Pappasarts
Administrator
Posts: 70
Registered: Feb 2012 |
 Posted February 25th, 2012 07:03 AM IP   
Large Format 65MM and IMAX in Hollywood.
Large format films, there's nothing quite like them. Unfortunately it has almost declined to an absolute zero compared to 30 years ago when 70MM was still used as a marketing hook that represented the best possible experience, and additionally if shot with 65mm film that would've included phenomenal clarity over the standard 35mm film as well. Then there was IMAX for those wanting to go beyond the normal cinema experience. Showscan and IWERKS was there as well, however, and unfortunately those two were held at bay in the ride venue world. Most recently in a nice turn of events, especially in the decade where film is seeing its last days of being the pinnacle of choice for production ( as well the bankruptcy of Kodak ) there has been a resurgence of large negative film being used for principle photography on some large scale films for IMAX exhibition. The large frame in IMAX is so massive that it collects all the details and nuances the lens has to offer. The best way I can describe that, is its unique look is like cinema with the elegance of medium format photography. The clarity is unmatched from anything less. I will update this section later on, however for now here is Cinematographer Wally Pfister on Imax put to use in films he's DP'd and his collaboration with Director Christopher Nolan. ( Wally Pfister discusses Imax at the 10min point in this video )
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n6DQuyBu-c&t=10m0s]
A frame from The Dark Night showing an example of an IMAX frame vs 35mm film.
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Though not new, I remembered recently that Filmmaker Jean-Jacques Annaud made Wings of Courage in Imax 3D back in 1995. To my knowledge it was the first time a feature had been shot in IMAX. The film stared Val Kilmer, Craig Sheffer, Elizabeth Mcgovern and was from Sony Pictures. I saw this in Imax, and it has stuck with me ever since. The beauty of the large format, the elegance of the imagery. I was only able to find these low resolution clips posted below. One is the films trailer, and the other is a scene. However if you know how Imax feels, it doesn't take much of a leap to imagine how this looked and sounded.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxuxw7IZQ9U]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_wez2B83ic]
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News came to light that Paul Thomas Anderson’s religious drama The Master staring Phillip Seymour Hoffman, about a man who starts a new faith based organization following World War II was shot in 65mm film and will be projecting at 70mm. Last year a rumor was floating around that Paul Thomas Anderson was using 65mm to film The Master. Of course it's hardly a secret where crews can be over a 100 people and camera support teams working daily with the cameras as well rental house supplying the gear. However it did remain under the radar until recently when it was confirmed in a modern way: Twitter! Yep, that indispensable communication tool to the masses via 140 characters is how we found out.
It was a Twitter conversation between current and former Pixar directors Brad Bird, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich. Andrew Stanton tweeted "The Master is indeed in 65, they nearly lost a camera shooting in the Bay." So there we have it, quite awesome news.
(Edited by Pappasarts)
(Edited by Pappasarts)
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