Canadian Names And Trade-marks: IMAX

If you’ve ever been to a science centre, it’s quite likely that you have stepped inside a domed IMAX theatre and marveled at images of moving birds flying so crisply in front of you that you could almost grab them. Of course, you are just as likely to have witnessed something less poetic involving a masked crusader punching a villain’s mug on a screen eight stories high. Either way, the IMAX experience is different from the conventional movie fare in a few very distinct ways. Traditional IMAX screens are large enough to fill a viewer’s field of vision, meaning that there is nothing outside of the film to distract the audience. The film itself is shot and printed on 70-mm film stock that is almost 10 times larger than typical 35-mm film, a feature that provides a movie with astonishing clarity and visual detail. The large film size requires a special two-ton projector that can move the heavy film horizontally using a vacuum system at double the standard frame rate of 48 frames per second. An IMAX theatre itself is different. Rows of seats are built at a steep 35-degree angle, allowing audiences to be closer to the screen. Additionally, room conditions including screen brightness and speaker output are monitored using remote sensors which allow for real-time adjustment. This type of complex set-up leads to greater immersion in the film, meaning that images and motion seem far more realistic. The concept of an immersive theatre became a reality in 1968, when Canadian filmmakers Graeme Ferguson, Roman Kroiter, Robert Kerr founded what is now known as the Imax Corporation. The three men enlisted the help of engineer William Shaw, who adapted an Australian “rolling loop” film-transport invention in order to create the distinct IMAX projector. The company mark, drawing its name from “image maximum”, describes the film format and projection standards developed by the Mississauga-based company. The IMAX brand, however, encompasses more than just a sophisticated way of showing movies. For over forty years, the company has invested money and technology into film development, production and distribution. Imax uses specialized cameras with large film frames which increase image resolution greatly. Due to the logistics and expense involved in using the cameras, IMAX films tend to be shorter than the average blockbuster. Knowing that they had less time to impress audiences, Imax initially focused its efforts on producing visually impressive nature films and documentaries. Imax burst onto the Hollywood scene in 2002 when it introduced its new digital remastering procedure (DRM). DRM can take an ordinary film and convert it into the IMAX format by digitally converting each frame in high definition, removing flaws from the film stock and exporting the frames to the large 15/70 film format. This process means that movies can gain high clarity without the need for Imax cameras. While DRM provides for crisper films, IMAX cameras still indisputably provide the best picture quality money can buy. The term “buy”, however, may not be appropriate. IMAX tightly controls use of its technology, only lending out its cameras after an IMAX theatre distribution deal is signed with Hollywood filmmakers. 2008’s “The Dark Knight” became the first blockbuster to be shot partially in the IMAX format, to great financial success. IMAX showings have been highly popular, with movies like Star Trek and The Hunger Games consistently reporting 75%+ average audience occupancy. Imax has also gone to great lengths to expand into the digital market by retro-fitting standard auditoriums to accommodate lighter IMAX digital projectors. These theatres have been dubbed “IMAX Lite” by critics for lacking the immersive quality the IMAX brand has become known for. Despite the controversy, Imax continues to brand each of its 700+ theatres as delivering the “IMAX Experience”. As for the future, IMAX is in a joint venture with Shenzhen-based TCL Multimedia Technology Holdings Ltd targeting the home theatre market in China, Russia, and the Middle East. If the prospect of viewing an IMAX-enhanced blockbuster in your own home strikes your fancy, you should start saving now, as in-home theatres may cost as much as US $250,000. Summary by: Elena Iosef