| World's
Largest 3-D Lenticular Mural certified by Guinness Book of
World Records
 The
Guinness Book of World Records® certified a 98-feet long
by 13-feet tall (29.9m x 3.9m) lenticular mural by Big3D to
be the largest lenticular mural ever.
World-renowned tattoo artist Mario Barth partnered with Big3D
to produce the record-setting mural. The stunning 3-D lenticular
mural was installed in the Mandalay Bay Casino is association
with the House of Blues nightclub and restaurant in preparation
for the grand opening of the Mr. Bart’s latest tattoo
emporium.
The lenticular mural by Big3D was unveiled on Oct. 18, 2007
with representatives of Guinness Book of World Records®
on hand to document its authenticity as the largest lenticular
mural ever created.
The enormous 3.D/flip mural is emblazoned with iconic tattoo
imagery surrounding larger-than-life shots of Mr. Barth and
his wife and head of operations, Carol. Vibrant colors recall
some of Mr. Barth’s more vivid tattoo work, much of
which adorns the bodies of some of the world’s most
famous celebrities. The installation will remain while the
tattoo emporium is under construction.
No stranger to record-setting lenticular installations, Big3D’s
owner Tom Saville was particularly proud of the company’s
latest achievement. “It was a pleasure to work on Mr.
Barth’s Starlight Tattoo project. His desire to transcend
the ordinary and create a truly stunning graphic display was
a challenge I knew we could meet. I tip my hat to Mr. Barth
and to the team at Big3D.com.”
Installation went smoothly and was completed in less than
one day. When the half-ton crate of lenticular panels was
delivered the morning of October 18 the installation crew
overseen by Mr. Saville went immediately to work. Approximately
three hours was invested in preplanning the installation,
using laser guides to mark the panel locations. Another four
hours was spent hanging the panels in place. At the conclusion
of the installation, representatives of Guinness Book of World
Records® certified the lenticular mural as a world record.
View photos of and more information about this amazing installation
online at www.Big3D.com. A broader array of higher resolution
photos is available on request.
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Six-foot
Tall View-Master® Display Shows Holiday Images at Dollywood
in Pigeon Forge, Tennesee
Holiday Splendor Abounds at Dollywood's Smoky Mountain
Christmas Festival
 Dollywood's
18th annual Smoky Mountain Christmas festival (Nov. 10-Dec.
30) heralds the return of Dollywood's Babes in Toyland show
along with an all-new Santa's Workshop, all amid a display
of 3.5 million holiday lights.
"With three and a half million lights and our biggest
lineup of holiday shows ever, this is by far Dollywood's flashiest
Christmas ever," Dolly Parton said. "Plus, I think
Santa will be really happy with the extraordinary home makeover
at Santa's Workshop. I bet he had no idea I was an interior
decorator!"
Dollywood's Babes in Toyland, the park's most elaborate stage
production ever, features stunning sets, magnificent music,
the triumphant march of the 21 toy soldiers, all rivaled only
by the show's surprise finale. Performed in DP's Celebrity
Theatre, Dollywood's Babes in Toyland's show-stopping scenes
include the appearance of the fully animated 15-foot-tall
"General." Additional performances have been added
with as many as seven shows on some operating days. Dollywood's
Christmastime entertainment also features Christmas in the
Smokies, Twas the Night Before Christmas, Christmas with the
Kingdom Heirs, Carol of the Trees, An Appalachian Christmas,
The Victorian Melodies, and O' Holy Night, which introduces
a brand-new set this year to complement this touching outdoor
telling of the Nativity. A show schedule for the entire festival
is available online at www.dollywood.com.
Santa will spend his time at Dollywood in an all-new Santa's
Workshop. Weeks of design and construction went into the extraordinary
makeover on Santa's 500-sq.-foot home away from home. An 18-foot-tall
Christmas tree is surrounded by an assortment of larger-than-life-sized
toys including "Jumbo the Elephant," which measures
nine-feet-tall; a seven-foot-tall sailboat; a five-foot-tall
tricycle; an eight-foot-tall dollhouse; a six-foot-tall View-Master®
that displays a variety of holiday images and more. In addition,
families can help assemble the eight-foot-tall interactive
puzzle which reveals a popular Dollywood scene. Large-scale
ornaments and decorations are presented from ceiling to floor.
The workshop's main attraction, Santa, poses for photos and
reviews wish lists until December 24 when Santa's Workshop
closes for the season.
