Over 600 Kilometres Long! The IMAX Film Negative Christopher Nolan Used For The Odyssey

 

 

At a time when almost every film in the world is shot using digital cameras, Christopher Nolan has once again chosen a different path. For his upcoming film The Odyssey, the filmmaker used more than 2 million feet of IMAX 70mm film negative instead of digital cameras. If that film stock were laid out in a straight line on a road, it would stretch for over 600 kilometres.

 

What makes this even more remarkable is that IMAX film is among the most expensive formats used in filmmaking today. Every shot consumes physical film, and it makes the process far more costly than digital filmmaking.

Known for films like Interstellar, Inception, Oppenheimer, and The Dark Knight, Nolan has always preferred shooting on film. With The Odyssey, he has gone a step further. The film has become the first feature film to be shot entirely using IMAX film cameras.

 

Shooting on film is very different from shooting digitally. Every take uses up expensive film stock, and filmmakers cannot instantly watch the footage or keep filming endless retakes without increasing the budget. Even though IMAX-certified digital cameras are now available, Nolan decided to use only traditional IMAX film cameras with physical film negatives.

Recently, Nolan spoke about the making of The Odyssey during an interview with a newswire and shared details about the massive production. The flick was shot over 90 days across six countries, with the team facing several challenges throughout the journey.

 

When asked if working on such a large-scale project ever felt overwhelming, Nolan said the filmmaking process remains the same, no matter how big or small the film is. "Every film progresses one shot and one line of dialogue at a time."

He said that while audiences watch a complete film in just a few hours, filmmakers spend months creating it without ever seeing the finished version during production. Because of this, the cast and crew must focus only on the scenes they are filming each day.

Nolan also mentioned that filmmaking is never the work of one person. He said actors, cinematographers, production designers, composers and every crew member play an important role in bringing a story to life. He said that there are moments when even he feels unsure, but trusted collaborators help him move forward. He especially praised cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, production designer Ruth De Jong and composer Ludwig Göransson for their contributions.

 

Speaking about his role on set, Nolan said he does not operate the camera, perform in front of it or record sound. "As a director, my job on set is to be the audience. I try to look at every shot from the perspective of how the audience will experience the story."

He also said that films are rarely shot in the order audiences see them on screen. A director must constantly keep the emotional journey of the story in mind so that every scene eventually fits together naturally.

Nolan has often said he prefers film because he believes it creates a more natural, immersive and visually rich experience than digital formats.

The Odyssey is set for a worldwide release on July 17. An adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic The Odyssey, the film stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron.