Gord Harris retired in April 2017 after 22 years at IMAX, 4 years of R&D consulting, and 13 years of R&D at Christie Digital Canada, most recently as Senior Program Manager – Research and Innovation in Kitchener, Ontario. Highlights at Imax include founding the camera department, building over 20 camera systems from high-speed to undersea and space and providing engineering help on many films from IMAX space films to Titanica to Everest, including developing the Everest summit camera and MIR Submersible camera/lighting systems with which he dove to and filmed the Titanic with director Stephen Low.

Harris hired and managed the first digital team for film recording, scanning and image processing at IMAX, which culminated in the DMR process. He developed the first electronic projection systems at IMAX and helped evolve several generations of hardware for SANDDE stereo animation systems. His biggest project was IMAX Solido, which involved development of the first wireless IR 3D glasses, variable gain screen, CGI film recorder cameras, dual rotor 3D projector and loop cabinets as a “skunkworks” at IMAX Oakville. Imax inventions include Solido 3D camera (still in use today), Electronic Phase Delay (ghost buster) and Multi Point of View interactive VR system (ELVES). Photos are on https://gord.smugmug.com/IMAX-Archive/.

Go-R&D Consulting did freelance R&D for clients like SLP, Big Films, Immersion Studios and DALSA, including shooting the first demo film of 4K Genesis camera for NAB debut. He also did some of the first “AB shootouts” of digital vs. film camera with HD and DALSA camera and 3D rig shown at GSCA conferences.

Christie highlights include design and development of EGG – first ellipsoidal 240-degree HFOV VR system, Collimated 3D, Hayden Planetarium hybrid blending, Dual View Simulator, SV1 Spherical Video simulator, GSCA 1x3 test, GSCA 120 fps 4K test, GSCA DIGSS standards, work on several aviation simulators and most recently development of an 11-channel interactive dome system and large LF dome testing and development. Christie patents include Collimated 3D, Personal Collimated Display, and optical blending. Off the Head VR and multi person interactivity was his most recent research focus.

For photos, videos and more details please see https://gord.smugmug.com/Christie-Archive/.

Gord may be contacted at gordharris@icloud.com or on Gmail at gordh57@gmail.com.

Personal Links

YouTubeVR: https://www.youtube.com/@tdvr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harris_gord/

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/gordharris

SmugMug: https://gord.smugmug.com/