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Saturday, February 27, 2010

TRON LEGACY Trailer Screened: Event Did Not Live Up To Expectations...

Jim here. Unfortunately it sounds as though Disney's TRON LEGACY event at various cities was a let down. Many were expecting an AVATAR Day type event where there was a significant chunk of footage shown. Instead it was a new trailer, but with some previously seen material. And a t-shirt.

Keep in mind however that this is NOT speaking of the quality of the movie which seemed to all to be top notch!

The trailer was not quite two minutes long
according to some fans (others say 2.5 minutes) and not worth the wait. It was only screened ONCE. They had to check their electronics at the door and many shook their heads as to why after the event. One complained he spent more time in the line up to retrieve his cellphone than watching the trailer!

Here are some first hand reports exclusive to MarketSaw:
clogwyn wrote:

Just got back from the London (UK) IMAX screening..... We waited for over half an hour past the screening til 2pm...everyone very excited to see new footage etc. Were itold how lucky we were and that we were privileged to be the first audience worldwide to see this...and then they showed a 2 min trailer that I have already read about on this site or others (flynns son, visits flynn's arcade, finds den behind tron machine, gets zapped into teh system, then lots of quick shots of key characters and a few lightcycles racing, then coming soon title - thats pretty much it. Either something technical screwed up and they couldn't show us the supposed preview scenes from the movie (we were expecting around 10-15mins for our trouble, such as Avatar Day?) or that was it, just the trailer. Audience was confused / p*ssed off and left, no cheers, whoops or anything. Be very interested to see what NY and LA get. If the same treatment then I think Disney are treating a loyal Tron fanbase like muppets.

------

Paul wrote:

Basically It was alot of hype for the trailer that WILL BE ON ALICE AND WONDERLAND NEXT WEEK. Like don't get me wrong, it was a great trailer. But it wasn't even two minutes. Starts out with Flynn's son. They say they got a call from the old arcade that has been closed for a long time. He goes to the tron machine. Gets through the secret passage way. Gets zapped in to the computer (we don't see it) then we get a bunch of great pics of the video game world. Definitely stuff to get excited at. I honestly don't feel the need to go into that much detail. Great images that will be better seen rather than written about. Is it as mind blowing as AVATAR. Not really simply because the world of AVATAR is so exspansive and inventive. But I also think with this trailer they are playing it close to the chest here. But then the trailer ended and that was it. Do we get a glimpse of the light cycles. Yes two very short very cool shots. Any DAFT PUNK? Nothing that I could really tell. I will say this though Olivia Wilde looks great in her suit. It also looks to not be related to the TR2N script that is floating around the internet. I read the first 20 pages and there doesn't seem to be any relation to that script (which is good) People traveled far to see this. I don't know if it was only for the screening, but a fan said he was from Toronto and another from Boston. ALL FOR A TRAILER THAT WILL BE ONLINE IN A WEEK. It was really indignant of them to play this event like it was something more. Checking cell phones at the door?! It was in 3d IMAX what could they have filmed? An insanely blurry image? Afterwards there was a mob of people trying to get their phones It was utter chaos. I spent more time in line for my cell phone than I did the trailer. I walked up to the studio representatives and told them how disappointed the fans were at the event. They thought it had been clear it was just the trailer. But no where in the sign up stuff did it say that. We cheered to have it shown again but there was nothing. They herded us out. I did get a 'Flynn Lives' t-shirt which was cool. But overall an insane disappointment in fandom. If you are going to put that much work at least show SOMETHING else besides a trailer. Don't feel like any of you missed out. Cause you didn't.

------

kevinC wrote, in response to clogwyn:

Just got back from the ny screening...it was the same footage which was just the new trailer...i disagree though and thought the trailer was pretty good ...seeing flynn prepared for battle looking 20 years younger than he is was pretty cool...i dunno if it was a digital recreation of him or what ala arnold in terminator salvation but he didnt look like some old man looking to fight...the lightcycles looked amazing and the faithfullness to the original is apparent and the visuals to me looked oustanding....seeing it at lincoln square on one of the biggest screens in the world definitely makes a difference though...the crowd here i believe was impressed with what was shown but dissapointed at the length of the footage shown....but taken at face value the footage itself ...i thought it was pretty damn good and am excited for the movie...but i do agree that going all the way to a theatre to see 2 and half minutes is absolutely ridiculous even if we did get a flynn lives t -shirt along with it.

-----
So mixed results, but mainly disappointing. I did not see the trailer so I can't comment on the content at all, but it sounds as though it could be worthwhile if I were seeing another movie right afterward. And, of course - I love a good t-shirt just like the next guy :-)

Could have been handled better by Disney Marketing though.
Not sure why they wanted this viral. Hopefully there are much bigger and better things planned in the coming months. They have to be careful though - if you cry wolf too many times, audiences may not show up for the real deal! :-) Just sayin'.

Sigourney Weaver All But Confirms Her Involvement In AVATAR 2: She Ain't Dead Yet...

Jim here. Another morsel of information has been added to the mix for AVATAR 2: Signourney Weaver is seriously hinting that she will be in the sequel to AVATAR - even though she supposedly died in the original!

The story comes from AICN where a reader sent in a link to a French video where Weaver discloses the info. Weaver can speak French too. The interesting part is after the 3:30m mark and you can hear her in English.

Anyone who has watched the movie knows that she didn't seem to die, but rather "she is with Eywa". Her consciousness or "soul" has transferred to the tree of souls.

This opens up many, MANY scenarios
now that we know that there is a real chance she is returning. Will she be teamed up with Eywa somehow? Very interesting! She does back track a bit though by saying she can't promise anything, but the info is a bombshell of sorts.

Here is
the clip! Thanks to Shawn for the headsup :-) Working on some more AVATAR 2 news shortly!

Friday, February 26, 2010

Exclusive: EXTREME NATURE OF BATS Science Film Wraps Production!

Jim here. PassmoreLab sent us these exclusive photos and a great update upon their return from wrapping up photography in the Indian Ocean. This is serious work folks. I am impressed with the lengths at which these guys went to obtain the whole story in their latest 3D science film THE EXTREME NATURE OF BATS.

PHOTO: A vampire bat consumes the blood from a cow during production in the remote jungles of Mexico.

The film, which explores the truths, myths and dark legends that have stalked the world’s only flying mammal, closely examines three bat species; the free-tailed bat, the megabat, and the infamous vampire bat.

PassmoreLab’s production team traveled the world to film these bats in their natural habitats in order to tell their remarkable story.

Production began last year in October in a Texas bat cave, where the team filmed a resident population of 12 million Mexican free-tailed bats. From there, the crew traveled to Romania to tackle the myths surrounding bats and Bran Castle (better known as Dracula’s Castle), then backpacked through the jungles of Mexico to film the elusive vampire bat. Finally, after arriving in Africa, the team boarded a boat to a primitive island in the Indian Ocean to film the megabat.

“I took the crew over 42,000 miles to get these bats,” says Passmore. “We were on location in some amazing and amazingly remote places. For instance, the Indian Ocean island was wild, with giant spiders, huge bats, and very difficult terrain. It looked like we had landed in a Jules Verne novel.”

Bats fulfill multiple roles in different parts of the world. For instance, in North America they keep ecosystems in check, yet are symbols of fright; in the Indian Ocean they are a part of the food supply; and in Mexico bats treat animals and humans as a part of their food supply.

Through interpreters and local guides, Passmore began to hear about the legends of his subject matter. “The locals in one remote village in Mexico told us that they can hear the vampire bats making a screaming noise during the nightly cattle hunts.”

To try to capture that on film, the crew had to ditch the jeeps and go in by foot, backpacking for hours to an area where they could film these swarms of vampire bats in the moonlight drinking blood from cattle.
PHOTO: A megabat, clearly awake during the day while roosting in a tree, watches the crew closely.

“It was very still, very quiet, and then all at once…yes, there were screaming noises,” says Passmore. “It was eerie.”

“The Extreme Nature of Bats” is a new, educational 3D science film that chronicles the lives of these unique and interesting animals. Passmore’s objective was to find bat populations in locations where few crews have ever gone before, giving viewers a highly memorable, realistic journey and exposing them to a world they have never seen before.
“I wanted to go deep inside active bat caves and film from the inside out,” says Passmore. “I needed to understand the risks and rewards associated with large bat populations before I could put it onscreen.”

One sequence shows the megabats in the trees and sky, surrounded by the most incredible natural beauty on the edge of an ancient burial ground. And in the middle of all that activity, the local people are catching them in giant nets.

“Apparently, they go well with rice,” continues Passmore. “That just reinforced to me the need to better understand these creatures across cultural contexts,” continues Passmore. “A disease plaguing bats, White Nose Syndrome, is killing off entire bat colonies, and we are unsure why. Hopefully the film can help underscore the importance of these creatures and why we need to protect them.”

PHOTO: The PassmoreLab production crew backpacks across a remote island in the Indian Ocean.

