IMAX NEWS
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!).
How does IMAX 3D actually work?
Tuesday, August 4 by Julie Brown
One of the most frequently asked questions here at the Theatre is: "How does 3D actually work?" In a nutshell, 3D film technology mimics the way our own eyes see the world, yet on a flat cinema screen. ie. When you look at an object in real life, each eye sees a slightly different view and our brain fuses these together into a single 3D image. The two lenses on the IMAX® 3D camera roughly match the distance between our eyes and so each lens 'sees' and records a slightly different view. The end result is two separate reels of film for every IMAX 3D movie (one reel with the left eye view and another reel with the right eye view). These two reels of film run simultaneously through the camera and your polarized IMAX 3D glasses fuse the two images together, creating the 3D effect on screen.
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.
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.
Monsters vs Aliens coming at you... InTru™ 3D
Monday, March 30 by Julie Brown
As the television industry continues to catch up to movies with technological innovation (larger flat screens, HD, Blu-Ray), it’s now time for movies to take a larger step forward. And according to Jeffrey Katzenberg, 3D is the way to do just that.
“Monsters vs. Aliens” represents a first for the studio…the first film totally authored in the 3D format—and not just any 3D format. InTru™ 3D combines DreamWorks Animation’s state-of-the-art, proprietary authoring tools with the latest Intel technology, allowing artists to tell a more compelling story and give filmgoers a more exciting, immersive 3D movie experience. The ongoing use of InTru™ 3D (from “Monsters vs. Aliens” forward) is not just something employed by DreamWorks, but rather a mature, enhanced medium that enables filmmakers a better way to tell their stories—in an entirely new and innovative manner.
“Monsters vs. Aliens” represents a first for the studio…the first film totally authored in the 3D format—and not just any 3D format. InTru™ 3D combines DreamWorks Animation’s state-of-the-art, proprietary authoring tools with the latest Intel technology, allowing artists to tell a more compelling story and give filmgoers a more exciting, immersive 3D movie experience. The ongoing use of InTru™ 3D (from “Monsters vs. Aliens” forward) is not just something employed by DreamWorks, but rather a mature, enhanced medium that enables filmmakers a better way to tell their stories—in an entirely new and innovative manner.
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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