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“PassmoreLab Wraps Production in Indian Ocean on Latest 3D Film ‘The Extreme Nature of Bats”
3D Studio Goes to Great Lengths to Complete New Museum Science Film
San Diego, CA (Mar 3, 2010) – San Diego-based 3D Production Studio PassmoreLab has returned from the islands of the Indian Ocean, officially completing photography on their latest 3D science film, “The Extreme Nature of Bats”.
The film, which explores the truths, myths and dark legends that have stalked the world’s only flying mammal, closely examines three bat species; the free-tailed bat, the megabat, and the infamous vampire bat.
PassmoreLab’s production team traveled the world to film these bats in their natural habitats in order to tell their remarkable story.
Production began last year in October in a Texas bat cave, where the team filmed a resident population of 12 million Mexican free-tailed bats. From there, the crew traveled to Romania to tackle the myths surrounding bats and Bran Castle (better known as Dracula’s Castle), then backpacked through the jungles of Mexico to film the elusive vampire bat. Finally, after arriving in Africa, the team boarded a boat to a primitive island in the Indian Ocean to film the megabat.
“I took the crew over 42,000 miles to get these bats,” says Passmore. “We were on location in some amazingly remote places. For instance, the Indian Ocean island was wild, with giant spiders, huge bats, and very difficult terrain. It looked like we had landed in a Jules Verne novel.”
Bats fulfill multiple roles in different parts of the world. For instance, in North America they keep ecosystems in check, yet are symbols of fright; in the Indian Ocean they are a part of the food supply; and in Mexico bats treat animals and humans as a part of their food supply.
Through interpreters and local guides, Passmore began to hear about the legends of his subject matter. “The locals in one remote village in Mexico told us that they can hear the vampire bats making a screaming noise during the nightly cattle hunts.”
To try to capture that on film, the crew had to ditch the jeeps and go in by foot, backpacking for hours to an area where they could film these swarms of vampire bats in the moonlight drinking blood from cattle.
“It was very still, very quiet, and then all at once…yes, there were screaming noises,” says Passmore. “It was eerie.”
“The Extreme Nature of Bats” is a new, educational 3D science film that chronicles the lives of these unique and interesting animals. Passmore’s objective was to find bat populations in locations where few crews have ever gone before, giving viewers a highly memorable, realistic journey and exposing them to a world they have never seen before.
“I wanted to go deep inside active bat caves and film from the inside out,” says Passmore. “I needed to understand the risks and rewards associated with large bat populations before I could put it onscreen.”
One sequence shows the megabats in the trees and sky, surrounded by the most incredible natural beauty on the edge of an ancient burial ground. And in the middle of all that activity, the local people are catching them in giant nets.
“Apparently, they go well with rice,” continues Passmore. “That just reinforced to me the need to better understand these creatures across cultural contexts,” continues Passmore. “A disease plaguing bats, White Nose Syndrome, is killing off entire bat colonies, and we are unsure why. Hopefully the film can help underscore the importance of these creatures and why we need to protect them.”
The film now goes into post-production to be ready for rollout to museums and theatres. “We traveled far and wide to tell this story,” says Steve Glum, PassmoreLab’s head of Branding & Distribution. “It’s been an incredible expedition and we think audiences worldwide will be thrilled to experience this journey with us.”
PassmoreLab’s “The Extreme Nature of Bats” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ23ZMBcVMg) is scheduled for release to Science Centers and Museums in March, and will be translated into German and Spanish.
About PassmoreLab
PassmoreLab, the “World’s Largest 3D Content Provider”, is a San Diego-based multi-media production studio that specializes in 3D production. The studio custom-designs and builds its own RED camera 3D rigs for both conventional and rugged film productions, shooting everything from feature films, television and science documentaries, to underwater diving, extreme sports and cave exploration http://www.passmorelab.com/PL2minTRAILER.mov. State-of-the-art facilities include a full 3D production studio, video/film post-production, optical development lab, and a software development environment. Production includes 2D, 3D, high dynamic range time lapse, stereoscopic microscopy and cutting-edge simulation technologies for real time SFX. PassmoreLab has additional offices in Russia and the Philippines. For more information, visit www.passmorelab.com.
