Quick Links Featured in this Issue

• Monsters vs. Aliens in 3-D to Hit Theatres on May 15, 2009
• An Examination of the Potential Market for Digital 3-D Cinema
• Porky's The Ultimate Collection DVD Boxset with Lenticular Cover
• Who Will Create the 3-D TV Home Standard?
• Beowulf to Hit Theatres Screens on Nov. 16, 2007
• Comic-Con Preview: 20 Minutes of Beowulf 3-D
• World of Coca-Cola's Secret Formula 4-D Movie
• DIVE! Manned Submersibles and the New Explorers 3-D Film Opens at the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, Florida
• Shh3D.com Jones Soda Bottle Hanna Hilton Edition
• Hanna Hilton Special Edition 3-D Portfolio
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in IMAX 3-D Opens with Record-Breaking Boxoffice
• 3-D Auction Results

Sponsored Links

• View-Master® Custom Production Kit
• Branson, Missouri View-Master® 3-reel set Limited Edition

August 2007 Issue

Vol. 5,
No. 8

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Monsters vs. Aliens in 3-D to hit theatres on May 15, 2009

DreamWorks Animation's Monsters vs. Aliens is slated for domestic release May 15, 2009, a week earlier than previously announced.

Monsters vs. Aliens, now confirmed as the official title, will be the first DreamWorks Animation film produced in stereoscopic 3-D. It is described as a reinvention of the classic 1950s monster movie into an irreverent modern-day action comedy.

Directed by Conrad Vernon and Rob Letterman, the film is in production and will be distributed domestically by Paramount Pictures.

May 2009 is shaping up to be a crowded month for tentpole releases and 3-D. James Cameron's 3-D stereoscopic film "Avatar" is slated for May 22, which was the planned release date for Monsters vs. Aliens. Walt Disney Pictures' The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader opens May 1, 2009.

With two anticipated 3-D stereoscopic films set to debut during the frame, the digital-cinema community is watching this release window. Joshua Greer, president and co-founder of 3-D provider Real D, said his company is on track to have 4,000 3-D-ready digital-cinema screens installed in the U.S. by May 2009, though that number might increase.

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An Examination of the Potential Market for Digital 3-D Cinema

Research and Markets announced the addition of Screen Digest's report The Business Case for Digital 3-D Cinema Exhibition to their offering.

The report examines the potential market for digital 3-D cinema, based on box office results from the first four titles released to date.

The market for digital 3-D cinema is still relatively minor and the number of screens not yet large enough to justify a major Studio release. The report provides an economic basis for continued investment in digital 3-D cinema, looking at opportunities for the sector against the potential threats to its pace of development worldwide. On a technical level, the report considers each of the stereoscopic formats available, including the range of investments, as an addition, to basic D-cinema systems.

For the first time, the report looks at the economics of digital 3-D cinema, including the potential revenues and profit margins at the exhibition level. The report also highlights the various business models available for exhibitors to commence a large scale roll out of 3D-ready screens.

Key findings:

• High concentration of digital 3-D screens among the leading exhibitors.
• Nearly two thirds of all 3-D equipped screens were added in first half 2007 alone.
• Digital 3-D acting as a catalyst for digital cinema deployments worldwide.
• 3-D screenings have outperformed their 2-D counterparts by more than double in attendance rates and over three times in revenue.
• Exhibitors require at least three movies to make a return on investment per annum.

Globally, there will be over 5,900 digital 3-D screens by 2009, 70 percent of those housed in the USA.

