From the July/December 2000 issue of the Operating Cameraman

In recent years the number of large format 2-D and 3-D films produced have doubled, and the continued increase in public interest is fueling the financial success of the large format in the US and abroad. Case in point is the most recent mega success from MacGillivray-Freeman/Imax films, Everest, released in 1998. Everest shattered every box office record in the large format world earning in excess of $75 million. These large format films potentially may attain greater recognition and profit with the long awaited release of Disney's Fantasia 2000 in large format theaters countrywide.

For the first time ever, commercial large format screens outnumber the traditional them park, science center and museum large format screens.

The success of the large format film at its core lies in its stunning power to vividly transport an audience to places they may never have been or will ever have an opportunity to experience first hand.

Showing them far away places, be it on top of a giant summit, in outer space or even two miles beneath the oceans, on a giant screen, puts the audience instantly in that environment for 40 minutes or more. They truly feel as though they are physically present in that place.

This total immersion of sight and sound leaves an indelible impression on the audience. The powerful imagery of Everest, Destiny in Space, Grand Canyon, and especially the film Chronos, directed and photographed by Ron Fricke, was filmed entirely using time lapse photography. Without the use of narration, Chronos is a purely visual film scored with a hypnotic sound track complementing the mystical imagery of man's relationship to time; past, present and future.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Large format cinematography is not new to cinema or audience alike. Abel Gance's 1927 Napoléon was one of the earliest large format films to be simultaneously projected on a three screen synchronized system. Abel Gance actually photographed many scenes in 3-D but did not incorporate them in the final cut for fear of audience reaction.

Napoléon was and still is a landmark film in the history of cinema for it broke all technical grounds and created a unique grammar solely for the language of film. Whether Napoléon with its powerful visual style and wide three screen presentation inspired French professor Henri Chrétien to develop the Hypergonar lens process is still unclear. However, the invention of this Hypergonar lens in 1927 was and is considered to be the mother of the present anamorphic lens system. Unfortunately, the French and American film industries were not ready for this new wide screen process and consequently the lens lay in limbo until 1953 when it was rediscovered by 20th Century-Fox in the form of CinemaScope.

Filmmakers have experimented with the wide and large screen formats since the inception of the medium. In the 8 perf 35mm horizontal frame there was VistaVision, 1954-1961, which is still in use today in visual effects and background plates. Finally, but not completely, Cinerama, the 6 perf 35mm three panel film system, was introduced in New York City's Broadway Theater on September 30, 1952.

Fast-forward to 1970 and the World's Fair in Osaka, Japan where IMAX (Image Maximum) made its debut with Tiger Child at the Canadian Pavilion with roaring success. The world had never seen such a giant moving picture. A 15 perf/70mm film frame covered a towering screen of 80 feet high by 100 feet wide. This ushered in the beginning of contemporary large format cinematography.

Thirty years have gone by since then, and the large format film industry has gone from merely an amusement park and science museum based presentation to a segment of the film industry that commands a substantial box office draw. Today large format screens are found in many multiplexes tin most large to mid-size U.S. cities and major capitals around the globe. They attract mall visitors and tourists alike with films such as Mysteries of Egypt and Everest in the 2-D 15/70 format and Into the Deep and Encounter in the Third Dimension in 3-D 15/70 format, to mention a few. These films and others like them have succeeded at the box office because they have managed to combine entertainment and education in a seamless presentation which totally immerses the audience in the sight and sound of the large format film.

Memorable large format films of the part are To Fly, Destiny in Space, Blue Planet, Grand Canyon, Fires of Kuwait and Africa: The Serengeti, all of which were filmed in the 2-D 15/70mm format.

TODAY'S FORMATS

Currently, large format cinema has four different size formats: 15/70, 10/70, 8/70 and 5/70. The first figure represents the number of perforations per frame of camera original negative as well as projected print. The 70 figure represents the width of the projected film print in millimeters. The most widely used large format as well as the largest is the 15/70, pioneered by Imax Corporation. This format utilizes standard 65mm film negative with a horizontal film frame of 15 perfs in length (compared to standard 4 perf/35mm vertical frame). This makes it the largest film frame in motion picture history with an aspect ratio ranging from 1.33:1 to 1.40:1. This print is projected onto a screen measuring 80' x 100'. That's ten times the size of a conventional screen and up to eight stories high. In a dome-like theater one's peripheral vision is fully occupied by the entire screen. Today IMAX no longer has an exclusive hold on the market, as companies such as Iwerks and World Odyssey are producing 15/70 cameras and projectors.

The second large format in use is 8/70 where 8 perfs of 65mm film run vertically through the film gate with the same aspect ratio as 15/70. The resulting 8/70 print can be projected on a screen up to 60' x 80'. Today, 30% of all large screen theaters are 8/70 installations, due in part to less expensive camera and projection systems and to fine grain film stocks with high resolution enabling cross printing to 15/70.