Marketsaw.com: MICROWORLDS, The World Beneath Our Feet in S3D
http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2010/01/microworlds-unseen-world-beneath-our.html
Just Found: youtube Urban Rail Park Vids
Cool. Just found this page that houses a bunch of the Urban Rail Park vids.
“3D Producer’s New Video: Shooting 3D is as Easy as 1, 2, 3″
PassmoreLab’s New Tutorial Video ‘Shooting 3D’ Takes the Mystery Out of 3D Production
San Diego, CA (Nov 7, 2009) - San Diego-based 3D producer PassmoreLab announced today the release of a new self-produced short film entitled Shooting 3D: Introduction to Stereoscopic Production Techniques that is intended as a “Quick Start” to de-mystify the production requirements and camera techniques of the genre and take the guess-work out of shooting live-action 3D productions. It was created as a tool for beginners and emerging 3D film-makers to better understand the process, from a seasoned 3D producer’s hands-on perspective.
“I have been shooting 3D for years, and trust me, I have made all the mistakes I care to remember,” smiles Greg Passmore, president of PassmoreLab. “At the time, there were no real tutorials to speak of, and all of us in 3D were mostly learning the process by trial and error. Honestly, the error part can get quite costly, so I thought a 3D self-help DVD might be in order.”
Shooting 3D: Introduction to Stereoscopic Production Techniques discusses camera selection, alignment, symmetry, proper mountings, editing tips, technique and a host of other technical details about how to shoot professional looking 3D productions, even without using professional gear or budgets.
The 2D video is 20 minutes long and was created for beginning 3D enthusiasts, focusing mainly on consumer and prosumer cameras and comparisons. Shooting 3D: Introduction to Stereoscopic Production Techniques provides general information and advice from Passmore – he himself an industry pioneer – on 3D productions and how they are set up, calibrated, shot, and edited.
“It dawned on me one day that I was explaining 3D production over and over again at film festivals, so I thought I could create a tool that was much more helpful,” says Passmore. “With the added bonus that they could go back and replay anything they may have missed.”
2009 has been a great year for PassmoreLab. The independent studio has been busy producing a number of live-action 3D science and nature-themed productions – namely ‘Microworlds’, ‘The Extreme Nature of Bats’, and ‘Physics of Surfing’ to name a few — as well as rolling out conversion after conversion, with the most high-profile title being the 3D conversion of the original 1968 George Romero zombie classic “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!”, which premiered October 3 in Los Angeles.
The 3D industry in general has had a banner year as well, as consumers have embraced it worldwide. The explosion at the box office has been exceptional, as was evidenced again recently with Sony’s $30 million opening weekend for “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 3D”. The emergence of a 3D Blu-ray DVD player for the home entertainment market is next on the 3D horizon, due out in 2010.
“Next year we will see more 3D at the theatre level, and ground-breaking new innovation in the home market, which is great news for the industry” said Steve Glum, Head of Branding and Distribution for PassmoreLab. “Our titles are uniquely poised and positioned to embrace both markets, as we continue to produce 3D content that can be enjoyed no matter where 3D lovers may be. And with our new Shooting 3D video, perhaps there will be even more 3D content out there.”
PassmoreLab’s Shooting 3D: Introduction to Stereoscopic Production Techniques can be purchased at Amazon.com for $24.95, as well as at www.passmorelab.com.