In the report

• List of digital 3D movies to 2010
• Studio involvement in digital 3-D cinema
• Box office analysis of digital 3-D titles released to date
• Review of stereoscopic technology formats and investments required at each level
• Business models for digital 3-D cinema roll-out
• Analysis of potential revenues and profit margins for exhibitors
• Digital 3-D cinema forecasts to 2011 by territory and region
• Break-even analysis: number of movies needed for a return on investment

Areas covered

• Screens
• The market for digital 3-D cinema
• Stereoscopic formats and technology
• Digital 3-D cinema exhibition:
• U.S. exhibitors
• Market analysis of investments and returns

Companies mentioned

• Carmike
• Rave Motion Pictures
• National Amusements
• Regal
• Cinemark
• Real D
• Xpand
• Dolby 3--D system
• Kodak
• AccessIT
• Ballantyne of Omaha
• Dolby
• Atlab Australia
• FTT
• Walt Disney

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Porky's The Ultimate Collection DVD Boxset with Lenticular Cover

For the first time, all three Porky's movies are together in one boxset, which also boasts a lenticular cover of a very shapely leg.

Porky’s (1982): It’s the godfather of teen sex comedies. The American Pie of its generation and whatever else you want to call it. Set in 1954 Florida, a group of horny teens (Dan Monahan as Pee Wee, Mark Herrier as Billy, Wyatt Knight as Tommy, Roger Wilson as Mickey, Cyril O’Reilly as Tim and Tony Ganios as Meat) seek to get some from Porky’s (Chuck Mitchell) strip club/whorehouse. Porky dumps them out on their ear. It doesn’t help that his brother (Alex Karras) is the county sheriff. They want to shake it off, but Mickey won’t leave it alone and goes back to confront Porky only to get beat up a few times. When they put him in the hospital the boys get help from their new pal Brian (Scott Colomby) for the mother of all pranks to get revenge. Interspersed in this are a few sexual escapades including a would-be hooker with the sweet name of Cherry Forever (Susan Clark), Ms. Balbricker (Nancy Parsons) catching Tommy peeping in the girl’s shower, Pee Wee trying to lose his virginity to slut Wendy (Kaki Hunter) and new gym teacher Ms. Honeywell (Kim Cattrall) with the nickname of Lassie, and that’s not because she looks like a dog.

Recently deceased director Bob Clark made two classics looking back at the not so innocent 1950’s with this and A Christmas Story. Both films are marked with a perverse, yet clever humor. While Porky’s might seem tame by today’s standards, the humor coming out of the sexual situations is still very funny. While the movie is not technically great on any level, you can’t deny its charm and hilarity. What saves the film in many respects when compared to today’s teen sex comedies is how various serious subplots are seamlessly threaded in. Most prominently the anti-Semitism directed at Brian by Tim because of his abusive father. The film is made up of random loose elements, but tie together nicely thanks to the chemistry of the cast. Pee Wee and Meat are break out characters for opposite reasons. Cattrall perfectly conveys goofy and sexy at the same time in her small, yet memorable part. It’s not Citizen Kane and it doesn’t need to be. Just watch it and laugh.

Porky’s II: The Next Day (1983): Most of the original gang is back for this sequel where they put on a compilation play of scenes from Shakespeare. Reverend Flavel (Bill Wiley) and his congregation that includes Ms. Balbricker seek to shut it down for being lewd. They bring in the county commissioners and Commissioner Gebhardt (Edward Winter) double crosses the kids by siding with the bible thumpers and putting the moves on Wendy. The Ku Klux Klan also gets mixed up in the matter due to Romeo being played by a Seminole Indian named John Henry (Joseph Runningfox). Of course, the film dovetails into a finale of mass hijinks designed for revenge. Wacky antics are played up in this sequel and the sexual raciness played down. There is one scene in a graveyard where Pee Wee’s revenge for the Cherry Forever gag in the first movie doesn’t go his way. The supporting characters of Pee Wee and Wendy are also played up more here and the attempt of a traditional romantic storyline with them goes nowhere. The ratio of hits (Wendy’s date with Gebhardt, Flavel’s verbal sparring with Principal Carter over smutty parts in the bible and Shakespeare) is equal to the misses (a snake in a toilet gag, an impromptu bris on the Klan). The plot is also conceived intelligently for a movie like this. You wouldn’t think the guys would be into acting, but you factor in that the drama teacher is Pee Wee’s mom. Regardless of anything the guys are always there for each other. You think that having the Klan going after a Native American instead of an African American is cold feet on tackling the racial issue, but the area of Florida the movie is set in was Seminole land. It also continues the subtle racial tolerance element from the first movie.

