In this educational piece, cinematographer Mathieu Vié helps us to get a rare in-depth look in one of the marvelous filmmaking tools ever made – An IMAX film camera. What’s like to shoot on an IMAX beast? Read on to find out.

IMAX film cameras: Shooting for the giant canvas

IMAX cameras, especially those that utilize film stock, are still considered as top-notch regarding imagery. Even with all the digital goodies, high-end technologies, and ultra-resolution out there, IMAX cameras remain superior. Although there are multiple ways to shoot for the giant canvas, like using high-end cameras (RED Monstro, ALEXA LF, 65, and Panavision), the most accurate pathway to the IMAX theater remains IMAX cameras. Unfortunately, there are limited resources regarding IMAX cameras and IMAX shooting methodologies, since they are rare and require specialized training.

When you get face to face with the MSM, it’s like meeting your hero in person Cinematographer Mathieu Vié

Interview with IMAX shooter, Mathieu Vié

Y.M.Cinema Magazine has reached out to cinematographer Mathieu Vié who is highly experienced with IMAX cameras, to shed light on this fascinating piece of machine. Mathieu Vié was born in France, and he’s been working as a cinematographer for about 11 years. “I’ve started shooting film in 2012, willing to discover different kinds of formats as I was only shooting digital. I immediately fell in love with 35mm when I realized how magical it was. After that, I experienced different film formats: 16mm, S16mm, Super8 (I did shot some footage for the tests of the Kodak Super8 Camera) and even though I thought I would never have the chance to shoot 65mm, I finally had the huge honor to shoot IMAX” he says. Read the whole interview below.

Shooting handheld with the IMAX

Y.M.Cinema Magazine: What’s like to shoot on an IMAX camera? Is it hard to operate? Is it intuitive and straightforward, like an ALEXA?

Mathieu: Shooting IMAX is extremely impressive at the beginning. I wasn’t a beginner in shooting analog film, I was used to shoot with the lovely Panaflex Millenium XL2, which is not a small camera, but when you get face to face with the MSM, it’s like meeting your hero in person. As I saw Hoyte Van Hoytema A.S.C, F.S.F, N.S.C, shooting IMAX handheld, I wanted to try it handheld as well. Of course, it is heavy, and you must (for your mind’s tranquility) have a strong grip behind you just in case, but operating this camera is not as tough as I had imagined. I wouldn’t run all day long with it on my shoulder, but you can definitely shoot some shots like this, and give to your cinematography the shaky look. About the intuitive side, I think it is not really comparable as there are no menus or presets, as you can find in a digital camera. The MSM is a film camera: a dark box where the light-sensitive film goes through. You just have to take your light-meter and do your job!

I wouldn’t run all day long with it on my shoulder, but you can definitely shoot some shots like this, and give to your cinematography the shaky look Cinematographer Mathieu Vié

IMAX film camera: fast and noisy

Y.M.Cinema Magazine: Please elaborate on IMAX cameras from technical perspectives. Explain a bit the main differences between film and digital IMAX cameras.

Mathieu: IMAX cameras are film cameras. As I mentioned before, it works the same way as any other film camera. It’s closed, lightproof, and the film runs through it. The difference is in the film format itself: 65 millimeters! But there are two kinds of 65mm cameras: The Panavision System 65, for example, that have been used by Quentin Tarantino on “The Hateful Eight.” However, this camera runs the film vertically, like almost all film cameras, except VistaVision, and on five perforations. This is the major difference with IMAX. Indeed, the IMAX runs the film horizontally, so it prints every photogram on 15 perforations. That’s… Huge! But that creates some issues that must be corrected: the film plane is so big, that to maintain it perfectly flat, IMAX cameras have a vacuum behind the gate. The size of the photograms forces the camera to run faster than a classic camera, to be able to print twenty-four frames per second. This makes the camera very noisy and forbids the shooting of quiet scenes. Christopher Nolan and Wally Pfister A.S.C considered shooting “The Dark Knight Rises” entirely on IMAX, but after some tests, they realized that is was not possible.

The IMAX runs the film horizontally, so it prints every photogram on 15 perforations. That’s… Huge! Cinematographer Mathieu Vié

Furthermore, when you shoot IMAX, you can’t shoot exactly the same way as you shoot classic film or digital. First of all, you always have with you someone from IMAX that will be a technical assistant to the camera, supervising loading and threading the camera. Then each roll of 1000’ is equal to 3 minutes of film (when shooting 24 frames per second) and reload is a bit longer than a 35mm camera. That’s for the technical point of view. But you can’t shoot the same way also from a composition point of view. Indeed, when you shoot IMAX, the final image is so massive, that you must keep the action centered in your frame, or you take the risk to lose your viewer’s attention. And for your Focus Puller’s sanity, try not to shoot wide open on a large format film, as the depth of field will be extremely narrow!

Each roll of 1000’ is equal to 3 minutes of film (when shooting 24 frames per second) and reload is a bit longer than a 35mm camera Cinematographer Mathieu Vié

Costs

Y.M.Cinema Magazine: How much IMAX camera costs?

Mathieu: There’s a lot of truths for this question: Will you be shooting close to IMAX Headquarters? How many days? How many film rolls? One thing sure thing is that IMAX is costly. Some people mention the price of $15.000/Week-End; some say it’s cheaper. I’m not a producer, so I won’t be able to be really precise on this point. A roll of 1000 feet of 65mm Kodak film is around $1000, then you have to process it, and scan or print it… So if you plan to shoot your budget-less short film on IMAX, it might be complicated, but on productions with money, and if you accept the idea to make IMAX a priority, you may be able to make it possible!

Some people mention the price of $15.000/Week-End; some say it’s cheaper Cinematographer Mathieu Vié

An awesome cinematography experience

Y.M.Cinema Magazine: Would you recommend professional filmmakers to choose shooting their next high-end project on an IMAX?

Mathieu: That’s an easy answer: YES. If you can afford it, DO IT! Shooting IMAX has been one of the most awesome experiences in my cinematographer’s life, and I hope that most of my peers will be able to experience it as well. It’s a beautiful format, gathering the perks of a film with the perks of large format, so you can expect beautiful skin tones, huge dynamic range, and a spectacular color rendition. It’s definitely a YES!

Wrapping up

Y.M.Cinema Magazine would like to thank cinematographer Mathieu Vié for sharing his vast experience with the art of IMAX filmmaking. Check out his website for more inspiring stuff. We hope this article will stimulate you to search and learn more about this fascinating piece of gear, and maybe even shoot your next project on an IMAX.