About PassmoreLab
Passmorelab, the “World’s Largest 3D Content Provider”, is a San Diego-based multi-media production studio that specializes in 3D production and 2D to 3D content conversion. The studio custom-designs and builds its own RED camera 3D rigs for both conventional and rugged film productions, shooting everything from feature films, television and science documentaries, to underwater diving, extreme sports and cave exploration, click for reel http://www.passmorelab.com/PL2minTRAILER.mov . State-of-the-art facilities include a full 3D production studio, video/film post-production, optical development lab, and a software development environment. Production includes 2D, 3D, high dynamic range time lapse, stereoscopic microscopy and cutting-edge simulation technologies for real time SFX. Passmorelab’s proprietary technology for 2D to 3D video and film conversion is unmatched in the industry, in both turnaround times and conversion costs. PassmoreLab has additional offices in Russia and the Philippines. For more information, visit www.passmorelab.com.
ABC NEWS Nightline Covers Bats Film
Here’s the link to the ABC NEWS Nightline story on one of the films I am working on, “The Extreme Nature of Bats” (announcement is below in previous blog entry).
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerindex?id=8962985
“PassmoreLab’s New 3D Film Delves Deep Inside the Extreme Nature of Bats”
Studio’s Latest 3D Film Takes a Very Realistic and Often Stark Look at Bats in New Museum Science Film
San Diego, CA (Oct 22, 2009) – When Greg Passmore, president of San Diego-based 3D Production Studio PassmoreLab recently uttered the words ‘to the bat cave’, he wasn’t referring to atomic batteries to power, turbines to speed, Robin, The Dark Knight or Dracula. But all signs point to his bat cave being every bit as entertaining, creepy and biting.
Passmore was referring to a Texas bat cave where he was filming part of his latest science movie, “The Extreme Nature of Bats”, that has a resident population of 12 million of the little flying fanged mammals. These bats are as important to the surrounding ecosystem – and every single ecosystem in the world for that matter — as the clean air and water that support them. But as beneficial as they are to nature controlling pests, pollinating plants and dispersing seeds, they can often be as deadly. Known carriers of the rabies virus — which can be fatal to humans and animals — bats’ dark reputation as nightstalkers is as much fact as it is fiction, and Passmore’s production is traveling the world filming bats in order to tell a balanced truth about them.
Now in production, “The Extreme Nature of Bats” is a new, 35 minute educational science film that will explore the myths and dark legends that have stalked the world’s only flying mammal for hundreds of years. Through the wonders of digital 3D technology, audiences will learn that bats are unique and interesting animals; but, because of fear and misconceptions associated with them throughout history, they also are some of the most misunderstood animals in the world.
The film is being shot in various locations around the world and will examine several species of bats, including free-tailed bats, fruit bats, and vampire bats. Texas was chosen as one location because the territory contains some of the largest bat caves in the world, including maternity caves that are winter homes for millions of Mexican free-tailed bats. Other locations are quite exotic, including Africa, chosen for the fruit bat population; Belize, chosen to illustrate ancient Mayan ceremonial practices and primitive bat cave etchings; Romania, to further illuminate the myths surrounding Bran Castle (Dracula’s Castle); and the jungles of Mexico, to film the infamous vampire bats.
Only three of the world’s approximate 1,000 bat species are vampire bats that drink the blood of other animals — and occasionally humans. These rare species are only found in isolated parts of Central and South America. Once a vampire bat locates a host, such as a sleeping mammal, it lands and stealthily approaches it from the ground.
“Vampire bats are highly-evolved hunters. They have specialized thermoreceptors which help them locate areas where its preyʼs blood flows close to the skin. Their front teeth are specialized for cutting and removing skin and their saliva contains an anticoagulant which, when injected, prevents the prey’s blood from clotting,” says Greg Passmore. “Often they will return night after night to the same animal, so they simply just have to pull back the scab from previous visits to feed on more blood.”
Passmore’s objective from the start was to take viewers on a highly-memorable, realistic journey and expose them to a world they have never seen before – from deep inside active bat caves filmed from the inside out – giving viewers a realistic understanding of the risks and rewards associated with large bat populations.
