SAN FRANCISCO, May 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Google (NASDAQ:
GOOG) and IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) today announced at Google's
annual developer conference, Google I/O, that the companies are
working to develop a cinema-grade virtual reality (VR) camera – the
IMAX® VR camera – to enable today's leading filmmakers
and content creators to deliver the highest-quality 3D 360-degree
content experiences to audiences worldwide.
IMAX's team of engineers and camera specialists will work with
Google to design the new high-resolution cameras from the ground
up, leveraging IMAX's best-in-class capture technology that has
become an integral tool for today's biggest and most visionary
filmmakers including Christopher
Nolan, J.J. Abrams,
Michael Bay, Anthony and Joe Russo, and Zack Snyder, among others. The camera, which
will be built to utilize Jump, a platform for creating and viewing
3D 360 video, will deliver the highest-quality, most-immersive
virtual reality content to consumers.
"For nearly 50 years, IMAX has pioneered moving image capture to
allow filmmakers to produce the highest resolution images across
2D, 3D, film and digital formats, said IMAX Corp. CEO, Richard L. Gelfond. "Today's partnership
with Google takes us into the next frontier of immersive
experiences – virtual reality – and we look forward to working with
them to provide our filmmaker partners and other content creators
with a level of VR capture quality not yet seen in this space. VR
marks an exciting area of opportunity for IMAX and we believe this
agreement, which enables us to participate in image capture and
content creation, is an important first step in our broader VR
strategy."
IMAX developed its first 2D 15perf / 65mm film camera in 1976.
To this day, it remains the highest-resolution camera in the world
– providing approximately 10x more resolution than 35mm film. IMAX
has built out a suite of high-end capture devices – including
recent developments of a lightweight 3D digital camera as well as a
new cutting-edge 2D digital camera developed in partnership with
ARRI.
"IMAX is known everywhere for their incredible immersive
cinematography and sound, and we're delighted to have them
contribute their decades of experience in cameras and content to
the Jump platform," said Clay Bavor,
VP, Virtual Reality at Google.
IMAX will also provide Google with exclusive access to
pre-existing IMAX documentary content for conversion and use with
Google's VR technology.
About IMAX Corporation
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines
proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create
experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world
you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing
IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and,
as such, IMAX's network is among the most important and successful
theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the
globe.
IMAX is headquartered in New
York, Toronto and
Los Angeles, with offices in
London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing. As of Mar. 31,
2016, there were 1,066 IMAX theatres (952 commercial
multiplexes, 17 commercial destinations and 97 institutions) in 68
countries. On Oct. 8, 2015, shares of
IMAX China, a subsidiary of IMAX Corp., began trading on the Hong
Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code "HK.1970."
IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR®, Experience It In IMAX®, An IMAX 3D
Experience®, The IMAX Experience®, IMAX Is Believing® and IMAX
nXos® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about
the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with
IMAX on Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter
(www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube
(www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).
This press release contains forward looking statements that
are based on IMAX management's assumptions and existing information
and involve certain risks and uncertainties which could cause
actual results to differ materially from future results expressed
or implied by such forward looking statements. These risks and
uncertainties are discussed in IMAX's most recent Annual Report on
Form 10-K and most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.
For additional information please contact:
Business
Media: IMAX
Corporation – New York Ann
Sommerlath 212-821-0155 asommerlath@imax.com
Sloane &
Company – New York Whit
Clay 212-446-1864
wclay@sloanepr.com
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Investors: IMAX Corporation – New York
Jessica Kourakos 212-821-0110 jkourakos@imax.com
Entertainment
Media: Principal
Communications Group – Los Angeles Melissa Zuckerman/Paul Pflug 323-658-1555 melissa@pcommgroup.com paul@pcommgroup.com
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SOURCE IMAX Corporation