IMAX Blog

Youd be mad not take a seat at the worlds biggest tea party

Julie Brown — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:00:00 AM

Disney's Alice in Wonderland has premiered to one very wet crowd of fans, with the classic Februrary London weather turning the sprinklers on a gala "Wonderland" green carpet in right royal style. For interviews with all the stars, including Johnny Deep, Helena Bonham Carter and Australia's Mia Wasikoswka, as well as visionary director Tim Burton, just CLICK HERE.

Disney's Alice in Wonderland 3D starts at IMAX in Darling Harbour on 4 March. Tickets on sale now. Reserved seating available.

CLICK HERE to buy tickets online now.

Some of the early film reviews are in...

It takes us back to a time in the history of movies when audiences responded to the images on screen with a combination of awe and fear, when in submitting to them, we felt as if we were submitting to a spell. - Washington Post

A masterpiece of surrealism that's more Tim Burton than Walt Disney. - Montreal Film Journal

Alice is macabre, haunting, and very true to the spirit of Carroll's book, exploring the marvels and fears of a child's imagination. - TV Guide's Movie Guide

Who is your favourite Alice in Wonderland character and why?

The Surfing Scientist catches the Ultimate Wave

Julie Brown — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:00:00 AM

Teachers were treated to a special presentation by ABC TV personality Ruben Meerman, also known as the "The Surfing Scientist". Being an avid surfer, science communicator and all-round-nice-guy, Ruben captivated teachers at two teacher preview events held to launch the film Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D.

Ruben's liquid nitrogen demonstration - a first for our auditorium - helped illustrate the cooling and heating of the atmosphere that ultimately creates the wind that whips up the ocean into foamy peaks otherwise known as .... waves.

Ruben replaces his 3D glasses with safety goggles to perform the liquid nitrogen experiement for teachers.

The liquid nitrogen causes the air inside the balloon to contract, and hence the balloon shrinks. This simulates the way the eath's atmosphere cools at night and warms again in the daytime, thanks to the sun's radiation.

The balloon shrinks so much it looks like it will crumble just as a flower does when immersed in liquid nitrogen. A testament to the amazing powers of latex balloons!

When the balloon is re-heated by blowing on it (not to imply Ruben is full of hot air!), the air inside expands and it magically re-inflates the balloon!

It was great to see so many familiar faces at the preview, held to mark the launch of the Theatre's 2010 education program and the release of Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D.

Screen Literacy (Colin & Hiro from "Making Meaning on Screen") talk Screen Science with Ruben Meerman before the show.

Miya receives a lesson on ocean tides from Ruben at the registration desk.

Thanks, I'll put those safety goggles away and wear these ones with the polarized lenses instead for the movie!

CLICK HERE to see lesson plan ideas from The Surfing Scientst.

CLICK HERE to download the Study Guide for Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D.

A final word from one of our teachers:

"I thought the introductory presentation was really motivating. Reuben's manner was really inclusive and down to earth and his experiment was simple, but exciting and fun to witness. Having such a passionate speaker reinforces the role and importance of science for all of us. He makes science seem very relevant and accessible and I would hope that young, potential future scientists would be further encouraged by their teachers to pursue careers in a scientific field. He made science seem so "everyday" which it is, but I think most of us forget its importance from time to time. As I have a philosophy of being a lifelong learner any chance to acquire new knowledge or to refresh earlier learning is valuable. Having a guest speaker is like an extra bonus for the teachers and I feel it enhances the complete pre- visit experience." L. Wills, Sydney School Teacher.

Did you crash the Ultimate Wave party?

Julie Brown — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:00:00 AM

Last Thursday, IMAX in Darling Harbour hosted one of two world premieres for the newly released film Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D (the other one being at the California Science Center in Los Angeles). The evening kicked off with Tahitian dancers entertaining the crowds at the front of the Theatre, much to the bemusement of the throng of summer tourists who were caught up in the action as they lazed about on the boardwalk overlooking Cockle Bay.

Its Hiccup the dragon slayer at IMAX this Easter.

Julie Brown — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:00:00 AM

From the studio that brought you �Shrek� comes �How to Train Your Dragon�, a delightful adventure comedy, screening in spectacular IMAX 3D.

Set in the mythical world of Vikings and dragons, and based on the book by Cressida Cowell, the action comedy tells the story of Hiccup, a Viking teenager who doesn�t exactly fit in with his tribe�s longstanding tradition of heroic dragon slayers. Hiccup�s world is turned upside down when he encounters a dragon that challenges him to see the world from an entirely different point of view.

Starts 25 March, just in time for the start of the Easter school holidays. Now that's one day taken care of at least!

Bookings for Vacation Care groups during the Easter School Holidays are now open. Call (02) 9213 1600 or email groupbookings@imax.com.au .

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer online.

Dont be late! Tickets for Alice in Wonderland in IMAX 3D are on sale now.

Julie Brown — Tue, 9 Feb 2010 12:00:00 AM

DISNEY'S ALICE IN WONDERLAND 3D is a magical and imaginative twist on the on the classic story, with visionary director Tim Burton teaming up once again with Johnny Depp (as the Mad Hatter) and Helena Bonham-Carter (as the Red Queen). Starting on March 4, tickets have just been released for sale, so be quick to secure seats to this fanastical adventure in IMAX 3D.

CLICK HERE to buy tickets now.

Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter in Disney's Alice in Wonderland 3D.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer screened during the 2010 SUPERBOWL in the US.

NO FREE LIST.

Early HUBBLE 3D footage brings a tear to astronauts eye

Julie Brown — Tue, 2 Feb 2010 12:00:00 AM

IMAX held two early footage press preview screenings for Hubble 3D last week in New York and Los Angeles. Both events were attended by key press - and the response was spectacular!

Astronaut Mike Massimino, one of the seven who flew aboard the shuttle Atlantis on a daring bid to rescue and repair the Hubble Space Telescope last year, presented the footage at the New York screening and saw the footage for the first time, prompting this emotional response:

"It's OK for astronauts to cry, right?"

No doubt watching oneself floating in space on the giant IMAX screen creates a surge of emotion unlike any other. And for the rest of us, the experience is as close to actually being in space as you can be while still firmly grounded here on Earth.

CLICK HERE to read an article about the screenings in POPSCI online.

Astronaut, Mike Massimino

�The footage of Hubble itself, with the curved Earth as a backdrop, is remarkable. I had not appreciated the size of the instrument until I saw, in the film's footage, how it dwarfed spacewalker Mike Massimino as he climbed inside its access doors to work on the telescope's innards.� � J. Matson, Scientific American. CLICK HERE to read the full article.

IMAX HUBBLE 3D starts in Sydney on 13 May.

NEW HUBBLE 3D WEBSITE LAUNCH

Julie Brown — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 AM

2010 Education Program - New Film Announcements

Julie Brown — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 AM

In addition to the extensive FILM LIBRARY of titles available to schools, 2010 is awash with new experiences to educate and enlighten - as well as reward and entertain - students of all ages and subject areas.

Some of the highlights include:

ULTIMATE WAVE TAHITI 3D
Starts 25 February
We start the year with ULTIMATE WAVE TAHITI 3D, which promises extreme surfing action as the backdrop for a story about the science of waves and the relationship between surfing and island culture. Teacher Previews are being held at the end of February (21 & 23) and feature guest presentations before the screenings by ABC TV personality "The Surfing Scientist", otherwise known as Ruben Meerman. Rating TBC. Duration 45 minutes.

CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website.

CLICK HERE to RSVP online to the Teacher Previews.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND 3D
Starts 4 March
Next up is a feature film by the renowned director Tim Burton, and starring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, Anne Hathaway as the White Queen and Helena Bonham-Carter as the Red Queen. DISNEY'S ALICE IN WONDERLAND 3D is a twist on the original story, with Alice, now aged 19, returning to Wonderland to reunite with her friends and end the Red Queen's reign of terror. Rating TBC. Duration approximately 100 minutes.

CLICK HERE to read more about the film and view images of the key characters.

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer online.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 3D
Starts 25 March
Just prior to the April school holidays, IMAX will release a new 3D animated film from the makers of Shrek and Kung-Fu Panda. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 3D is based on the book by Cressida Cowell and tells the story of Hiccup, a Viking teenager who doesn�t exactly fit in with his tribe�s longstanding tradition of heroic dragon slayers. Hiccup�s world is turned upside down when he encounters a dragon that challenges him to see the world from an entirely different point of view. Rating TBC. Duration approximately 100 minutes.

CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website and watch the trailer.

HUBBLE 3D
Starts 13 May
Teachers please note: The popular film Space Station 3D will be "retired" and replaced by HUBBLE 3D in Term 2. Last bookings for Space Station 3D are being taken for Term 1. Be quick! But rest assured, Hubble 3D will feature all your favourite IMAX space film elements: rumbling rocket launches, daring space walks, great technological marvels, stories of human endeavour and achievement, and of course dramatic 3D footage filmed in space by the astronauts themselves.

Vividly captured in IMAX 3D, Hubble 3D recounts the amazing journey of the most important scientific instrument since Galileo's original telescope. Experience the gripping story - full of hope, crushing disappointment, dazzling ingenuity, bravery, and triumph - in Hubble 3D, the seventh awe-inspiring film from the award-winning IMAX Space Team. Rating TBC. Duration approx. 45mins.

CLICK HERE to visit the film's official website and watch the trailer.

Look out for more news on these up-coming documentaries:
ARABIA 3D (April/ May) **TBC**
LEGENDS OF FLIGHT 3D (August) **TBC**
SEA REX 3D (September) **TBC**

Other feature films on the horizon include:
IRON MAN 2 (April) **TBC**
SHREK GOES FORTH in IMAX 3D (June)
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS (November)

We'll keep teachers updated with all the latest news about up coming films and educational programs via email. To receive regular emails including newsletters and invitations to teacher preview events, sign up and join MYMAX now and select the "Schools" option.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN MYMAX TODAY.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE IMAX FILM LIBRARY & TIMETABLE FOR SCHOOLS IN 2010.

TELL US - WHAT IMAX FILMS WILL YOU BE BOOKING IN 2010?

Avatar Factoid #3

Julie Brown — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:00:00 AM

Did you know�

While �motion capture� � capturing the performers� physical movements and translating those to CG characters � has been used for several years, James Cameron and Jon Landau had decided the process was missing a critical element: the letter �e� in front of the word �motion.�

Instead of using the motion capture technique of placing reflective markers on the actors� faces to capture rough facial expressions, the actors wore special headgear, not unlike a football helmet, to which a tiny camera was attached. The rig faced towards the actors� faces and the camera recorded facial expression and muscle movements to a degree never before possible. AVATAR�s CG Na�vi and avatar characters came to life with all the rich nuances of the actors� work on the virtual stage.