“This film is not a tame depiction of bats as cute little cave kittens,” says Passmore. “It’s real — the good, the bad and the ugly. Millions of bats live in those caves, departing and returning, devouring tons of insects nightly. But they also die there.”
One sequence shows the bats as they die and fall from the roof of the cave into the muck of bat guano below, being quickly consumed by waiting Dermestid beetles and worms.
“That’s not your typical average bat movie fare, and I can attest to the fact that the circle of life inside a bat cave is actually quite bizarre and a little disturbing,” smiles Passmore.
The film will also explore the similarity between humans and bats. Interestingly, bats have the same basic arm and hand bones found in humans and most other mammals. However, the forelimbs of all bats developed as wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of sustained flight.
More than half of America’s bat species are considered in decline or are already listed for protection under the federal Endangered Species Act. Wildlife experts agree that ignorance about bats and their habitats has contributed to their demise. It was Passmore’s passion for conservation and edgy story-telling that led to this film.
“I think this is an important film. The world needs to better understand these creatures before they are gone,” continues Passmore. “We are seeing new diseases like White Nose Syndrome that are killing off entire bat colonies, and that is tragic. Our film will hopefully do much for educating people about the importance of these creatures and why we need to protect them.”
There are close to 1,000 species of bats worldwide and they comprise more than one-fifth of all mammals. The film takes a straight-ahead approach to telling the story of the plight and flight of the worlds’ bat population. “The visuals speak for themselves, and I will admit that the storyline can get a little startling at times,” says Steve Glum, PassmoreLab’s head of Branding & Distribution. “But sometimes a little shock makes people stop and think, and I believe this film’s relevance fits well with the ever-growing worldwide concern for the planet’s well being.”
PassmoreLab’s “The Extreme Nature of Bats” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ23ZMBcVMg) is scheduled for release to IMAX, Science Centers and Museums in March 2010.
“Thousands of Rockers & Film Fans Join Hollywood Celebrities at Premiere of “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” at Legendary Rocker Johnny Ramone’s Memorial Tribute”
PassmoreLab & The Johnny Ramone Army Confirm Event was Largest Turnout Ever
Los Angeles, CA (Oct 14, 2009) - San Diego-based 3D producer PassmoreLab, in conjunction with the Johnny Ramone Army, has confirmed that the iconic rocker’s memorial tribute was the largest ever, with approximately 3,000 fans showing up to pay homage to the guitarist and witness the World Premiere of “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” during the 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute, which took place at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 3, 2009.
Ramones’ guitarist Johnny Ramone created the enduring template for punk rock guitar. With his blazing power chords and brutal licks energizing Ramones’ classics like “Blitzkrieg Bop”, “Rockaway Beach” and “Sheena is a Punk Rocker”, Johnny inspired generations of punk bands until his untimely death from prostate cancer in 2004. His annual tribute, now in its fifth year, takes place at the foot of his 8 ft. memorial bronze statue inside the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Attending Hollywood celebrities and rockstars included actress Rose McGowan, actress Rosanna Arquette, actress PJ Soles, actress Virginia Madsen, actors David Arquette and Vincent Gallo, Sex Pistol’s Steve Jones, musician Pete Yorn, X’s Billy Zoom, radio personality Joe Escalante of the Vandals, Stan Lee of The Dickies, the Ramones’ Tommy Ramone, CJ Ramone and many more.
“This year’s event was spectacular and turned out to be everything we’d hoped for,” said John Cafiero, Chief of Staff of the Johnny Ramone Army. “It was just a great night all around. The event was rich and diverse as a whole and so was the crowd. Commandos assembled from all over the world and it was the biggest turnout we’ve ever seen at the annual Tribute. I think Johnny would be proud.”
The event was a fundraiser with net proceeds benefiting the Johnny Ramone research fund at USC Westside Prostate Cancer Center lead by Dr. David Agus.
