(Digital) 3D is the future for cinema?

[Heath McKnight]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17787813/

heath

[Patrick Swinnea]

I saw Nightmare Before Xmas during the 3D rerelease and it was jaw dropping. I wasn't expecting anything like it. The technology is amazing and could very well save theatrical film runs by providing an experience you can't reproduce at home.

I'm an avid fan of seeing films on the big screen, but the ability to recreate the experience at home means I see 3 or 4 movies a year in the theater, compared to 20-30 a few years ago.

I've been eagerly waiting for a reason to go back to the theater on a regular basis, something that justifies the cost. If I had the choice of seeing a movie in the theater in 3D or at home on DVD, I'd choose 3D.

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

Somewhere it's a nice idea, but on the other side, I actually love 2D movies...
You know? I just love the fact that so many emotions can be evoked by a just sound and 2d image.

I think it's a nice 'gimick', and I would be interested to see films like LOTR or Titanic remastered in 3D, but it's not... what I want as the future of film, I think...
I don't know, maybe I should just wait and see, maybe I'll love it.

Still... :-)

[Boyd Ostroff]

My uninformed guess is that this will be a short-lived gimmick, just like it was in the past...

[Patrick Swinnea]

I thought the exact same thing until I saw Nightmare in RealD. I think because the film was originally conceived to work in 2D there weren't a lot of gee-whiz 3D effects (which I agree do come off as gimmicky). In fact, most of the effect was very subtle. It just looked more "real" and much more life-like than something I can reproduce at home.

[Boyd Ostroff]

Originally Posted by Patrick Swinnea

I've been eagerly waiting for a reason to go back to the theater on a regular basis, something that justifies the cost.

I understand where you're coming from, and I don't mean this in a personal way at all, but that's sort of a sad comment on the state of affairs these days.

It used to be that people enjoyed going out and participating in a group experience, sharing something with others from their community. But today it takes some sort of gimmick to drag us out of our caves into a public space. What's wrong with a night out every now and then? But I'll admit that I'm guilty of the same thing.... however I've always been pretty much of a loner.

Yeah, I know all the complaints about how expensive the movies and concessions are, how rude the audience is, and how nice our widescreen TV's are at home. But I suspect it goes a little deeper than this. We just don't like to associate with other people as much as we used to. Since I work in the performing arts I'm keenly aware of this phenomenon; getting people to come to a theatre is a tough sell these days.

I don't know what the answer is, but I doubt that 3d movies will help much. But I could be wrong... maybe Count Floyd was way ahead of the curve selling $26 3d glasses so you could watch Dr. Tongue's 3d House of Stewardesses on Monster Chiller Horror Theatre. ;-)

[Brad Tyrrell]

Do your feet stick to the floor as much in 3d as 2d?

[Patrick Swinnea]

Great comments Boyd. It's definitely much easier to stay at home and avoid the group experience, but part of that is because the movie theater isn't offering an exclusive experience anymore. And, yeah, cost is a factor, especially after investing a few thousand dollars in a home theater system (as more and more people are doing).

It costs $20 for my wife and I to go see a movie in a theater (before buying snacks). With a projector, screen, 5 speakers, a sub and a $20 Netflix subscription, watching movies at home doesn't feel second rate anymore. It's an awesome experience. 10 years ago the average person couldn't even get close to the theatrical experience, now it's commonplace.

But the fact is I LOVE seeing films in a theater. I love it. (Which is probably why I wanted so badly to recreate the experience in my own home...) I'm practically begging for theaters to raise the bar, and if future 3D films look anything like Nightmare did, it isn't a gimmick. It's a brand new emotional experience, and it feels real (or does to me anyways). I said all these same words to my wife when we left the theater. It was exhilarating.

You mentioned the performing arts, which made me realize that I saw twice as much live theater last year as I did movies in a theater - because live shows can't be recreated at home!

I do agree with you that we don't want to leave our shelters anymore and that this attitude has probably carried over into theatrical performances of every kind.

[Zack Birlew]

Well, if they made Lord of the Rings into 3D, that cave troll would be in a whole new world of scary, especially when he pops out at Frodo, it'll look like he's popping out at the whole audience! That right there is the kind of thing that will make 3D stick. Plus, you have to factor in that 3D technology has come a long way since it first started up.

This was very apparent at last year's NAB when 3D LCD TV's, new 3D projectors, and even a new 3D camera rig were being shown in the back of the central hall. I think they may be there again this year if I read correctly. There was also a box being developed to turn regular TV into 3D as well; at the touch of a switch you could go from 2D viewing to 3D and it looked good too. Only downside was that you still needed to wear glasses.

I'm still kicking myself about not seeing "Nightmare Before Christmas" in 3D, but I'm thinking about going to see "Meet the Robinsons" in 3D since that's supposed to be such a big deal and all.

[David Lach]

Originally Posted by Patrick Swinnea

I thought the exact same thing until I saw Nightmare in RealD. I think because the film was originally conceived to work in 2D there weren't a lot of gee-whiz 3D effects (which I agree do come off as gimmicky). In fact, most of the effect was very subtle. It just looked more "real" and much more life-like than something I can reproduce at home.

Yeah Nightmare before Xmas 3D was indeed a pleasant surprise. Though while I left the theater, I couldn't help but wonder if it was easier to accept/forget/enjoy since it was animated and not real life actors. Somehow I remembered the horrible experience of Freddy 3D and while the gimmicky feel was amplified 10 fold by the fact the actors were letting you know it was time to put on your uggly paper 3D glasses, and all the action was clearly pretext for cheesy 3D effects, I think the resistence also came in part from the fact it was real actors and not drawings. Not sure if anybody else shares this feeling.

I couldn't say if 3D will be like the scratch-o-rama movie experience, a short lived gimmick, or if it will revolutionize moviemaking the same way color did, but they'll have to find a way to incorporate it without making it look like the only motivation for the action is superficial 3D effects, just like talkies back in the days were often mediocre flicks with the sole purpose of hearing the novelty of sound on screen. So far I haven't seen a real purpose for 3D imaging. But it just takes one creative mind to open the gates.

I still don't see how 3D movies will draw back people in theaters though. Nothing preventing you from getting that 3D experience in the comfort of your home theater surroundings (I would think) so I don't feel this would be a difference maker, especially now that huge HDTVs are becoming affordable.

[Evan Donn]

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

It used to be that people enjoyed going out and participating in a group experience, sharing something with others from their community. But today it takes some sort of gimmick to drag us out of our caves into a public space. What's wrong with a night out every now and then? But I'll admit that I'm guilty of the same thing.... however I've always been pretty much of a loner.

It doesn't have to be either-or - I've got about a dozen people together who like to make videos, we just do our own 'film festivals' every couple months or so where we show our own projects. I've basically put together a portable HD theater for under $2k which we can set up in minutes at anyone's house. It's usually more fun than a typical night out at a traditional theater - but since we're screening our own work in our own venue we've basically cut hollywood & the movie theaters out of the loop.

As the cost of both the home theater components and production equipment drop this kind of thing becomes easier and easier to do, and I think we'll see an emergence of a parallel theatrical experience (as well as production industry) outside of the traditional ones. It's not neccessarily in a public space, but it can be much more social than going to a traditional theater is.