Porky’s Revenge (1985): The boys are on the cusp of graduating high school and winning the state basketball championship. Their coach is in debt to Porky. They convince Porky they will throw the game to save their coach, but are going to try and win anyway. That’s put in danger when Meat has to pass his biology final. He also runs into Porky’s daughter and Porky forces him into a shotgun wedding. He’s reopened his place on a paddle wheel boat. As you can guess, mass destruction fills the finale. Mickey and Tim are absent, but the real person you will miss is director Bob Clark. He gave the first two movies an air of charm and authenticity. New director James Komack is a television veteran and this has a TV feel in execution and design. The sexual elements are strong in this one, but still not on par with teen sex comedies of today. Only the cast makes the movie watchable as they are still game in getting the most out of the movie and still look like they’re having fun.

Technical Specifications
All three films are presented in 1.85:1 ratio. Only the second film has dolby digital surround sound. The other two have stereo and mono audio tracks. It doesn’t make a huge difference. Separate language tracks are present in Spanish and French with Spanish and French subtitles. The prints are television quality, so they’re clean but with signs of age.

Extras
Disc two has a trailer for Porky’s II and Revenge of the Nerds II. Disc three has trailers for all three films. Most of the extras are on disc one.

Commentary with Director Bob Clark: Clark says a lot of the same stuff here as he does in the interview segment. There are scattered lulls in his chatter. This probably would have worked better if Clark were teamed with some of the cast members or crew of the film. What surprises is how just about every little incident in the film was inspired by something that happened to Clark or he heard having happened. Clark laments how the film killed the careers of most everyone who appeared in it. In fact, he says some actors who he won’t name thanked him for not casting them after they auditioned.

Porky’s Through the Peephole-Bob Clark Looks Back: Director Bob Clark with a lot less hair than he had back in the day talks about the origins of the film and the trouble he had making the movie. Interestingly, he discusses how the women in the film are actually portrayed as smart and tough while it’s the boys who mostly run around with “their dicks hanging out.” Clark talks about some of the memorable scenes in the movie and their true life origins like the Cattrall sex scene, the Mike Hunt prank phone call, Balbricker catching Tommy in the girl’s shower room and the story of the Jewish Brian. The Fort Lauderdale of Clark’s youth was segregated and it was something he rebelled against. He goes over the various actors and how they wound up in the movie.

Porky’s-A Comedy Classic: Comedians Dante Rusciolelli and Greg Fitzsimmons talk about seeing the film as kids and mostly focus on the nudity. A superfluous extra to be sure. It’s two C-list comedians with no connection to the film talking about it.

You also get trailers for all three movies and two TV promo spots for the first one. A neat extra is a promo spot for the Porky’s video game that is the trailer for the second movie intercut with screen shots from the game and a voiceover. The main selling point is that teenage guys love Porky’s and video games. Two great tastes that taste great together.

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Who Will Create the 3-D TV Home Standard?

Consider television's evolution. Since it was introduced more than 60 years ago, the picture has gained color, the screen got bigger, the image sharper and the box thinner. Surround sound has made TV more like a movie experience, too. TV has come pretty close to imitating the movie theatre, but what's next? "3-D," say the founders of Sensio Technologies Inc.

In Sensio's lab, you can sit on a plush leather chair, put on a pair of oversized glasses and fight the urge to catch apples lobbed by computer-animated monkeys. 3-D filmed performers in a circus act look like miniature people bouncing on a floating ring.

"It reminds people of The Indian in the Cupboard," said Richard LaBerge, Sensio's executive vice-president, referring to the movie about a boy who finds finger-sized people living in his cupboard.

Bringing this experience to the home has always been the goal of LaBerge and CEO Nicholas Routhier. Now that Hollywood is trying to lure dwindling audiences back to theatres with 3-D, some big electronic makers tapping Sensio for the home-theatre version.

"We want to be the Dolby of 3-D," said LaBerge. "We want our technology to become the standard in 3-D home-theatre equipment." Sensio debuted commercially in 2003 with a set-top box for high-end home projectors, but the price at $3,000 for the basic setup sold only a few hundred units worldwide.

Putitng their technology pre-installed in high-definition TVs by major manufacturers is the real goal.

The home market is poised for growth with the release of rear-projection televisions that are 3-D-ready.

"Major retailers will start some test-marketing programs to see how they'll market all this stuff," Chinock said.

Sensio is working with 2-D-to-3-D conversion wizards at Kerner Optical Research and Development Corp. to make 3-D LCD televisions. Electronics maker JVC is testing Sensio's 3-D chips in its televisions in anticipation of future viewing technology.

Studios like Disney and Universal have rolled out DVDs with their encoding technology.

Titanic director James Cameron already has one 3-D release under his belt, 2003's Ghosts of the Abyss, and is working on a 3-D film for a 2009 release and planning more.

"Cameron said to us 'As you guys get better, get ready for me,'" said LaBerge.

Will Sensio be the home standard. Not necessarily. Rival company DDD Group Plc is also working on a home theatre standard. Like Betamax vs. VHS, a clash of standards may be on the horizon and the winner far from certain.

"It will take a fair amount of luck, good business practices and good technology to become the standard bearer," said Chinock. "3-D has existed for decades, and it's catching on again because the technology is mature enough to simplify filming in three dimensions."

In the early days, with polarized 3-D glasses, theatres needed two projectors, one for the right eye and another for the left. The projectors needed to be perfectly synchronized, or moviegoers went home with headaches from eye strain. Anaglyphic 3-D using red and blue glasses became a cliche for cheesy 3-D.

"We have to kill that cheesy 3-D notion," LaBerge said. "In solving the headache problem we now have to show it can be done at home."

Sensio's new technology fuses the two stereoscopic images into a single transmission and onto one projector. Special glasses then bring the blurry picture onto the eyes, making a flat screen appear as though it has depth.

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Beowulf to Hit Theatre Screens on Nov. 16, 2007

IMAX Corporation, Paramount Pictures, Shangri-La Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures announced that Beowulf, the latest film from Academy Award winning director Robert Zemeckis, the filmmaker behind such box office successes as Forrest Gump, The Polar Express, the Back To The Future series and What Lies Beneath, will be released domestically in IMAX® 3-D simultaneously with the motion picture's premiere in conventional theatres on Nov. 16, 2007. The film will be released internationally within three weeks of the domestic launch. Beowulf will be digitally converted into IMAX 3-D and re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® through IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. Paramount Pictures will be the distributor of the motion picture to IMAX® theaters domestically, and Warner Bros. Pictures will be the distributor internationally.

Inspired by the 9th century English epic poem, Beowulf combines a digitally enhanced live-action filmmaking technology with an all-star cast that includes Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Robin Wright Penn, Brendan Gleeson, Crispin Glover, Alison Lohman and Angelina Jolie. Neil Gaiman (MirrorMask, the graphic novel Sandman) and Roger Avary (Pulp Fiction) adapted the legend for the screen.

"IMAX 3-D has enabled us to tell stories in a whole new way, and we are very excited to offer moviegoers a chance to experience Beowulf in this incredible format," said Robert Zemeckis. "IMAX lends itself to the incredible image detail in Beowulf and in 3-D, it will transport the audience directly into the story."

"IMAX has provided the world's most spectacular 3-D presentations for more than two decades, and as we continue to work with world-class organizations like Paramount Pictures, Shangri-La Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures on groundbreaking 3-D projects, we're reinforcing IMAX 3-D as the gold standard," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "Audiences loved the last IMAX 3-D release we did with Robert Zemeckis, so we're obviously very optimistic about the potential Beowulf holds for the IMAX theatre network."

