GoKawiilIMAX screens differ from traditional movie theaters in both shape and size. For one thing, IMAX replaces the traditional aspect ratios, the term film buffs use to describe the height and width of a screen, with either a 1:90:1 or 1:43:1 ratio for their digital and film projection showings, respectively. For those who don't spend their days studying the intricacies of film formatting, this means that IMAX theaters are both larger and proportionally taller than the average theater. More square in shape, screens are crafted to extend beyond the periphery of human eyesight to deliver a more visually immersive experience. For a 70mm film screening, for instance, IMAX's theaters stand and astounding 59 feet tall and 79 feet wide.
In an IMAX theater, you aren't simply seeing the same image blown up to gargantuan proportions, but rather, a different image altogether. This is especially true for films shot on IMAX's massive cameras, which capture a larger image than their counterparts. As Christopher Nolan described it to the Associated Press, the expanded view poses exciting challenges for filmmakers. "We have to plan very carefully because by shooting an IMAX film, you capture a lot of information," he said. "Your movie is going to translate very well to all the formats because you're getting the ultimate amount of visual information. But there are different shapes to the screen . . .What you have to plan is how you then frame your imagery so that it can be presented in different theaters with equal success."
But directors shooting in digital also have to make creative decisions to fit the expanded format, as filming for IMAX's dual aspect ratios is more than simply zooming out and cropping the film to size in post-production. Instead, filmmakers must adjust the lenses, lighting, and sound architecture in order to maximize footage for both IMAX and non-IMAX formats. Movies that are "Filmed for IMAX" take it a step further by collaborating directly with the exhibitor throughout the production. IMAX also provides production software, including digital remastering tools, to clean and enhance images for their larger-than-life presentation.