Christmastime brings out the best in Dollywood foods with
special holiday menu items and buffets featured throughout
the park. The Sweet Shoppe offers a new menu of soups and
salads, including a delicious beef and Swiss croissant Panini
and a turkey cranberry wrap. The Backstage restaurant offers
a selection of steaks from the Backstage Grill, while all-you-can-eat
buffets are served at Aunt Granny's and Miss Lillian's.
Park guests can enjoy Breakfast with Santa at Aunt Granny's
restaurant on Nov. 10, 17, 23 and 24; and Dec. 1, 8, 15 and
22 from 9:30 a.m. until noon. Seating is first-come; first-served.
Breakfast requires an additional fee as well as Dollywood
admission.
Smoky Mountain Christmas also includes two nightly Parade
of Lights; Tinker the Talking Christmas Tree; the country's
tallest German Christmas pyramid; craft demonstrations as
well as more than 20 rides and attractions including the award-winning
Mystery Mine® and Thunderhead® coasters.
For the first time during the holiday season, Dollywood offers
a "Buy After 6 p.m. and Wrap Up the Next Day FREE"
program. Guests who purchase a one-day admission after 6 p.m.
may visit the park free the next operating day.
Smoky Mountain Christmas also marks the exclusive use of
Dollywood's McCarter Hollow Road entrance as the park's main
entrance.
Operating days and hours vary. For more information, visit
www.dollywood.com or Call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD.
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Beowulf
3-D opening weekend grosses nearly $8 million
 Paramount
Pictures’ Beowulf is benefiting from REAL D
3-D theaters using next-generation 3-D technology. Having
grossed a total of over $28 million, Beowulf in REAL
D 3-D grossed approximately $8 million in 638 locations nationwide
in its first weekend.
The film’s box office success with REAL D 3-D is a
promising note for this year’s movie exhibition business.
“We are beyond pleased with the performance of Beowulf
in REAL D,” said Michael V. Lewis, chairman and CEO
of REAL D. “We’re the world’s largest 3-D
platform and this weekend, with an $8 million gross, proves
that REAL D delivers the gold. We've brought a next-generation
3-D experience to theaters all across the country, proven
by the fact that over a million people saw Beowulf
in REAL D 3-D this weekend. We are thrilled to have been associated
with Paramount Pictures, Shangri-la Entertainment and ImageMovers
in this groundbreaking film.”
REAL D estimates more than 4,000 REAL D 3-D screens globally
by 2009.
REAL D is the global leader in 3-D, bringing the most advanced
and enjoyable digital 3-D experience to cinemas worldwide.
REAL D’s next-generation technology, deployed across
the world’s largest 3-D platform in 24 countries, provides
a stunningly realistic viewing experience beyond the usual
concepts of 3-D cinema. The impact of 3-D upon today’s
moviemaking has been compared to the advent of color film
when once there was only black and white. Beyond cinema, REAL
D is the worldwide inventor and provider of key stereoscopic
technologies used in science, manufacturing, marketing and
other industries, with 30 years of scientific development
behind its systems. REAL D’s mission-critical 3-D visualization
technologies are used by organizations such as NASA, Pfizer,
BMW, Boeing and more. For more information, visit www.REALD.com.
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Ray
Zone 3-D Work Featured in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen:
Black Dossier
 The
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier features
a special 17-page 3-D section converted by Ray Zone. The 208-page
hardback book is intended for mature readers.
Acclaimed writer Alan Moore once again joins forces with
artist Kevin O'Neill for The Black Dossier, a stunning
original hardcover graphic novel that is the next chapter
in the fantastic saga of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
The Black Dossier is an elaborately designed, cutting-edge
volume that includes a "Tijuana Bible" insert and
a 3-D section complete with custom glasses, as well as additional
text pieces, maps and a stunning cutaway double-page spread
of Captain Nemo's Nautilus submarine by Kevin O'Neill.
Synopsis
England in the mid 1950s is not the same as it was. The powers
that be have instituted some changes. The League of Extraordinary
Gentlemen have been disbanded and disavowed, and the country
is under the control of an iron-fisted regime. Now, after
many years, the still youthful Mina Murray and a rejuvenated
Allan Quatermain return and are in search of some answers.
Answers that can only be found in a book buried deep in the
vaults of their old headquarters, a book that holds the key
to the hidden history of the League throughout the ages: The
Black Dossier. As Allan and Mina delve into the details of
their precursors, some dating back centuries, they must elude
their dangerous pursuers who are Hell-bent on retrieving the
lost manuscript and ending the League once and for all.
