INTRODUCTION TO IMAX

IMAX Corporation ("IMAX"), founded in 1967 and headquartered jointly in New York City and Toronto, Canada, is one of the world’s leading entertainment technology companies, with particular emphasis on film and digital imaging technologies including 3D, post-production and digital projection. IMAX is a fully-integrated, out-of-home entertainment enterprise with activities ranging from the design, leasing, marketing, maintenance, and operation of IMAX® theatre systems to film development, production, post-production and distribution of large-format films. IMAX also designs and manufactures cameras, projectors and consistently commits significant funding to ongoing research and development.

The IMAX Theatre Network currently consists of more than 250 IMAX affiliated theatres in 36 countries. Approximately 60 percent of the theatres are located in North America, while the remaining 40 percent are spread internationally. Roughly 50 percent of the theatres are located in institutional venues, such as museums, planetariums, and maritime centres, while the other half are part of commercial theatre complexes. More than 100 of these theatres are equipped with IMAX 3D technology.

HISTORY OF IMAX

The IMAX system has its roots in EXPO ‘67 in Montreal, Canada where multi-screen films were the hit of the fair. A small group of Canadian filmmakers/entrepreneurs who had made some of those popular films, decided to design a new system using a single, powerful projector, rather than the cumbersome multiple projectors used at that time. The result: the IMAX motion picture projection system, which would revolutionize giant-screen cinema.

IMAX technology premiered at the Fuji Pavilion, EXPO ‘70 in Osaka, Japan. The first permanent IMAX projection system was installed at Ontario Place’s Cinesphere in Toronto in 1971. IMAX Dome (OMNIMAX) debuted at the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theatre in San Diego in 1973.