We started our downtown tour with the Indiana State Museum, featured in our last issue. As promised, this issue we'll talk about the IMAX theater. While accessible from inside the Indiana State Museum, it is actually a separate building that existed first. This division was of great help when sound-proofing the facility.

The IMAX theater offers entertaining and educational 2D and 3D films on a screen 6 stories tall and 84 feet wide and 12,000 units of digital surround-sound. Using this state-of-the-art technology, the IMAX experience gives viewers a unique, larger-than-life way to go to the movies.

For a behind the scenes look at the screen we traveled up the secret double door elevator to the control room. In this room there are a series of really big reels that project the movies. The light that illuminates the film is actually hotter than the sun. This brightest bulb in the box must be temperature controlled by an elaborate system of cooling hoses to keep the place from catching on fire.

Currently playing at the theater is Dolphins and Whales 3D, Hurricane on the Bayou, and U2 in 3D. April 4th IMAX unveils Shine a Light, a Martin Scorsese documentary featuring the Rolling Stones.

IMAX also has a partnership with local talent to use the space to showcase films and recordings. They host an Indiana filmmakers' festival called, The Really Big Short Film Festival. Filmmaker Duncan Alney returned to the Ripple with second place for "Hope" in this year's competition and third place for "Happiness" in last year's. The films featured beloved Broad Ripple-ites Dre Berry of Marsh and Joe Vuscovich of Yats.

The Gazette was invited to a special press screening of "Hope" on Thursday, March 13th. The event was held in Butler's Lilly Hall with food fare from Hubbard and Cravens. After a short meet and greet with Duncan and Dre it was time for the short itself.

The seven minute documentary discussed Dre's life growing up and his hopes for the future. This produce pro talked of his grandmother and the role music plays in his life, as well as his fruit-like features.

In the Q and A that followed, Dre's captivating laugh and candid conversation filled the room. Except for the neighborly nods while working at Marsh, he says his life hasn't really changed since becoming a local star on the big screen (at IMAX.) His personal motto, "see me succeed later," is something we could all take a lesson from. Because while Dre doesn't have everything he wants from life yet, he's hopeful that with hard work he can have it.

Editor's Note: