Slash in 3D
Guitarist Teams up with PassmoreLab to Convert Latest Video “By The Sword” to 3D
Los Angeles, CA (Aug 31, 2010) – The first video off of Slash’s #1 Rock Album SLASH, which hit retail in April and has received rave reviews worldwide, has been converted into full 3D, it was announced today in a joint statement by San Diego-based 3D Production & Conversion studio PassmoreLab & Slash.
The 5-minute rock music video, “By The Sword”, is the first single off the album and the first video ever from Slash to be released in 3D. It features the vocals of Andrew Stockdale of Wolfmother, and the ever-present blistering guitar work from Slash. The 3D video was released internationally today.
Slash, currently on tour promoting the album, has been on top of every aspect of the album and video process.
“Everything was cool, start to finish,” said Slash. “From Andrew’s vocals, to Vance directing me again, to PassmoreLab doing the 3D, it has been a killer experience and I am thrilled with it.”
Vance Burberry, Director of the video in 2D, said the video was a “wonderful, four month collaboration” between he and Slash. Burberry has a long history with Slash from his Guns ‘N Roses days, where he was Director of Photography on the band’s “Sweet Child o’Mine”, “Paradise City” and “Welcome to the Jungle” rock videos.
“On this one, we created a kind of post-apocalyptic future, where people are starved for music,” says Burberry. “We end up underground in this dark, deserted power plant bunker, where Slash and the band are mesmerizing an audience. When I found out that we were doing the conversion with PassmoreLab, I thought that environment was perfect for 3D.”
PassmoreLab began work on the project in May, and found the underground setting of the video was actually quite demanding. The conversion took about four weeks to complete, using PassmoreLab’s proprietary conversion technology.
“It’s edgy, dark and fast — everything you would expect from Slash,” said Steve Glum, PassmoreLab’s head of Branding & Distribution. “Everybody in the video is hypnotized by this murky hunger for rock n roll, and the quick camera cuts, sweeping movement, and low lighting gave us a real conversion challenge. But the final 3D product is very cool.”
SLASH hit the charts on April 6. Featuring an incredible lineup of rockers and vocalists like Kid Rock, Dave Grohl, Myles Kennedy, Fergie, Adam Levine, Chris Cornell, Ozzy Osbourne, Iggy Pop, and more, the album has been critically-acclaimed all over the world.
“We were very excited to do it,” continued Glum. “If you are going to produce an artist’s 3D rock video, Slash is definitely on the top of that list.”
SLASH is Slash’s first album as a solo artist, having previously recorded and toured most recently with Velvet Revolver from 2003-2008. One of the most recognizable rockers of all time, with his signature top hat, he is also critically recognized as one of the all-time best guitarists ever to play. In August 2009, Time Magazine ranked him #2 on its list of the 10 Best Electric Guitar Players of All-Time.
Always on the cutting-edge of music, art and technology, PassmoreLab has a solid background in rock and 3D music videos, working with New York garage-glam phenoms Semi Precious Weapons on the award-winning “Magnetic Baby”; with punk-rockers Osaka Popstar & the American Legends of Punk on “Wicked World”, with Rock ‘N Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar on “Loud”, and LA art noir group Miss Derringer on “Black Tears”. PassmoreLab also delved into the rock-and-roll archives of famed photographer Bob Gruen to produce the first-ever 3D conversions of images from the Rock, Punk, and New Wave eras. Working together with Gruen, PassmoreLab developed an innovative new process to convert many of Gruen’s well-known images to a format that can be viewed on stereoscopic displays.
“By The Sword, in 3D!” will be seen in VOD on various network locations in Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Australia, Japan & Canada; at the 3D Experience Entertainment & Technology Festival as the pre-roll to U23D in Times Square, New York City; and at Hard Rock Cafes in Barcelona & Madrid; additional locations to be announced.
“Worst Movie Ever Made Gets Best 3D Makeover”
PassmoreLab to Convert Ed Wood’s Iconic Sci-Fi Flick “Plan 9 from Outer Space” into 3D
San Diego, CA (June 15, 2010) - Those pesky aliens that want to resurrect dead humans as zombies and vampires to stop mankind from creating a sun bomb will soon be able to do it in full color and in 3D, as Edward D. Wood Jr’s original 1959 campy Sci-Fi film, “Plan 9 from Outer Space” will be converted into full 3D, it was announced today by San Diego-based 3D Production & Conversion studio PassmoreLab.
The film, also known as the “worst movie ever made” due to its numerous continuity and production gaffes, has become an iconic sci-fi cult classic due largely to its reputation for being so bad. It was christened “worst movie” back in 1980 by Harry and Michael Medved in their book “The Golden Turkey Awards”, when they claimed to have found the “holy Grail” of bad movies. Since then, the movie has become very popular.
“Being dubbed “worst ever” was the probably the best thing that ever happened to this film,” said Greg Passmore, president of PassmoreLab. “That label started a cult following, where it gained a massive fan base, with me included. It may be known as the “worst movie”, but it’s about to get best conversion treatment available. I am delighted to convert the original film into 3D using our proprietary technology.”
As campy as it is, “Plan 9” is now widely considered to be legendary B-movie director Ed Wood’s masterpiece, albeit a bad one. Both he and the film gained more notoriety after they became the subject of Tim Burton’s 1994 film “Ed Wood”, with Johnny Depp starring in an angora sweater in the title role.
“Our studio has a definite indie feel to it – a little alternative and off-center — and we are absolutely drawn to cool and unusual projects,” continued Passmore. “That was a big reason we converted Romero’s ‘Night of the Living Dead’ last year. And that’s exactly why we are converting ‘Plan 9’, because we love cult films, and we take great care with them.”
“Plan 9 from Outer Space”, was written, produced, directed and edited by Wood, and was originally shot in black and white over 50 years ago. It was restored and colorized by Legend Films in 2006, and will now be converted, frame by frame into full 3D, using Passmorelab’s proprietary conversion technology. It is Legend Film’s colorized version that is being used for the conversion, which will take over 6 weeks to complete at a cost far greater than the film’s original $60,000 production budget.
“Converting film demands great attention to detail, especially with a film this old. Rest assured, audiences will be able to enjoy the same film they have always known — complete with the 73 or so production flubs — except now they will see those wires, strings and wobbly flying saucers in spectacular 3D,” smiles Passmore.
3D conversion is emerging as an incredible opportunity for content owners worldwide, and by employing PassmoreLab’s proprietary technology, it can become a very cost-effective way of repurposing previously viewed material.
“3D continues to penetrate new distribution channels as an industry, and conversion is a big part of our business. All the great films we love in 2D can now be converted into 3D seamlessly to attract new audiences and find new revenue streams,” said Steve Glum, PassmoreLab’s head of Branding & Distribution. “Plan 9 from Outer Space, Now in 3D!” is the original film, the granddaddy of all bad movies, and we think audiences everywhere will have a great time seeing it in 3D.”
“Plan 9 from Outer Space, Now in 3D!” will be seen in select US theatres in limited release and on VOD on various network locations later this summer.
http://marketsaw.blogspot.com/2010/06/exclusive-plan-9-from-outer-space-being.html
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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.
“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.