What Makes IMAX So Expensive? | WSJ Tech Behind
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- Опубликовано: 16 май 2024
- IMAX is playing an increasingly large role in the film industry with the success of major movie releases like Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.” Behind the giant screens, high color detail and custom theaters is a huge amount of technology.
From innovative projectors to custom processing tools - and soon, a new film camera, WSJ explores the tech that goes into creating IMAX’s immersive movie experience.
Chapters:
0:00 IMAX movies
0:35 Projectors
1:45 The camera
4:46 Theaters
Tech Behind
'The Tech Behind' explores the amazing engineering, computing, science and algorithms that power our favorite tech.
#IMAX #Tech #WSJ
The IMAX brand is so confusing... Only a small number of the theaters give the full IMAX experience, but the company doesn't seem to want us to know what level of IMAX experience is being offered at each "IMAX" labeled theater... It's kinda lame that they treat us that way....
Edit: I noticed another commenter is using the term "LIEmax"... which does seem apropos...
Yeah there's no shame in it (I love dual xenon for 3D movies for example), they just need to make it obvious. Tell us the screen size! Is it dual laser? GT?? What about sound?
this is very much a spoil of choice case. if your city only has 1 imax screen (I only have 1 in my whole country of 50 mill people) you will take it whatever it is. because is better than any alternative.
SO true... some times it feels as if it is a scam
@@kelownatechkidYou love 3D Movies? 😮🤨
@@lucaskp16 Where do u come from if u don't mind me asking :)
Jesus Christ! For decades I thought IMAX was simply the style of theatre screen! And how the filmed-movies translate to the screen with the use of technology, expertise and magic! I never ever knew it involved practically its own cameras, film-format, tech-support ecosystem .. the WORKS!!! Thank you WSJ! NOW - what else don’t I know about this great big world 😂
❓WHY❓
Why iMAX when it’s better to focus on building an Ai model that can make the whole movie & upscale it to even the Sphere standard ‼️😒
@@duran9664, same idea visited my mind while watching this. 😊
Most of the larger imax theaters have a viewing area behind the projector so you see the giant projector up close.
Sorry to bother you. Would you please be so mindful as to not use the Lord's name in vain. I'm sure there are other words to use to signify your astonishment at what IMAX does.
Because no. lol Because as a content consumer I want the variability. I want creators who use Imax, I want creators who use iphone, but I want them all. @@duran9664
I like how they barely hint at the difference they try to hide between real IMAX and Liemax
Its soo annoying, the narrator says they have smaller screens to accommodate smaller digital theatres then goes ahead and says in the control room they ensure a consistent imax experience across all theatre's. But it can't be a consistent experience if the's multiple screen sizes and seat arrangements can it
@@RedditDailyC my country only has 1 imax screen and house like 6 times or more seats than normal cinemas. only when to it 2 (avatar 1 and dune) times in my life because it cost 6 times more than a normal movie ticket. but it was worth it.
@@lucaskp16 where do you live?
@@RedditDailyCThink in terms of angular resolution rather than the absolute size of the pixels and you will understand it can be done.
@@Andrew-rc3vh except it's a lower resolution on a smaller screen, but I'm about the same distance. So liemax is always much worse than real imax or even digital laser imaxes.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire transition was actually a good decision to symbolize the entrance to the arena. As opposed to the constant cutting from different aspect ratios within various scenes in other films.
Intersteller, for example
Really hope that the modernized 65mm camera means we will potentially see better maintenance for the existing 70mm projectors, and possibly even more implementations of the dual laser system in venues that have a 1.43 aspect ratio screen
❓WHY❓
Why when it’s better to focus on building an Ai model that can make the whole movie & upscale it to even the Sphere standard ‼️😒
@@duran9664 I’m gonna assume this is satirical or rage bait
@@gingersmedia100% ragebait, look at their past comments
Unfortunately despite the success of Oppenheimer, they still won't invest in their projectors
@@duran9664 The funny thing is, one 70mm IMAX camera is the same resolution (18k) as the digital camera cluster built for the Vegas Sphere
New IMAX camera!?!? That's awesome
How they transitioned from regular to Imax on Catching Fire is as of today my favorite!!
Real Imax is great but most theaters really just have lieMax and it sucks. Need to actually standardize all Imax to at least high end laser 4k.
If the size of movie screens pre-multiplex to current multiplex (aka 40s-70s to 80s to current), modern cinema has glorified TV projectors on several screens (thus home TVs that are now giant make for actual competition) and tiny imax compared to the original 80 foot screens - all means your summary is dead on.