Increased stability and brightness of 8/70 projectors exceeding large screen industry standards are helping this format to become the mainstream option. Please note that 8/70 is not to be confused with VistaVision 35mm "Lazy 8" which runs horizontally at 8 perfs per frame and continues to be used in special effects work.

The third large format system is the 5/70 where 5 perfs per frame of 65mm film are run vertically through the film gate with a standard aspect ratio of 2.2:1. This system was prevalent in theatrical work (SuperPanavision and Todd-AO); however it is rarely used today in conventional filmmaking due to cost. The two most recent theatrical releases to use 65mm were Far and Away and Little Buddha. In the large format industry ShowScan is the system utilizing 5/70. The 65mm ShowScan camera shoots at 60 fps and the resulting image is projected at 60 fps producing an extremely high resolution, grain free, flickerless image.

The fourth large format in use is the 10/70 which also runs horizontally. It is little used in North America, compared to Japan where the format dominates.

LARGE SCREEN PRESENTATION

Large screen film is presented in a multitude of settings, IMAX for example, can be projected either flat on a giant screen or on a dome screen with a wraparound image. IMAX 3D can be projected on the giant flat screen or on a dome named IMAX Solido where 3-D images are viewed with the new cordless, electronic liquid crystal glasses or the conventional 3-D polarized glasses.

IMAX simulator rides are also in places such as Universal Studios, Hollywood where Back to the Future is one of the major attractions. For an unbelievable 3-D simulated ride, check out the Adventures of Spiderman at Universal's Orlando, Florida Theme Park. Twelve 3-D 8/70 screens are positioned in various parts of the ride as the audience is transported from Orlando to the 100% computer generated back alleys of New York City. The 3-D rear screen projection on some of the 12 screens is what makes this presentation unique in the sense that it is the first successful 3-D rear screen projection using large format. This is made possible by the development of an advanced projection system by Electrosonic Image Control.

Iwerks Corporation also presents its films in flat, dome or 3-D configurations and in either 15/70 or 8/70. Encounter in the 3rd Dimension, the first large format film where actors are put in a totally computer generated digital environment, is Iwerk's most recent 3-D film, in cooperation with nWave Pictures.

Another form of presentation is the 360 degrees theater. Disney's CircleVision 360 is an example that can be seen at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The system consists of nine 35mm 4 perf synchronized 24 fps projectors shown to a standing audience on nine individual screens arranged in a circle.

The 70mm Ultra Toruscope is yet another 360° system which utilizes three 5/70 projectors running at 30 fps producing a 360° image up to 70' in diameter. The audience is seated on rotating servo-controlled chairs with optional breeze and scents. Cinema 180 from Omni Films International is a 5/70 based system utilizing 65mm original negative and a 70mm print. The print is projected onto a quadraspherical domed screen 42' wide by 24' high and 18' in depth.

CINEMATOGRAPHY IN THE LARGE FORMAT

Technically speaking, large format cinematography is similar to conventional 35mm in terms of the basic tools used. A wide range of film stocks in 65mm is readily available from Kodak. Lenses, however, are different from standard 35mm or even 65mm lens systems. When photographing in the 15/70 format, one is essentially using a medium format still photography mode, i.e. 2.25" x 2.75" or 6 cm x 7 cm, although the actual size of 15/70 is 2" x 2.75" or 5 cm x 7 cm. Medium format Zeiss and Hasselblad lenses are available according to Director of Photography Reed Smoot (Mysteries of Egypt, The Journey of Man (3-D), Grand Canyon: Hidden Secrets). "Beginning with the 30mm lens, 40mm being normal perspective, we continue all the way up to 1000mm. Of course none of these lenses translate directly to 35mm cinematography."

In terms of filtration, Reed Smoot had a major influence in making the 6.6 x 6.6 matte box a standard accessory on all IMAX cameras since his photography of Grand Canyon: Hidden Secrets in 1983. The thinking in those days was not to put anything in front of the lens since large format was after the highest resolution and the finest image possible.

"I had come out of a theatrical background where we had been using a full array of filters. So I felt a strong need to have contrast control over the sky, especially since in an IMAX exterior landscape frame, a large percentage of that frame may be sky."

The large format cinematographer's tool box continues to be somewhat limited compared to the tool box of his/her counterpart in conventional 35mm photography. In terms of the cameras used, the system is "semi-archaic" according to Max Penner of Paradise Visual Effects, a stereographer and technical consultant on Terminator 2 - 3-D. "The equipment is always bulkier and heavier and most of the time you have to build your own accessories. It is like shooting in the '40s," Penner states.

The camera technology which we take for granted in theatrical motion picture production is barely available in the large format systems. For example, the advances made in weight reduction of 35mm cameras (average 35lbs) compared to 95lbs and more for 15/70 and 15/70 3-D systems are phenomenal. The high speed/slow motion capability available on most 35mm and 65mm production cameras is not widely available in the large format systems. The same is true with micro and macro photography.

