Large Format/"Premium" Theaters (IMAX 15/70, Digital IMAX, XD, ETX, RPX, etc.)

[singhcr]

Thanks for the info, Geoff. I still find it strange that with modern temperature and voltage closed loop controllers that the IPs would vary so much. You need printing lights for the traditional IP-IN-theatrical print method too though, so why would one vary so much more than the other?

The only thing I can relate to is scanning my still film. Positive slide film has relatively little latitude to play with when adjusting the RGB exposure lights on my scanner, but when I scan my negatives....holy crap is there a ton of it. I can massively alter the contrast, dynamic range, and overall color timing whereas my positive film is more or less locked in. It's really quite amazing how much the characteristics of the image can be altered here. I could make it super milky, crush the shit out of the blacks, apply tints, you name it.

Well, perhaps I just answered my own question. Now you get an idea of how I talk to myself most of the day

The issues you described with the 15/70 color I did not see with the print I viewed save for the crushed blacks on some of the 5/65 footage. Next time a Nolan film comes to town I will try and catch another film screening if I can. Minneapolis/St.Paul usually gets at least one 35mm or 70mm print in addition to a 15/70 print for his films. With Interstellar I had the option to see all three locally.

Well...now I really want to try and get some color intermediate duplication film and run some experiments. The curse of curiosity, I suppose. My family and friends are used to it by now.

[Geoff D]

I'm just saying that perhaps with having to bake every single 15/70 print directly from the negative that certain photochemical variations are creeping in, just enough to make the stuff with James D'Arcy on the beach - which even in the DCP isn't perfectly matched - noticeably more out of kilter.

When you go IP-IN-print you're only having to physically time the first IP, the others are just dupes so reeling them off with the kind of modern controllers you mention should be fairly straightforward. But they're having to "time" each 15/70 positive print as if it were an IP straight off the neg and I think some variances crept in, even with the same printer lights, whereas the DCP already comes from a single timed positive 5-perf element that is basically the gold standard for how the film should look in that format.

[singhcr]

Yup, that makes sense. I guess variations in printing will be more apparent when you have to time off a negative as opposed to duping a positive as the former has way more latitude than the latter.

I am in the process of collecting 16mm Chip and Dale prints as Disney won't be releasing them on Blu-ray let alone a half decent DVD transfer anytime soon and what's out there digitally leaves a lot to be desired.

I have four prints so far, three of them being IB Tech. They look lovely, but I had to reject two newcomers. One was a beautifully preserved IB Tech print, but a good portion of it had overblown whites making the background and Donald Duck's feathers rather hard to make out. At first I thought something was wrong with my projector but as it's a strictly scene by scene issue, it had to be the print. Looking at the DVD copy I had, while the colors were much more dull and contrast was flat, there were no blown out whites. So I had to return it.

I next had an offer from a forum member to sell me a mylar (polyester) print of a Chip and Dale short. The print was from the 1980s which made sense as mylar wasn't available until that time. As the cartoons were made in the 1940s and 1950s, the original 16mm releases would be on acetate safely film. I suspected it was a 16mm dupe as I doubt Disney would have gone back to the 35mm negatives or an IP for a reduction print in the home video era. He assured me that it looked fine.

When I played it, the image was very soft. Grain was non existent (not that 16mm release prints ever had a ton of grain, but it's there) and the color was dull and had excessive contrast and crushed blacks. There was no shadow detail at all. Knowing what I know now about film duplication, these were all telltale signs of a dupe print. I just knew that it looked bad. So I got my money back there too. As much as I love the look of film, these annoyances do pop up sometimes when you are collecting prints.

[antovolk]

BR2049 has been confirmed to be 1.90:1 in IMAX.

[Dubstar]

I'm going to post this here just because I think it deserves to be read and retained on how badly the Smithsonian has dealt with the decision and enacting of the demolition of their institutes's IMAX screen (at Natural History) dedicated to the presentation of 'nature' themed movies; as well as keeping 15/70 film alive in the Washington DC area:

Here's what director Greg MacGillivray, the leading producer and distributor of giant-screen movies stated and took a stand against what the Smithsonian was demolitioning the intent (and legacy) that Samuel C. Johnson envisioned in this theater's purpose to educate museum goers with larger than life IMAX movies:

"In an increasingly noisy and distracted world, it is often hard to capture people’s attention for more than a few minutes. A casualty of our distracted age is our broken connection with the natural world and all its wonders.