Just stop watching movies all together. That seems like a rational solution to your rational gripe
It's so expensive because there's a dwarf in the box doing the magic.
Awesome video!!! Thanks WSJ for showing these details about the IMAX cameras!
There are digital IMAX theatres with full aspect ratio, it's just that there is few of them.
Because cinemas can slap on IMAX branding way cheaper, with smaller screens and projectors
It's great that there are people who are still passionate about film-and especially about large formats like this!
It will not save cinema. There needs to be a return to 35mm in either 2.4 to 1 or 1.85 to 1 ratio. Using a more classic style film stock that is full of colour will blow modern audiences away
They're actually making a new film-camera? There is hope in the galaxy
❓WHY❓
Why when it’s better to focus on building an Ai model that can make the whole movie & upscale it to even the Sphere standard ‼️😒
@@duran9664 Your comment is absurd that's why
@@thealaris, not at all. Ancient people thought only wood can float, not metal. And now metal even can fly. New way of thinking changes the world.
@@TroyQwertwtf
@@marcviej.5635 , change your way of thinking.
WSJ you are heading the right way. Tech, ideas, business, future... this is all we need. Fresh news of possibilities. Not just death, fear and terror.
I did an analog cinema workshop here in Vienna, where the projector operator told me that IMAX appearantly also guarantees that a technician can be send to your location within just a few hours, which probably also plays into the high cost.
yes, that is correct - every IMAX has its dedicated technician with ready-to-go backpack to catch first flight to your location to solve the issue.
non-operational IMAX means no licensing fees from tickets
Used to work at the Mississauga HQ in the mid-90's when they just started playing with film-to-digital transfer. Jazz musicians, mad scientists, and film arts guys = good times.
Will never forget my IMAX experiences whilst watching Blade Runner 2049,Mad Max Fury Road, Oppenheimer and Dune Part 1 and 2 absolutely staggering achievements of filmmaking the effort that goes into making and showing the films on IMAX is well worth it it's just so immersive.
Love the topic you guys pick loved it ❤
One of the coolest videos I’ve watched in a while. Completely enjoyed this
$2,000/minute sounds like an absolutely trivial amount of money for that industry
yea but thats if they get it in one take, often you need 10-20 takes just to get one shot right meaning to make an entire movie takes well over 20 hours of actively filming which could cost a movie millions that it doesn't have/need
@@mrbanana4536 If movies can afford to spend $100M+ on poor and overrated actors, then spending a million or two on filming isn't much. They also said " _can_ cost", meaning that's the upper limit.
$2,000/minute is in no way a trivial amount of money. $2,000 can get you an entire day of filming on the Alexa or two days of filming on a RED Epic. That mission impossible scene is 2 and half minutes and took 2 takes. That’s $10,000 which would get you 5 days of shooting on the Alexa or 10 days of shooting on a Red Epic. IMAX isn’t some trivial expense to tack on its something you use to enhance a very specific scene
@@TheJjcczz You don't get it. It's trivial because they have $200M+ budgets. That's $1,000,000+/minute.
@@oyuyuyMost movies don't have 200 million+ budget and there are tons of other costs besides the film.
cool to see they are developing a new film camera!
Okay. Now i need a full atleast 1 hour documentary about IMAX shot on IMAX.
Just a small sum of a million dollars would do
I like the special Bluray releases that come with snippets of IMAX film from the movie in the case.
Excellent vid, images and narrative along the way. Film is not quite finished afterall. Very impressive .
It was so cool seeing the space station 3d one being featured. It was the first iMax 3D i had ever seen. Got to see it during a school field trip.
The biggest gripe i have about movies is that most are still filmed/recorded at 24 fps... i would love to start seeing 60 being standard. The studder on 120 hz oleds sucks so bad.
Peter Jackson did that with the Hobbit and the series got a lot of criticism because the extra sharpness gave the films the "soap opera" effect.
I believe the type of projector used is the key element when showing an IMAX film. For example, the AIRBUS IMAX in Virginia uses a Dual 4K laser projection system with "new" optical engine providing unparalleled 3D brightness projecting to a massive 86 foot wide screen (largest in the state!). With regards to audio: 12 discrete channels plus sub-bass for fully immersive audio experience. So I would prefer to see an IMAX film there vs an AMC IMAX.
Im 47 i had a foto camera as a kid and loved to take pictures Now because those cameras are gone there is no fun in taking pitures anymore. These imax film projectors and recorders where something else and the movies in theatre where so mutch better than the digital ones The clarity and color poped way more. Like seeing it with your own eyes for real instead of on a screen.
