Odyssey: how the 70mm IMAX technology chosen by Christopher Nolan works
Nolan’s new film is the first feature film in history to have been shot entirely on 70mm IMAX film. How does it differ from traditional screenings, and in which cinemas can you watch it?
Apart from the star-studded cast and the huge budget spent on making it (over 250 million dollars), The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s new film due for release in Italian cinemas on 16 July, stands out from any other feature film ever made thanks to an unprecedented technical choice: it was shot entirely in IMAX 70mm, a technology used throughout the entire film, making it a truly unique work of its kind.
IMAX – an acronym for Image Maximum – in 70mm format uses film that is twice the size of traditional 35mm film. It is the largest film format available today, as well as the one with the highest resolution, capable of projecting images in the expanded aspect ratio of 1.43:1.
Each frame has 15 perforations and moves horizontally through the projector. This system allows the image to fill almost the entire viewer’s field of vision, offering a sense of immersion that is a world away from traditional formats.
IMAX 70mm projection guarantees extremely bright and sharp images, with a resolution that can be up to three times that of standard digital projection systems. To screen the film, however, specially equipped cinemas fitted with specialised projectors are required.
Christopher Nolan is the first director to have shot an entire film in IMAX 70mm, and there is probably a reason why no one had done so before. As well as the very high costs, this technology presents a number of practical difficulties: the cameras and all the equipment are bulky and heavy, whilst the motors produce such a loud noise that it is impossible to record dialogue whilst filming. To solve the problem, IMAX itself created a special soundproof enclosure specifically for Nolan to be fitted around the camera. However, this solution has further increased the size and weight of the equipment. It is no coincidence that, in images from the set, teams of at least five people can be seen carrying the camera.