Sam Worthington as Jake Sully in Avatar. Photo: WETA

With the actors working tirelessly to incorporate all these physical, linguistic, and emotional nuances that were central to their characters and to Cameron�s vision, the filmmaker was determined to capture it all in the actors� computer generated incarnations Worthington and the other actors found it liberating to be working on the bare stage known as the Volume, while wearing special performance capture suits and headgear. �We embraced the performance capture and had a lot of fun with it,� says Worthington. �Even though Jake�s avatar is ten feet tall and blue, it has my personality and soul. It�s spectacular that Jim can do that. Performance capture is incredibly freeing,� Worthington continues. �You can�t hide, so every take has to be truthful. At first it�s a little nerve-wracking, but you forget you�re wearing headgear and a few hundred dots on your face."

"You wonder if you�ll have the mental capacity to look at the gray, stark (performance capture) stage, and see a humongous snake or a lush forest,� adds actor Laz Alonso. �I mean, the Volume is as drab as you can get. But thanks to Jim�s direction, performance capture and the virtual camera, something great starts happening � you really start to see these animals and this incredible environment. You get so deep into this world that you start seeing, smelling, hearing, and feeling Pandora."

Actor Joel David Moore says the way the Volume sparked the imagination reminded him of a back-to-basics approach to acting. �Working on the performance capture stage takes you back to the old theater days,� he explains. �All you�d have (on the theater stage) is a wall, a table, and some chairs. You had to imagine everything else."

Another revolutionary advance was the virtual camera, which not only made the CG work director-centric and performance-centric, it created a new production paradigm that gave Cameron the unprecedented ability to actually see an actor�s CG character � and the CG environments � in camera, as he worked with the actors in the Volume. �The virtual camera allowed Jim to direct actors in an immediacy never before possible. At the same time, actors get a much better feel for their CG character because they get to see the CG scene and environments almost immediately, instead of having to wait months� for the effects house to deliver the shots,� explains Jon Landau, producer. The in-camera CG imagery had only the resolution of a video game; but after Cameron completed filming and editing a specific sequence, WETA would then work on it for months to create the final, high-resolution photographic images. In effect, each shot was created twice; once with Cameron in the Volume, and again after WETA completed its months-long work finishing the shot.

Zoe Saldana is Neytiri, a fearless and beautiful warrior, and member of Pandora's royal clan of Na'vi. Photo: WETA

The virtual camera, which resembles a videogame controller with a video monitor attached, is not really a camera at all because it doesn�t even have a lens; instead, it emulates a camera as it is �fed� the CG images by a bank of state-of-the-art computers surrounding the Volume. A small screen on the device displays the CG image fed to it by these computers.

This allowed Cameron to shoot the action from any angle or approach, giving him unprecedented spontaneity, flexibility and options on the virtual production stage. �For example, Jim could tell us to create a five-to-one scale in vertical,� says WETA�s Stephen Rosenbaum. �And when he moves the camera, instead of moving it three feet, it�s a 15-foot crane move, in real time. In effect, Jim could turn the camera crew into a team of 10-foot-tall Na�vi.�

�Long after the actors had gone home, I would still be in the Volume with the virtual camera, shooting coverage on the scene,� says Cameron. �Just by playing back the take, I can get the scene from different angles. We can re-light it. We can do all sorts of things.�

�It�s filmmaking on a different level � like comparing grade school to a doctoral program at M.I.T.,� says Laz Alonso.

Another groundbreaking tool in Cameron�s �toolbox� was the Simul-Cam, which integrated, in real time, CG characters and environments into the film�s live action Fusion camera eyepiece. The technology essentially treats a photographic camera like the virtual camera, taking the virtual production toolset and superimposing it on the physical production. �The ability to shoot on a live action set and see in your camera eyepiece CG characters and environments that are not there, allowed Jim to shoot that scene with the same sensibility he would a live action scene,� explains Landau.

On the set of Avatar. Director James Cameron (centre) reviews a scene with actors (from left) Sigourney Weaver, Joel David Moore, Sam Worthington. Photo: Mark Fellman.

Avatar Factoid #2

Julie Brown — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:00:00 AM

Did you know�?

Providing added dimensions to specific aspects of the actors� performances are noted linguist Paul Frommer, Ph.D., who worked with Cameron to devise an entire language for the Na�vi; as well as Terry Notary, a former Cirque du Soleil performer, and celebrated choreographer Lula Washington, who respectively helped the create Na�vi movements and the choreography for the Na�vi dancers.

As with so many aspects of AVATAR, the Na�vi language brings together the completely original with the familiar and relatable. Early in the process, Cameron provided Frommer, a professor at USC, with the kinds of sounds the filmmaker had in mind for the Na�vi. Frommer then designed a linguistic palette. This complex work resulted in the creation of hundreds of words, as well as a specific structure and grammar, all of which the actors learned with skill and speed.

The cast also worked closely with dialect coach Carla Meyer to fine-tune the dialect for the invented tongue.

Frommer explains: �The Na�vi have similar sound limitations as humans, enabling the Avatar scientists to actually learn and speak (the Na�vi tongue)... �It was all about giving Jim possibilities and options,� says Frommer. �Some sounds he liked; some not. Then we locked in the language�s structural properties, pronunciation rules, and how the words were built.�

Australian actor Sam Worthington plays ex-Marine, Jake Sully in Avatar 3D.

Sam Worthington�s linguistic challenges were heightened by the fact that the Australian native had to learn to speak not only a new language; he had to acquire an American accent. �It was like learning two languages,� says Worthington. �And let me tell you: the Na�vi (language) was easier than the American accent!�

�I spent at least two hours a day working on the American accent and learning the Na�vi language,� Worthington continues. �I worked to phonetically break the language down, so it didn�t sound like I�m acting through gauze.� Worthington notes that Jake�s grasp of the Na�vi language is a work-in-progress throughout the story, which allowed or even necessitated the occasional linguistic slip-up.

Zo� Saldana and Laz Alonso, both fluent in Spanish, found it easier to learn the Na�vi language, walking away from the AVATAR shoot as probably the only actor/ tri-linguists in the world fluent in�.Na�vi. But perhaps the most fun with the invented patois was had by the film�s crew, which adopted specific Na�vi words � skowng, meaning �moron,� was a particular favorite � to playfully tease one another.

Dance and movement studies also enabled the actors to delve further into their characters. Na�vi dance choreographer Lula Washington, artistic director of the Lula Washington Dance Theater, notes that the Pandora natives celebrate themselves through dance. �They�re an elegant, proud people who love their land. In that respect they�re close to our aboriginal cultures.� The dancers from Lula�s troupe became part of the cast, as members of the Omaticaya clan, and their graceful, feral movement can be seen throughout the film.

Terry Notary created movements inspired by indigenous cultures as well as animals like big cats and primates. Notary explains: �We worked to answer questions like, How would the Na�vi touch? How would they reach? How would they move when they�re happy? And how would they use their tail?�

Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) and Jake (Sam Worthington) make final preparations for an epic battle that will decide the end of an entire world. Photo: WETA.

Avatar Factoid #1

Julie Brown — Fri, 4 Dec 2009 12:00:00 AM

Did you know�?

To tell his story, James Cameron had to create technology and new production paradigms that revolutionized the filmmaking process. Foremost among these was new performance capture technology that would fully capture not only the actors� movements for their CG incarnations, but also the full range of facial emotions and expressions. Another innovation, a virtual camera, allowed Cameron to shoot scenes within computer-generated worlds, just as if he were filming on a Hollywood soundstage. Yet another technical advance, a 3-D Fusion camera created by Cameron and Vince Pace, added to AVATAR�s already immersive experience. And Academy Award-winning visual effects house WETA Digital worked with Cameron to create a new world of unprecedented scale.

Jake (Sam Worthington) and Qaritch (Stephen Lang) take a virtual look at a gnarled ancient willow tree that is the Na'vi epicentre and extension of their lifeblood. Photo: WETA

HOW DID THEY DO IT?

Cameron was not interested in using makeup to create his alien species. Humanoid aliens have been played by actors in makeup for decades, since the B-movies of the �50s, and on through four decades of �Star Trek� spin offs and other science fiction films and TV shows. Virtually every design and method for putting rubber onto actors� faces has now been explored, and in addition it is inherently limiting. The size and the spacing of the eyes can�t be changed. The proportions of the body can�t be changed, nor can the overall size of the character. And rubber appliance makeup is limiting to the actor�s performance, because it acts as a barrier between the actor and the lens.

With the performance capture method, none of these negatives apply. Though the CG characters in AVATAR resemble the actors who play them, their fundamental proportions are different. The Na�vi eyes are twice the diameter of human eyes, and they are spaced farther apart. The Na�vi are much leaner than humans, with longer necks, and they have different bone and muscle structures, including most obviously, their three-fingered hands. As CG characters, the Na�vi and the avatars can be made much larger than human. Blue make-up would have made the skin opaque, but with CG the characters can be given translucent skin which behaves like real skin, in which the pigment at the surface does not mask the red glow of the blood beneath, such as when strong sunlight hits the backs of the characters� ears. All of these subtleties combine to allow the creation of seemingly living creatures.

Cameron was looking for a way to take alien character creation into the 21st century. In 1995 Cameron saw the rapid advances in CG characters, and thought that his dream project set on another world might be possible to make. Having already created CG milestone characters in �The Abyss� and �Terminator 2: Judgment Day,� Cameron wanted to push the CG arts to new heights, and so the visually ambitious AVATAR was written. But when the treatment was broken down by CG experts, Cameron realized that the technologies required for photorealism were still years off, so the project was shelved.

When Cameron revived the project in 2005, it seemed the techniques required were right around the corner. At that time there was still concern that the characters would not appear quite real, and would suffer from the disturbing �dead eye� effect seen in some early performance capture films. Cameron�s team sought to go far beyond prior efforts, to ensure the complete reality of the characters. To do this, they developed a new �image-based facial performance capture� system, using a head-rig camera to accurately record the smallest nuances of the actors� facial performances. Instead of using the motion capture technique of placing reflective markers on the actors� faces to capture their expressions, the actors wore special headgear, not unlike a football helmet, to which a tiny camera was attached. The rig faced towards the actors� faces and the camera recorded facial expression and muscle movements to a degree never before possible. Most importantly, the camera recorded eye movement, which had not been the case with prior systems.