"Our partners at Paramount Pictures, Shangri-La Entertainment and Warner Bros. Pictures have done a fantastic job of combining the 3-D savvy vision of Robert Zemeckis with a great cast, and we believe that moviegoers are going to love it in IMAX theatres," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "The unique geometry of IMAX theatres will enable audiences to feel as if they are actually in the movie as they experience it in IMAX 3-D."

The story
The warrior Beowulf must fight and defeat the monster Grendel who is terrorizing towns, and later, Grendel's mother, who begins killing out of revenge.

Cast
Angelina Jolie - Grendel's Mother (voice)
Brendan Gleeson - Wiglaf
Anthony Hopkins - King Hrothgar
Crispin Glover - Grendel
Ray Winstone - Beowulf
John Malkovich - Unferth
Robin Wright Penn - Queen Wealhtheow
Alison Lohman - Ursula
Dominic Keating - Old Cain
Sebastian Roché - Wulfgar
Greg Ellis - Garmund, Golden Man
Chris Coppola - Olaf
Nick Jameson - Drehgbearn
Alan Ritchson - Animated Image/Beowulf
Charlotte Salt - Estrith
Aaron Stephens - Beowulf physique
Leslie Harter Zemeckis - Yrsa
Rik Young - Eofor
Sharisse Baker-Bernard - Hild
Woody Schultz - Hengest
Nadine Stenovitch - Ensemble
Tyler Steelman - Young Cain
Shay Duffin
Emily Johnson - Maiden #12
Randy Shelly - Boy
John Littlefield - Thane #23
Tim Trobec - Thane #1
Richard Burns - Sentry Guard/Unferth Guard
Jacquie Barnbrook - Altheaborg
Chris Mala - Thane #5
Jared Weber - Thane #3
Kevin Dorman - Unferth Guard
Tom West - Thane #44

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Comic-Con Preview: 20 Minutes of Beowulf 3-D

In late July, a movie theater full of film press packed a big digital theatre in downtown San Diego to watch 20 minutes of Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf. Screenwriters Roger Avary and Neil Gaiman were on hand to field questions following the screening. The screening started late because the theatre was at the end of a multi-level labyrinth they call an outdoor mall. Security was tight with no one allowed to take in a camera, iPhone or even digital audio recording device.

They began the screening with the movie trailer that is now online. Gaiman, in a Superman’s Dead t-shirt, told the crowd to put on their “magic beowulf glasses.” The lights went out and the trailer played in digital 3-D. It was definitely much better in 3-D. At one point the blood sprays off the screen at the audience, which is a cool effect.

Neil promises that Beowulf will be the biggest 3-D release ever, simutanously being shown in IMAX 3-D, Real D on digital screens and in normal Dolby. Avary talked about the 10 year journey from script to screen and gushed over how “It’s like somebody reached inside my brain” and put the images on screen. He jokingly explain that he wanted to make the film to make the story easier to understand for future generations of high school students.

They then showed the entire second reel of the film, which was almost 20 minutes in length.

“The reason why we’re showing you the second reel is because it’s the only thing that exists,” explains Gaiman, who says the rest of the film is just data. Gaiman explained the set-up of Reel #1. A hole has opened and a monster named Grendel has started eating people because he hates the noise. Beowulf comes across the sea with his huge group of men to battle the monster. He strips down and says he will fight the monster with no weapons. Beowulf nearly defeats the monster and that is where Reel #2 starts.

Gaiman said that “Beowulf is the oldest story in the English language.”

Avary added, “told with the most modern technology.”

The two have a comic chemistry. Avary is always stepping over Gaiman’s words and apologizing. Gainman offers quick quips in return.

Reel 2 begins with Beowulf kicking the cut off arm of Grendel. It’s instantly impressive. The animation in Beowulf’s face, and the skin imperfections is the most realistic human facial animation to date. But you still have that weird motion capture movement. Which I’ve always found really odd since logically motion capture should result in more realistic movement, right? But instead you get some very robotic movements at times. This is not to say that Beowulf isn’t a vast improvement over Final Fantasy and The Polar Express, because it is. The technology is unfortunately not there yet. However, the 3-D technology is absolutely amazing.