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Stereo
World Features Second 3-D Cover
 The
September/October 2007 issue of Stereo World features
its second full page front and back cross-eye view cover.
It's a computer generated Giganotosaur inserted into a live
action background from the large-format 3-D film Giants
of Patagonia.
Stereo World Magazine is published
bimonthly with 40 or more pages per issue. Stereo images from
a variety of eras and formats are printed as high quality
side-by-side pairs, lavishly illustrating every article. Stereo
World publishes original research by noted authorities
on stereo photographers, their publishing histories, the historic
events and subjects they depicted, and their equipment and
techniques.
All National Stereoscopic Association members receive six
issues of Stereo World annually. Equally featured
are articles of interest to today's stereo photographers and
students of 3-D imaging techniques.
Subjects covered are cameras and projectors, viewers and
other equipment, 3-D drawing and digital applications, View-Master®
information, 3-D film and video developments and news of products
and services from around the world. Stereo related books are
reviewed, and upcoming photo trade shows and exhibitions are
listed.
Display and classified ads assist members in pursuing their
stereo activities. Members are offered free classified advertising
(100 free words per year, divided into three ads).
A printable
membership application to join the National Stereoscopic Association
is located online.
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Hurricane
Dean in 3-D
 Check
out these 3-D
animations that the University of Wisconsin created for
Hurricane Dean, the Category 5 storm that slammed into Mexico
in August.
These image loops capture Hurricane Dean as
it became an increasingly strong category 4 storm during the
afternoon and evening of Aug. 20, 2007.
These GOES-12 visible images have been manipulated
to show a three dimensional effect when viewed with red/blue
glasses.
The animations are available in JAVA and animated
GIF formats.
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Honestly,
Is That Abe in 3-D?
 |
Could the man in the stovepipe hat be President
Abraham Lincoln? This is a close-up taken from the stereo
pair, which came from the Library of Congress online
3-D archives. (Library of Congress photo)
|
Civil War enthusiasts will get a rare glimpse
at what a handful of scholars are calling the most significant
find of its kind in generations: a pair of stereoscopic photos,
purportedly of Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg before he delivered
his famous address.
Photos of Lincoln are incredibly rare; only
about 130 exist. Until now, there was only one known photo
of the 16th president at Gettysburg, sitting in a crowd of
dignitaries on Nov. 19, 1863, just after delivering the legendary
speech.
JUDGE FOR YOURSELF: Lincoln
at Gettysburg
The photos are enlarged details from much wider crowd shots.
They were discovered by a Civil War hobbyist earlier this
year in the vast trove of Library of Congress photographs
digitized since 2000, and provided to USA TODAY.
They show a figure believed to be Lincoln, white-gloved and
in his trademark stovepipe hat, in a military procession.
"It is just staggering to look at," said Harold
Holzer, author of several books on Lincoln and vice chairman
of the Lincoln Forum, a group of more than 250 enthusiasts
who meet annually at Gettysburg. On Saturday, Nov. 17, 2007,
the group got a chance to gaze at huge projections of the
images and decide for themselves. Holzer lead a discussion
on the find, seen until now by only a few experts.
Thank modern technology, and a dogged amateur historian,
for the discovery.
John Richter, 51, of Hanover, Pa., had loved Gettysburg since
he was a kid; for 20 years had been collecting stereoviews
or stereographs, which use special viewers to turn pairs of
images into a 3-D view.
A board member of the non-profit Center for Civil War Photography,
he had always been interested in the Gettysburg stereoviews,
available free for the past several years on the Library of
Congress Web site. When he saw negatives 1159 and 1160, taken
seconds apart, he said to himself, "I think I see something
going on."
Like the scientist who discovered Pluto because he knew where
to look, Richter knew from historic descriptions of the ceremonies
that the 4-by-7-inch plates of the troop procession ought
to have Lincoln in there somewhere. "If I wouldn't have
seen Lincoln there, it would have been a surprise," he
said.
So he asked the center's president, Bob Zeller, to request
much larger, more richly detailed computer files. Richter
zoomed in tight and found what he was looking for: Lincoln
on horseback, or so he believes.
He and Zeller haven't distributed the images until now, so
only one official at the Library of Congress has seen them.
She hasn't committed to a positive identification, but Holzer,
for one, is convinced.
