixels, SDS 70mm 22 million pixels. Runs at 48fps and 24. I think its would an awesome addition. http://www.superdimension70.com/ http://www.dmxcinema.com/PressRoom004.html
    Reply to this comment
    • RiseDarthVader 402 years ago
      I'm going at midnight (12:01am June 24th) tonight so that's going to be awesome. So I will be one of the first hundreds of people at IMAX Sydney to see a fresh print that has apparently been projected yet. I hope those splices hold up!
  • chris 402 years ago
    hahaha i think your in capable hands. Those frames look so clean. Been a while since i have been to imax. This should be awesome. I wanna see devastator, he is 4K resoluion. thats an entire 35mm frame
    Reply to this comment
  • chris e 401 years ago
    Really nice insight into the process behind IMAX, thanks a lot.
    Reply to this comment
  • Woj 400 years ago
    Righteous. Can't wait for Avatar.
    Reply to this comment
  • Jonnygee 382 years ago
    I am in awe of the guy who can piece an IMAX feature together from 45 spools, and then project it as a pristine masterpiece free of dust and fingerprints! It makes me very happy to pay a little extra for admission knowing we, the audience, are in such capable hands. Please - show us more!
    Reply to this comment
  • RiseDarthVader 381 years ago
    Just amazing how clean the IMAX prints are. And the splice cannot be noticed at all. Can't thank the IMAX projectionists enough.
    Reply to this comment
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