Remasters of the Universe

In conversation with Team IMAX

For over a decade, A24 has reinvigorated the cinema world with bold titles whose appeal endures far beyond their initial box office. Focusing on auteur-driven storytelling and the amplification of adventurous voices, when paired with IMAX theatres, this catalog of robust, dynamic films is a match made in moviegoing heaven.

IMAX and A24 have embarked on a series of remastering projects designed to bring their movies back to screens, exclusively in IMAX. Starting with an anniversary restoration of Alex Garland's EX MACHINA, (his latest film, CIVIL WAR, now playing), our new bring back series will treat viewers to some of their favorite A24 classics in brand-new IMAX presentations. Ari Aster's debut feature, HEREDITARY is up next later this month.

But what does remastering actually mean? And what does it take to get there?  

We sat down with key leaders across our distribution, exhibition, and production teams to chat about the IMAX process, breathing new life into older films, and what exactly is so great about these new remastered works.

1. There’s been a lot of fan confusion online about what a remaster is and how exactly it enhances the viewing experience. When we say a film is “remastered for IMAX”- what does that mean?

This means that IMAX takes the final version of the movie and runs it thru our DMR [Digital Media Remastering] process. This creates an enhanced, cleaner version of the movie which is then reviewed with the filmmakers in our custom IMAX theatre environment. The filmmakers then make “live” adjustments to how the movie looks to create what they believe is the best optimized version for our projection systems. Likewise, the soundtrack of the movie is converted and mixed into our proprietary IMAX sound format by the filmmakers to best optimize how it will play in all our theatres. These new masters of the movie the filmmakers sign off on are then finalized and versioned and distributed to our theatres around the world. 

2.  Can you talk about working with A24? Of course, each project must differ film-to-film with some initiatives being filmmaker led, while others might originate from the studio or IMAX. Where do the infancy of these ideas begin? What are the first steps?  

We started conversations with A24 prior to last year’s anniversary release of PI on Pi Day. We realized there was a tremendous opportunity here to engage our shared cinephile fanbases. Our theatres can serve as a place where the filmgoing community can experience their favorite A24 films like never before, in new IMAX-quality presentations created through a bespoke, hands-on process overseen by their favorite filmmakers.

3. Is the process different when approaching a concert film like STOP MAKING SENSE versus a narrative feature like EX MACHINA? 

Yes. Concert films are shot differently, and we use our proprietary image enhancement tools in different ways. Older concert films are enhanced further to bring a clarity to the older content that has never been seen. Part of this is needed because the IMAX screens are so big, we need to make the movie look as good as possible. 

And our more powerful dynamic sound systems are a reason why the soundtracks are remixed specifically for our sound systems which play the movie back at reference sound level the way the artists intend. Narrative movies are still put through our enhancement process and adjusted by the filmmakers but since all new movies have unique looks, this process is very filmmaker driven.

IMAX always lets the filmmakers use our tools to make the movie look and sound exactly how THEY want. 

4.  For a film like Pi, shot just over a quarter century ago on high-contrast black-and-white reversal film, what sort of state do you receive the original, and what’s the planning process like to tackle a re-master?

Most older movies are “remastered” by the studios and filmmakers using current technology to improve how the movie looks. 

IMAX has its own technologies that are then applied in addition to what the studio may have done to the content, all under the guidance of the filmmakers and studio representatives to get the movie to its most ideal form for our audiences. Many of these decisions are subjective so no two movies undergo the exact same types of adjustments.  

5. One thing fans fret about online with the re-masters is that images will be “blown up” and “grainy” - what would you say to those fears? How are things brought up to IMAX exhibition standards. 

IMAX never “blows up” or enlarges the images to fill our screens. We always play the movie back in its original intended aspect ratio, but sometimes an older movie may be able to be shown in our larger format because it was captured that way but had never been able to be shown that way until now.  

Our image enhancement technologies can clean up excessive film grain or noise that by today's standards don’t look very good.  We leave the amount of “clean up” work to the discretion of the filmmakers, but most like to see the images looking as good as possible on our screens.  Remember, when movies were made years ago, they were always made at what was the state of art in most cases. That bar has been raised considerably over the years so seeing that older work now improved is something that most filmmakers embrace as do fans who are now able to view it in a way never before seen. 

6. Sound is another integral part of IMAX film. A24 films feature very intentional uses of score and sound design in their storytelling. How does IMAX take the filmmaker’s original intent, and amplify/enhance that sound to work as an IMAX experience? Do you work directly with the film’s composer or sound team? 

IMAX works with the original sound team to convert the original sound mix into the IMAX sound format.  Many times, the track is not modified much, but “bass” managed.  The key to our sound is that our theatres have better speakers and dynamic sound systems that are uniform across our entire network.  Designed and built and installed by us and played back at reference sound levels.  This automatically presents the sound of the movie the way it was intended to be heard by the filmmakers and in a way that most all other theatres cannot do.   So, we are the reference way to hear a sound mix. 

7. Do you have any dream projects? Anything you’d love to work on? Do you have any favorites from the-remastering projects done so far?  

I love some classic concert films like we have done recently and doing more of those would be great.  Our sound is what makes them awesome.  And for me CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND strikes many of the chords that makes an IMAX experience very special.  There are many older films that can be re-vitalized and seen again in IMAX for the first time that will blow you away. Our remastering process for picture and sound and our giant screens really can present movies in a way that most have never experienced. 

IMAX is the most immersive way to experience a movie so any classic movie from many genres can become a whole new engaging experience when seen in IMAX. So, what's your favorite classic?  Now imagine seeing and hearing that for the first time in IMAX and you will create your own list.

Experience A24 X IMAX, a monthly screening series, at a theatre near you. Up next: HEREDITARY, playing April 24th. More titles announced soon. 

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