"I don't see any reason to think it's not Abraham Lincoln,"
he said. "I'm going to start the session by saying, 'You
may have seen the most important Lincoln photographic discovery
in 40 years, what do you think?' "
Holzer, who wrote The Lincoln Image and co-wrote
The Lincoln Family Album and The Confederate
Image: Prints of the Lost Cause, said he'll begin a campaign
to have the stereoviews displayed publicly. He hopes to persuade
the Smithsonian Institution to exhibit them so the images
are life-size and the public can decide for itself.
"All it takes is a wall," he said. "And they've
got plenty of walls."
The photographs belong to the public and can be seen at the
Library of Congress Web site, lcweb2.loc.gov/pp/pphome.html,
after entering "stereograph+civil war" in the search
field, or at the Center for Civil War Photography Web site
at www.civilwarphotography.org.
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Synthespian
Studios Produces New 3-D Film for Radio City Christmas Spectacular
 This
year Synthespian Studios produced a new version of the 70mm
stereoscopic 3-D film that has opened The Radio City Christmas
Spectacular since 2001.
For this year's show, Synthespian Studios Directors Jeff
Kleiser and Diana Walczak worked closely with the show's director
and choreographer Linda Haberman to plan an extension of the
film. While previous editions of the film started with Santa
arriving in New York just over the Statue of Liberty to be
exact, this year Haberman wanted Santa's journey to start
at the North Pole.
"Approximately 47 seconds of new material was created
for this year's film," says Haberman. The film opens
on a screen filled with clouds and then suddenly Santa and
his reindeer burst out of the clouds and take us on a thrilling
journey through a canyon of ice, past a Polar Bear with two
cubs who throw snowballs at us, creating a startling a 3-D
effect, over the Canadian tundra and woods where we pass a
gaggle of geese in another 3-D effect and up and over Niagara
Falls before we swoop down the Hudson river and under the
George Washington Bridge to seamlessly hook-up with the old
film at the Statue of Liberty."
The imagery for this year's film was produced by a small
team of artists working from studios in Hollywood and western
Massachusetts. Blocking, layout, character animation, research
and design for the clouds and compositing were handled by
four artists in Hollywood. Artists in Massachusetts took on
the task of changing the color of Santa's sleigh in the older
material from blue green to red. They also created a 3-D gold
75 logo that was placed on the Radio City marquee that appears
at the end of the film.
"We were thrilled to be able to update our film, which
has now been running for six years at Radio City, and we hope
the new footage will be as well received as the rest of the
film has been in the past," said Kleiser.
A 2-D version of this film will be included in Celebrating
75 Years of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, a one-hour
high-def broadcast of the Christmas show to be shown on NBC
on December 1. Don Hewitt is the special's executive producer,
which will be hosted by Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira.
Other credits include:
- Producer: Amanda Roth.
- Lead Artists: Caleb Owens, Kenny Jackson, Edward Quirk.
- CG Artists: Travis Pinsonnault, Eric Wilson, Benjamin
Fiske, Ron Hui, Stephen Sen.
Synthespian Studios is a boutique story development, design
and character animation studio launched by Creative Directors
Diana Walczak and Jeff Kleiser who, as partners, helmed the
bicoastal animation and effects house Kleiser-Walczak Construction
Co.
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Tim
Burton to make 3-D versions of Alice in Wonderland and Frankenweenie
 Tim
Burton has signed a deal with the Walt Disney Co. to direct
and produce 3-D movies based on Lewis Carroll's Alice
in Wonderland and his own short film Frankenweenie.
The Alice adaptation, combining live-action and performance-capture
technology, will start shooting in early 2008.
Burton will then start work on a full-length version of his
1984 cult favorite Frankenweenie, about a pet dog
who is brought back to life by his loyal owner in a very unusual
way. The film will be shot in stop-motion animation.
Burton is putting the finishing touches on the Johnny Depp
musical Sweeney Todd, which DreamWorks/Paramount
will release domestically in December 2007.
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3-D
digital screens come to Kinepolis
Belgium, France and Spain get cinema upgrades
 Kinepolis
rolled out 3-D digital cinema at 17 multiplexes in Belgium,
France and Spain in late November with a euro 2 ($3) premium
over local ticket prices for 35mm screenings.
Cinemagoers using pre-paid vouchers to buy
tickets will not pay extra in the short term. In France, this
will let in a significant slice of the audience, since vouchers
account for 40 percent of Kinepolis ticket sales. In Belgium
vouchers have only a 10 percent share.
Kinepolis customers are already used to paying a $1.45 premium
for digital screenings. According to corporate strategy director
Jan Huyghe, this has not stopped people choosing digital over
35mm.
Every Kinepolis complex in Belgium and France will have one
3-D screen, as will its Madrid megaplex. "This may be
increased in 2008, if the content stream justifies it,"
Huyghe said, although at the moment he is more concerned about
gaps. "We can accept two or three weeks without a 3-D
film but a month or more risks undermining the offer."
The group's 3-D strategy was unveiled in Brussels, Lille
and Madrid. First to screen was the fantasy epic Beowulf
on Nov. 23, followed early in 2008 by Belgian animation Fly
Me to the Moon.
The 3-D experience will be heavily promoted, in line with
the company's aggressive implementation of digital cinema.
According to the Dodona Research report on digital conversion,
Kinepolis is one of Europe's digital driving forces, responsible
in Belgium for pushing the digital share up to 50 percent
of screens.
Kinepolis chose the Dolby 3-D system, which projects onto
a conventional cinema screen, while cinemagoers wear reusable,
non-mechanical glasses.
From November 16 through 22, Kinepolis
Madrid previewed of several 3-D digital trailers to introduce
the new 3-D digital theatre screen. The preview featured trailers
from Beowulf, The Nightmare Before Christmas,
Fly Me to the Moon and a one-minute segment from Star
Wars: Attack Of The Clones. The Star Wars segment
features the Coruscant speeder chase. The clip is from the
"pull up, Anakin" scene until Zam exits the tunnel.
Theatre goers simply had to request tickets to see the preview.
Note: The link to Kinepolis
Madrid is in Spanish. Visit Babelfish
Translator to translate the Web page into English.
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Academy
of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Houses 3-D Information
in its Collections
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences holds collections
of material related to the movies. One of the collections
includes materials related to 3-D films produced by Milton
L. Gunzburg (circa 1910-1991). Gunzburg was a screenwriter
and producer of 3-D films.
The M. L. Gunzburg Collection spans the years from 1933 to
1988 and encompasses approximately 30 linear feet. The collection
contains script files, including scripts for 3-D films, training
films and MGM shorts, radio and play scripts, short stories,
correspondence, legal files and material related to 3-D films
and Natural Vision.
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Academy
of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Searchable Online Script
Catalog includes 3-D Films
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Margaret
Herrick Library launched a searchable
online catalog highlighting over 30,000 motion picture
scripts available for research at six Southern California
collections. The library includes scripts from 3-D films including
Warner Bros. House of Wax and more.
Spanning the years from 1910 to 2005, the Motion Picture
Scripts Database entries are searchable by title, releasing
company, year of release, genre, writer and institution. Formerly
a published book, the catalog added approximately 1,000 new
titles since its last printing in 2002.
"Because of the great interest in scripts, the online
catalog will serve as a quick and easy pointing tool for people
interested in researching and reading screenplays," said
the list's editor, Gregory Walsh.
The catalog includes the holdings for six Southern California
library collections where scripts are housed – the Academy's
Margaret Herrick Library, the American Film Institute's Louis
B. Mayer Library, the Frances Howard Goldwyn Hollywood Regional
Library, the University of California at Los Angeles, University
of Southern California Cinema-Television Library and the Writers
Guild of America, West. All scripts are non-circulating and
may only be used on the premises of the owning library.
The online catalog will be updated on a monthly basis and
replaces previous hardcopy editions, thereby providing greater
research access to the general public. For more information
contact Walsh at (310) 247-3000 ext. 209 or visit http://scriptlist.oscars.org.
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Is
Peter Jackson Making The Hobbit in 3-D?
 Rumors
are circulating that Peter Jackson has signed on to direct
an adaptation of The Lord of the Rings prequel, The
Hobbit. The word going is around Hollywood is the story
will be split into two separate 3-D films. Jackson also intends
to convert and rerelease The Lord of the Rings trilogy
in 3-D as well, sometime between 2012 and 2014.
New Line Cinema has not confirmed this story, and for now,
this must be considered only as a rumor. We do know that Peter
Jackson is committed to the 3-D format. He has signed on to
direct a TinTin trilogy of films with Steven Spielberg
in 3-D.
