This is topic IMAX #1 Last show in forum Large Format Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 12-18-2010, 01:11 PM:
 
Yesterday the worlds first Imax projector ran its last show and it was north of superior
funny the new compressor died and it had to run its last show off the original japanese compressors from Osaka





The machine will be replaced by a 3d GT (3d in that theatre is a big mistake in my opion)
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 12-19-2010, 01:10 AM:
 
Have any history on this? How old is it?
 

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Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 12-19-2010, 01:15 AM:
 
What did they replace it with?
 

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Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 12-19-2010, 05:59 AM:
 

quote: Joe Redifer

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Have any history on this? How old is it?

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If it's the first one then that should make it 1970, at least for it's first public shows; I don't know when it first ran on test.
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 12-19-2010, 11:18 AM:
 
The machine was originally built and used at the fujitsu pavilion at osaka1970 and was then moved to ontario place
in 1985 the reel unit and lamphouse were replaced with the prototype MK1 reel unit and the 15K lamphouse (the original was 30K)
later the machine was the prototype for the 48fps system
almost everything in it is one of a kind
 

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Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 12-19-2010, 12:29 PM:
 
Gordon says it will be replace by the gt3D system. Which is the system that we run, good to know your not going digital and staying film.
 

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Posted by Sean Weitzel (Member # 244) on 12-19-2010, 02:13 PM:
 
I have a question about the GT3D, do both strips of film run the same direction or does each eye come into the machine from the opposite direction?
Also how many individual shipping reels make up a typical 2 hour 3d feature?
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 12-19-2010, 02:32 PM:
 
Sean, if it's the same as the one at Gardenwalk in Anaheim, Ca. both films enter on the right side of the machine (facing the screen) and exit on the left.

And the feature I saw that was left there (Avatar I think) had over 48(!) reels per eye. (Bear in mind that the "reels" are very short, I'm guessing around 500 feet or so.)

I may be wrong on both counts, as I was there a few months back on a marathon situation so I had a lot going on.
 

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Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 12-19-2010, 02:59 PM:
 
They have to be a lot more than 500 feet per reel - No? They're "short" because the film moves so fast.
 

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Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 12-19-2010, 03:29 PM:
 
15/70 film is about 1000 ft per reel, or about 3 minutes of run time.

It seems to me that Cinesphere will lose a LOT of usable seats when running 3D shows.
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 12-19-2010, 04:15 PM:
 
the rumour i heard since i havent worked there for the last 3 years it is about 1/3 of the seating is gone
 

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Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 12-19-2010, 05:02 PM:
 
Adams correct, the average reel total for a feature is in the 28-36 range. Anywhere in that window is where your movie will fall. With Potter and Avatar going into the 40's. Avatar non Special addition ran 47 reels and SE ran 46 reels. All the reels replaced were much longer then there counterpart. To the point that the shipping boxs they were shipped in were filled past what they could hold. If you want to see pictures of the shipping reels, how they arrive ect. just look for me on facebook. I have several photos from the builds.
 

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Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-19-2010, 06:54 PM:
 
I think Ontario Place's screen is way too large to put digital on it. Even putting in 4K would be questionable there. I hope they preserve that machine... my finger prints are all over it!
 

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Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 12-20-2010, 04:43 AM:
 
The DNA of many IMAX projectionists and technicians can be found on old #1.

Leads me to think that if you ever wanted to create the ultimate 1570 tech the gene pool there would be a great place to look for cloning material
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 12-20-2010, 07:36 AM:
 
Yes we could resurect bill shaw
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 12-24-2010, 01:04 PM:
 

quote: Kurt Zupin

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Adams correct, the average reel total for a feature is in the 28-36 range. Anywhere in that window is where your movie will fall. With Potter and Avatar going into the 40's. Avatar non Special addition ran 47 reels and SE ran 46 reels. All the reels replaced were much longer then there counterpart. To the point that the shipping boxs they were shipped in were filled past what they could hold. If you want to see pictures of the shipping reels, how they arrive ect. just look for me on facebook. I have several photos from the builds.

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Hey Kurt, be kind to those of us who don't have (or despise) Facebook, and upload two of those build pics here on this thread.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-26-2010, 01:14 PM:
 
Amazing how each eye of "Avatar" managed to fit on the decks like that - right to the edge - and with the aid of those clips to hold it in place...

..bet each deck full of film weighed in close to half a ton...and even more..

Then, with the film speed of 335 ft/min, those decks are really spinning...

"Dang!" hate to see a film flop or a brain wrap in this setup ...

-Monte
 

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Posted by Jeffry L. Johnson (Member # 453) on 12-28-2010, 05:56 PM:
 
150 minute QTRU platter weighs 68.5 kg (151 pounds) empty, 265.8 kg (586 pounds) full.
 

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Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 12-29-2010, 02:37 AM:
 
AVATAR tipped the scales at well over 650lbs actually
 

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Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 12-29-2010, 10:01 AM:
 
All this talk got me thinking of the classic SNL skit "How Much Ya Bench?" with Emilio Estevez.

"We're gonna be projecting the IMAX 3D version of Avatar in a steroid free experience. Sam Worthington is a new star in Hollywood who also needs a savage beating."
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 12-29-2010, 03:09 PM:
 
Kurt, post the pics man!!!
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 01-05-2011, 12:39 AM:
 
I hear the Cinesphere is scheduled for demolition.
 

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Posted by Ben Wales (Member # 92) on 01-05-2011, 04:52 AM:
 

quote: Tom Petrov

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I hear the Cinesphere is scheduled for demolition.

