"The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D" rolls into the Montreal Science Centre
IMAX(R)TELUS Theatre starting June 24th

    
              Directed by Montreal-based giant screen filmmaker
                                 Stephen Low

                                               Original Score: Michel Cusson
    

MONTREAL, June 23 /CNW Telbec/ - "The Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D" rolls into the Montreal Science Centre IMAX(R)TELUS Theatre June 24th. Featuring nine-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater and Tahitian surfer Raimana Van Bastolaer, the 3D film plunges IMAX(R) audiences into the stunning beauty of a Pacific island paradise on a quest to find the perfect wave-riding experience. The production celebrates the surfing experience that first originated in these islands with the Polynesian peoples and that has grown to become a global phenomenon.

The Production. Directed by Montreal-based giant screen filmmaker Stephen Low, the film features the first 3D surfing action ever captured for the giant screen. Filming over a two-year period in Tahiti and the islands of French Polynesia, the production team employed three different camera systems to capture unique immersive 3D surfing action, aerial views, island colour and underwater reef magic-as well as the gentle rivalry between two very different surfing personalities.

As the surfers in the film seek out the best waves at Tahiti's famed reef at Teahupo'o the film plunges us beneath the surface of things, to explore the magic of Tahiti, the life of the reef and the hidden forces at work shaping ocean waves and the islands that lie in their path. In animated segments, we are propelled into the cosmos to discover the sources of a wave's energy; and then back to Earth to witness the swirling dance of the atmosphere that will transfer energy deep into the ocean and shape a wave's long journey across thousands of miles of open Pacific.

Teahupo'o. The wave in the film is unique. Offshore, on the reef at Teahupo'o, Tahiti, particular ocean conditions and bottom topography produce a great, heavy plunging breaker-a monster wave that is revered in surfing lore as a mountain to be tackled only by the sport's best and most daring. It is this wave that is at the centre of the story told in Low's film.

The wave at Teahupo'o is in fact very much dependent on natural forces acting elsewhere in the vast oceans-storms thousands of miles distant that drive powerful swells. It's a story told both through the eyes of the surfers and with the help of scientific data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and 3D animation.

The shallow reef at Teahupoo is not only what transforms large storm-driven swells into massive, rolling breakers and great surfing "barrels", but also what makes for a potentially very dangerous ride. In heavy surf at Teahupoo, falling is not really an option for surfers. When the swells are really big, a surfer (or cameraman) can all too easily become sandwich meat between a heavy, crashing wave lip and the sharp underlying reef. But even in lighter conditions, the reef still poses its safety challenges. For the crew and surfers, it was always a balancing act between staying totally safe and getting in the middle of things to get the shot.

To get good, immersive 3D, means being very close to the action--not the safe business of sitting back with a long lens. The crew for the project covered the action in Tahiti from jetskis, from the surfboards, from underwater and from inside the breakers themselves.

Beyond his directorial role, filmmaker Stephen Low took on the underwater shooting for the project-an aspect of the work he loves-and an important perk on a big and hectic production with all its demands. For Low, it meant capturing the submerged life and action around the turbulent reef-everything from dolphins and humpback whales, to surfer breath-hold training, to the incredible ocean surge that pushes and pulls at life 'inside' the waves.

About the Producers. The Ultimate Wave Tahiti is produced by The Stephen Low Company , a leading producer of the IMAX(R) Experience and 3D entertainment, and a distributor to IMAX(R) theaters and other giant screen theatres worldwide. Award-winning filmmaker Stephen Low is the director of more than a dozen giant screen films including, Across the Sea of Time (3D), Mark Twain's America (3D), Beavers, Titanica, Super Speedway, Fighter Pilot and the recently released Legends of Flight (3D) among many other classic giant screen titles. The company is currently in production on Rescue (IMAX(R) 3D) and Rocky Mountain Express, a giant screen experience that propels audiences back into the age of steam to explore the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

    
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       To download high-resolution photos from the film, please visit:
                     http://www.box.net/shared/4l8knt97u8
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    The Montréal Science Centre
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Dedicated to science and technology, the Montréal Science Centre stands out for its interactive approach that is accessible to all and for its focus on local innovation and know-how. It attracts more than 700,000 visitors annually. It is managed by the Old Port Corporation of Montréal.

The Montréal Science Centre acknowledges its IMAX(R)TELUS Theatre partners: TELUS, title sponsor and Desjardins Group, presenting sponsor for the regular programming, as well as the presenting sponsors of the Centre: TELUS and Hydro-Québec as well as its principal partner, the Government of Canada.

For further information: Julie Mailhot, Press agent, Old Port Corporation of Montréal, Manager of the Old Port and of the Montréal Science Centre, B. 514 283-8085, C. 514 838-4524, [email protected]; http://www.montrealsciencecentre.com/imax-telus/imax-telus-theater.html