IMAX continues to be a dominant supplier of equipment although companies such as MacGillivray Films and Iwerks Corp have succeeded in equipment manufacture. Iwerks' "Hines" system was used in addition to the IMAX 3-D Solido system on the new Cirque de Soleil 3-D film, Journey of Man.

However, large format filmmakers are inventing new tools as they have been for the last 30 years and in so doing are creating a new form of cinema with its own grammar and language.

Cinematographers instinctively recognize the importance of composition and accord it the utmost care. Composing for large format cinematography requires a different set of parameters than standard 35mm wide screen. For example, in conventional theatrical or television projection, the audience is not required to utilize a great deal of head movement to view the entire screen. Not the case with large format, where a good deal of head movement, up and down and side to side, is required to take in the complete spectacle. Therefore, careful placement of key images in the composition is paramount for optimum viewing impact.

Another set of challenges the large format cinematographer faces in terms of shot design is audience placement in relation to the screen. Camera moves, speed of action in the frame, strobing due to rapid pans, are all highly magnified effects in large format and must be considered carefully in order not to overwhelm the audience. One must be discriminating in the use of impact shots as the large format itself has a powerful effect on an audience.

LARGE FORMAT IN THE DIGITAL AGE

One can no longer deny the tremendous impact digital technology has had on both film production and post production. Every film that has been released in the past five years has had digital manipulation, be it enhancement, digital visual effects, compositing or CGI (computer generated imagery). The achievements so far are mind boggling, whether in film or television, and with every passing day the digital technology is unleashing bigger and better surprises. On the large format side of film, digital technology has been embraced as well. Witness the success of the first fully digital 3-D, 15/70 Iwerks/nWave Pictures film, Encounter in the Third Dimension, directed by Ben Stassen.

Stassen states: "I wanted to be one of the first filmmakers ever to use this digital cinema, what Francis Ford Coppola had called electronic cinema in the late '70s and early '80s; where a 100% digital environment is created in which an actor is artificially placed, making it possible to create a very different kind of 3-D film, one that has never before been attempted with incredible opportunities."

Stassen's excitement about digital cinema, especially as it relates to large format 3-D, has to do with the creation of a new form of black room entertainment based on audience participation and reaction.

"In conventional filmmaking," Stassen continues, "audiences react on two levels, emotional and intellectual. In large format 3-D you have the third level which is the physical component to the participation, which in effect creates a new language of cinema where audiences react to the images on the screen just like they would react to a live concert or stage play. It is such a powerful medium and I am excited about the future potential."

David Keighley, Senior VP of Imax Corporation, is also very excited about the digital aspect of large format in his quest for the perfect IMAX print. "IPs and INs (interpostive and internegative prints) have served their purpose very well for the past 20 years. However, there are many aberrations which the dupe negative cannot get rid of, such as image unsteadiness, hairs, dust, etc. Now there is the DRS technology which literally fixes everything including color correction. If I am able to digitize everything I can make a flawless print. This is my goal by the end of 2001, to be able to make a digital dupe negative in IMAX that rivals the original negative print."

As far as digital capture in the large format Keighley is by no means excluding the digital format. However, "origination on negative in our format will be around for a good while. It (digital capture) has a long way to go to capture 12,000 lines of resolution on any video Hi Def system," Keighley concludes.

From a cinematographer's point of view, Reed Smoot notes: "As far as image delivery in the digital domain, I saw a very interesting example of what will eventually replace the IP and IN step, and I would applaud that, 100%. Just from seeing the test as a cinematographer I am tremendously excited about the possibilities. It is going to allow us as cinematographers to convey as purely as possible the information required."

So is the large format the last bastion of film? Chris Reyna, President of the Large Format Cinema Association (LFCA) and VP of Imagica, a large format post production house, answers unequivocally: "Yes, the large format is the last bastion. Quite frankly, all the play the media has given to digital projection or to digital cinema is more hype than actual delivery. There is no digital system that comes close to meeting the bandwidth requirements if we are just talking apples, and apples of large format. What we see more and more is that film is used to capture the image, the image may be manipulated digitally, but then in terms of a reliable high bandwidth system it comes back to film."

Reyna likes to remind us that when television came on the scene people said film was dead. However, 50 years later film is still around and remains not only a viable, but also a high quality means to capture a presentation. "Film in my opinion, has at least another 50 years of being not only a capture and display medium, but also the very best way of preserving the image. There is no digital medium that exists now or that will exist in that form for a very long time. There are no archival methods for storing data better than film."

Ironically, even the staunchest advocates of digital capture and projection admit that digital cameras and projectors have a long way to go before they can compete with the resolution and brightness of a large format film.

As 35mm continues to come under the intense attach of the digital world, large format film capture and projection will take on greater significance as the last bastion of high quality film presentation. Perhaps just as important, more and more commercial films will be produced in the large format. The long awaited release of Fantasia 2000 in 15/70 is only the beginning.

Enjoy the show and may all your dreams be in 3-D 15/70.