Thescreescore – Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic, The Odyssey, is poised to potentially revolutionize filmmaking and address a long-standing critique of his work: inaudible dialogue. Starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, the film employed groundbreaking technology during its production, specifically designed to enable crystal-clear sound recording while utilizing the immersive power of IMAX.
Nolan, known for his visually stunning and intellectually stimulating films, has often faced criticism for dialogue that is difficult to decipher, a consequence of his preference for on-set audio and the limitations of traditional IMAX cameras, which are notoriously noisy.
In a recent interview with Empire, Nolan revealed that The Odyssey was shot entirely on IMAX cameras, a first in the history of movies. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema gave Nolan a brief showcase of how this would work:
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"I presented Chris with a very big close-up of a child on the IMAX screen, reciting David Bowie’s ‘Sound And Vision’ from a piece of paper. It was very touching: that level of intimacy in both image and sound, fused together, projected in the theatre.”
To overcome this hurdle, Nolan and his team utilized a specialized "blimp" system. This blimp, essentially a soundproof enclosure for the IMAX camera, dramatically reduces noise, allowing for intimate close-ups with usable audio.
"The blimp system is a game-changer," Nolan explained. "You can be shooting a foot from [an actor’s] face while they’re whispering and get usable sound. What that opens up are intimate moments of performance on the world’s most beautiful format."
While camera blimps are not a new invention, having been used since the early days of sound cinema, the technology has been significantly upgraded for The Odyssey. Ryan Coogler, who sought Nolan’s advice before using IMAX to shoot his acclaimed Sinners, previously addressed Nolan’s IMAX innovations while on The Big Picture podcast, revealing that the director used a sync-sound IMAX camera during production.
Historically, the intense noise generated by IMAX cameras necessitated ADR (automatic dialogue replacement), where actors re-record their lines in post-production. Nolan has resisted this practice, preferring the authenticity of on-set recordings, even if it meant sacrificing some clarity.
The combination of sync-sound IMAX cameras and the advanced blimp technology offers the potential to resolve this issue, delivering both visual grandeur and pristine audio.
However, it’s crucial to remember that Nolan’s sound mixing choices also contribute to the perceived inaudibility. Whether The Odyssey will definitively silence the dialogue complaints remains to be seen, but the technological advancements employed in its production certainly offer a promising step forward. As Nolan himself confirms, he also managed to avoid destroying any IMAX cameras this time around, a feat considering his history with the equipment. Audiences will have to experience the film to determine if this "game-changer" truly delivers on its promise.
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