The head-rig system allowed actors facial performances to be captured with unprecedented clarity and precision. And since the head-rig system did not rely on the motion capture cameras of the past, those cameras were now being used only to capture body movement, so they could be moved much farther from the actors. This allowed the AVATAR team to use a much larger capture environment, or �Volume,� than had ever been used before. At six times the size of previous capture volumes, the Volume for AVATAR was used to capture live galloping horses, stunts requiring elaborate wire rigging, and even aerial dogfights between aircraft and flying creatures. So the revolutionary head-rigs were the key not only to the subtlest nuances of the characters� emotions, but also to the film�s grandest spectacle.

Another innovation created especially for AVATAR was the Virtual Camera, which allowed Cameron to shoot scenes within his computer-generated world, just as if he were filming on a Hollywood soundstage. Through this virtual camera, the director would see not Zo� Saldana, but her 10-foot tall blue-skinned character, Neytiri. Instead of Sam Worthington and Sigourney Weaver, he would see their giant blue avatars, complete with tails and huge golden eyes. And instead of the austere gray space of the Volume, he would see the lush rainforest of Pandora, or perhaps the floating Hallelujah Mountains, or the human colony at Hell�s Gate.

After working out the details of how to exactly capture the actor�s performances, the next step was to enlist the aid of Peter Jackson�s Academy Award-winning visual effects powerhouse WETA Digital, in New Zealand. WETA�s groundbreaking photo-real characters like Gollum in the �Lord of the Rings,� and the utterly real-seeming King Kong, led Cameron to believe that they could breathe life into his Na�vi characters.

It was critical to Cameron from the beginning that every detail of the actors� performances be preserved in the final CG character as they appear on the screen. WETA assured him that their team of world-class animators would make it their mission to convey one hundred percent of the actors� performances to their Na�vi or avatar characters. This involved insuring that highly accurate data be recorded at the moment the scene was performed, and it also required over a year of work by the animation team to create the �rigs� that allowed the CG characters to emote exactly like the actors whose performance they were mirroring.

Neytiri (Zoe SAldana) teaches Jake (Sam Worthington) the skills he'll need to survive on Pandora. Photo: WETA

IS IT ANIMATION?

Ask the animators at WETA, and they�ll tell you that the avatars and Na�vi are animated. Ask Jim Cameron, and he�ll say the characters were performed by the actors. The truth is that both are right. It took great animation skill to ensure that the characters performed exactly as the actors did. But at the same time, no liberties were taken with those performances. They were not embellished or exaggerated. The animators sought to be utterly truthful to the actors� work, doing no more and certainly no less than what Sam, Zo� or Sigourney had done in the Volume. Of course the animators added a little bit, with the movement of the tails and ears, which the actors could not do themselves. But even here, the goal was to stay consistent with the emotions created by the actors during the original capture. So when Neytiri�s tail lashes and her ears lower in fury, they are merely further expressing the anger created by Zo� Saldana in the moment of acting the scene.

�Actors ask me if we�re trying to replace them,� says Cameron, �On the contrary, we�re trying to empower them, to give them new methods to express themselves and to create characters, without limitation. I don�t want to replace actors; I love working with actors. It�s what I do, as a director. What we�re trying to replace is the five hours in the makeup chair, which is how you used to create characters like aliens, werewolves, witches, demons and so on. Now you can be whoever or whatever you want, at any age, even change gender, and without the time and discomfort of complex makeup.�

Saldana trained for months to create a physical reality for her character, so that she could fully express Neytiri�s natural athletic grace. She knew that this was not just a voice performance for a typical animated film, but instead a �total performance,� and that every nuance of her facial expressiveness and her body movement would be captured.

Cameron and the actors worked together in the Volume for over a year, on and off. It was every bit as intense a working relationship as on a photographic film set, except that there were no lights, cameras or dolly track. It was pure acting. And this allowed everyone to really focus on performance, and the emotional truth of each moment, without all the distractions of photography. Director and actors alike were enthralled by the process, and enjoyed the rapport and focus that performance capture allowed. But it was not until Cameron and his cast saw the first finished scenes coming back from WETA that they completely realized how revolutionary this movie was going to be. Neytiri, Jake and Grace were alive.

With AVATAR it was critical to achieve an absolute authenticity of performance for all the many characters. AVATAR�s CG characters would be, says Landau, �real, soulful and emotional.� Adds Cameron: �Every nuance and bit of performance was created by the actors, who do all the things you see their CG characters do in the film, down to the slightest hand gesture. These characters ARE precisely and only what the actors created.�

AVATAR goes a step farther, by placing these photorealistic characters into a world that is also computer generated but seems completely real. Every plant, every tree, every rock is created and rendered in the computers of WETA Digital, in New Zealand. Significant breakthroughs in lighting, shading and rendering allowed WETA to create a photo-real world which was alien in its details, but which strikes the eye as completely natural. Over a Petabyte (one thousand terabytes) of digital storage was required by WETA for all the CG �assets� of the film� all the myriad plants and animals, insects, rocks, mountains and clouds. To put this in perspective, �Titanic� required 2 terabytes to create (and sink) the ship and its thousands of passengers, about 1/500th the amount used for AVATAR.

In addition to all this complexity, AVATAR was made in stereoscopic 3D. So not only did WETA need to work in 3D in creating their CG scenes (as did the other visual effects vendors such as ILM), but the live action scenes would need to be shot in 3D as well. For this Cameron used the Fusion Camera System, which he had co-developed with Vince Pace. It took seven years of development to create the Fusion system, which is the world�s most advanced stereoscopic camera system. The cameras performed flawlessly on the set of AVATAR, allowing the live action scenes to merge smoothly with the CG scenes into a unified whole.

