Nolan Rigged Mirrors for 300-lb IMAX Camera on 'The Odyssey' as 70mm Noise Hit Dialogue
Updated
Updated · PetaPixel · Jul 14
Nolan Rigged Mirrors for 300-lb IMAX Camera on 'The Odyssey' as 70mm Noise Hit Dialogue
3 articles · Updated · PetaPixel · Jul 14
Summary
Christopher Nolan said The Odyssey’s crew built a mirror system so actors could keep eye contact around a 300-lb 70mm IMAX camera during dialogue scenes.
The workaround came after the production committed to shooting the entire feature on IMAX, even though the camera’s film transport was too loud for quiet moments and its sound-muffling blimp made it even bulkier.
Nolan said the team shot part of the film before knowing an all-IMAX approach was fully viable; on boats, actors could project over waves and software could clean up the audio.
The format also limited takes: Tom Holland had said Nolan kept calling cut, but 70mm IMAX magazines hold only about 3 minutes of footage.
Nolan framed the effort as part of pushing large-format film into tighter detail shots and more spontaneous location work, not just sweeping landscapes.