IMAX film cameras are noisy. Their design and structure make them almost impossible to utilize in dialogue scenes. However, have you ever heard them on set? These two YouTube videos demonstrate the noise of the MSM9802 65mm film camera. Check them out below.
IMAX cameras were not designed to film dialogue
As explained in “The 15/70 Filmmaker’s Manual” article, focusing on the part regarding camera noise, section: “Camera noise & run times”. It’s not a secret that IMAX cameras were not designed to film dialogue. They are noisy machines. The huge film stock is vacuumed to move 15 perforations inside that huge box. As stated by the guide: “The IMAX camera is considerably louder than, say, an ARRIFLEX 35mm camera. While an effective blimp is available for 2D, the blimped camera weighs 275 lbs. That means there is very little useable sync sound, and none in 3D. Using a barney can allow some sync or location sound in 2D. Camera noise can affect the behavior of wildlife subjects, by either scaring them away or changing their behavior. Says Michael Caulfield, the director of Africa’s Elephant Kingdom, ‘You get a lot of portraits of dumbfounded animals staring at the camera. You never know how each species will react. Similarly, the camera noise can distract actors and cause non-actors to be intimidated. Run times are much shorter for 15/70. At 24 fps., 1000 feet of film will run through the camera in three minutes. With 3D, you are looking at 2000’ exposed in three minutes”. That’s a lot of hassle on set. But how much?
Check out these two videos below BTS of No Time to Die and NOPE:
Sounds of IMAX 15/70 lm cameras rolling in Nope (2022):
The IMAX camera is considerably louder than, say, an ARRIFLEX 35mm camera. While an effective blimp is available for 2D, the blimped camera weighs 275 lbs. That means there is very little useable sync sound, and none in 3D. Using a barney can allow some sync or location sound in 2D. Camera noise can affect the behavior of wildlife subjects, by either scaring them away or changing their behavior. Says Michael Caulfield, the director of Africa’s Elephant Kingdom, ‘You get a lot of portraits of dumbfounded animals staring at the camera. You never know how each species will react. Similarly, the camera noise can distract actors and cause non-actors to be intimidated. Run times are much shorter for 15/70. At 24 fps., 1000 feet of film will run through the camera in three minutes. With 3D, you are looking at 2000’ exposed in three minutes.
IMAX
The loud sound of IMAX 15/70 lm cameras rolling on “No Time to Die”:
2nd Gen of IMAX: 30% quieter
The new and upcoming fleet of Nex-Gen IMAX film cameras is designed and planned to be 30% quieter than the IMAX 9802 and similar IMAX film models. Nevertheless, it will still be noisy and challenging to use in dialogue scenes. Those new cameras will be smaller, in a friendlier form factor and user experience with the goal that more and more directors and cinematographers will pick them to shoot great stuff. It will be interesting to examine this sprint of 15-perforation noise and compare it to the 9802 beast and even to ARRIFLEX models. However think of this: NOPE and Oppenheimer were shot on 9802. These movies are based on dialogues rather than being pure action flicks. Still, Peele and Nolan chose to shoot an IMAX film. Hence, this noise limitation is not something that stops IMAX filmmakers from telling their stories in the superior 15/70 format.
