By Carolyn Giardina

A huge wave of interest in 3D movies is spreading through Hollywood–and it currently revolves around a tiny animated chicken who thinks the sky is falling.

Today’s release of Disney’s Chicken Little in 3D marks a massive push to introduce what Walt Disney Studios calls “Disney Digital 3D.” Ready for the rollout are roughly 85 custom 3D-ready digital cinema installations in North American and four in Mexico.

But interest in 3D extends well beyond the chicken coop. Director George Lucas has already announced that he would release all six Star Wars films in 3D, beginning with the first in May 2007 in celebration of the 30^th anniversary of the first film. Director James Cameron (Titantic) has plans do his next two releases in 3D, director Robert Zemeckis’ (Forrest Gump) next animated film Monster House is due for a 3D release in mid ’06, and other leading directors such as Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings) have expressed interest in the format.

Some recent 3D successes have already caught Hollywood’s attention, notably last year’s Zemeckis-directed The Polar Express, which surprised many with strong box office returns from a relatively small number of 3D screens. And one also must consider the releases of director Robert Rodriguez’ Spy Kids 3D: Game Over or Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3D.

As Hollywood’s creative community demonstrates interest in 3D, theater owners are showing real enthusiasm for the possibilities. Meanwhile, digital cinema stakeholders believe 3D could be a key catalyst in driving a digital transition, as various manufacturers say that it is less complicated and less costly to prep a digital cinema theater for 3D viewing (compared with today’s film-based theaters).

Many also believe that 3D is certain to excite Madison Avenue–and some interviewed for this article report that early demonstrations to potential advertisers have already been staged.

“From a commercial point of view, there’s a real opportunity to stand out,” says Loren Nielsen, partner in Hollywood-based Entertainment Technology Consultants. “And obviously you don’t forget it if the 3D is done well. It’s memorable and it’s high impact. And it not that much more money to spend to make the commercial.”

Advertisers can also let their creative imaginations run wild, says Neil Feldman, who is senior VP of Agoura Hills, Calif.-headquartered In-Three, an innovative company that offers ‘Dimensionalized 3D’, its patented process of converting motion pictures to 3D. “There are lots of ways to brand and advertise [around 3D],” comments Feldman, who also happens to be founder/president of Dallas’ Video Post & Transfer. “With our process, an ad can be dimensionalized, [meaning] we can convert it to 3D. It’s not our primary business model, but we are pretty certain that advertisers will want to be part of that process. They could repurpose old commercials, or they can create new content–and they do not have to do anything different when they shoot it.

“Also, I could envision an advertiser who might what to sponsor [a film], maybe by putting their logo on the 3D glasses,” he adds. “Most [agencies] are unaware of the opportunities. But I do think it would be farsighted for them to pay attention. If they run a 3D ad, it would stand out…We have had a couple of inquires from agencies, but right now it’s a chicken-and-egg problem.”

 

WHY NOW?

Speaking of chickens, why is there suddenly so much attention being placed on 3D efforts from the likes of Disney. For many of us, the topic of 3D recalls the famous photo from Life magazine in the ’50s that showed an audience wearing 3D glasses. The technology has obviously evolved since then. In subsequent years there have been short bursts of interest (remember Jaws 3D?), but it never really stuck.

An increasing number of pundits say this time, the situation is different. “In the past, viewers had to deal with the discomfort of the glasses,” says Nielson, adding that these were also quite expensive to produce and distribute. “But the 3D technology has gotten to a point where it’s quite comfortable to watch and the technology for capture and postproduction has advanced to such as degree that what we can process ….can be a compelling experience.

“The simultaneous development of the promise of digital cinema is also a factor,” she adds. “Every 2k DLP Cinema projector is ‘3D ready,’ making converting the theater a not so arduous process. Meanwhile the glasses are more sophisticated, and some brands are both inexpensive and disposable.”

With all of this in mind, Nielson concludes, “It seems the pieces are in place to promote 3D.”

 

CHICKEN LITTLE‘S SUPPORTING CAST

Disney has a supporting cast of collaborators that helped Chicken Little make its 3D debut–and those companies interviewed by SHOOT are among those who view 3D as a catalyst to a digital cinema transition, as well as new advertising interest.

For the North America-based theaters offering Chicken Little in 3D, in collaboration with Disney, Real D provided its 3D platform while San Francisco-headquartered Dolby Laboratories installed its Dolby Digital Cinema systems. Operating with the Dolby servers at the various sites are Christie DLP Cinema projectors or Barco DLP Cinema projectors.

Installations of these digital projectors have already started for today’s movies (and as previously stated, the installations can be upgraded to 3D projection capabilities). And demonstrating a growing market, Disney’ distribution arm Buena Vista Pictures Distribution and Access Integrated Technologies’ (AccessIT) Christie/AIX unit recently entered into a non-exclusive agreement to supply feature films from Walt Disney Pictures and Touchstone Pictures to digital projection systems to be deployed by Christie/AIX. Per the agreement, Christie/AIX will install between 2,500 and 4,000 systems throughout the United States and Canada over the next two years.

“As digital cinema projection becomes more prevalent, it opens up more opportunity for all types of content,” says Craig Sholder, VP entertainment solutions for Christie, who tells SHOOT that early interest has already started in the areas of 3D sports, as well as advertising.

“There is a pretty high level of interest in 3D–I would imagine that because the digital technology is now in theaters and available, the other studios will want to realize 3D movies,” he adds. “Content will be the driver.”

Meanwhile, Topeka, Kan.-based QuVis’ QuVis Cinema Players have been installed to play Chicken Little in the aforementioned four theaters in Mexico. QuVis VP of sales and marketing James Graham, enthused, “The 3D people are seeing today is different from the traditional creature 3D movies–both in the quality and the way the movies are being put together. It’s a different experience and from an adverting point of view, it’s a more attractive output.”

 

RENDERING A NEW MODEL

Also involved in the Chicken Little project was San Francisco-based Industrial Light & Magic, which rendered the movie in 3D so it could be played on the Dolby Digital Cinema servers at the selected theatres. “We feel audiences will embrace this experience as the new standard in animated features,” ILM president Chrissie England says of the 3D production.

Joel Aron, digital production supervisor at ILM, explains that the Disney Feature Animation movie did not start as a 3D project. When it was decided to go the 3D route, ILM was invited on board and developed proprietary techniques so that it could take the flat feature and make it 3D by rendering out the “right eye.”

But in doing so, ILM had to build depth. “We needed to place this little tiny chicken in a gigantic world. We needed to build the world –but we couldn’t touch what Disney had done. We needed to think completely different with this.”

In the end, ILM rendered 1,400 shots (provided by Disney) in 12 weeks. “This is something we can do now–We have the technology,” Aron says. “I think more and more directors are going to say ‘we have a completed digital sequence, why not make it 3D.’ I honestly believe the door is wide open right now and I think people will be jumping all over this when they see Chicken Little.”

    He opines that the word of month from theater goers will further elevate interest in 3D. “Chicken Little is going to be the spark that starts the fire,” he concludes. “I think the audience is going to see this, and are going to want to see more.”

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