Beowulf and crew return to be rewarded by the King. Grendel’s mother attacks the town and Beowulf is pissed that he was never told about the mother. The king looks exactly like a digital copy of Anthony Hopkins, which asks the question (which was asked later) why do all the work involved in motion capture animation if you’re just going to give the actor the same look? This is one of the reasons that Pixar is so successful. They hire the actors purely based who would be a better fit for the character.

Beowulf enters the watery cave alone. This is the scene from the trailer where Ray Winstone’s character wades through the water in the dark cave. He finds a cavern full of treasures and yells “show yourself!” and “What are you!?” A tail quickly flew by the foreground. “Are you the one they call Beowulf” Finally we see the monster. The monster is basically Angelina Jolie with a long ponytail that turns into a dragon-like tail. She rises up from the water and it’s very clear that Angelina Jolie is very nude (except slightly covered up). Everyone was in awe at how real and hot she looked. “What do you know of me demon!?” “Under your armor you are as much a monster as my so Grendel.” She strokes his sword in a very sexual way explaining that it’s been a long time since a man has visited her. He hand melts his sword. She offers Beowulf a deal that would make him the greatest and longest living king to ever live. The clip ends with them kissing.

Gaiman says that’s the genius of Robert Zemeckis, before taking questions from the crowd.

“What do you want to know? We will answer or we will lie!”

He confirms that the film was 100 percent motion capture: “They wore those suits all those dots on them, looking much like the cast from Tron.”

Avary explained that the motion capture technology allowed Bob to do full takes without any cuts which translated into some incredible performances: “That’s performance capture. It’s digitally enhanced acting.”

Someone asks the question, "Why do the motion capture and animation if you just want the characters to look like the actors that portray them." Gainman explains that Beowulf doesn’t, which I think was a lame answer. He saw that the aging of Beowulf in the film would not be possible without this technology. He then makes a good point: “If you have John Malkovich or Anthony Hopkins, why not?” He wondered out loud how the Academy will react. Will digital versions of actors get award recognition?

Roger explained that he grew up loving Legend and Excalibur, and that Beowulf was the one story he connected with in High School. It hit him that no movie was ever made of the story and put it on his list of ideas. Then when Avary was fired from the big screen adaptation of Gainman’s Sandman “for being too honest about his intentions and ideas”, he studied the story again and asked Gaiman to co-write the film with him,

Avary compares the story of Beowulf with the game of telephone. The resulting story has more than a few plot holes which forced him to be creative to cover up. Neil and Roger wrote the script in a two week stretch in Mexico in May 1997, while drinking bad Mexican beer by a pool, passing floppy discs between them. Zemeckis read the script and for years wanted Avary to direct it, but eventually took on the task himself.

They joked that the original dragon fight was very talky and lacked much action because they wrote it with a small budget in mind. Zemeckis hired them to rewrite the film and encouraged them to “go wild”.

Gaiman also confirmed that they are aiming for a PG-13 rating despite the violence, blood and previously discussed nudity of Angelina Jolie. I’m wondering if they can pull this off. He reiterated the previous statement that they are planning to release an unrated version on DVD at some point.

Avary praises Zemeckis for having a writers mind and having the creative collaborative excitement that some directors lack.

Gaiman describes the footage: “For me it felt like wandering around in a graphic novel.”

He sad that the technology is getting better every day and this may be the bet way to do Sandman, whenever that actually happens. He praised the 3-D technology as being a revolution for cinema. “This will actually be a reason to go to the cinema again.”

They then showed a teaser which showed quick cuts of all the cool moments from the reel and trailer.

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World of Coca-Cola's Secret Formula 4-D Movie

For over 120 years, Coca-Cola has been putting its secret formula into bottles. Now, they've put it all in one amazing place, the new World of Coca-Cola. One of the attractions at the new World of Coca-Cola is a 4-D theatre.

