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Topic: Has 3D film-making had its day?

Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 12-29-2012 08:56 PM

quote: Jeff Kane
3D at home seems to have had little takeup

That's because it sucks. The 3D industry thinks that everyone watching TV is sitting there, glued to the set. That's not the case. People are partying, visiting, cleaning house, reading, Facebooking, working, canoodling, etc. with the TV on. None of which is possible or fun to do while wearing 3D glasses...and it's a pain to have to slip your glasses back on whenever you want to catch a glimpse of the set.

Then there is the size issue. 3D on a 45" or smaller TV just looks puny. You need to fill your field of vision as much as possible, otherwise it looks underwhelming.

Then the expense. If people are watching an "event" like a movie they're inclined to invite a bunch of friends. That means more expensive glasses. Or, maybe the little kids break the glasses during one of their many temper tantrums. Or the dog chews them. Any of a dozen possible scenarios there.

In the theater you're wearing the glasses but you are THERE to watch the movie and you don't have the distractions of daily life asking you to take them off.

We've created a few new theatrical 3D fans by advising them to set several rows closer to the screen than they would normally so the picture fills more of the glasses frame. These days, in most of our 3D showings the bottom of the theatre is more crowded than usual with only a few people in the top half.

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Scott Jentsch
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: New Berlin, WI, USA
Registered: Apr 2003

posted 01-02-2013 09:54 AM

quote: Jack Theakston
I keep seeing statements like this, and it's not to take away from your opinion, Scott, but I don't see where AVATAR did anything that hadn't been done before, and isn't being done now. Is this based on comparing to other 3D movies of this last decade, or is this a stand-alone thought? What made it stand out?

Before Avatar, the 3D movies that I saw (starting with Superman Returns) used what appeared to me to be a cardboard cutout effect to create depth. Very unrealistic.

Avatar was the first movie to impress me because the cutout effect was gone, and I felt as though there were multiple levels of depth and the transitions were smoother. It wasn't until Hugo that I felt that 3D was done well again, but admittedly, I did my best to avoid 3D presentations.

3D in the home actually works better for me in non-movie situations. It's still a novelty, but it's fun to sit down and watch a 3D nature documentary every once in a while. Playing Super Stardust HD in 3D on the PS3 takes a fun game to an entirely new level, and has made me a hit with my nephews.

When it came time to invest in a new home theater projector, did I spend the extra $1500 for a 3D capable model? No. Do I regret it? Only slightly. I admit to being very curious how it would look on a 10' wide screen vs. the experience in theaters, but if I had to make that cost investment decision again, it would have to be for more reasons than just 3D to choose the 3D-capable model.

3D is a technology that is now as good as it probably can be, but those in charge of using it have not found a way to use it that actually improves the product to such a degree that it's a must-see item. Avatar did that, other movies have not.

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