And yet, it is technology that helps bridge that gap through the power of film. Not just any film — Imax film, in all its sweeping 70-millimeter grandeur. One Imax screen in particular now needs to be protected from demolition.

Unless something changes, on Oct. 1, the iconic Samuel C. Johnson Imax Theater at the National Museum of Natural History will go dark. The Smithsonian Institution is tearing it down to make way for an expanded cafeteria. I have tremendous respect for the Smithsonian, but this decision of fast food over documentary nature films is a disservice to the public and to the educational mission of this 171-year-old institution.

This theater is the country’s premier venue for those without the luxury and means to travel the world to experience the grandeur of nature. It is the only theater in the nation’s capital dedicated to showing Imax films about nature, from the depths of the oceans to the harshest deserts, from the top of Mount Everest to the lush Amazon rain forests.

I know a bit about the power of Imax films. I had the honor of producing “To Fly,” the 1976 Imax film that introduced an entire generation of moviegoers to the six-story screens of this incredible, large-as-life format. Since then, I’ve produced some three dozen documentary nature films in Imax, including “The Living Sea,” “Everest” and “National Parks Adventure.” My company’s body of work has grossed more than $1 billion in box-office sales around the world, about 80 percent of which goes to the museums and science centers where these films play. I have shot more Imax 70-millimeter film than any cinematographer in history.

Before the wrecking balls start swinging, I urge the museum and its supporters to think about what we are about to lose.

The Johnson Imax Theater sees hundreds of thousands of people through its doors every year, tens of thousands of them schoolchildren with discounted tickets. They come to the museum, run past the massive elephant in the foyer on their way to other exhibits, stop by the giant squid for a brief moment to gasp in wonder and walk through the skeletons of dinosaurs. These are memorable but brief experiences.

And then they go to the Imax theater. Here, for 45 minutes, they are immersed in a single topic. They fly above Yellowstone, explore the singular beauty of our world, and meet scientists and explorers who are driven by the need to explain it. Do we really think cheeseburgers and fries are more important to the mission of one of the most iconic museums in the United States?

I don’t. Our world has so many challenges facing it right now. Climate change that will force populations to move in record numbers. Dwindling natural resources for the 7.5 billion people on our planet, double the population when I picked up my first camera to shoot black-and-white surfing films in California 50 years ago.

Our children are the ones who will be faced with solving the most complex problems in human history. If they are to do that, they need to be inspired by what they are fighting to save.

The Smithsonian is the standard by which other museums are measured. The educational and behavioral power of Smithsonian exhibits is magnified by the Imax experience. These films evoke change in those who see them. Food court revenue may be attractive on paper, but the true cost appears to be lost in the equation. Are the exhibits valued for the revenue generated or for the value they bring to the public? The Imax experience creates value and revenue. These films inspire change, create wonder and encourage children to pursue science careers, care for our world and expand their minds.

The Smithsonian should open the discussion to a public dialogue. There has to be a better way to increase space for concessions at the museum without losing this powerful tool for learning and moving hearts and minds." (Washington Post, September 8, 2017)

[IronWaffle]

Originally Posted by Dubstar

I'm going to post this here just because I think it deserves to be read and retained on how badly the Smithsonian has dealt with the decision and enacting of the demolition of their institutes's IMAX screen (at Natural History) dedicated to the presentation of 'nature' themed movies; as well as keeping 15/70 film alive in the Washington DC area:

Here's what director Greg MacGillivray, the leading producer and distributor of giant-screen movies stated and took a stand against what the Smithsonian was demolitioning the intent (and legacy) that Samuel C. Johnson envisioned in this theater's purpose to educate museum goers with larger than life IMAX movies:

"In an increasingly noisy and distracted world, it is often hard to capture people’s attention for more than a few minutes. A casualty of our distracted age is our broken connection with the natural world and all its wonders.

And yet, it is technology that helps bridge that gap through the power of film. Not just any film — Imax film, in all its sweeping 70-millimeter grandeur. One Imax screen in particular now needs to be protected from demolition.