The "Secret Formula 4-D Theatre" lets you follow an eccentric scientist and his assistant on their quest to uncover the mysterious formula for Coca-Cola. The 3-D movie is enhanced with special seats. Theatre goers are advised they might be in for a bumpy ride.

Viewers use polarized paper glasses to see the 3-D film.

Atlanta's new, must see destination offers even more you must see!

From the thrilling, multi-sensory 4-D theatre to a gallery dedicated to Coke and pop culture, around every corner you'll experience something new and inviting.

The news release from World of Coca-Cola invites you to meet the seven-foot Coca-Cola® polar bear and take your taste buds on a tantalizing tour of up to 70 different beverage products, or create your own refreshing blend. Back when I was growing up, we called making your own blend a suicide.

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DIVE! Manned Submersibles and the New Explorers 3-D Film Opens at the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, Florida

Lightspeed Design Inc., in association with DeepSea Ventures have completed the digital 3-D film, DIVE! Manned Submersibles and the New Explorers.

In late 2006, Lightspeed Design of Bellebue, Washington used deep-ocean manned submersibles in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Washington State for the principle 3-D photography for DIVE!

In order to fit into the small, three-person submersible, Lightspeed custom-engineered an opto-mechanical dual camera rig for two Panasonic HVX-200 High Definition cameras. The advanced rig creates precise control of camera offsets, which is determined by Lightspeed's 3-D algorithms and proprietary live HD video streaming software.

During the voyage two lost shipwrecks were discovered 1,000 feet below the surface. Both were fishing vessels, one of Japanese origin and the other most likely American.

The ships were located by DeepSea Ventures, a deep ocean exploration company based in Spokane, Washington. The research vessel Valero IV - Seattle and submersible experts Nuytco Research Ltd. of Vancouver, BC, supported the mission.

"Finding the fishing vessels was an incredible experience," said Guy Zajonc, DeepSea Venture's founder and veteran deep diver. "With my sons, I've had the chance to visit famous wrecks like the Titanic and the Bismarck, but here was something truly undiscovered."

DIVE! is a stereoscopic 3-D digital theatre experience for aquariums, science and maritime museums that will inspire children and young adults to follow their sense of adventure and discovery. This 22-minute high-definition 3-D film combines computer graphics and live-action to literally take the audience along for the ride as a unique expedition of citizen explorers voyage in submarines to the bottom of the ocean.

Viewers experience cutting-edge submersible technology and learn just what it takes from the professionals who handle them. Plunging beneath the waves, they share in the discovery and exploration of a shipwreck splayed out on the ocean floor, and witness inhabitants such as octopus, sharks, and enormous squid. Ultimately they experience firsthand nature's miraculous ability to create fortune from misfortune to transform destruction into new life.

DIVE! is narrated bySaturday Night Live's Kenan Thompson. The film opened June 21 at Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, Florida.

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Shh3D.com Jones Soda Bottle Hanna Hilton Edition

Shh3D.com produced a very limited edition collector's special 3-D Jones Soda bottles featuring a beautiful pin-up girl on the label.

This full size 12 ounce 3-D Jones Soda bottle was specially produced for Shh3D.com featuring adult pin-up model Hanna Hilton to help kick off the new online magazine Shh3D.com in a very "tasteful" way.

Only 12 bottles with this special 3-D label were ever produced in this limited run and each bottle included with it's own pair of 3-D glasses attached around the neck with a silver beaded chain so you or a friend can enjoy a cool drink and a cool 3-D image that appears to spring to life, as if the the very busy Hanna Hilton is coming to you right out of the bottle label.

This is the second 3-D label bottle produced for collector's. The first featured the cover girl from the popular 3D and Naughty book of 3-D photos produced by Shh3D.

Bottle No. 2 of those 12 bottles was recently listed for sale on eBay. It sold for $14.95.

The bottle contained clear Cream flavored soda.

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Hanna Hilton Special Edition 3-D Portfolio

The people at Shh! Productions have outdone themselves with the latest release of 3-D images featuring sexy December 2006 Penthouse Pet of the Month Hanna Hilton. Shh! presents Hanna Hilton, a special edition 3-D portfolio. This full color 3-D portfolio features over 40 3-D nude photos of Hanna Hilton as she poses and purrs during the recent photoshoot for her upcoming appearance at Shh3D.com.

Hanna's portfolio is sealed in plastic with a pair of sexy 3-D glasses. All the photos were taken using modern stereo-photography equipment, and converted to anaglyph (red/blue) for easy viewing in 3-D.

This collection of 3-D images of the busty blonde features some of the best 3-D photography to come from Shh! Productions to date. The images are well thought out for 3-D effect and are extremely easy on the eyes in two respects. Both for the subject matter and for the superb, clear quality of the anaglyphic photographs. The images of Hanna looking through a gold curtain are excellent in their depth and appeal.

Sometimes full color anaglyphs have harsh reds that detract from the image. The images featured in this portfolio avoid that problem in all but two of the pictures in which Hanna has a Superman T-shirt and the red is in the Man of Steel's cape.

The portfolio is printed on 16 high quality, sturdy pages. The special edition was produced by Shh! Productions from Battle Creek, Michigan.

We'd be thrilled if Shh! Productions would release a color 3-D portfolio of their original Shh girl, Jamie. Jamie's 3-D photos were featured in the first online issue of Shh3d.com, but we missed it.

Shh! Productions has the Hanna Hilton 3-D portfolio for sale while supplies last. Visit www.shh3d.com for ordering information and more vintage 3-D pin-ups, today's hottest centerfolds and 3-D cartoons.

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in IMAX 3-D Opens with Record-Breaking Boxoffice

IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures announced that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix shattered virtually every opening box office record at IMAX® theatres during its debut, contributing $7.3 million of the $140 million that the film grossed at the domestic box office, from July 11 through Sunday, July 15. The picture also broke the record for IMAX's largest single day worldwide total at $1.9 million and posted a domestic opening per screen average of $80,500. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix opened on 91 domestic IMAX screens and 35 international IMAX screens, making it the largest opening in IMAX's 40-year history, with a record-smashing worldwide estimated total of $9.4 million. The film's overall worldwide debut total was an estimated $333 million and it is scheduled to open in 17 additional international IMAX theatres in the coming weeks.

"The results from this film - in all formats - are outstanding. It's by far the strongest 'Harry Potter' title in the franchise, breaking records for both the Studio and IMAX," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. "The increased number of IMAX venues and the first-time 3-D finale delivered a huge opening weekend win for the large screen format - we're thrilled for their achievement."

"This phenomenal opening illustrates how one of the world's most anticipated movies presented in IMAX's format can help drive theatre attendance, ticket sales and turn a film that is already a grand spectacle into a major event," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "With the success of the last two Harry Potter installments in IMAX and the debut performance of this one, it is clear that moviegoers clearly love to experience the Harry Potter movies in a magical way. We anticipate that The Order of the Phoenix will continue to play very well at IMAX theatres throughout the summer."

"The international response to this film has been phenomenal. We couldn't be more excited about the way moviegoers are responding to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in IMAX and conventional theaters all over the world, after only its first weekend," said Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. "And adding the excitement of the 3-D finale to a "Harry Potter" film in IMAX will keep international interest in this film and format going throughout the summer."

"Unprecedented advance IMAX ticket sales, sell-out IMAX shows and record-smashing IMAX box office results underscore the excitement for this film and a premium experience that cannot be replicated at home," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President, IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "This strong performance can be attributed to an outstanding job by the incredible film-making team led by David Yates and David Heyman, the talented team at Warner Bros. Pictures and a continuously growing IMAX distribution network."

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3-D Auction Results
Here are a few 3-D auction results from the past month