0

Tag: imax

Earth from space - photo from NASA at Unsplash
Apr52025

Know Your Expertise, aka Ever Been To Space?

The good news is you don’t have to know everything to work in the film industry. No two productions are the same; you will frequently be inventing what to do to get a shot, scene or concept on film. That’s why you need to take stock of your experiences to date and be knowledgeable of your expertise.

Take my first day at IMAX. We were shooting a documentary in space (yes, real space) when the MIR space station was in orbit. The camera was scheduled to go up on the Space Shuttle, which would dock on to MIR. The Space Shuttle would then go about its business, leaving as scheduled. But the camera – and film stock – would still be on MIR. Our challenge: how do we get the camera and film back to Earth?

I thought nothing in my life would prepare me for contributing to the logistics discussion (between Producer, PM, and UM) … but I was wrong. From my life experiences, including a love of international travel, and those photo safaris with my dad when I was a kid (experimenting with both antique and modern film cameras), I could contribute. Sure, I’d never dealt with the potential for sun’s radiation in the vacuum of space, but I’ve plenty dealt with multiple airport x-ray machine radiation on exposed and unexposed film stock.

In the end, we chose to send up (on an earlier shuttle) unexposed film stock from all the leading film stock companies to see which one(s) would handle the extreme radiation best. Then when it was time to send up the camera. We had our best-choice film stock, and we brought both camera and film back via Soyez into Russia instead of the Space Shuttle into the USA… which meant, yes, we also need to prepare the documentation for crossing the international border via a trip to space!

So… what life experiences have you had that could cross-over into the film industry? On your CV, you can flag some of these experiences as hobbies; they also double as good prompts for interview ice breakers.

Cheers & a good shoot to you,
Deb

=====================

“Film Production Management 101” (now in its third edition) is updated for today’s respectful workplace and sustainable practices – available worldwide, including Amazon-USA, Indigo-Canada and many other bookstores or directly from the publisher (MWP).

May172013

Magic Movie Moment: North of Superior

kite1 + 1 = 3.

North of Superior is an IMAX movie from the beginning of IMAX. This magic moment was made in the editing room (as many magic movie moments are):

Outside on a breezy day. An abandoned lot serves as a park. Children have handmade kites from empty bread bags and sticks. So much laughter, so much joy, as they run around. You can’t help but smile, remember the carefree times of your own past. Resonating.

Cut.

The front of a well-cared for church. Mostly adults, well-dressed. Gathering, greeting. Filing into the building. Smiles all around, though more reserved behaviour. So much more grown up.

No narrator needs to tell us the story between these two shots. One cut and we know it. They are no longer only two separate shots showing us a glimpse of life north of Lake Superior; they are so much more. They show us who we are… as we were and as we are now. How, too, we have “grown up”. What did we trade in our own path to growing up?

Don’t forget the bread-bag, kite-flying you inside you. He or she is still there.

Cheers & a good shoot to you,
Deb

Mar42011

Set Visit to the MIR Space Station

Deb visits MIR

How cool to be filming on the MIR Space Station in space! That was my first thought when I worked on the “Mission to MIR” IMAX film. Yet as a non-astronaut, what are the chances of going on a set visit to MIR? Not very likely. As a matter of fact: impossible.

Yes, here on Earth we tackled logistical challenges issues like: the camera goes into the Space Shuttle which is launched into space; the shuttle docks onto MIR and the camera taken into MIR for filming. The Space Shuttle then goes about its business… how do you get the camera and film back to Earth for processing and printing? In what country can you land the camera and how many time zones will it be from the lab? What about the customs documentation? Unique challenges indeed!

And yes, it was very clear I’d never visit MIR except how everyone else here on Earth has been able to see it: on the IMAX screen. The dream of visiting the MIR Space Station would have to remain a dream for the rest of my life, especially since it’s now been replaced by the International Space Station.

Or  maybe that dream COULD come true after all…?

I just visited Toulouse, France where the Cité de l’Espace has a MIR Space Station! The one used for tests on here on Earth! An exact duplicate! Awesome. I was able to walk around it, climb inside it and just plain explore it… the MIR Space Station itself! A set visit after the fact and conveniently here on Earth!

Sure, I could scoff and say the replica of MIR wasn’t the real experience because it wasn’t floating in space at the time. Gosh, I could have decided not to go see it. But sometimes dreams come true in a slightly different form than you originally thought possible. You just need to be open to recognize them in whatever form they present themselves to you as. And because I’m open to them, another of my life dreams just came true today. Now that’s very cool.

What dream are you going to make happen?

Cheers!
Deb

Aug212009

IMAX 3D brings the past into the present

Having worked with the one of the first IMAX 3D cameras ever made, I have to say that prototype equipment has a unique way of transporting us into the past.

The IMAX 3D camera being the size of a small desk requires four strapping folk to lift it. The size of the crane allowing camera movement demands fly-away walls on the set, and therefore preventing you from much location shooting. And then there is the sound – most obviously so, because depsite all baffling attempts, the camera whirs loud enough that one would consider building a small sound-proof room around it so the Recordist would actually be able to capture location sound instead of guide track.

In some ways, one is transported back in time to the birth of sound movies, seeing film crews trying to solve similar challenges with prototype equipment then as now. With such a glimpse bringing the past into the present, you know that somehow you too taking part in movie history. Cool.

Cheers,
Deb