Unless something changes, on Oct. 1, the iconic Samuel C. Johnson Imax Theater at the National Museum of Natural History will go dark. The Smithsonian Institution is tearing it down to make way for an expanded cafeteria. I have tremendous respect for the Smithsonian, but this decision of fast food over documentary nature films is a disservice to the public and to the educational mission of this 171-year-old institution.

This theater is the country’s premier venue for those without the luxury and means to travel the world to experience the grandeur of nature. It is the only theater in the nation’s capital dedicated to showing Imax films about nature, from the depths of the oceans to the harshest deserts, from the top of Mount Everest to the lush Amazon rain forests.

I know a bit about the power of Imax films. I had the honor of producing “To Fly,” the 1976 Imax film that introduced an entire generation of moviegoers to the six-story screens of this incredible, large-as-life format. Since then, I’ve produced some three dozen documentary nature films in Imax, including “The Living Sea,” “Everest” and “National Parks Adventure.” My company’s body of work has grossed more than $1 billion in box-office sales around the world, about 80 percent of which goes to the museums and science centers where these films play. I have shot more Imax 70-millimeter film than any cinematographer in history.

Before the wrecking balls start swinging, I urge the museum and its supporters to think about what we are about to lose.

The Johnson Imax Theater sees hundreds of thousands of people through its doors every year, tens of thousands of them schoolchildren with discounted tickets. They come to the museum, run past the massive elephant in the foyer on their way to other exhibits, stop by the giant squid for a brief moment to gasp in wonder and walk through the skeletons of dinosaurs. These are memorable but brief experiences.

And then they go to the Imax theater. Here, for 45 minutes, they are immersed in a single topic. They fly above Yellowstone, explore the singular beauty of our world, and meet scientists and explorers who are driven by the need to explain it. Do we really think cheeseburgers and fries are more important to the mission of one of the most iconic museums in the United States?

I don’t. Our world has so many challenges facing it right now. Climate change that will force populations to move in record numbers. Dwindling natural resources for the 7.5 billion people on our planet, double the population when I picked up my first camera to shoot black-and-white surfing films in California 50 years ago.

Our children are the ones who will be faced with solving the most complex problems in human history. If they are to do that, they need to be inspired by what they are fighting to save.

The Smithsonian is the standard by which other museums are measured. The educational and behavioral power of Smithsonian exhibits is magnified by the Imax experience. These films evoke change in those who see them. Food court revenue may be attractive on paper, but the true cost appears to be lost in the equation. Are the exhibits valued for the revenue generated or for the value they bring to the public? The Imax experience creates value and revenue. These films inspire change, create wonder and encourage children to pursue science careers, care for our world and expand their minds.

The Smithsonian should open the discussion to a public dialogue. There has to be a better way to increase space for concessions at the museum without losing this powerful tool for learning and moving hearts and minds." (Washington Post, September 8, 2017)

Thanks for posting this. I knew this theater was being shutdown but not for... the cafeteria? Shameful. It's a great theatre and offers a uniquely immersive compliment to the traditional exhibits and some of the interactive ones. In an age where curricula are more broadly developed to address more "learning styles" this is a real loss for students that really benefit from "the moving image". It's hard to squirm during a 45 minute presentation so enveloping. Sad to think that phone YouTube can be part of the reason/excuse. </DavidLynch>

I suspect it's largely a revenue issue but there must be more creative solutions than this. If it's an attendance issue, there may also be ways to improve awareness since the theater is tucked away.

I wish I lived nearer to take better advantage of their IMAX, the one at Air and Space, and the non-IMAX but fine theatre at the Gallery of Art (with its frequent repertory series). Sadly, getting into the city has become too cumbersome (various Metro problems) or pricy (DC parking) and time consuming (public transport and car alike) to get there from my home in Columbia. I used to go more often when I lived in Silver Spring.

Reminds me a bit of when all of DC's art house theaters were shuttering. Seemed they were all being replaced by CVS. Even that's better than a cafeteria.

