GETTING IT ON FILM #2 - DIGITAL IMAGING - BRANDING LOGOS

Mar 97 - Gord Harris, Film Technology


A spinning earth, a galloping winged horse, or a film sponsor trailer, these are all logos; signature pieces at the beginning of films that assist in advertising the brand name and/or sponsors of the film. Quite often these involve Computer Graphics Imaging (CGI), and are usually less than a half-minute long. Would you like your own signature logo up on the big IMAX® screen in your theatre? Well, this article can get you started.

These photographs are examples of recent IMAX logos produced by CGI animators for specific sponsors. They were recorded on film by our Film Technology Group, and processed and finished by David Keighley's group at 70MM Inc. The entire process takes approximately two to three months, depending on creative and computing resources. Producing a logo has three stages:
  1. CG Animation and Soundtrack Production
  2. Film Recording and Sound mixing
  3. Processing and Print Assembly.


CG Animation & Soundtrack Production

Perhaps you have access to an in-house Graphics or Animation group. If so, you may be able to create the animation yourself, and let Imax assist in getting it on film, as we did for a 30 second IMAX 3D logo for the Virginia Marine Science Museum. Peggy Southerland's Videographics group at Family Channel designed and previewed their piece, after consulting with us about the 3D requirements for good stereoscopy. They also worked out their soundtrack requirements, in consultation with David Keighley. If you don't have access to in-house resources, there are many professional computer animators capable of producing quality work suitable for the IMAX medium, and of course we are always more than happy to help bring your project to the screen.

Film Recording & Sound Mixing

After we provide technical specifications on how to “render” or draw these computer images at IMAX 15/70 resolutions in a digital file format and media acceptable to both, we receive and verify animation data tapes from the customer. Typically the image resolution of film recorded is 4096 pixels wide by 3002 pixels high. If your animation budget or schedule is very tight, you can render CGI at lower resolutions (2K or 3K wide) and we can digitally interpolate images to 4K with some compromise in quality. These images are recorded one frame at a time on a CRT film recorder equipped with an IMAX single frame camera. We usually produce a brief “Gamma Test” first, so the customer can choose which contrast and color levels match their desired look for the final film. Then while final film recording proceeds, the customer can begin transferring or mixing the logo soundtrack, with help from 70 MM Inc. or Sonics Associates Inc.

Processing & Print Assembly

In this final stage the exposed 70mm negative is processed and printed in LA, supervised by David Keighley, and the final soundtracks transferred and synchronized. This obviously a very simplified account of a complex procedure, and if you have questions or comments about this, please get in touch.

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(Reprinted from The IMAX Experience March 1997 Volume 1 Issue 2 with permission from IMAX Corporation)


Copyright © 2003, Gord Harris, go-R&D Consulting. IMAX®, IMAX® Dome, IMAX® 3D, IMAX® 3DDome, IMAX®
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