Because of the many layers of technology developed specifically for this project, AVATAR was by far the most challenging of all of Cameron�s films to date. The filmmakers found themselves in uncharted territory, figuring out the answers as they went along. Eighteen months were spent developing the performance capture �pipeline� before a single scene was captured with the cast. �I�ve always tried to push the envelope,� Cameron points out, �But this time it pushed back. So we had to push harder. I liken the experience of making AVATAR to jumping off a cliff and knitting the parachute on the way down.�

But these revolutionary technologies are just tools in the filmmaker�s �toolbox,� and are always in the service of the story, emotion and characters. Says producer Jon Landau: �Ultimately, the audience�s reaction to AVATAR is not going to be about the technology; it�s going to be about the characters and story Jim created. The technology allows Jim to tell a story that otherwise couldn�t be told.� Adds Cameron: �It always boils down to this question: Is it a good story? Ultimately the discussion is going to be about the characters � alien and human � and their journeys.�

Landau compares Cameron�s use of these groundbreaking tools in AVATAR to the way he used then-cutting-edge advances in his Best Picture Oscar-winning �Titanic.� �On �Titanic� Jim used visual effects to make people feel like a part of history; on AVATAR, he is using new technology to transport people into the future to another world.� Cameron notes, �The technology is at such a high level that it disappears, leaving only the magic� the feeling that you�re really there, and that the story, the characters, the emotions are real.�

The human forces on Pandora unleash tremendous firepower in an epic battle against the Na'vi, the indigenous population of Pandora. Photo: ILM.

AVATAR TICKETS ON SALE TO 31 DECEMBER.

Julie Brown — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM

Book your ticket now and you won't need to queue for a specific seat when seeing James Cameron's epic new feature film, AVATAR 3D (opens 16 Dec with advance screenings from 5pm).

At IMAX in Darling Harbour, we have introduced 'best available' allocated seating, which means you know exactly where you'll be sitting and your seat number is guaranteed.

That means goodbye to queuing and more time to relax with a drink or meal in surrounding Darling Harbour.

The IMAX auditorium in Darling Harbour has a unique, steeply raked seating arrangement, giving all 500 seats in the auditorium an excellent view of the screen. Add to that state-of-the-art 3D and a whopping 15,000 watts of digital surround sound and you're not simply watching a movie, you're in it!

CLICK HERE TO BOOK AVATAR 3D SEATS NOW

Big screen? Whats the big deal?

Mark Bretherton — Mon, 9 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM

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!).

This all means something special when it comes to 3D. Firstly the 3D experience benefits from a big screen (you want to feel as though you are �in the movie� after all), so the bigger the screen, the more immersive the experience. Secondly, and just as important, 3D works best when you are looking directly at the screen (not up at it, or down at it), which is why our combination of giant screen and steeply raked seating is the optimum way to enjoy 3D (our theatre architecture was created with 3D in mind, most digital 3D screens are retrofitted into existing cinemas that were originally designed for 2D films). So here�s our tip when you�re looking for a good 3D experience � you want the biggest screen you can find and you want seating that puts you perpendicular to the screen.

Got an opinion on big screens or 3D? We�d like to hear them.

See the first images from the newly refurbished HUBBLE Space Telescope - a small screen prelude to HUBBLE 3D

Julie Brown — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:00:00 AM

NASA today has unveiled the first images taken from the newly re-furbished Hubble Space Telescope.

At IMAX Darling Harbour, we are excited to bring you a taste of these truly breathtaking images - for now, on the small screen - but in early 2010 you'll have the chance to experience these wonders of our universe in spectacular IMAX 3D when we release the film HUBBLE 3D in its full-blown giant screen glory.

These images and captions below are provided courtesy of NASA and give you a taste of more to come...

NGC 6302
Butterfly Emerges from Stellar Demise in Planetary Nebula NGC 6302.
This celestial object looks like a delicate butterfly. But it is far from serene. What resemble dainty butterfly wings are actually roiling cauldrons of gas heated to more than 36,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The gas is tearing across space at more than 600,000 miles an hour -- fast enough to travel from Earth to the moon in 24 minutes! A dying star that was once about five times the mass of the Sun is at the center of this fury. It has ejected its envelope of gases and is now unleashing a stream of ultraviolet radiation that is making the cast-off material glow.

Omega Centauri
Colorful Stars Galore Inside Globular Star Cluster Omega Centauri.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope snapped this panoramic view of a colourful assortment of 100,000 stars residing in the crowded core of a giant star cluster.

NGC 6217
Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 6217. This image of barred spiral galaxy NGC 6217 is the first image of a celestial object taken with the newly repaired Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) aboard the Hubble Space Telescope. The camera was restored to operation during the STS-125 servicing mission in May to upgrade Hubble.

Stephan's Quintet
Galactic Wreckage in Stephan's Quintet.
A clash among members of a famous galaxy quintet reveals an assortment of stars across a wide color range, from young, blue stars to aging, red stars.This portrait of Stephan�s Quintet, also known as Hickson Compact Group 92, was taken by the new Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) aboard NASA�s Hubble Space Telescope. Stephan�s Quintet, as the name implies, is a group of five galaxies. The name, however, is a bit of a misnomer. Studies have shown that group member NGC 7320, at upper left, is actually a foreground galaxy about seven times closer to Earth than the rest of the group.

