What is the difference between film formats? Aren't all movies the same?

There are very large differences between the three most common film formats: 35mm, 70mm, and 15/70 formats. 70mm film is a bit more than 3 times larger than a normal 35mm movie frames. Most people don't see much difference between 35mm and 70mm film and most movies today are still released only in 35mm prints.

15/70 format is 3 times larger than 70mm film or 10 times larger than normal 35mm film. The much larger size of the frame allows the projected image to be much more detailed than a standard movie image. Most people see a very noticable difference between 35mm film and 15/70 film. A web page by Ross Anthony that describes large format films (but doesn't mention Cinema Development Company) can be found here.

What is the difference between 2-D and 3-D systems?

A 2-D (two dimension) system uses a single projector to display an image on either a flat screen or a dome screen. A 3-D (three dimensional) system uses two projectors to display two different reels of film (a left-eye reel and a right-eye reel) onto a flat screen. The audience uses special glasses so that their right eyes see the right-eye image, and their left eyes see the left-eye image. This does produce a realistic sensation of seeing objects that have depth. No 3-D system has ever been built for a dome theater.

Note that Cinema Development Company's 3-D system is able to show both 3-D large format films and normal (2-D) large format films. Either the left-eye or the right-eye projector can operate successfully in 2-D mode.

Are IMAX films an industry standard?

IMAX is the most widely known because they were the first. But in the same way that Xerox is the name of a company not really the name of a process, so to is IMAX the name of a company, not the accurate way of describing the format. The name of the format which IMAX created back in the late 1960s is 15/70. It stands for 15 perforations above and below a 70mm tall frame of film.

Can Cinema Development Company systems play all IMAX films?

Technically yes, all IMAX films are 15/70 format and can be played on Cinema Development systems.

Is Cinema Development Company the only company who makes 15/70 Rolling Loop theater systems?

Aside from IMAX Corporation, Cinema Development Company is the only other maker of 15/70 Rolling Loop projection systems. Note that several 15/70 systems were built by Cinema Technolies, inc (now called Cinema Development Company) as part of a special arrangement with Iwerks.

How strong is 15/70 film?

15/70 format film is quite strong, in fact you could tow a car with it. The strength of the 15/70 film allows it to go up in the air 15 feet (a useful ability for dome theater systems).