THE KEIGHLEY.

The camera behind the first film shot entirely on IMAX.

Scroll to run the film

01 — The format

15-perforation 65mm film — 'IMAX 15/70,' the largest format in cinema. It moves more than five feet of film a second. That speed is exactly why it's so loud.

02 — Anatomy

Keep scrolling to pull the camera apart. Point at a floating part to read its spec.

03 — The noise problem

Even quieter than before, it was still too loud for dialogue, so IMAX built a soundproof housing — the 'blimp.' Fully rigged, the system weighs 300–400 lb and needs steel-plated dollies.

04 — The mirror periscope

The blimp was so wide it blocked the actors' eyelines. On tight two-shots, Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema mounted a double-mirror periscope so the actors could hold eye contact through reflections — with the huge camera between them.

05 — The making-of

Nolan challenged IMAX to build a camera that could shoot an entire feature — dialogue and all. They delivered.

“If ever there were a story where you want to do the whole thing on IMAX, this is it.”

— Christopher Nolan
0 feet of film shot
0 countries
First feature shot entirely on IMAX

06 — Shoot the Odyssey

The stage is yours. Pull focus, frame the galley, choose your format — and roll.

THE KEIGHLEY.

Named for David Keighley — five decades at IMAX, post-production on over 500 films.