Carina Nebula
Stars Bursting to Life in Chaotic Carina Nebula.
These two images of a huge pillar of star birth demonstrate how observations taken in visible and in infrared light by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope reveal dramatically different and complementary views of an object. The pictures demonstrate one example of the broad wavelength range of the new Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) aboard the Hubble telescope, extending from ultraviolet to visible to infrared light. Composed of gas and dust, the pillar resides in a tempestuous stellar nursery called the Carina Nebula, located 7,500 light-years away in the southern constellation Carina.

You might be wondering... How did IMAX capture the images for the HUBBLE 3D film? Must be digital magic created in a studio, right?

WRONG. IMAX doesn't settle for half measures when it comes to space films. They send the giant IMAX 3D cameras into space and have the astronauts do the filming!

The IMAX 3D camera, which flew onboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis, captured stunning 3D images of the intricate spacewalks required to service the telescope during the most recent mission last May. Shot by the STS-125 astronauts, this intimate look at the complexities of repairing the telescope will put IMAX audiences right there along-side the spacewalking astronauts. Hubble 3D will combine this awe-inspiring IMAX footage with breathtaking up-close imagery of distant galaxies, the birth of stars and planets, and more -- revealing the cosmos as never before.

"We have waited a long time to get the IMAX camera back into space and finally the opportunity came with the amazing final repair mission of the Hubble Space Telescope," said Toni Myers, director, producer and editor of the film. "In Hubble 3D, audiences will be able to float in space alongside the astronauts as they perform the repairs and upgrades to the telescope, and then fly to the edge of the universe, through its first new images. Hubble's incredible legacy changes the way we see and think about the universe, and it is an honour to give people a chance to experience its breath-taking images in IMAX 3D."

Launched in 1990 and greatly extended in its scientific powers through new instrumentation, the Hubble Space Telescope has validated Lyman Spitzer Jr.'s original concept of large, space-based observatory orbiting far above the distorting effects of the Earth's atmosphere. In Hubble 3D audiences will come to understand the profound significance of the greatest scientific instrument since Galileo's original telescope and how it has forever changed both our view of the universe and of ourselves.

Hubble 3D is an IMAX and Warner Bros. Pictures production, in cooperation with National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The film reunites the Space Station 3D filmmaking team, led by producer/director Toni Myers. James Neihouse, director of photography, also doubles as the astronaut crew trainer. Judy Carroll is associate producer, and Graeme Ferguson, co-founder of IMAX and pioneer producer of many IMAX space films, is executive producer.

CLICK HERE to visit the Hubble 3D film website.

Premiere Pics from Dinosaurs Alive! 3D

Julie Brown — Mon, 7 Sep 2009 12:00:00 AM

Dinosaurs Alive! 3D has lurched onto the giant screen and taken audiences by 3D storm here at IMAX in Darling Harbour. In this latest documentary from Giant Screen Films, producers of Egypt 3D and Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey, we embark on a truly global adventure of science and discovery as we travel back in time to the age of dinosaurs.

The film�s Australian premiere had a distinctly pre-historic theme, as guests walked the lush �green carpet� to the entrance and munched on dinosaur cookies and cup cakes before donning their 3D glasses for the show.

The film features the earliest dinosaurs of the Triassic Period to the monsters of the Cretaceous, �reincarnated� in life-size for the giant IMAX screen. From the exotic, trackless expanses and sand dunes of Mongolia�s Gobi Desert to the dramatic sandstone buttes of New Mexico, Dinosaurs Alive! 3D follows American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) palaeontologists as they explore some of the greatest dinosaur finds in history. Through the magic of scientifically accurate computer-generated animation, these newly discovered creatures, and some familiar favourites, will come alive�in a big way!

How does IMAX 3D actually work?

Julie Brown — Tue, 4 Aug 2009 12:00:00 AM

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.

There's a great clip on YouTube that explains the concept well - and with pictures!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozTH2zIKwC0

IMAX 3D filmmaking in space

Julie Brown — Fri, 5 Jun 2009 12:00:00 AM

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.

While Myers could only provide guidance from terra ferma, she worked carefully with Shuttle Atlantis pilot Gregory Johnson to turn him into the ideal IMAX astronaut/auteur during the ninety-minute day-night cycles as the space shuttle orbited Earth. This included knowing exactly when to roll film.

"It's really hard to cherry pick out of a six-hour spacewalk," Myers says.

Trying to get it right required a special IMAX camera that was operated remotely from inside the shuttle. Conventional IMAX 3D cameras capture images from the left and right eye views on two different strips of film, but weight constraints led filmmakers to design a more compact 700-pound camera that can shoot both left and right views on a single, mile-long strip of film. Myers first used such a camera for her 2002 IMAX film called "Space Station 3D."

Water bags were stuffed into the camera to help protect the interior film from damage due to space radiation. Filming both left and right views simultaneously on a single strip also meant adjusting the camera speed. To maintain 24 frames per second, it has to go twice as fast.

Johnson and other astronauts trained with a similar camera during simulated spacewalks in NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab over the course of eight months. The actual camera sat installed in the cargo bay of the space shuttle Atlantis, where Johnson could control and see its view via a computer screen and by using special software (no massive steadicam rigs required).

