IMAX NEWS
We're installing a new giant IMAX screen. It's a big job, so the Theatre will be closed from 6-17 February.
Wednesday, January 18 by Julie Brown
We are installing a brand new giant IMAX 3D screen.
It’s big (naturally), so it’s a big job, which means we will be closed from 6-17 February, reopening for business as usual on Saturday 18 February.
• The screen measures 29.5m h by 35.7m wide and weighs approx 800kg. It is the biggest cinema screen in the world.
• On the day the screen is lifted onto the frame it will require 20 riggers working simultaneously to raise it the 30m to its full height.
• It will be painted on site using 350kg of special high gain silver paint. It will need four coats and each coat requires 24 hours to dry. A special paint rig scaffold has been brought in from IMAX in Canada to perform this task.
It’s big (naturally), so it’s a big job, which means we will be closed from 6-17 February, reopening for business as usual on Saturday 18 February.
• The screen measures 29.5m h by 35.7m wide and weighs approx 800kg. It is the biggest cinema screen in the world.
• On the day the screen is lifted onto the frame it will require 20 riggers working simultaneously to raise it the 30m to its full height.
• It will be painted on site using 350kg of special high gain silver paint. It will need four coats and each coat requires 24 hours to dry. A special paint rig scaffold has been brought in from IMAX in Canada to perform this task.
James Cameron talks the future of 3D
Monday, October 25 by Julie Brown
James Cameron talks to the New York Times about Avatar, Titanic, Cleopatra and the future of 3D. "Nearly a year after his movie “Avatar” broke box-office records and opened up a floodgate of big-budget 3-D features, James Cameron is still very much immersed in his budding science-fiction franchise and the medium of 3-D filmmaking."
CLICK HERE to read the whole interview.
CLICK HERE to read the whole interview.
Take a Tour of the Projection Booth
Thursday, July 1 by Julie Brown
The projection booth is where all the giant action starts at IMAX Sydney. It’s not your run of the mill cinema projector here though. The giant images we’ve all come to enjoy on screen, start with giant reels of film that run a great speed through a similarly oversized projector. That's about 4.2 kilometres of giant 15 perf/ 70mm IMAX film for every 45 minute film, or over 12 kilomtres of film for your average 2 hour feature film! And with 3D, you can add a second reel to that, as the film is separated into a "left eye" and a "right eye" just to complicate matters. Come with us and take a look at what goes on behind the silver screen…
Big screen? What’s the big deal?
Monday, November 9 by Mark Bretherton
With cinemas all trying to outdo each other with claims for the better cinema experience we thought it was time to revisit just what it is that makes the IMAX experience in Darling Harbour so special.
First up we have a pretty good claim – we have the world’s biggest cinema screen and that means we absolutely dwarf every other screen in Sydney (IMAX or otherwise). That’s great, but it wouldn’t be much of a claim if we couldn’t fill it with a high quality picture and we do that by being the only cinema in Sydney screening films using giant IMAX film that is of superb quality and resolution. It’s ten times bigger than your average cinema film size and of superb quality and resolution (and digital still has a very long way to come to get close to this sort of resolution!).
First up we have a pretty good claim – we have the world’s biggest cinema screen and that means we absolutely dwarf every other screen in Sydney (IMAX or otherwise). That’s great, but it wouldn’t be much of a claim if we couldn’t fill it with a high quality picture and we do that by being the only cinema in Sydney screening films using giant IMAX film that is of superb quality and resolution. It’s ten times bigger than your average cinema film size and of superb quality and resolution (and digital still has a very long way to come to get close to this sort of resolution!).
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...
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...
What's 15 km long & fits into just 8 boxes?
Friday, June 19 by Julie Brown
Answer:
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen as it arrives at IMAX in Darling Harbour ahead of its season due to start on 24 June.
The print has arrived and all 15 km of giant film is contained in just 8 cardboard boxes, ready for assembly by our projection team.
Did you know that IMAX film is known as "15/70" in the industry? This refers to the fact that each frame has 15 sprocket holes along the top and bottom, and is 70mm wide.
Did you know there are 24 frames of film in every second of screened footage? That makes one second of IMAX film about 1.72 metres in length.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen as it arrives at IMAX in Darling Harbour ahead of its season due to start on 24 June.
The print has arrived and all 15 km of giant film is contained in just 8 cardboard boxes, ready for assembly by our projection team.
Did you know that IMAX film is known as "15/70" in the industry? This refers to the fact that each frame has 15 sprocket holes along the top and bottom, and is 70mm wide.
Did you know there are 24 frames of film in every second of screened footage? That makes one second of IMAX film about 1.72 metres in length.
IMAX 3D filmmaking in space
Friday, June 5 by Julie Brown
A recent article in Popular Science online takes us behind the scenes on the latest film project from IMAX Corporation - HUBBLE 3D. Veteran filmmaker Toni Myers gives us an insight into the way astronauts use the giant IMAX camera to capture images of the delicate repair of the Hubble telescope.
Here's the article, by Jeremy Hsu (posted online 28.05.2009):
Filming an IMAX 3D feature about NASA's last manned mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope created challenges that even Christopher Nolan's crew never faced on the set of "The Dark Knight." Using only eight minutes of film, astronauts had to capture the essence of five long spacewalks using a custom-made IMAX camera as big as a submarine. Thankfully, IMAX director and producer Toni Myers was there to help.
Here's the article, by Jeremy Hsu (posted online 28.05.2009):
Filming an IMAX 3D feature about NASA's last manned mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope created challenges that even Christopher Nolan's crew never faced on the set of "The Dark Knight." Using only eight minutes of film, astronauts had to capture the essence of five long spacewalks using a custom-made IMAX camera as big as a submarine. Thankfully, IMAX director and producer Toni Myers was there to help.
Want to keep up-to-date with what's showing on the Big Screen? Look no further! The IMAX blog will keep you up to date with IMAX movies and events - stay tuned for trailers, behind the scenes videos and interviews on all things IMAX.
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- We're Installing A New Giant Imax Screen. It's A Big Job, So The Theatre Will Be Closed From 6-17 February.
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- Sydney Born Penguin Skates In To The World's Biggest Screen In Daring Harbour This Summer
- A Film Nine Lifetimes In The Making. Sneak Previews For Puss In Boots 3d From 2 December.
- Frequently Asked Questions, Risk Assessment And More For Teachers
- Tom Cruise Dives Out Of The World's Tallest Building And Onto The Giant Imax Screen.
- Be First In The World To See Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol
- Tornado Alley 3d Storms Into Imax