Fans enjoyed a full evening of Rock ‘N Roll and movie magic in both 2D and 3D with a vintage 1977 Ramone’s concert film “It’s Alive”; the rarely-seen “Rock ‘N Roll High School” original theatrical trailer, which was introduced by special guest PJ Soles, the original Riff Randall from the film; “Night of the Living Pinheads”, a unique clip from the “Ramones RAW” DVD where the band is seen in South America and their van is being mobbed by adoring fans fittingly intercut with shots from “Night of the Living Dead”; a rare memorabilia exhibit; an art show of original paintings by the legendary Ramones bassist Dee Dee Ramone; opening featurettes of animated music videos from the Johnny Ramone Army and the world premiere of Osaka Popstar’s “Wicked World” 3D video; NVIDIA’s new 3D Vision presentation of the horror game “Resident Evil 5”; and never-before-seen 3D photos of Johnny Ramone himself.
The evening concluded with the 3D World Premiere of George Romero’s original 1968 cult classic “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!”, produced by PassmoreLab, and was superbly introduced by actress and JRA affiliate Rose McGowan, a close friend of Ramone for many years.
“We had a huge turnout! What can I say? It was for the love of Johnny Ramone, a great cause and fantastic entertainment,” reflects McGowan. “Johnny would’ve been thrilled that so many people love & respect The Ramones.”
“The movie looked great in 3D,” said Greg Passmore, president of PassmoreLab. “We took great care restoring and converting it, and I am very pleased with the outcome.”
“Night of the Living Dead”, one of the greatest low budget cult movies ever made and originally shot in black and white over 40 years ago, was painstakingly restored, colorized and converted, frame by frame into full 3D using Passmorelab’s proprietary technology.
“It was great to see this all come together,” said James Humann, producer at PassmoreLab. “We are fans ourselves, and were happy to be a part of such an amazing event!”
The World Premiere of “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” and the Johnny Ramone Tribute event was open to the public for a $10 donation to the foundation. Attendees all received free 3D commemorative Johnny Ramone Army/“Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” glasses upon entering.
“I think Johnny would have been very proud. He loved horror movies, and would have been thrilled that “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” had its world premiere at his tribute, in front of so many fans,” said Linda Ramone, wife of the legendary guitarist.
“It had a very cool vibe,” said Steve Glum, Head of Branding & Distribution for PassmoreLab. “All the young rockers, influenced by the Ramones, were out on full-force, and the movie buffs were just as excited to see ‘Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!”
“Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” can now be seen in selected US theatres and in wide release in 3D theaters in Europe. “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” will be available in anaglyph DVD on Amazon.com by Christmas, and a 3D TV version will be available when 3D BluRay becomes commercially available.
About PassmoreLab: Passmorelab, the “World’s Largest 3D Content Provider”, is a San Diego-based multi-media production studio that specializes in 3D production. The studio custom-designs and builds its own RED camera 3D rigs for both conventional and rugged film productions, shooting everything from feature films, television and science documentaries, to underwater diving, extreme sports and cave exploration. State-of-the-art facilities include a full 3D production studio, video/film post-production, optical development lab, and a software development environment. Production includes 2D, 3D, high dynamic range time lapse, stereoscopic microscopy and cutting-edge simulation technologies for real time SFX. PassmoreLab has additional offices in Russia and the Philippines. For more information, visit www.passmorelab.com.
About Johnny Ramone Army: For more information about the Johnny Ramone Army and tribute, visit http://www.johnnyramone.com
Photos by Paul Redmond. Under license to JRA LLC. Used with permission.
Marketing By Jury
Is a recipe for disaster.
Vision is required. And that doesn’t come from a committee, a board, a council or jury.
Let me guess. You report to somebody who doesn’t get it, can’t make a decision, and is clueless about marketing. So…jury time! Suddenly, you have a vote on your hands, and the quickest road to ruin is to try to please everybody.