[CelluloidPal]

Originally Posted by IronWaffle

Thanks for posting this. I knew this theater was being shutdown but not for... the cafeteria? Shameful. It's a great theatre and offers a uniquely immersive compliment to the traditional exhibits and some of the interactive ones. In an age where curricula are more broadly developed to address more "learning styles" this is a real loss for students that really benefit from "the moving image". It's hard to squirm during a 45 minute presentation so enveloping. Sad to think that phone YouTube can be part of the reason/excuse. </DavidLynch>

I suspect it's largely a revenue issue but there must be more creative solutions than this. If it's an attendance issue, there may also be ways to improve awareness since the theater is tucked away.

I wish I lived nearer to take better advantage of their IMAX, the one at Air and Space, and the non-IMAX but fine theatre at the Gallery of Art (with its frequent repertory series). Sadly, getting into the city has become too cumbersome (various Metro problems) or pricy (DC parking) and time consuming (public transport and car alike) to get there from my home in Columbia. I used to go more often when I lived in Silver Spring.

Reminds me a bit of when all of DC's art house theaters were shuttering. Seemed they were all being replaced by CVS. Even that's better than a cafeteria.

Oh, I remember that. Despite some of them being smaller than your living room and the seats were less than comfortable (except for Visions), they were the few places to catch an arthouse flick and back then, I had to travel all the way from PG county to get there plus this was long before Landmark Theaters came to town. The Dupont theater is for sure a CVS.

[ITDEFX101]

So I sent a decent letter to IMAX and I had a response from the upper management within 24 hours :O

~~~~~~~~~~~
Firstly let me apologize for not getting back to you sooner. I was overwhelmed with events at the Toronto International Film Festival.

I apologize for the recurring sound issues at this venue and will have our technicians investigate immediately.

Joe will be in touch and provide two complimentary tickets in the hope we can regain you trust.

We'll try and get this fixed for Blade Runner and would love a report from you. Glad you like Udvar, one of my favourite IMAXes.

Regards
David Keighley
CQO, EVP IMAX Corp.

Sent from my iPhone
~~~~~~~~~~

Wow...Was not expecting such a fast response like that and second, 2 free IMAX passes (Hollywood movie money :\ ) It was a very nice gesture but I am really hoping that they do send a team to look into my local IMAX (regal manassas) to see WTF is going on with their system. 6 months of problems with their IMAX presentations is just too much.

[ITDEFX101]

So I was just reading about GeoStorm and it being one of those movies shot years ago and then went back for reshooting because it didn't test well. Lets say they shot certain scenes with one type of camera......then later on during the reshoots, a better camera came out , will they end up shooting the reshoots with the new camera or the old camera?

[Geoff D]

No idea about that film whatsoever (never even heard of it) but although pickups are ideally shot on the same/similar camera and format (flat/anamorphic) as the original main-unit photography they are often done using different cameras, e.g. Star Trek Into Darkness was shot on 35mm anamorphic and 65mm IMAX but when they shot pickups they did them on RED digital.

Bear in mind that movies these days are made up of a multitude of sources anyways, even predominantly film-based shows use digital for night work, aerials and so on. On Spectre they used Super 35 for the opening scene, anamorphic 35mm for the bulk of shooting and the Alexa 65 digital camera for the river sequence at the end, along with a few other digital sources for good measure. Jason Bourne also used a mix of Super 35 and regular Alexa digital. They get them all to match up when doing the grading in the DI, often using film emulation LUTs on the digital stuff.

[CelluloidPal]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

No idea about that film whatsoever (never even heard of it) but although pickups are ideally shot on the same/similar camera and format (flat/anamorphic) as the original main-unit photography they are often done using different cameras, e.g. Star Trek Into Darkness was shot on 35mm anamorphic and 65mm IMAX but when they shot pickups they did them on RED digital.

Bear in mind that movies these days are made up of a multitude of sources anyways, even predominantly film-based shows use digital for night work, aerials and so on. On Spectre they used Super 35 for the opening scene, anamorphic 35mm for the bulk of shooting and the Alexa 65 digital camera for the river sequence at the end, along with a few other digital sources for good measure. Jason Bourne also used a mix of Super 35 and regular Alexa digital. They get them all to match up when doing the grading in the DI, often using film emulation LUTs on the digital stuff.

You forgot about Nightcrawler. Used 35mm for the day scenes and Arri Alexa for the night scenes.
Also, Geostorm is the latest disaster movie from the ID4 producer making his directorial debut. They ran a trailer before Dunkirk in regular theaters.