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again is a fantasy
novel for children written by J. R. R. Tolkien in the tradition
of the fairy tale. It was first published on Sept. 21, 1937
to wide acclaim. While it stands in its own right, it is often
marketed as a prelude to Tolkien's monumental novel The
Lord of the Rings.
The Hobbit is set in a time "between the dawn
of Faerie and the Dominion of Men," and follows the quest
of home-loving Bilbo Baggins as he leaves his comedic-rustic
village and moves into darker, deeper territory along with
the 13 dwarves and wizard Gandalf.
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Final
Destination 4 to be Filmed in 3-D
 Back
in 2004, we reported that Final Destination 3 was
supposed to be filmed in 3-D. Well, that never happened but
the producers of the next installment say that Final Destination
4 will be filmed in 3-D.
The Hollywood Reporter announced that
the increasingly inaccurately named series will be getting
another chapter.
Final Destination 4 will bring back together Final
Destination 2's David R. Ellis and Eric Bress team as director
and writer for the film. According to the press release, their
last chapter "was praised for its elaborately orchestrated
killings," so that's pretty much what you can expect
in store for this one. Keep in mind, Ellis' non-Final Destination
filmography's highlights are Cellular and Snakes
on a Plane, which should also give you a pretty good
idea what's in store. While the actual plot is being kept
secret, it's probably safe to say it will be about teens who
dodge death and are now being chased by this. That's the other
thing about the plot so far revealed: "It will feature
new teens facing new forms of death."
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the film is that
it will be shot in 3-D, which is a trickier proposition for
live-action than it is for something like Beowulf.
Still, this is probably more interesting than the last installment,
which on DVD allowed its audience to choose their own endings
for the film's teens. Anyone who owns the DVD, and there are
a lot out there according to sales figures, can tell you that
this option is a lot less cool than it sounds.
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John
Wayne's daughter-in-law looking for distributor for 3-D Hondo
 John
Wayne's daughter-in-law is restoring and looking for a distributor
for the actor's 1953 3-D Western Hondo.
The U.S. premiere of a newly restored version of the film
was presented Tuesday, November 13 by the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences.
The film was projected digitally for an audience wearing
active 3-D glasses.
"I would love to get this film restoration as good as
possible and take it out for a theatrical release," said
Gretchen Wayne, the widow of Wayne's eldest son Michael.
The western was made in 3-D and shown using a Polaroid 3-D
system during its original theatrical release.
It aired once on broadcast TV in 1991 using an anaglyph system.
"The digital world is constantly evolving, and as it
does we are able to do more and more with this very old 3-D
version of Hondo," Wayne said.
"We showed it at Cannes. It was simply an upload from
the original negative. It was color corrected and the dirt
was removed. Since then, we've been able to do much more and
we have a much better product."
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DreamWorks
Animation and IMAX joins forces to develop 3-D films
 Giant-screen
movie company IMAX Corp. reports it has signed a three-picture
deal to develop 3-D films by major Hollywood studio DreamWorks
Animation SKG Inc.
IMAX will release Monsters vs. Aliens in March 2009,
How to Train Your Dragon in November 2009 and Shrek
Goes Forth in May 2010.
Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
IMAX will also release a giant-screen two-dimensional version
of DreamWorks' animated Kung Fu Panda next June.
The 3-D films are expected to be among the first presented
with IMAX's digital 3-D projection system.
Paramount Pictures will act as distributor of the pictures.
"3-D cinema has an opportunity to revolutionize the
way people experience movies," DreamWorks Animation CEO
Jeffrey Katzenberg said in a release.
"We believe the immersive quality of Imax will provide
our audiences with a unique way to experience our films and
we are delighted to include Imax as a key part of our 3-D
strategy."
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3-D
Film Release Schedule 2008 - 2010
 2008
U2 3-D (Jan. 25, 2008) - Performances from
seven of U2's shows on the Latin America Vertigo Tour in early
2006 converted into 3-D.
Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best
of Both Worlds Concert 3-D (Feb. 1-7, 2008)
Advance tickets for a one-week 3-D film engagement of Walt
Disney Pictures' Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best
of Both Worlds Concert went on sale starting on December
1. The film, which is said to capture the fun and excitement
of the current sold-out 54-city tour, will be shown in state-of-the-art
Disney Digital 3-D and will play in theatres across the country
for a special one week engagement between February 1 - 7,
2008. The tour was created and produced by Kenny Ortega, who
also directed both High School Musical movies.
Fly Me to the Moon (Feb. 15, 2008) - A computer
animated tale of three young houseflies that stow away aboard
the Apollo 11 flight to the moon.
