3D movie technology

Posted by: antmast on 27 December 2014

Have you ever seen the IMAX 3D leader counter tape prefixed on many 3D films.  10, 9, and 8 are both in black and white flat circle graphics. Then comes this magnificent colored 7 and it twirls and rises out the screen. It flies over your head and the circles swallow your head. And then there's a 6, 5, 4 all doing the same thing. You feel like your going down a roller coaster. Your face even tickles.

I wonder why 3D movies don't use shots like this. Wouldn't it be great if the 'stage' were closer to your face. Does anyone out there have any ideas as how 3D could be more enhanced.
Posted on: 27 December 2014 by antmast

Nah

Posted on: 27 December 2014 by garyi

I have seen a number of 3d movies at the cinema, and for the most part I got a headache after around 20 minutes.

Posted on: 28 December 2014 by antmast

hmm, I suspect that 3D isn't as big at home as one might home or maybe its the holidays.

Posted on: 28 December 2014 by Steve J

I believe 3D is already considered by those in the industry to be a dead duck, or maybe a parrot. 

 

 

Posted on: 28 December 2014 by antmast

I don't get it

Posted on: 28 December 2014 by winkyincanada

Our kids (11 and 13 years old) much prefer 2D to 3D. I think this may be indicative of general opinion. I only enjoy 3D on specific (usually animated) movies, but really wouldn't miss it if it went the way of smell-o-vision.

Posted on: 28 December 2014 by Steve J
Originally Posted by antmast:

I don't get it

Posted on: 28 December 2014 by antmast
Originally Posted by Steve J:
Originally Posted by antmast:

I don't get it

You are a wicked man.

Posted on: 28 December 2014 by antmast
Originally Posted by winkyincanada:

Our kids (11 and 13 years old) much prefer 2D to 3D. I think this may be indicative of general opinion. I only enjoy 3D on specific (usually animated) movies, but really wouldn't miss it if it went the way of smell-o-vision.

That's too bad. I think 3D has a lot of potential but its just not being filmed in a way that brings out its full potential. But if your kids don't enjoy it then there has to be something Hollywood is doing wrong. 

Posted on: 31 December 2014 by Rustyneedle

Hi antmast, I do like 3d movies and do buy them (bought 3 over Christmas).

I have an LG passive set up,roughly 3 yrs old,that doesn't give me or my family fatigue.

i agree that animation appears to work best,although a friend who watched Peter Gabriel's concert in 3D at my house was most impressed.

I have just sent for 2 new pairs of glasses,clip on and overglasses to see if they have benefits.

I'm happy with my LG,but I do think the technology has moved on,ultra hd,oled,and so at some point I will make another purchase with 3d a priority.

 

Posted on: 31 December 2014 by antmast

Thanks Rustyneedle, this is good to hear. All is not lost!

Posted on: 01 January 2015 by Bananahead
Originally Posted by antmast:
Have you ever seen the IMAX 3D leader counter tape prefixed on many 3D films.  10, 9, and 8 are both in black and white flat circle graphics. Then comes this magnificent colored 7 and it twirls and rises out the screen. It flies over your head and the circles swallow your head. And then there's a 6, 5, 4 all doing the same thing. You feel like your going down a roller coaster. Your face even tickles.

I wonder why 3D movies don't use shots like this. Wouldn't it be great if the 'stage' were closer to your face. Does anyone out there have any ideas as how 3D could be more enhanced.

3D is great both in the cinema and at home.

 

However it works best when it provides more depth. In your face type tricks are horrible.

Posted on: 02 January 2015 by Kevin-W
Originally Posted by antmast:

That's too bad. I think 3D has a lot of potential but its just not being filmed in a way that brings out its full potential. But if your kids don't enjoy it then there has to be something Hollywood is doing wrong. 

The trouble is, 3D is a minority interest and always has been. Hollywood first developed the technology in the 1920s and it flopped. People weren't interested.They go to the movies for stories, their favourite stars, and to be taken somewhere else.

