So, if The Dark Knight was shot in Imax...

[Bizi Jones]

Here's something that I've been wondering about...the new Batman movie coming in July is going to use IMAX cameras to shoot some sequences...(such as the 6min prologue that's attached to I AM LEGEND)...and since Nolan apparently states that he wanted the largest possible canvas for those shots, I wanna know how they plan to show that along regular 35mm film...just crop it to the 35 or different aspect ratios...at least for IMAX...cause if they going to crop it once it eventually comes out on bd/dvd, what was the point of the supposed bigger canvas

[WriteSimply]

No point, because Nolan seems to WANT to shoot in Imax but probably didn't get the budget to do the whole thing in Imax. And of course it's really expensive. So he gets six scenes. Warner will probably do it like Superman Returns (2D to 3D) though the technique to transition from 2.35 1:1 is going to jar audiences.

Unlike other Imax-originated films, I believe the final result in BD will be 2.35 only - IE the Imax scenes will be cropped to conform to the rest of the movie.


fuad

[Deciazulado]

I would imagine they'll shoot the IMAX negative (1.40) scenes protecting for the regular 35mm anamorphic print's 2.39 aspect ratio. (Also, when 35mm Scope ratio films are blown up and shown in IMAX they're usually letterboxed inside the IMAX print anyway.)

To transfer the IMAX-shot 70mm wide image segment into the 21mm wide image area of an anamorphic 35mm print is just then a matter of optically reducing it. (Or these days, digitally)

[Bizi Jones]

Originally Posted by Deciazulado

...(Also, when 35mm Scope ratio films are blown up and shown in IMAX they're usually letterboxed inside the IMAX print anyway.)

yeh I noticed that with I Am Legend...(1st time in IMAX)

Originally Posted by WriteSimply

No point...So he gets six scenes. Warner will probably do it like Superman Returns (2D to 3D) though the technique to transition from 2.35 1:1 is going to jar audiences.

the Imax scenes will be cropped to conform to the rest of the movie.

why would Warner (Nolan) then spend all this money on IMAX and not use it in the end...

since I am not sure if its ever been done like that before (different film used for the same movie) I assume that they'll just letterbox the 35mm parts and play the IMAX sequences as they are...(at least on IMAX)...but would they do the same for reg. theatres (or the bd release)

I guess I am just concerned about cropping as I am against anything other than oar

[Deciazulado]

Originally Posted by Bizi Jones

Here's something that I've been wondering about...the new Batman movie coming in July is going to use IMAX cameras to shoot some sequences...(such as the 6min prologue that's attached to I AM LEGEND)..

Originally Posted by Deciazulado

when 35mm Scope ratio films are blown up and shown in IMAX they're usually letterboxed inside the IMAX print anyway

Originally Posted by Bizi Jones

yeh I noticed that with I Am Legend...(1st time in IMAX)

Maybe the Superman IMAX-shot segment might be "letterboxed" on the IMAX prints. Or not.

Originally Posted by Bizi Jones

why would Warner (Nolan) then spend all this money on IMAX and not use it in the end...

You mean why spend money shooting sequences in a large 50 mm x 70 mm negative if the sequence would be shown cropped to 30 mm x 70 mm on the regular Scope prints?? Because 30 mm x 70 mm is much better quality than regular 10 mm x 24 mm Super-35, or 17.5 mm x 21 mm anamorphic 35

Star Trek TMP's, STAR WARS', and Blade Runner's SFX were shot in large formats too

I guess I am just concerned about cropping as I am against anything other than oar

Well the "OAR" is not the physical negative's full frame ratio, it's the COMPOSED-for ratio. (Or as i call it, the IAR (Intended Aspect Ratio). If they protect in shooting you don't lose anything by cropping, as it will be mostly empty space or incidental background.

99% of 1.85 films (and now the 2.39 Super-35 fillms) are shot that way and you get to see them with the matte open in the 4:3 video version (1.78 broadcast version).. but correct in the theatrical version.

Super-35/regular 35mm cameras have 1.33/1.37 camera apertures. IMAX cameras have 1.40

I'd think if they show the full frame 1.40 IMAX on the Superman sequence there might be a lot of headroom and legroom. Because if they didn't, when transfered to the 35mm 2.39 anamorphic prints there might be too much heads cropping. . Unless they pillarboxed the sequences 1.40 inside the 2.39?

Originally Posted by Bizi Jones

since I am not sure if its ever been done like that before (different film used for the same movie) I assume that they'll just letterbox the 35mm parts and play the IMAX sequences as they are...(at least on IMAX)...but would they do the same for reg. theatres (or the bd release)

Brainstorm had both flat 35mm Standard Widescreen and 70mm parts. The 70mm negative was used when they put on the memories recording gear. On the 35mm Scope prints the regular 35mm widescreen sequences were pillarboxed and the 70mm sequences went wider filling the Scope frame and looked cleaner. In the 70mm prints when the 70mm parts came in, the image not only got wider, but became twice as sharp Cool to watch.


There are other multiratio films too, Brorther Bear, Enchanted, Galaxy Quest etc. but they weren't "shot" in different film gauges.

[Bizi Jones]

coo, tx for that info...I'll check out one of those films to c how it looks...but I guess I won't know how it was cropped if I can't compare it to the original negative (although u mention that its pillar boxed, so not cropped for 'scope', well I guess to c how it was edited)...where as when I compare shots from the 'prologue' to the trailer, the same shot is cropped in the trailer...

[WriteSimply]

Nolan said in the Imax featurette that he wants the Imax sequences to pop up when you see them. So even in the normal theaters in 35mm, you'll see a difference.

Kinda like what happened at the end of 28 Days Later.


fuad

[WickyWoo]

Superman was 100% genesis camera

[tek]

So I am under the impression that The Dark Knight has been filmed with Imax cameras, therefor Imax film. I'm not sure but isn't Imax a much different aspect ratio then 1:85:1 or 2:39:1. It will be great to see it on Imax, but what will it do to other theatrical releases and blu-ray releases. I assume that these aspect ratios get changed but what happens with the original pictures Imax ratio intent. Am I confused and worried over nothing?

thanks for any responses

[Bobby Henderson]

Some portions of The Dark Knight were filmed in 15-perf 70mm IMAX. Not the entire movie. Most of the film was shot in 4-perf 35mm with anamorphic lenses on Panavision cameras.

Regular movie theaters (those with 35mm film projection or digital projection) will show the entire movie in the 2.39:1 aspect ratio. The IMAX footage will be horizontally cropped to that rectangular ratio.

The cropping of the IMAX material shouldn't be much of a problem. The main action is going to be happening in that rectangular picture. With IMAX, cinematographers must also add a lot of "headroom" with their shots. A lot of what's going to be cropped won't have critical subjects in it.

This isn't really any different in principal from how the endless multitude of Super35 movies are cropped to 2.39:1. They're shot on 35mm with normal spherical camera lenses. The image is cropped for theatrical release. Then some of the cropped area is restored for home video and broadcast TV release. It's basically "home video safe widescreen." I don't like Super35 for how grainy those films tend to be. Anamorphic 35mm delivers better image quality for 2.39:1 aspect ratio films.