Journey 3-D (July 11, 2008) - Visual effects
supervisor turned director Eric Brevig's take on the classic
Jules Verne novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth,
starring Brendan Fraser and Josh Hutcherson.
Coraline (Fall 2008) - Written and directed
by Henry Selick of Nightmare Before Christmas; stop-animated
story about a girl who discovers a bricked-up wall behind
a door in her home that leads to another world.
The Dark Country (Unconfirmed 2008) - A
sci-fi noir thriller directed by Thomas Jane based on a forthcoming
graphic novel that's being shot entirely in 3-D.
Final Destination 4 (Unconfirmed 2008) -
Final Destination 2 director David R. Ellis returns
to the franchise for another sequel that will be in 3-D.
 Bolt
(Nov. 26, 2008) Formerly titled American Dog,
from Disney. John Travolta and Susie Essman lead the voice
cast of Bolt, the story of a TV-star dog named Bolt
(Travolta) who is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood
soundstage to New York, where he begins a cross-country journey
through the real world. Chris Williams directs.
2009
Monsters vs. Aliens (March 27, 2009) - A
DreamWorks reinvention of the classic ’50s monster movie;
directed by Rob Letterman (Shark Tale).
James Cameron's Avatar (May 22, 2009) -
A band of humans are pitted in a battle against a distant
planet's indigenous population. Revolutionary filmmaking techniques
and a $190 million budget.
Robert Zemeckis’ Christmas Carol (Nov.
6, 2009) - Zemeckis continues in the same fashion as Polar
Express and Beowulf in this classic retelling
that will star Jim Carrey as Scrooge.
How to Train Your Dragon (Nov. 20, 2009)
- Based on the 2003 children's novel by British author Cressida
Cowell, this is about the adventures of Hiccup Horrendous
Haddock III, the teenage son of a Viking chieftain who must
capture a dragon for a rite of passage.
Crood Awakening (Unconfirmed 2009) - A comedy
set in the stone age directed by Chris Sanders (Lilo &
Stitch).
Tintin (Unconfirmed 2009) - The adventures
of the popular Belgian comic strip hero Tintin and his faithful
dog Snowy come to life through Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg.
Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (Unconfirmed
2009) - Based on the Lewis Carroll classic with a screenplay
by Linda Woolverton (The Lion King); will combine
both motion capture technology and live action.
2010
Shrek Goes Fourth (May 21, 2010) - The further
adventures of the giant green ogre, Shrek, living
in the land of Far, Far Away; will discover how Shrek
arrived in his swamp.
Master Mind (Fall 2010) - A satirical take
on superhero movies, in which a notorious villain loses his
"oomph" after he accidentally kills his nemesis.
 Puss
in Boots: The Story of an Ogre Killer (Unconfirmed
2009) - A Shrek spin-off starring the sword fighting
cat voiced by Antonio Banderas.
Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots / Puss' twin brother
Eddie Murphy as Donkey
Mike Myers as Shrek (cameo)
John Cleese as King Harold (cameo)
In Development
Tim Burton's Frankenweenie - A feature
length remake of Burton's 1984 short film that is a parody
of the 1931 Frankenstein movie. The story is about
a pet dog brought back to life by his loyal owner.
James Cameron's Battle Angel - James Cameron
is directing and producing Battle Angel, a live-action
adaption of the first three volumes of the manga series. Cameron
has plans to make a trilogy if the first film is successful.
Cameron's adaptation of the graphic novel about a female cyborg
named Alita who is rescued from the scrapheap by a scientist,
who becomes her surrogate father. Alita will be a CG character
performed by an actress. Filming will be made with the new
digital 3-D system Cameron has developed for Avatar,
and will also include new devices for interacting between
actors, director and the digital characters and environments,
such as a real time virtual camera and virtual retinal display
technology (VRD).
Star Wars 3-D - George Lucas has announced
plans to remaster all of the Star Wars films in 3-D.
When this might actually happen is anyones guess.
Horroween from Stereo Vision Entertainment
Inc. and Adirondack International Pictures Inc.
Godzilla: 3-D to the Max - Advanced Audiovisual
Productions (Announced in 2004 - May be a dead project.)
The Hobbit - Director Peter Jackson mines
more of J.R.R. Tolkein's world for the big screen. Rumor is
he will also convert The Lord of the Rings films
to 3-D for re-release.