Incredible Astonishing Innovation of Science beyond Imagination!!!
It’s that time of year again where a blockbuster movie was shot in imax and every news outlet and tech related channel talk about how imax is amazing and the tech behind it.
It's about time people realize how absurdly complicated and incredible this technology is Even compared to modern digital stuff, film still takes the cake in a lot of instances.
This 6 minute video fulfilled my curiosity about IMAX that no other videos can 🔥
1:50 I've only experienced IMAX one time in my life, and that was because it was part of a school trip in the early 2000's. I'm like 99% sure Space Station 3D is what we saw!! Before the movie started, there was an advert (it wasn't a trailer, more a digital version of a poster) for that Titanic movie that you also showed. It creeped me out so much!!
Incredible!
this is awesome
Space Station 3D is the first IMAX movie I saw on a school field trip, it was awesome.
Yes I love this. Imax isn’t just keeping analog mainstream, they’re advancing it into the future. I wish someone would do that with recording tape
Movie theatre projection and sound is such fascinating technology.
These guys put alot of work😮
Superb informative video boss 👌👌👌
IMAX really is the best format
You could add a backpack for the film, picture a soldier with a gatling gun with the ammo belt being fed from a backpack.
I saw Oppenheimer in IMAX back in August, and it was amazing. Here are a few things of note:
-Admittedly, the visual quality of the IMAX scenes wasn't as breathtaking as others have made it out to be, but the scale of the image was. I'd say the visual quality of the IMAX scenes were comparable to a 4k TV (which is really good), but with IMAX that level of quality is on a much larger screen that nearly engulfs your vision, which is incredible.
-The scenes that were not shot on IMAX looked bad. The non-IMAX scenes were shot on standard 65mm, which is 1/3 the size of IMAX. It probably looked better than Nolan's other films, which used 35mm for those scenes (this is the first Nolan film i saw in IMAX, so i can't confirm how bad they looked), but it's still jarring.
-With IMAX 70mm, no trailers are played since there's no room for them on the giant reels. I knew this beforehand, but i don't think everyone else that went knew, and the majority of the audience got into the theater as it was starting.
-Yes, the explosions were quite loud. The sound system was superb.
VR...good headphones...
@@LaNoturnaisafegheadphones really can't hold a candle to the hundreds of good speakers in an IMAX cinema. And good luck finding even 3d 4k movies to play in VR, let alone 18k if you're lucky enough to live near one of the proper IMAX.
Greatest documentaries are made in IMAX...
Now only if they'd invest in their GT screen equiped theaters and upgrade them all with AT LEAST Dual Laser. Dallas' IMAX has had a broken 15/70mm IMAX projector for too long.
Amen brother. I actually caught the very last showing of Oppenheimer in IMAX 70mm before it broke the next morning at the end of the film run. It’s been sitting ever since. No Tenet film print, no Dune 2 film print.
LED walls are the future
It's up to the theaters as to what/when they change systems and which they get.
Regal put single laser system on their big screens instead of dual laser to save money.
(And many more are still using 2k xenon)
@@thedopplereffect00 Wrong. Scientifically speaking LED walls are worse because your eye is looking straight at the light source (it is like looking at the sun or, a better comparison, a lightbulb, you don't do it for long if you don't want it to burn it's shape in your eye). Meanwhile, projection is bounced light, like everything you see in your life, which means it's natural for the eye to look at it.
People haven't been using them for long enough but VR headsets (the apple ones are too heavy so almost no one is usin them for long anyway) are similar to that because they are screens directed at your eyes.
And yeah, you'll say "my TV is also a light source and it's fine" but you need to also consider that TVs are now brighter than before and there's not been enough time for HDR TVs users to gather results of if it's affecting them plus in the theatre the only light source, if it was a screen, would be the screen while most people watch TV with some extra light around them in the room, compensating the whole brightness in the area.
@@familygonzcartwright you don't understand physics at all. Light is light. You can control the brightness of LEDs incredibly accurately. Tell me about your magical "bounced light" 😂
One of the reasons to love Canada! 😊
Now do dolby atmos, vision and dtx and such next please
Wow that is exciting!
Im also modernizing Large Format cameras :) With WIFI and such, just a still camera with 4x5" film size. So a bit larger.
