How IMAX Redesigned The Odyssey's Cameras in Mississauga

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey became the first feature film shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film. The format accounted for 20% of the movie's global opening weekend, and IMAX posted its biggest-ever Canadian debut, global president Mark Welton told BetaKit.

The cameras that made it possible were redesigned in IMAX's Mississauga, Ont., technology hub. Welton said the company took its older 15/70 film cameras – built in the 1960s and 1970s – and made them quieter, lighter, and easier to move. That let Nolan shoot across six countries, including mountain terrain, deserts, and open water.

A bigger change was the 'blimp' system: a sound enclosure that goes over the camera. IMAX film cameras had always been too loud for dialogue, which is why even Nolan's earlier films like The Dark Knight and Dunkirk used them only for certain scenes. The new blimp, combined with the quieter camera body, allowed Nolan to capture intimate dialogue scenes on the 1.43:1 aspect ratio format. Welton said Nolan's team called the blimp a game-changer.

For The Odyssey, IMAX increased its film-equipped theatres to 41 locations worldwide, up from 30 for Oppenheimer three years ago. The company relies on partnerships with exhibitors such as Cineplex Canada: IMAX designs the auditorium, installs its screen and sound technology, and takes a cut of the box office. It now operates nearly 1,900 locations across 91 countries.

The film projectors themselves are a separate challenge. Welton said the projectors are 50 years old, with obsolete parts and lost drawings. The 41 sites running film are existing complexes from the early 2000s; the company is patching together spare parts to keep them operational. 'It's a little more difficult to be able to build these projection systems and build these theatres around the world,' he said. 'We are going to look into that.' IMAX is exploring whether it can redesign its film projection technology, just as it did with the cameras.

The cameras are named the Keighleys, after David Keighley, who founded IMAX's post-production company 50 years ago. David and his wife Patricia handled post-production for the company's early educational films. He later built a close working relationship with Nolan and producer Emma Thomas, starting with The Dark Knight. Welton said Keighley worked on The Odyssey until the end, and that Nolan and Thomas cherished the partnership.

IMAX was founded in Canada in 1967 and debuted its technology at the Montreal Expo that year. The first permanent IMAX theatre opened at Ontario Place in 1971. Welton said the Canadian brand still carries weight: 'There have been a lot of people who grew up with IMAX and understand the principles of IMAX technology, quality, and innovation. I think they've passed that down to their children.' Canada now has nine 70mm film theatres, from Halifax to Vancouver.

Welton said IMAX will keep pushing. The company plans to gather feedback from Nolan on the new cameras and look for further improvements – quieter operation, lighter weight. It is also considering a next-generation film projector, though nothing is concrete yet.