Back to top
Hallmark
Lenticular 3-D Halloween and Christmas Cards
Here are some examples of several high quality
lenticular 3-D Halloween and Christmas cards issued in 2007
by Hallmark. Santa and Mrs. Claus bump their hips together
when the card is moved up and down. Some of the cards are
motion lenticulars while others are 3-D. There are apparently
19 different Halloween cards and 26 Christmas cards issued.
Some of the Christmas cards feature animated scenes from famous
pop culture icons including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,
Tweety-Bird and A Peanuts Christmas with
Charlie Brown and friends.
Back to top
Stereoscopic
Displays and Applications Conference Update
 Registrations
are now open for the 2008 Stereoscopic Displays and Applications
Conference, and other conferences which are part of the 2008
Electronic Imaging Symposium.
The 2008 SD&A conference will be held 28-30 January 2008
at the San Jose Convention Center, San Jose, California. The
advance
program is online.
Registrations are also open for the Electronic Imaging 2008
short courses, including SC060 Stereoscopic Display Application
Issues.
Registration
and pricing information are available online. Register
for the conference/symposium before January 6 and save $100.
Hotel bookings for SD&A 2008, and Electronic Imaging
2008 are now open. Hotel
booking information is available online.
Important Dates
- Nov. 30, 2007 - Earlybird demo space registration deadline
(save $100).
- Dec. 21, 2007 - Deadline for peer-reviewed full manuscripts.
- Jan. 6, 2008 - Earlybird symposium registration deadline
(save $100).
- Jan. 9, 2008 Deadline for Final Manuscripts.
- Jan. 27-31, 2008 Electronic Imaging Symposium.
- Jan. 27, 2008 - Stereoscopic Display Application Issues
Short Course.
- Jan.28 - 30, 2008 - Stereoscopic Displays and Applications
XIX.
- Jan. 31, 2007 - The Engineering Reality of Virtual Reality
2008.
Back to top
3-D
Auction Results
Here are a few 3-D auction results from the past month
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A pair of John F. Kennedy Flicker Rings and a Fob set
sold for $9.99 with two bids. This JFK Flicker / Flasher
Vari-Vu Ring and Fob Charm Set were most likely acquired
from bubblegum vending machines for a penny or a nickel
in the 1960s. One has John F. Kennedy in color view
at one angle and an American Flag on the other angle
view. The other ring has JFK in color on one angle and
the American Flag in the other angle view with a memorial
stating 35th President and his name and birth and death
date at the bottom. One ring is excellent condition,
the other has a little silver peeling off the plastic.
The Fob is in excellent condition with the memorial
view of dates and flag as well as the full color photo
of JFK, it also has a gorgeous gold tone chain and fob.
A Tarzan 3-D picture card and bubble gum wrapper sold
for $34.87 with seven bids. The seller also had separate
auctions for various Tarzan 3-D cards.
A Realist Stereo 50 Sequential Slide Viewer sold for
$332.50 with 16 bids. The 50 slides are placed in a
rotating drum. They are held by snapping on a metal
clip. The viewer is held closed by a snap lock and opens
very easily. Cardboard mounted Realist slides (note:
viewer does not work with RBT or glass slides, only
with cardboard slides) are taken out by pulling them
out of the metal clip. New slides are inserted just
as easily.
The viewer is lighted by an AC bulb and has an on-off
switch. Slides are changed by rotating a drum through
a knob in both the right and left side of the viewer.
The drum rotates freely (no click stops, etc.).
Focus is simply done by stopping the drum so the slide
is at a given distance from the lenses. There is no
interocular adjustment.
A 1956 Pontiac 3-D Viewer with slides sold for $227.50
with 12 bids. The illuminated GM Photographic Mulitview
stereo viewer came with its original leather case. Also
in the set are operating instructions, index card for
what appears to be 1956 model year and 15 Tru-Vue like
slide cards. Models shown include Starchief, 870, 860
series and stationwagons as well as interior choices.
A View-Master® Display Globe sold for $1,025.64
with 15 bids. The globe was located in Vienna, Austria,
Europe. The highly collectable advertising display in
shape of an illuminated globe with four attached View-Master®
stereoscopes has printed on the rotating globe "The
World At Your Fingertips" and "Cartoon, Travel,
Adventure, Scenic" on the base. The globe has a
diameter of approximately 40cm. The sale included a
translucent 11x60cm View Master® advertising panel.
The globe was rated in B- condition. Note the European
electric cord. |
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