Now, active participation in brainstorming is encouraged, and yes, debate can be fruitful. But marketing requires a leader. A unique perspective. Imagination. Innovation. Inventiveness. A dream. A hope. And yes, some fantasy.
Don’t fall for it. Don’t stand for it. It will ruin you and dilute your plans. And when that happens, you won’t have anyone to blame but yourself.
~ Steve Glum
Johnny Ramone’s Tribute to be Memorialized in New Documentary
San Diego, CA (Sep 29, 2009) - San Diego-based 3D producer PassmoreLab, in conjunction with the Johnny Ramone Army, has confirmed that the legendary rocker’s memorial tribute will be filmed for a as-yet-untitled documentary during the previously announced 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute, which will take place at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 3, 2009.
Ramone’s annual tribute, now in its fifth year and attended by thousands of fans, takes place at the foot of his 8 ft. memorial bronze statue inside the cemetery.
The Hi-Definition 2D documentary will be worthy of the rockstar and will focus on capturing the raw, emotional, and endearing moments of the 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute – a day-long rock-icon tribute event attended by thousands — as told by the people who were there: his loyal fans, trusted comrades, and the attending celebrities and rock musicians Johnny influenced through his storied career.
Ramone, who created the enduring template for punk rock guitar with his blazing power chords and brutal licks, energized Ramones’ classics like “Blitzkrieg Bop”, “Rockaway Beach” and “Sheena is a Punk Rocker”. Ramone inspired generations of punk bands until his untimely death from prostate cancer in 2004, at age 55.
The film will capture all the action from the event as it happens — celebrity guests and speakers in attendance; autograph signings with sole surviving founding member, Ramones drummer & producer Tommy Ramone, and CJ Ramone; a rare memorabilia exhibit; an art show of original paintings by the legendary Ramones bassist Dee Dee Ramone; opening featurettes of 3D animated music videos from the Johnny Ramone Army and Osaka Popstar; and never-before-seen 3D photos of Johnny Ramone himself.
The evening will continue with a 2D version of the original “Rock ‘N Roll High School” theatrical trailer, which will be introduced by special guest PJ Soles, who appeared in the classic film decades ago; and “Night of the Living Pinheads”, a rare clip from the “Ramones RAW” DVD where the band is seen in South America and their van is being mobbed by adoring fans.
The filming and the evening will conclude with a vintage Ramones concert shot in 1977 entitled “Its Alive” and the 3D World Premiere of George Romero’s original 1968 cult classic “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D”, produced by PassmoreLab, and introduced by actress Rose McGowan.
“Johnny’s annual tribute has become such an awe-inspiring event. We’ve started showing Johnny’s favorite movies and paired them with vintage Ramones concerts each year,” said John Cafiero, Chief of Staff of the Johnny Ramone Army. “This year, we are doing the same with ‘It’s Alive’ and premiering one of his all-time favorites with ‘Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D’. Capturing the tribute on film for the first time will be a great time capsule and a real testament to the power of Johnny’s legacy, and the timeless legacy of the Ramones. It’s very exciting and will be a lot of fun for the fans to be such a big part of it too.”
The documentary has been an inspiration for everyone involved, including the film-makers.
“We are honored to be a part of this tribute, and as filmmakers, we felt obligated to capture this moment in time so future generations can experience it as it happened” said Steve Glum, PassmoreLab’s head of Branding & Distribution. “The journey of so many fans, young and old, to be present at an event like this is proof of Johnny’s ever-enduring spirit, and we are thrilled to co-produce this film with JRA.”
“Every year after the tribute, I always feel bad that there’s nothing to remember it by. This year there will be.” said Linda Ramone, wife of the legendary guitarist and founding member of the Ramones.