Photo credit: NASA's Custom IMAX 3D Camera: Testing the rig in NASA�s Neutral Buoyancy Lab. - NASA

Myers had to take a relatively hands-off approach out of necessity, even though she worked out a shooting schedule and plan beforehand with the astronauts. But her past years working on similar IMAX adventures in space have led her to trust astronaut instincts during filming.

"We always encourage them that if an alien flies by, they're the director and they take the shot," Myers joked.

Now Myers can only wait until June to see if her efforts have paid off. The camera is slated for unloading after the space shuttle Atlantis gets flown back to Florida from California, following a detour landing at Edwards Air Force Base because of bad weather.

Take a look at the final picture taken by the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (being decommissioned after nearly 16 years) on the Hubble Space Telescope:

Planetary Nebula K 4-55, in the constellation Cygnus, some 4,600 light years away. Layers of gas ejected by a dying red giant are ionized by radiation from the star's core, which causes them to glow.

Photo Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage team.

NEW RELEASE AVATAR TICKETS. MIDNIGHT SATURDAY 30 JANUARY. BOOK NOW.

Julie Brown — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 AM

A new MIDNIGHT session (11.59pm) has been added to our AVATAR 3D schedule for this Saturday 30 January. Demand is extremely high for this extraordinary film, so BOOK NOW to avoid disappointment. Plenty of great seats are still available but they won't last long! The record breaking AVATAR 3D is now the world's biggest grossing film, having toppled Titanic (Avatar director James Cameron's previous film) off its pedestal earlier this year. See it at IMAX in Darling Harbour, on the world's biggest cinema screen.

CLICK HERE to BOOK NOW.

INSIDE THE MAKING OF HUBBLE 3D

Julie Brown — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:00:00 AM

Due out in May this year, Hubble 3D promises to not only take us back into space - as only IMAX can - but also to the edge of time. That's a big call, but when you've got the combined efforts of NASA and IMAX involved, we expect only big results. Like all IMAX space films that have gone before it, Hubble 3D is actually filmed in space by the astronauts themselves.

Shooting footage in space is one thing, but doing it with giant IMAX cameras is another thing altogether. In an article in Cosmic Log online, IMAX film director Toni Myers explains some of the challenges experienced:

Myers' 2002 film, "Space Station 3-D," set the precedent for the Hubble epic - but for May's Hubble mission, which focused so heavily on five lengthy spacewalks, the IMAX camera equipment in Atlantis' cargo bay had to be shrunk to the size of four shoeboxes. That's a particularly stiff challenge because the 70mm IMAX film is twice as wide as standard movie film. What's more, the 3-D effect requires the use of a complex lens system that exposes one frame for the left eye, then one frame for the right eye, cycling 24 times a second.

The camera has to push through 672 feet of film for every minute of shooting, and because the remote-controlled camera was shooting in Atlantis' open cargo bay, there's no opportunity for changing film. "That camera takes a single load of film a mile long, and that mile gives us eight minutes," Myers said.

To supplement the 3-D views captured during the spacewalk, Myers uses on-the-ground imagery as well as digital video that was taken in 2-D aboard Atlantis - and then converted to synthetic 3-D with Imax's DMR software.

Then there are the 3-D renderings of actual Hubble pictures, which could well outdo the spacewalks when it comes to jaw-dropping cosmic awesomeness. The telescope itself doesn't take 3-D pictures, but Myers' team worked with Hubble's handlers at the Space Telescope Science Institute to add the third dimension to some of the orbiting observatory's greatest hits. The movie will also feature imagery captured after Hubble's upgrade.

Myers said one sequence will take viewers on a 3-D flight from Earth to the Orion Nebula's Trapezium Cluster. Another will zoom out from the Milky Way out to the gobs of galaxies in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, and from there out to the large-scale cosmic web. This YouTube fly-through of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field hints at what you can expect, but the 3-D effect will give you even more of a sense that you're moving through the universe at warp speed.

CLICK HERE to read the fascinating full article.

NGC 6302
Butterfly Emerges from Stellar Demise in Planetary Nebula NGC 6302.
This celestial object looks like a delicate butterfly. But it is far from serene. What resembles dainty butterfly wings are actually roiling cauldrons of gas heated to more than 36,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The gas is tearing across space at more than 600,000 miles an hour -- fast enough to travel from Earth to the moon in 24 minutes! A dying star that was once about five times the mass of the Sun is at the center of this fury. It has ejected its envelope of gases and is now unleashing a stream of ultraviolet radiation that is making the cast-off material glow.

BEWARE OF FAKE IMAX TICKETS

Julie Brown — Thu, 7 Jan 2010 12:00:00 AM

If you are a MYMAX member, you may have recently participated in our online survey. Thanks to everyone who did provide their feedback!

As a thank you for participating, we issued survey respondents with a FREE IMAX TICKET VOUCHER like the one below:

Please note that this voucher is SINGLE USE ONLY and features a unique barcode that will be scanned at the Theatre. Do not copy and distribute this ticket to your friends or family as they will not be able to use it if it HAS ALREADY BEEN REDEEMED.

If you DID NOT participate in the IMAX Theatre Sydney online survey and have received a voucher from a third party (friend, family or via email), please be aware that it is NOT VALID and will not be accepted at the Theatre.

Thanks for your understanding. We do look foward to welcoming you to the Theatre soon!