Keep seeing people post that IMAX 70mm is just 4:3 TV or that the extra top and bottom of the frame doesn't add anything. You just have a misunderstanding of IMAX photography.
To accomodate other formats, Chris Nolan and Hoyte Van Hoytema use ground glass (Pic 1) etched with guides to appropriately frame every shot. This ensures Nolan can mostly center punch for every deliverable.
That's also why IMAX tends to be center-framed (Pic 2). The filmmakers want you looking dead center at what's happening while the rest of the image melts away into your peripheral vision. The idea is that when you're watching IMAX 70mm on a massive 60-100' screen, all you see is the movie. No masking, no screen frame, nothing. It's meant to fully immerse the viewer.
The size of the film negative and use of wide open lenses supports this in intimate moments because of the shallow depth of field. The image is tack sharp exactly where your eyes should be.
For wider shots and action sequences, there will usually be an important object(s) close to center frame that helps guide your eyes to surrounding parts you need to focus on (Pic 3). This is also why Nolan's movies translate well to widescreen formats like 70mm, 35mm, and other 2.39:1 screens.
He's not thinking about the height or width of the image independently, but as one giant canvas.
There's negative space above peoples heads because if you pushed their heads to the top of the frame and the next shot had an important action in the lower third, you'd spend the majority of the movie pivoting your head up and down and across the massive screen (Pic 4). Exhausting.
This is also why Nolan and other filmmakers crop from 1.43 to 1.78 for Blu-ray. The idea with the IMAX sequences is that they expand and use every inch of screen real estate. Pillarboxing 1.43 footage when intercut with 2.39 scenes makes the IMAX images appear smaller since they don't take up the full width of your screen. Footage should expand vertically, just like in theaters.
I get that tons of people watch stuff on their phones and laptops these days, but you have to understand the original intention - the theatrical experience - and not you sitting at home watching the movie on your 15" Macbook, 6" phone screen, or TV that's probably 5 ft too far from your couch.
Apologies for the long rant. 🤘🎞️
Dawg seeing everyone buying and attempting to buy tickets for The Odyssey is legit bringing a huge smile to my face. THATS FUCKING SIR CHRISTOPHER NOLAN TO TOU.
NHL fans in Indianapolis have no broadcaster audio for Game 1 of the Stanely Cup Final. Here's how the first goal sounded on WRTV with only the in-arena sound.