[xbs2034]

The Final Cut version of the original Blade Runner is playing in IMAX for one night only on September 20th. Looks like it might just be limited to six theaters, though three are laser IMAXes and I think all might have the 12 Channel sound system

https://www.imax.com/news/blade-runn...ut-coming-imax

[Riddhi2011]

This is the reply I got yesterday, after writing to the Smithsonian about the IMAX closing down -

"Thank you for your letters to Smithsonian Secretary David Skorton and me regarding the decision to close the IMAX theater at the National Museum of Natural History on September 30.

Opened in 1999, the IMAX and the Atrium Café were key elements of a major, privately funded renovation of the museum’s West Court. While we have been privileged to show a number of phenomenal films in the theater, annual attendance has declined in recent years to less than half of what it was in its first years of operation. At present, fewer than five percent of the museum’s nearly seven million annual visitors utilize the IMAX.

This project is one of several in the works aimed at improving the overall visitor experience at our museum. It will make possible a number of improvements including additional space for mission-driven programming and a new, more spacious and sustainable restaurant to accommodate the museum’s large crowds. Construction will begin this winter and be completed in time for the opening of the new fossil hall in 2019.

I hope you will continue to visit the National Museum of Natural History and encourage you to experience the Smithsonian’s other IMAX theaters at the National Air and Space Museum on the Mall and the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center near Dulles airport in Virginia.

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Kirk Johnson
Sant Director

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY"

[GLaDOS]

Originally Posted by Riddhi2011

This is the reply I got yesterday, after writing to the Smithsonian about the IMAX closing down -

"Thank you for your letters to Smithsonian Secretary David Skorton and me regarding the decision to close the IMAX theater at the National Museum of Natural History on September 30.

Opened in 1999, the IMAX and the Atrium Café were key elements of a major, privately funded renovation of the museum’s West Court. While we have been privileged to show a number of phenomenal films in the theater, annual attendance has declined in recent years to less than half of what it was in its first years of operation. At present, fewer than five percent of the museum’s nearly seven million annual visitors utilize the IMAX.

This project is one of several in the works aimed at improving the overall visitor experience at our museum. It will make possible a number of improvements including additional space for mission-driven programming and a new, more spacious and sustainable restaurant to accommodate the museum’s large crowds. Construction will begin this winter and be completed in time for the opening of the new fossil hall in 2019.

I hope you will continue to visit the National Museum of Natural History and encourage you to experience the Smithsonian’s other IMAX theaters at the National Air and Space Museum on the Mall and the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center near Dulles airport in Virginia.

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Kirk Johnson
Sant Director

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY"

Bastards. They should've at least kept the Johnson IMAX theater for 15/70 Hollywood exhibitions.

[antovolk]

Just an FYI - three sequences in the new Kingsman open to 1.9:1 in IMAX

[Geoff D]

The film looks like it was shot anamorphic (maybe even using Hawk glass again) so they must've switched to shooting flat for those sequences.

[xbs2034]

Originally Posted by antovolk

Just an FYI - three sequences in the new Kingsman open to 1.9:1 in IMAX

Thanks, and I guess we now know the six films with special IMAX formatting which was mentioned earlier this year: Beauty and the Beast, Guardians Vol 2, Dead Men Tell No Tales, Kingsman, Blade Runner 2049, and Thor.

[Merkur]

I know it's early to talk about this but do you guys think we'll get 1.9:1 IMAX sequences with The Last Jedi? Was kinda bothered that they didn't do so for TFA.
Hey, maybe I should ask Rian Johnson about it on Twitter!

[antovolk]

Originally Posted by Merkur

I know it's early to talk about this but do you guys think we'll get 1.9:1 IMAX sequences with The Last Jedi? Was kinda bothered that they didn't do so for TFA.
Hey, maybe I should ask Rian Johnson about it on Twitter!

There weren't?

There was a 1.44:1 sequence and same will happen on TLJ

[Merkur]

Wait... so the IMAX 3D DCP did switch to 1.9:1 during the IMAX sequence? I must've been so immersed I didn't notice the shift. I genuinely thought the AR switches were 15/70 exclusive. My bad.