Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Special Imax Version of New Transformers

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Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 06-08-2009, 01:46 PM:

From Michael Bay's blog 6-7-09:

quote:
The way to see this movie is on IMAX. Never before has there been 4k rendered character animation shot on full IMAX 70 mm film. This is a first and the results are stunning. You will see Optimus Prime in a few shots where he is actually perfectly to scale on the IMAX 50 foot tall screens.

For IMAX, I created a slightly longer cut with more robot fighting. Four scenes were shot on IMAX cameras so the screen will fill the full IMAX screen for these scenes.

I would guess that this will be shown more on 30' tall screens than 50'! And, if its like BATMAN, the scenes shot with IMAX cameras will be about 2' higher on top and 3' on the bottom. Sure wasn't very noticeable on BATMAN.

Nope, not worth the extra $5!

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 06-08-2009, 02:10 PM:

I'm more interested as to why you were reading Michael Bay's blog???

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 06-08-2009, 06:18 PM:

IMAX referenced it on its FACEBOOK list. I read that for amusement purposes only!!!

IMAX is really trying to pump up the "REAL IMAX" stuff in that film.

What I found most amusing was the Michael Bay seems to think that all IMAX screens are BIG IMAX screens, hence his 50' high screen reference.

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 06-08-2009, 08:44 PM:

50 feet high is not a big Imax screen. [evil]

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 06-08-2009, 09:26 PM:

quote: Mark Lensenmayer
I would guess that this will be shown more on 30' tall screens than 50'! And, if its like BATMAN, the scenes shot with IMAX cameras will be about 2' higher on top and 3' on the bottom. Sure wasn't very noticeable on BATMAN.

Obviously not all IMAX theaters are designed equally. And that's just referring to true IMAX theaters that project 15-perf 70mm film.

I watched The Dark Knight at a Cinemark IMAX theater in Colorado Springs. I don't know the dimensions of the screen in that theater, but it seems appropriately huge. By contrast, the IMAX theater at the Denver Museum of Natural History doesn't seem quite so big, but at least it shows real IMAX format movies even if they are just "boring" documentaries.

Anyway, I noticed a major difference in aspect ratios between the 2.40 35mm 'scope footage and the 15/65 footage in The Dark Knight. It sure wasn't any mere 2' or 3' difference.

Regarding the new Transformers movie and the "firsts" it claims to have achieved, it sounds to me like the term "character animation" really must be underscored when Bay it talking about outputting "4K character animation" to IMAX film.

Most of the IMAX footage in The Dark Knight was "practical" effects -like the stuntman in the bat suit diving off the skyscraper in Hong Kong. That's a green screen shot. Still, TDK did have some CGI effects output to IMAX and I have doubts those effects were merely 2K.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 06-08-2009, 09:34 PM:

quote: Brad Miller
I'm more interested as to why you were reading Michael Bay's blog???

OK, I have to confess that made me laugh. [Big Grin]

Posted by Lyle Romer (Member # 1266) on 06-08-2009, 10:50 PM:

quote: Mark Lensenmayer
And, if its like BATMAN, the scenes shot with IMAX cameras will be about 2' higher on top and 3' on the bottom. Sure wasn't very noticeable on BATMAN.

I don't know what IMAX you saw Dark Knight in but if it was a real IMAX 15/70 theater with the original IMAX aspect ratio (1.43:1 I think) there was a BIG difference in the height of the IMAX originated footage. Certainly a hell of a lot more than 5'.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 06-08-2009, 11:56 PM:

quote:
quote: Brad Miller I'm more interested as to why you were reading Michael Bay's blog???

OK, I have to confess that made me laugh. [Big Grin]

I find it funny he even has one.

'Blew up some more shit today. Someone gave me a rewrite page and I blew it up too. LOL!'

[uhoh]

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 06-09-2009, 01:47 PM:

I think it's stupid that they keep promoting the Imax and 3-D as the "best" way to see movies when at least 60% or more of the audience won't see them that way, either due to economic concerns or just not living in an area with those options.

All this does is "cheapen" the movie experience for the standard-format moviegoer, and helps them decide to wait for the DVD.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 06-09-2009, 02:20 PM:

quote: Lyle Romer
I don't know what IMAX you saw Dark Knight in but if it was a real IMAX 15/70 theater with the original IMAX aspect ratio (1.43:1 I think) there was a BIG difference in the height of the IMAX originated footage. Certainly a hell of a lot more than 5'.

I quote it. I saw it in London and, despite something wrong to the projector - I suppose - that cut the contrast down, the difference between Imax and Non-Imax was HUGE.

Posted by David E. Nedrow (Member # 4981) on 06-09-2009, 03:24 PM:

Hmm, does Bay know there are fewer and fewer IMAX screens that can even project what he's envisioning?

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 06-09-2009, 06:01 PM:

I think the film was 'dark' anyway, didn't have any problems with contrast when I saw it at the BFI in London. Can't wait to see the film in IMAX, the thought hadn't occurred to me that the robots would be to scale on the big screen.

Posted by Marco Giustini (Member # 4544) on 06-09-2009, 06:33 PM:

Actually, when something bright was projected on just one part of the screen, the ENTIRE screen become gray-ish. The diffused light could be seen on the audience too coming from the booth. It was very annoying and noticeable. Port glass and lens were apparently clean. Maybe something was wrong just for that show...