The 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute and World Premiere of “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D” event are open to the public for a $10 per person minimum donation entrance fee with net proceeds benefiting the Johnny Ramone prostate cancer research fund at USC Westside Prostate Cancer Center lead by Dr. David Agus. Gates for the event will open at 5:30pm, and picnic dinners, drinks (including alcohol), pillows, blankets and small chairs are permitted. Attendees of the event will get free commemorative 3D glasses upon entering.
The 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute documentary will be released on DVD at a future date.
**Photo by Danny Fields, under exclusive license to JRA LLC. Reprinted by permission
2D to 3D: Classic masterpieces to get 3D makeover
“This is just the tip of the iceberg. We are seeing a massive shift right now to 3D”.
Words from a rather excited Steve Glum, head of branding and distribution at Passmorelabs in San Diego, the world’s largest 3D content provider.
With the world and its dog touting the excitement of 3D you can see why companies like Passmorelabs are excited about the world going three dimensional when it comes to watching movies.
The studio specialises in turning 2D movies into 3D, ready for the studios to release in the cinema to a 3D hungry audience, as well as creating its own 3D content.
The company is just finishing up turning the 1968 horror movie Night of the Living Dead into 3D, showing that 3D movies aren’t just about cartoon monsters or space battles in the far reaches of the galaxy.
Originally shot in black and white over 40 years ago, George Romero’s masterpiece has, says Glum, been “painstakingly restored, colorized and converted, frame by frame into full 3D” using the company’s proprietary technology. The process, which took over 12 months to complete at a cost greater than the film’s original production budget, “was no small feat”.
So will it succeed? Glum certainly hopes so:
“3D is out performing 2D content in most cases”, Glum tells us before commenting that most cinemas and studios are keen to embrace the technology because they can charge more for the experience at the cinema.
With over 30 Hollywood 3D blockbusters slated for 2010 and the cinema currently packed with titles like Coraline and Monsters versus Aliens it’s only a matter of time before cinema goers want that experience in the home.
“There is no content yet for the home”, confirms Glum. “But that’s because there isn’t any technology out there yet that is mainstream. No Blu-ray 3D, no vast array of televisions that offers the technology. But do you really think James Cameron will be happy to let that slide?”
Glum is referring to James Cameron’s Avatar due out in the Cinema in December.
The film, which Cameron himself believes will have the same if not greater effect on cinema as the first “talkies”, is expected to catapult 3D to the masses and open the flood gates to more 3D content from all directions.
If, as expected, it is the box-office smash that the studio and Cameron is planning on, then come the time of the scheduled Blu-ray release in 2010 there currently isn’t a way to experience the film in the home.
Industry experts predict that this will force the studios into pushing for the adoption of a standardised format with Blu-ray 3D at the centre of it.
“The industry will change pretty quickly”, states Glum.
Of course you can get 3D for the home at the moment. Anaglyph 3D is probably the most familiar and involves you wearing blue and red glasses. It’s been around for sometime, however to get a “true” 3D experience studios are opting for the more efficient “polarised” method. It still involves you wearing glasses but the 3D effect is considerably better.
This year’s IFA confirms that 2010 will be a big year from a hardware perspective, with Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, Samsung, LG and the Blu-ray Disc Association all putting their weight behind the technology.
“It will be a number of years before you get to deep penetration, but we still will see a robust market that will begin to emerge in 2010”, Jeffery Katzenberg, the boss at Dreamworks said at 3D Summit in LA in September. “All the major manufacturers are aggressively rolling 3D products beginning next year”.
So are we likely to see a barrage of re-released 2D movies in 3D? As the quote at the top of this article stated:
“This is just the tip of the iceberg”.
With the higher revenue from cinemas, the chance to convince consumers to re-invest in possible new Blu-ray players, TV and films, combined with a hunger for 3D content, expect your world to go 3D very quickly over the next 2 years.
Enjoyed this article about 3DTV? Then check out more articles in our 3DTV week on the 3DTV homepage.
http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/27270/2d-to-3d-conversion-coming