Bhuvan Lall: Big is better

HOLLYWOOD REEL/ IMAX movies and theatres are catching on around the world.

Imagine a projector the size of a Maruti 800 rolling forward and backward on its own set of tracks. Imagine a cinema screen as tall as a eight-storeyed building. Imagine a film print that is over three miles long from end to end.

Imagine you are watching an IMAX film. Today there were more than 240 IMAX theatres operating in 35 countries.

IMAX movie screens are designed to make viewers a part of the action with movie screens that extend beyond the peripheral vision for a full view of images.

The razor-sharp images and six-channel surround sound systems also help immerse the viewer in the film. The specially designed IMAX camera photographs the largest frame ever used in motion pictures on horizontally moving 65-mm film.

Because of the increased information carrying capacity of the huge frame, the camera records images with much greater detail than any other motion picture camera does. The screen is painted by a robot to ensure an even coating of highly reflective paint.

There are also thousands of tiny holes spaced evenly around the screen to permit the sound to travel directly toward the audience. The IMAX projector uses two 15,000-watt xenon-gas lamps to illuminate the giant screen.

The light source is so powerful that if projected from the moon it would be visible from earth with the naked eye.

One of the most talked about IMAX films in North America is India - Kingdom of the Tiger. The film, which took three years to complete, features spectacular footage of India's landscapes, from the blue-hazed Himalayas to the sibilant coastal Kerala backwaters.

A creative collaboration between the National Wildlife Federation and Canada-based Primesco Films, the film had its Canadian premiere at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa/Hull. The film's producers are Madagascar born non-resident Indian couple Afsana and Goulam Amarsy.

"India - Kingdom of the Tiger explores this rich land, her people, and her culture, through the story of the tiger and Jim Corbett," explains Afsana Amarsy, who was raised in London and Paris, and schooled at Harvard. "Corbett was the first person to recognise that a growing population was gradually encroaching upon the tigers' habitat, and resulting in a conflict between man and beast," Afsana adds.

The 40 minute US $ 5 million IMAX film was directed by Bruce Neibaur, shot by IMAX Cinematographer Matthew Williams and was the first large format film to be made in India. The crew travelled more than 2,300 miles over rugged terrain and spent more than a month filming in Bandhavgarh National Park to capture the stunning images seen in the film.

Afsana Amarsy approached several schools in North America and arranged for members of the creative team to talk to students about tiger conservation and share experiences of making the film. These visits were followed by short day-trips to the IMAX theatres to watch the film.

Afsana adds: "This was the greatest satisfaction for me "� I consider it my mission to reach these children and inspire them to learn more about history, geography and the diversity of cultures."

Afsana is now working in partnership with "Life" magazine, the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation and IMAX Corporation to produce an IMAX 3D/2D film entitled America, America "� a film inspired by the iconic photographs of American life found in the pages of "Life" magazine.

The next IMAX film on India currently under production is Heart of India, by film maker Bharat Bala who has produced path-breaking images of India throughout his entire career. Formerly known as Taj Mahal: The Eternal Love Story, Heart of India celebrates the many thousands of years of unbroken cultural heritage of the mystical country.

The film travels across mysterious and striking India; through its ancient cities, misty mountain passages and vast desert kingdoms. Produced by TriColor Films, Bharatbala Productions and MacGillivray Freeman Films, the film's music has been scored by A R Rahman.

"The film reaffirms man's love for the magnificent as it calls out for preserving our common world heritage," says executive producer Sushil Tyagi, president of TriColor.

India already has three IMAX theatres in operation -- in Mumbai, owned by Manmohan Shetty, in Ahmedabad at the Gujarat Science City, and in Hyderabad, owned by Prasad Labs.

Pramod Krishna, resident representative of IMAX in India, is confident of the success of large screen entertainment in India. "Three more will open their doors in north India, and one each will be launched in Chennai, Bangalore and Pune by the end of the year."

In Los Angeles, three theatres, including two commercial IMAX theatres, show commercial movies in large-screen format, opening day and date with their 35mm release. Among the popular films are China: The Panda Adventure, a 45-minute picture that follows the story of Ruck Harkness, who follows her late husband's footsteps and his dream to bring the first live giant panda to America, Mysteries of Egypt, a 40-minute picture about the ancient kingdom and its civilisation and Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure, which recounts the story of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's expedition.

The IMAX screens are now moving from doing science and nature films to Hollywood entertainment and use the DMR technology to convert cinema titles into IMAX format which they launched in September 2002 with 1995's Apollo 13.

Last summer Warner Brothers released the first Matrix sequel - Matrix Reloaded - in IMAX format and more such films are expect to be announced soon. The next logical move will be to convert a successful Indian feature film and watch it on IMAX.

Bhuvan Lall is the president and CEO of Lall Entertainment, a company based in Los Angeles and New Delhi. He can be contacted at allentertainment@hotmail.com.