Christopher Nolan used clever mirror trick to film 'The Odyssey' entirely with IMAX cameras

Nolan worked with IMAX to develop a specialised soundproof housing that dramatically reduces the cameras' noise

Christopher Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema overcame one of IMAX filmmaking's biggest technical challenges with an ingenious mirror trick while making The Odyssey, the first feature film to be shot entirely with IMAX film cameras.

Although IMAX cameras deliver stunning large-format images, they are notoriously bulky and noisy, making them difficult to use during intimate dialogue scenes. To achieve his long-held ambition of filming an entire feature in IMAX, Nolan first worked with IMAX to develop a specialised soundproof housing, known as a "blimp", that dramatically reduced the cameras' operating noise without compromising image quality.

However, the new housing made the cameras even larger, creating another obstacle: actors could no longer maintain natural eye contact because the camera physically blocked their view of one another.

Nolan's solution was surprisingly simple. Mirrors were positioned around the camera so performers could look at each other's reflections while appearing to maintain direct eye contact on screen. The technique allowed emotional performances to remain authentic without sacrificing the placement of the IMAX camera.

Matt Damon, who stars as Odysseus opposite Anne Hathaway's Penelope, said the illusion worked so seamlessly that he forgot he was acting through a mirror.

"The effect worked seamlessly. I realised that, in my memory of doing that very intimate scene with her at the end of the movie, I don't remember it being a mirror. I was so dialled into Annie's eyes… it worked really well," Damon recalled.

The breakthrough was one of several technological innovations developed specifically for The Odyssey. IMAX also created quieter and more production-friendly versions of its cameras, enabling Nolan to capture every scene, from large-scale action sequences to quiet conversations, using the premium format.

Based on Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus alongside Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Zendaya as Athena, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Charlize Theron as Calypso, Lupita Nyong'o, Jon Bernthal and Benny Safdie.

The Odyssey arrives in cinemas on July 17, marking a historic milestone as the first feature film ever photographed entirely using IMAX film cameras.