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quote: Gordon McLeod

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The cinesphere is going to get a GT 3d machine and in the process the booth will have to be demolished and then rebuilt larger to handle it

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Gord, I am talking about the talks by the city of demolishing the entire complex.
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 01-06-2011, 05:58 AM:
 
It would be difficult for them to do that since it is crown property not the city's
Many people never knew this but the reason it was built as structures on stilts in the water was the city denied the province a building permit for it since they wanted it built in the CNE grounds under the city's control
The province built it in the lake so it was out of the citys control
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 01-09-2011, 12:10 AM:
 
$1.8 million dollar renovation on the Cinesphere. WOW!

And it is kind of cool that the projector has the serial #1

On a weekday December morning, Dave Callaghan Jr. projected the famous scenic film North of Superior for the very last time on the original IMAX machine at the Cinesphere. It was a poignant day, especially since his father David Sr. ran the same machine — with the serial number 1 — when Ontario Place opened its doors in May 1971, screening the same movie. “It was the defining moment for us,” said general manager John Tevlin. At that time, it was cutting-edge technology, giving moviegoers the first chance to experience such visual and audio intensity, unlike anything they had ever seen before. The domed theatre was the world’s first permanent IMAX theatre. Officials are hoping to recapture some of that nostalgia next spring, when Ontario Park celebrates its 40th birthday. When the Cinesphere reopens in May after $1.8 million in renovations this winter, the theatre will have a new projector with 3D capability. For fans of North of Superior, fear not: The new machine will be able to run all the old films

Cinesphere to go 3D

I guarantee Hollywood hits like TRON will play at the Cinesphere.
 

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Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 02-01-2011, 01:48 AM:
 
Had I known this was going to happen, I would have called my college buddy now in living in Kentucky and we would have met there to see that last historic screening.

We both saw our first IMAX film in the Cinesphere sometime in the late 70s, maybe early 80s -- it was NORTH OF SUPERIOR and it floored both of us, and especially me.

First off, we only had heard vague comments in the line outside the theatre about there being a "big screen." I had seen Todd-AO in New York and though, "Hey, I know big screens. Let see what these Canadians got." I was really only drawn to it because of the name Cinesphere and the unique shape of the theater, other than that, I knew nothing about IMAX.

Once in the theatre, the screen was not defined by any masking so I had no idea of size. As far as I could tell, there was just a big wall in front of us and SURLY the screen wasn't THAT big. Then NORTH OF SUPERIOR began with its 1/6th size image in the middle of the screen. I remember leaning over to my friend and smirking -- "They've got to be kinding....they call this a big picture?!" Then of course comes the jump to full IMAX screen over the water fall which you don't know is a water fall or that the camera is in a plane and out to fly out over it withy you IN IT. For someone who doesn't know what IMAX is (was) and who has absolutley no idea what to expect, this was nothing short of cinema orgasm.....multiple orgasms.

That opening sequence is to IMAX what the Lowell Thomas center screen "Ladies and Gentlemen, THIS IS CINERAMA" sequence is Cinerama, only without two annoying join lines.

I think we watched it 3 or 4 times; I forced my buddy to wait with me in line thru each alternate show. I wouldn't leave until the last screening.

I became an IMAX 15/70 instant groupie ever since.
 

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Posted by Paul Gordon (Member # 3320) on 02-02-2011, 06:15 AM:
 
Will the 3DSR projectors really be able to play the older IMAX films? will not the image be cropped? I hope they don't pull out the mag dubbers like they did at the Museum of Civilization when they did 3d renos.
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 02-02-2011, 09:32 AM:
 
They plan to install a GT projector not SRs
 

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Posted by Tom Petrov (Member # 1534) on 02-03-2011, 03:29 AM:
 
Gord.

Media is reporting that it will be digital projection going forward.
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 02-03-2011, 08:52 AM:
 
The contract is for a GT projector
 

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Posted by Dick Vaughan (Member # 540) on 02-03-2011, 09:38 AM:
 

quote: Paul Gordon

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Will the 3DSR projectors really be able to play the older IMAX films? will not the image be cropped?

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SR projectors don't crop the image. They were the last IMAX projectors to show full 1570 frame. They wouldn't fill the Cinesphere screen as they are only designed for screens up to around 70foot wide.
The MPX projector was the first not to show full frame . They were designed to go into multiplex auditoria with an aspect ratio of 1.7:1
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 02-03-2011, 08:34 PM:
 
Tom if i believed what the media said this industry would have disappeared in 1952 and none of us would be having this discussion
 

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Posted by Andres Briano (Member # 4621) on 04-04-2011, 03:54 PM:
 
For those of you who have asked for pictures, (specially those whose despise Facebook ) here are the best ones I´ve got from a build.

As you can see, this particular movie came in 7 boxes of 6 reels each.

These took place at the booth from The Bridge in LA. I was being trained there back in 2006. I helped put together "V for Vendetta" DMR 2D. That booth used to be GT3D, but I haven´t spoken to anyone there since the company sold it. I have no idea what has become of it.

PS: Before you ask, the can of coke wasn´t mine.

Andrés
 

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Posted by Kurt Zupin (Member # 2751) on 04-04-2011, 05:54 PM:
 
I've been meaning to upload those as requested by Tony. I will do it tonight when I get home from work. I promise
 

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Posted by Andres Briano (Member # 4621) on 04-08-2011, 10:12 AM:
 
I´m afraid we have drifted off-topic, here. This post was solemnly about #1 shutting down for good. That added to the forum policies...

quote:

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As of 9-22-03, posting more than 2 theater images (not for technical assistance) within the forum on a particular thread will constitute your temporary leave of absence from the forums.

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quote: Gordon McLeod

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Last time i checked cumberland still has the vic8's installed with 70mm capability as does one screen at the varsity

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