In Memoriam: George Butler
October 25, 2021—We are very sad to share that Director/Producer George
Butler died peacefully at his home in True Farm, New Hampshire, on
October 21, 2021. The cause of death at age 78 was pneumonia. George's curiosity for the natural world, for science and adventure,
combined with his steadfast commitment to the giant screen, led him to
create the award-winning giant screen films Roving Mars and Shackleton’s
Antarctic Adventure. Most recently he was producer and director of
Tiger Tiger, an IMAX documentary to be released in 2022 and made with
his friend Frank Marshall, with whom he had previously partnered on
Roving Mars.
October 22, 2021—This month, after 24 years, 216 regular issues, and 11
yearbooks, publisher and editor James Hyder released the final issue of LF Examiner, the first independent journal and only remaining print publication devoted to the giant screen industry. He started working as theater manager at the Smithsonian Air and
Space Museum’s Langley IMAX theater in 1984, and while there he assisted
in the development and production of several IMAX films. In 1997 he
founded MaxImage!, renamed LF Examiner in 2000.
October 22, 2021—MacGillivray Freeman Films has launched a new streaming
channel, Movies for Families, featuring documentaries and digital
shorts from the extensive MacGillivray Freeman library. Documentaries
include resources for parents and educators, such as educator guides,
lesson plans, and other educational resources. The channel's website also includes a
curated list of recommended films and short-form series that align with
elementary and middle-school subjects. The subscription to Movies For
Families is $3.99 (USD) per month or $39.99 (USD) per year. 
October 19, 2021—IMAX Corporation has appointed John Turner as its head of documentaries. In his new role, Turner will oversee development of all documentary films and non-fiction content for the IMAX global network, and will report directly to Megan Colligan, the company’s president. Turner will also oversee IMAX’s five-picture agreement with Imagine Documentaries beginning with Mars 2080, a documentary about a colony on Mars set 60 years in the future.
October 19, 2021—The largest IMAX screen in the world to opened to the
public on September 30 at the Traumpalast Multiplex in Leonberg,
Germany. Measuring 21.03 meters (68.99 feet) high and 38.16 (125.19
feet) meters wide–wider than a Boeing 737 airliner–the record-breaking
screen kicked off with the premiere of the latest James Bond entry No Time to Die, featuring select sequences shot with IMAX film cameras.
October 6, 2021—We regret to share the sad news that Mark Peterson, a
veteran of the planetarium and giant screen industries, died of heart
failure on September 2 at the age of 78. During his long and storied
career, he completed over 100 theater projects around the world. His knowledge, wisdom, and advice were crucial to the advancement of the giant screen industry. Even if
you didn't know Mark personally, if you are involved in the giant screen industry,
your life is undoubtedly touched by his work and dedication. 
October 5, 2021—Congratulations to BBC Earth and SK Films on winning Best Cinematography for Antarctica at this year's Jackson Wild Media Awards! Cinematographers include Alexander Vail, Hugh Miller, John Aitchison, Rolf Steinmann, Mark MacEwen, John Brown, Bertie Gregory, Pete McCowen, Ted Giffords, Dan Beecham, Espen Rekdal, and Justin Hofman. 
October 5, 2021—IMAX Corporation has announced that the highly anticipated documentary The Last Glaciers,
from award-winning filmmaker Craig Leeson and producer Malcolm Wood,
will hit select IMAX screens on March 22, 2022, immersing viewers in the
cause and effects of climate change over an epic four-year stretch
across Antarctica, the Himalaya, Alps, Andes and more.
September 17, 2021—Cosmic Picture is proud to announce it will distribute Jane Goodall’s Reasons for Hope,
an exciting new giant screen film currently in production with the
talented team at Science North, an interactive science museum in Greater
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. and Northern Ontario's most popular tourist
attraction. The film will be available April 2023 in Digital 2D & 3D for IMAX and giant screen theaters.
September 2, 2021—We are pleased to announce that the Giant Screen
Cinema Association (GSCA) will hold its next annual Film Expo in Los
Angeles on March 8-9, 2022, at the AMC CityWalk IMAX Theatre and
Universal City Hilton. The 2022 Film Expo will be the first in-person
event hosted by GSCA since March 2020. During the COVID-19 pandemic,
GSCA organized the successful Virtual Conference in September 2020, the
Virtual Film Expo in April 2021, and is currently at work on the Virtual
Conference coming up in September 2021. The Film Expo will feature
screenings of new films, films in production, projects in development,
and a technical session highlighting the latest giant screen technology.
Other programming is still being determined and will be announced as it
is confirmed. Registration and film submissions will open in December
2021. GSCA will monitor COVID protocols and plan the event accordingly.