William Shaw

William Shaw was the effective engineer whose technical clever made the IMAX format physically possible, solving the seemingly insurmountable problem of moving amounts of 70mm film through a camera and projector at 24 frames per second without tearing or blurring. His specific contribution to the founding philosophy was the invention of the 'Rolling Loop' vacuum technology, a patented mechanism that pulled the film into a precise, stationary position behind the lens. Shaw's engineering mastery transformed the artistic vision of the founders into a functional, commercially viable reality, creating the technological foundation upon which the entire IMAX empire was built.

William Shaw co-founded IMAX Corporation in 1967 in Montreal, Canada, serving as the chief engineer and technical mastermind behind the company's proprietary film transport systems. Recognizing that the existing 35mm and 65mm film formats were entirely inadequate for the screen sizes the team envisioned, Shaw embarked on an engineering challenge to develop a new camera and projection mechanism. His invention of the 'Rolling Loop' technology, which utilized a vacuum to pull the 70mm film into a precise, stationary position behind the lens, frame by frame, was a breakthrough that allowed for the use of 15 perforations per frame, running the film horizontally. This innovation created a level of resolution, brightness, and immersion that had never before been seen, and it remains the foundational technology of the IMAX format. Shaw's engineering skill and problem-solving established the technical DNA of the company, ensuring that the IMAX brand would forever be synonymous with the highest possible standard of visual fidelity and technical excellence.