A shaking dog on the desk is so cute
IMAX really does elevate the movie experience! 🎬
I just saw Dune 2 in IMAX and it was a great experience.
but you wouldn't watch it again - too boring
@@dieglhixobviously, he now knows the story and that makes it boring to watch again.
there are loads of movies I have watched over twice@@MtFoxt
@@dieglhix no its not
I was in Leonberg watching dune 2 on the largest Cinema IMAX Screen in the world and it was an experience for a lifetime
I got to experience similarly, on the third largest imax screen in the world and the largest in the western hemisphere (AMC lincoln square manhattan). It was staggeringly awesome, and worth driving 3 hours from Albany for it.
Definitely a show of shows
You learn something new everyday!
Just saw Dune part 2 in true top IMAX and it totally stole me away into that world!
the real reason is that nolan keeps breaking all the imax cameras.
Wow
I have learnt something new today
“It is much easier than you think and it makes things so much better.” - Hoyte van Hoytema
Wow, Crazy!!
Thanks for Dune!
Interesting! There is also a video from the cinematographer of Oppenheimer, Hoyte van Hoytema, that is interesting about the rigors of filming Oppenheimer. iMax didn't have a B&W film stock in 65mm so they had to contact Kodak to make it for the scenes Christopher Nolan wanted to be filmed.
IMAX doesnt make film stock, Kodak makes all the 65mm stock available. They simply had to cut it to size
@@Jsjsjjssjs Kodak doesn't make black and white film stock anymore. The production company had to design a film stock and have it manufactured especially for the movie . There was no film to 'cut to size' in the Kodak vaults.
@@everettengbers3553 Yes they do, it's called Double-X, and they make it for 16mm and 35mm. It was the first time they made it for 65mm. Don't know where you get that info but it's simply not true
@@Jsjsjjssjs Kodak no longer makes black and white movie film, that is substantially true.
@@everettengbers3553Dude I literally shot Kodak B&W 16mm last month. Why would I lie?? Just do a simple google search, it's on their website.
Yay new camera on way😭😭🔥💯! We may get dune 3 with that one.
Great video
Now we have the BlackMagic Ursa Cine 17k Digital Camera coming in later this year 🔥🎥
Good video!
I do think it's crazy that IMAX, such a well known company isn't even a billion dollar company
Watched Dune: Part two my first ever IMAX Cinematic experience
Yay, proprietary formats that are expensive and prohibitive to use in the general film industry, my favourite!
I'm really surprised they havent done a digital back for imax.
How do they edit and effects after filming, they scan the film to pc? After that, do they print it out? With what? And in 18K?
Very few directors use film because of how expensive it is. I would think digital would be the way to go if you use CGI, as it gets costly having to reshoot scenes multiple times. Oppenheimer didn't use CGI and was shot on film.
You’re spot on. Christopher Nolan is pretty much the only director that is actively both shooting AND finishing a movie on film and actually having it projected that way as well. VFX shots are typically scanned in at 8k and then re printed to film. It works out better than you’d think because he opts to do as much in camera as possible, so the VFX you see often times are trivial, like painting out wires or just basic compositing of practical elements.
Depends on the director. Some do it the same way the did it before digital cameras or digital projection. Some scan the film and finish everything digitally and release digitally.
Dune part 2 was shot digitally and printed to film for 12 copies, everything else is digital.
No the VFX aren't 18k.
Put it through a 65mm film scanner, get the plates, do all our elements in waaaaay lower resolution than 18k, recompose and output to a film printer. We have done it in the 90s and early 2000s.
I went to see Superman Returns in 3D at a full IMAX years ago - it was impressive but the 3D scenes made it feel a bit disjointed from the majority of the non 3D parts and a bit nauseating - I can start to see why the ticket prices are so high now 😮
My first IMAX move was Dune Part Two last weeks and it was really immersive experience...
Most IMAX theatres aren't even in the IMAX 70nm aspect ratio because it's so expensive to buy. And you pay for the brand but don't get the full film.
It's a shame because if people knew this cinemas would be more keen to invest in full size screens
AWESOME
So many of my imax experiences felt so lacklustre because they aren't the full imax. Plus, most movies only have a portion of this amazing tech in it. Similar to how 3d was implemented in certain movies.
The always online system from a consumer standpoint just looks like they get a cut off each show.
A 35mm film projector in 1.85 to 1 ratio on a cinema screen would wipe the floor with any of the digital systems.
what is the northernmost IMAX?
i live in Anchorage, Alaska, and seeing our theater on their live map was pretty cool. and i saw a dot farther north for the IMAX in Fairbanks, as well, so i started asking google what the farthest north IMAX is. no good results, whatsoever. same with chatGPT. does anyone know, and could you share it with the class, please?
