MacGillivray Films

Bringing MacGillivray Freeman’s giant-screen IMAX documentaries to Apple Vision Pro, preserving that theatrical feeling within a personal, intimate spatial setting.

From IMAX Screen to Spatial Environment

Working from the studio’s existing IMAX digital masters, the team was guided by one question: what does “cinematic” mean when the screen can be any size, at any distance? That question drove decisions from color grading to how far the virtual screen floats from the viewer. Three native spatial environments were built — a warm living room for browsing the catalog, a canyon-style theater for immersive screenings, and a plain black void for distraction-free viewing.

Spatial Audio and a Minimal Interface

Sound reinforces immersion, shifting from a subtle ambient soundscape while browsing to a fuller, theatrical mix once a film starts playing. The UI stays deliberately minimal — large artwork, an obvious “Play Trailer” entry point, and controls that recede when not needed — so the experience feels like walking into a theater rather than operating an app.

Technical Highlights

• Large IMAX video files optimized for crisp, high-resolution playback without sacrificing responsiveness
• Contrast and sharpness retuned for close-range viewing on Vision Pro’s displays
• Three purpose-built spatial environments, each framing the film rather than competing with it