Why Christopher Nolan shot "The Odyssey" on IMAX film
In a Nutshell
Christopher Nolan shot *The Odyssey* entirely on IMAX film for the first time in history, using custom soundproof enclosures to overcome the camera’s loud noise and short runtime. The production relied on analog film processing at Photo Cam, including hand-splicing negatives and photochemical color timing for superior image quality. Nolan emphasizes that large-format film and communal theatrical exhibition deliver an irreplaceable cinematic experience that digital alternatives cannot match.
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Director Christopher Nolan has created some of the most spectacular films of the 21st century, including The Dark Knight, Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk, and Oppenheimer. His latest film, The Odyssey, adapts a nearly 3,000-year-old Greek epic and opens in theaters in July.
Matt Damon portrays King Odysseus in The Odyssey, marking his third collaboration with Nolan. Nolan distinguishes himself through ambitious storytelling and equally ambitious execution methods, preferring to capture everything in-camera rather than relying on digital effects.
The Odyssey is the first feature film shot entirely on IMAX film. Each frame delivers image resolution up to three times higher than digital formats. This marks the first time a production attempted to shoot 100% in IMAX, an approach that had never been accomplished before.
The IMAX camera requires reloading every two and a half minutes due to the large format size, which limits how much film the camera can hold at once. When operating, the camera produces significant noise from its heavy-duty film transport mechanism, comparable to a sewing machine fighting a stapler.
For intimate scenes, the loud camera noise previously made IMAX filming impractical because audio recording would be compromised.
Nolan's production inspired IMAX to develop a soundproof enclosure for the camera. The enclosure measures approximately the size of a coffin and weighs over 300 pounds when assembled. Special steel plating had to be added to the dollies to support the weight of this housing.
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