LOL. At around 1:55 to 1:57 you can see the "cat comb" motion artifacts in the white bag he's tossing toward the camera on the ISS.
Yes, they're talking about the amazing digital IMAX recordings, whilst showing something that's from an NTSC analog (VHS) based recording system. Hilarious...
Any product that starts with "i" always have the best quality. For example, iPhone, iPad, IMAX etc.
Meet the standard your local theatre can never meet
I enjoyed watching this special in 720p
Happy with my brrips I get from torrent and my 83" oled TV
We make giant screen..then sit people way the heck back so it looks small again. Genius!
IMAX is a Canadian invention 🇨🇦
Canada is an IMAX invention
I remember a few occasions going to the IMAX theatre at Ontario Place.
Going to go watch Dune part 2 again today. Seeing it in IMAX this time and excited to see how it turns out on the larger screen.
it is so much better
Very cool! Imax is a canadian invention =P I didnt realize all theatres were hooked up online and managed in a central location! Considering that Imax tickets always sell out first. Shooting movies in film isnt going away anytime soon. If it works why change for the sake of change
5:56 - go and open a terminal to ping something...it'll look interesting!
Ingenuity breeds innovation.
heck yeah bro
If only IMAX films can release their films digitally or on dvd in their full IMAX ratios with the blackbars or a blur on the borders. It would make IMAX films like Oppenheimer, Avatar Way of Water, Dune 1-2, and all other IMAX films viewable to the public and would have so much more information on the movie's screen and scale like how the film is supposed to be watched. And, afterall films and movies are made for the entire world to see. To limit this work of joy and ingeniousness to anyone is to limit the art of beauty everywhere
I thought imax was just a big screen lol. Whoops.
Whoopsie
There's a reason it's IMAX, Image Maximized, not SMAX, Screen Maximized.
Apparently only 30 theaters worldwide are 70mm, and from that only 19 in the US. Many states do not have any at all. The Imax site fails to really disclose this so it's a bit of bait and switch to an unknowing customer who sees "wow I never knew I had an Imax near me"
I Love imax!!
Laser projectors will very fast be obsolete as LED becomes cheaper and faster
it sounds weird to modernize a film camera to someone without enough knowledge, but this is the best way to get higher quality today
18k resolution quality.
This is amazing - While the rest of the world is powering ahead with digital, film is still the best.
The first time I went to an IMax, I was expecting to be blown away. I didn't know if my expwctations were too high, or what.....but I was extremely dissappinted. Just fet like watching any other normal movie at the theater. And this was at an AMC Imax btw....I dont k ow if that matters or not ....but the experience was very lack luster to say the least. Simply put, even if IMax was the same price per ticket as a normal theater ticket price.....I still wouldn't be inclined to go to it .....Instead I would just take in other factors, such as the amount of people in the theater, if it has recliner seats, etc. I would rather watch a regular movie with very few people in it, than to go to an Imax for the same price in a theater full of people lol. I've been to an Imax a few times (once to experience it, and a few other times other people paid for me because they didnt want to go by themselves lol) and everytime I left thinking that it wasn't very impressive. Tbh, I'm wrecking my brain over here just trying to even figure out why people like it so much compared to a regular movie lol.
That's because you went to a LieMAX. That is, an "IMAX" theater that uses anything other than 15-perf 70mm IMAX film.
rather than this I would like to see a standard size film that is able to rendered & utilize the full screen aspect of smartphone and tablet and tv or projector screen - in whatever size screen it will be a able to project the images onto the whole screen without cropping and black bar unlike nowadays there is so much cropping or eg in netflix if one enlarged the whole video lots of fringe images will crop out .
I saw Dune 2 in IMAX. The projection had terrible chromatic aberration as they forgot to remove a protective film on the projector lens.
No point to this story
Digital is very difficult to get right. I have seen digital with good pictures and bad.
Wish they would at least mentioned the Arri Alexa 65mm camera that was made for purposes of large format filming. A lot of films use these type of cameras for IMAX. Not just IMAX designed cameras..
That is a digital camera
1:10
The dank side of the moon
Only problem is most IMAXs are not suited to playing imax 70mm movies so they got to fix the theater problem. I saw Dune 2 on a digital IMAX twice and it was great, then I finally saw it on IMAX 70mm at the Chinese theater and it was insane.
Apparently only 30 theaters worldwide are 70mm, and from that only 19 in the US. Many states do not have any at all. The Imax site fails to really disclose this so it's a bit of bait and switch to an unknowing customer.