 

It enjoyed a brief renaissance in the 1950s, 1970s and the noughties (with the advent of IMAX 3D) but it'll always be a gimmick suitable only for a certain type of movie. It was very well used in Gravity, for example, which was better in 3D than 2D. But it's a gimmick that audiences aren't getting excited about: in 2012, there were 41 mainstream 3D movies; last year there were just 28.

 

But the harsh truth, which even the thick wankers who run Hollywood these days are beginning to realise, is that 3D doesn't work unless (like Gravity or Avatar) the movie is built from the ground up, for 3D.

 

And remember - if a film is crap in 2D, it'll be crap in 3D as well....

Posted on: 03 January 2015 by rackkit
Originally Posted by Kevin-W:
Originally Posted by antmast:

That's too bad. I think 3D has a lot of potential but its just not being filmed in a way that brings out its full potential. But if your kids don't enjoy it then there has to be something Hollywood is doing wrong. 

The trouble is, 3D is a minority interest and always has been. Hollywood first developed the technology in the 1920s and it flopped. People weren't interested.They go to the movies for stories, their favourite stars, and to be taken somewhere else.

 

It enjoyed a brief renaissance in the 1950s, 1970s and the noughties (with the advent of IMAX 3D) but it'll always be a gimmick suitable only for a certain type of movie. It was very well used in Gravity, for example, which was better in 3D than 2D. But it's a gimmick that audiences aren't getting excited about: in 2012, there were 41 mainstream 3D movies; last year there were just 28.

 

But the harsh truth, which even the thick wankers who run Hollywood these days are beginning to realise, is that 3D doesn't work unless (like Gravity or Avatar) the movie is built from the ground up, for 3D.

 

And remember - if a film is crap in 2D, it'll be crap in 3D as well....

Kev speaks the truth. Gravity worked even better in 3D than that Smurf movie IMO. I won't be sorry to see 3D go away again, hopefully for good this time. Hollywood needs to concentrate on giving us good original well to told stories. Far too many sequels and rehashes at the moment. 

Posted on: 03 January 2015 by BigH47

We watched the David Attenborough programmes about flight on Sky+ the other day, also included a documentary "Making Of...".

I'm not sure how much the filming kit has changed in the last few years but it looked like a real PITA to use these massive 3D cameras, basically 2 fixed focus cameras it took something like an hour to change lenses.

 

Posted on: 03 January 2015 by rackkit
Originally Posted by BigH47:

We watched the David Attenborough programmes about flight on Sky+ the other day, also included a documentary "Making Of...".

I'm not sure how much the filming kit has changed in the last few years but it looked like a real PITA to use these massive 3D cameras, basically 2 fixed focus cameras it took something like an hour to change lenses.

 

3D must really ramp up production costs & if there's not enough take up in 3D subscriptions to justify it, it'll be gone quicker than you can say '3D'.

 

Now 4k programming i am looking forward to and that has nothing like the costs of 3D as most studios have the kit for it already and probably spend more time downscaling 4k to HD for normal broadcasts anyway. 

 

 

Posted on: 04 January 2015 by antmast

I have a Samsung Plasma 60 inches, 2013. With the correct settings the color contrasts are very stunning. It displays several shades of blacks and greys and bright blues and reds. I find night scenes in 3D mesmerizing. I find most 3D involving space themes and action movies with night scenes very nice. I find myself watching a movie several times because of the 3D shots, good or bad script. I can't say the same for 2D however., Of course the set displays beautiful contrasts with 2D as well.

Posted on: 05 January 2015 by Rustyneedle

Antmast, I find that once I have watched a film in 3D I have no interest in watching it again in 2D,but I could watch it again in 3D,and have done,finding it just as enjoyable.

I just hope the filmmakers keep releasing the titles.

 

Yes, technology will move on and 3D will improve or fail,but for now I'll enjoy the journey.

 

Posted on: 05 January 2015 by Bert Schurink

I just had the pleasure of watching two 3d movies in the last days in the cinema. I have to say it was a great experience. Especially in Exodus I got a real feeling of what it might have looked like in those days - a great experience and enhances the movie experience a lot.