IMAX and 3D- New Technologies

Why Imax is still the way forward for cinema

The future of cinema is here. It's been around for years but, as studios now struggle to find a way to offer audiences a spectacle that can't be replicated by downloads or illegal streams, it's currently enjoying a quiet renaissance. It has revolutionised the way we consume movies, and an increasing number of well-respected film-makers are seeking it out as a creative outlet. 3D? Don't be daft – 3D is the medium of cut-price dance films; the medium of Piranha and Yogi Bear and that terrible Clash of the Titans remake. No, I'm talking about Imax.
The vastness of the screen. The infinite clarity of the picture. The way that securing a last-minute seat is almost impossible. It's event viewing. Imax can make bad films bearable and good films incredible.

To give a measure of the demand for the combination of Hollywood spectacle and huge screen, the BFI Imax in London reported 99% average occupancy for its screenings of Avatar in the original run, and that figure included middle-of-the-night screenings. The Dark Knight scored 84%, Star Trek 82%, and even the likes of the second Transformers movie could sell 75% of seats for the Imax format

Imax cameras are giant, weighty, deafening monstrosities that can only shoot 150 seconds of film at a time. But the result certainly paid off: the Imax sequences of The Dark Knight, especially when blasted across Imax screens, are staggering in their vibrancy, clarity and scale

Stuart Heritage, The Guardian 2010

Has 3D film-making had its day?

Nic Knowland has been a respected director of photography in Britain for 30 years. He's seen cinema trends and fads come and go, but never one for which he's had so little enthusiasm as 3D.

"From the cinematographer's perspective it may offer production value and scale to certain kinds of film. But for many movies it offers only distraction and some fairly uncomfortable viewing experiences for the audience. I haven't yet encountered a director of photography who's genuinely enthusiastic about it."

'No resemblance'

Nic Knowland's opinion of 3D is backed by another British cinematographer Oliver Stapleton, who has shot Hollywood movies such as The Cider House Rules and The Proposal.

"3D is antithetical to storytelling, where immersion in character is the goal. It constantly reminds you you're watching a screen - and it completely prevents emotional involvement. Natural human vision bears no resemblance to 3D in the cinema."

"2D doesn't reveal the smoke and mirrors of filmmaking in the same way. Of course that's partly because we're used to it, but also - it's not trying to mimic our vision.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20808920