Where the Wild Things Are: The IMAX Experience

It is often said that The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a children's novel that adults can enjoy, while The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an adult novel that children can enjoy. This statement in itself constitutes a form of elitism. Just because Huck Finn is a better, richer novel than Tom Sawyer, it must be presumed that the second story must not have been truly intended for children. This idea rears its ugly head in the discussion of family films as well, as poorly made family films are often labeled 'just for kids', while superior family entertainment is often accused of being secretly made for adults. The very idea of high-quality entertainment that is specifically directed at children seems to be some kind of oxymoron in the critical community. I have no idea for whom Spike Jonze crafted Where the Wild Things Are, but the film is a very much a high-quality children's movie.




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In Recession, Imax Shines

The key to Imax's weathering the economic storm has been its transition from a film-based platform to digital and to a business that relies on joint ventures as opposed to sales.

Imax will go from 150 commercial theaters showing Hollywood blockbusters on giant screens to 350 in the next three years. Each projector costs Imax about $500,000, while theater owners contribute $150,000.



But Imax gets a 12.5 percent cut of box-office grosses, so cash flow from earlier screens are paying for the installation of future ones. Plus, a $50 million financing package already in place is especially helpful during the current credit crunch.

"KNIGHT'S" HEROIC PERFORMANCE

Having "The Dark Knight" in its corner has helped as well. The second most commercially successful title in global film history has racked up $63 million in ticket sales at 130 Imax screens, not counting the current re-release of the Batman feature. That's an Imax record for a Hollywood blockbuster.

Barring a drop-off in theater attendance, this year ought to be a stellar one for Imax, with potential giant-screen hits "Watchmen," "Star Trek," "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" and "Avatar," among others.

Coming to Imax in March is "Monsters vs. Aliens" from DreamWorks Animation, another business doing well despite the economy.

Unlike many of the major studio conglomerates, which are invested heavily in the television station business, "DWA has zero advertising exposure," says Steve Birenberg of Northlake Capital Management.

"Earnings should be flat to higher in 2009," Birenberg says of DWA. "Very few other media companies can come anywhere near to flat in 2009."

Plus, DWA and Imax hold key stakes in one of the more bullish areas in the entertainment industry: 3-D movies.

A 60-page report issued in January by Piper Jaffray says 3-D upgrades could help the exhibition business buck a recession into 2010 and 2011. Such theater chains as Regal, Cinemark and Carmike stand to benefit significantly from transitioning as many as 20 percent of their theaters to the format.

Some 3D Projects Noted:
Of the 40 planned 3D projects, a few of them you may have already heard of:

There’s already been Journey to the Center of the Earth, the previously mentioned Disney’s Pixar computer-animated film Monsters vs. Aliens which is due out next March and James Cameron’s Avatar.

Journey to the Center of the Earth was the first ever live-action film that’s been shot entirely in 3D, but it also had a 2D version out. Pixar studio is now making all of its computer-animated films in 3D.

On top of that, in the “Is Nothing Sacred” category, Disney’s Pixar is redoing Toy Story (I & II) in 3D, and George Lucas is hoping to keep his Star Wars franchise alive by redoing that in 3D.

The Home Viewing Industry:
With the home viewing industry being a nearly $36 billion industry, some big names are looking at how to get 3D into your home. Some of the companies include Disney, Universal, Philips, Samsung, Sony, Thomson and IMAX.

Some sports telecasts have already taken place in 3D and there’s a push to develop TVs where you won’t need glasses at all. (That confuses all three of me.)

The idea is that since Hi-Def made such an impact, 3D HD will be even bigger. Right now we already have some 3D products in the home. An estimated 1 million 3D-ready HDTVs made by Mitsubishi and Samsung are already in U.S. homes. The basic concept from the Philips brand is to place a lens over the screen to create the effect.


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NFL asks The Arizona Science Center IMAX to cancel Super Bowl

Although this is not a nationwide event, but watching live sports or concert events on Imax would be spectacular !

"Want to watch the Super Bowl on a really big screen?The Arizona Science Center had planned to broadcast the game in its five-story IMAX theater, but NFL officials have apparently asked them to cancel the event.In the past, NFL policy has prohibited other mass viewings, citing copyright laws, particularly with the Super Bowl, which is watched by millions on TV.Entry into the theater was going to be free with the price of general admission to the center. "


Source:Abc

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Transformers 2 Gets at Least 3 IMAX Scenes

Variety reports that director Michael Bay will film at least three action set pieces using IMAX cameras for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The trade adds that director Jon Favreau has discussed using IMAX cameras in filming Iron Man 2, while director D.J. Caruso has expressed interest in doing so for future projects such as Y: The Last Man.



LOS ANGELES /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - IMAX Corporation, DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures today announced that director Michael Bay will shoot key sequences of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen with IMAX® cameras. Bay will integrate the IMAX footage with state of the art CGI to create an unprecedented look and feel for the highly anticipated sequel to last year's box office hit, Transformers. As previously announced, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will be released to IMAX® theatres simultaneously with the movie's wide release on June 26, 2009.

The movie sequences shot in traditional 35mm will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The IMAX DMR scenes will appear in the traditional "letterbox" shape, while scenes shot with IMAX's cameras will expand vertically to fill the entire IMAX screen.

"The extraordinary level of detail and intensity captured by the IMAX camera creates many exciting possibilities for us with this film," said Michael Bay, the film's director. "IMAX's all-encompassing format will take this story to a new level, and I am once again very excited to share The IMAX Experience with Transformers fans around the world."

"The addition of another amazing title from DreamWorks and Paramount, combined with more groundbreaking use of IMAX technology by Hollywood's top filmmakers, are examples of how far we have come as a company and a distribution platform over the past several years," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "The growth of the IMAX theatre network, fueled by the economical benefits of the new IMAX digital system, is driving interest from virtually all of the top studios, which is resulting in more IMAX movies for audiences to enjoy."

"Michael Bay's innovative use of IMAX cameras will create a spectacular cinematic adventure for moviegoers next summer," added Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "We're very excited to be integrated as a core part of the Transformers production, and with the skilled marketing and distribution teams at DreamWorks and Paramount, the timing is ideal given our expanding global audience and network footprint."
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'Avatar' to be released in Imax 3-D

The live-action 3-D sci-fi adventure from James Cameron will be released simultaneously in Imax 3-D when the film premieres next year in conventional 3-D theaters, Imax Corp. and 20th Century Fox announced Thursday.

Set for a Dec. 18, 2009 release, "Avatar" is Cameron's sci-fi epic, made in stereoscopic 3-D and combining live-action and computer animation using visionary new techniques.

The film will be digitally re-mastered for the Imax release.

"Our goal with Avatar is to revolutionize live-action 3-D movie-making, and I have no doubt that it will look and sound incredible in Imax 3-D," Cameron said. "The larger field of view and power surround sound of an Imax theater will completely immerse the audience in a way that cannot be experienced anywhere else."

Added Imax's Bruce Snyder, president of domestic distribution, "The Imax theater network is increasingly becoming an important part of our distribution strategy, as it continues to expand with its new digital projection system."

"Avatar" centers on an ex-Marine who finds himself in the middle of hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms.

As an Avatar -- a human mind in an alien body -- he finds himself torn between two worlds, fighting for his own survival and that of the indigenous people.

The film stars Sam Worthington, Giovanni Ribisi, Michelle Rodriguez, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver.
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