The film now goes into post-production to be ready for rollout to museums and theatres. “We traveled far and wide to tell this story,” says Steve Glum, PassmoreLab’s head of Branding & Distribution. “It’s been an incredible expedition and we think audiences worldwide will be thrilled to experience this journey with us.”

PassmoreLab’s “The Extreme Nature of Bats” is scheduled for release to Science Centers and Museums in March, and will be translated into German and Spanish.

About PassmoreLab
PassmoreLab, the “World’s Largest 3D Content Provider”, is a San Diego-based multi-media production studio that specializes in 3D production. The studio custom-designs and builds its own RED camera 3D rigs for both conventional and rugged film productions, shooting everything from feature films, television and science documentaries, to underwater diving, extreme sports and cave exploration http://www.passmorelab.com/PL2minTRAILER.mov. State-of-the-art facilities include a full 3D production studio, video/film post-production, optical development lab, and a software development environment. Production includes 2D, 3D, high dynamic range time lapse, stereoscopic microscopy and cutting-edge simulation technologies for real time SFX. PassmoreLab has additional offices in Russia and the Philippines. For more information, visit www.passmorelab.com.

Be sure to check out this fearless 3D science film. It looks spectacular! And we will learn something important at the same time.

PassmoreLab is a sponsor of MarketSaw.

Nicolas Chartier Tries To Put THE HURT on AVATAR's Oscar Chances! Landau Responds...

Jim here. If you are not aware of Nicolas Chartier's enormous Oscar blunder here is your chance to catch up. Chartier is a producer of THE HURT LOCKER and he took it upon himself to mass email many if not all his contacts (not sure which) in an effort to sway their votes - and their friends of friends' votes.

Trouble is, this is all very illegal activity with the Academy. You simply cannot ask for votes, let alone mass spam everyone in your network. Further, you can't ask your network to ask THEIR network to do the same! The Oscars are all about which movie is generally voted as being the best and is not a social networking driven affair - despite the politics that are involved. I see "For Your Consideration" ads everywhere, but I suppose they are regulated and treated much as political election campaigns are run.

Here is what he said in his email (via
LA Times):

From: "Nicolas Chartier" Date: Fri, 19 Feb 2010

I hope all is well with you. I just wanted to write you and say I hope you liked Hurt Locker and if you did and want us to win, please tell (name deleted) and your friends who vote for the Oscars, tell actors, directors, crew members, art directors, special effects people, if everyone tells one or two of their friends, we will win and not a $500M film, we need independent movies to win like the movies you and I do, so if you believe The Hurt Locker is the best movie of 2010, help us!

I'm sure you know plenty of people you've worked with who are academy members whethere a publicist, a writer, a sound engineer, please take 5 minutes and contact them. Please call one or two persons, everything will help!


best regards,


Nicolas Chartier Voltage Pictures


Of course once this hit the LA Times it was game over and he quickly "apologized":

Last week I emailed you regarding the Oscars next week, generally, and
"The Hurt Locker," in particular.

My email to you was out of line and not in the spirit of the celebration of

cinema that this acknowledgement is. I was even more wrong, both personally
and professionally, to ask for your help in encouraging others to vote for
the film and to comment on another movie. As passionate as I am about the
film we made, this was an extremely inappropriate email to send, and
something that the Academy strongly disapproves of in the rules.

My naivete, ignorance of the rules and plain stupidity as a first time

nominee is not an excuse for this behavior and I strongly regret it. Being
nominated for an Academy Award is the ultimate honor and I should have taken
the time to read the rules.

I am emailing each person this very same statement asking to retract my

previous email and requesting that you please disregard it.

I truly apologize to anyone I have offended.


Sincerely yours,


best regards,


Nicolas Chartier

Voltage Pictures, LLC



Chartier pleads ignorance. I say that is a load of you know what. I think they were trying to bend the rules with today's social networking technology. I suspect even using Facebook would lead you to trouble with the Academy - which THE HURT LOCKER team has done apparently.

Chartier goes even further than begging for votes: He denounces AVATAR as a $500m movie and that indie films should get more attention. Right. This is coming from a producer no less. Not a grip from the film. My opinion is if a movie warrants attention, it will get it. Head(s) should roll for this clear violation.

For the year 2009, there is only one movie that has captured the world's attention like NONE other in history. No other movie that has revolutionized Hollywood for not only stereoscopic 3D, but for performance capture and crossing the "uncanny valley". We all know it is AVATAR.

So what would you think Cameron's reaction would be to this?
I don't really know (other than the mutual admiration of work between Cameron & Bigelow) - but we DO KNOW what Jon Landau's (Producer - AVATAR, TITANIC) reaction is:



I fall squarely on AVATAR's side here of course. But really that is beside the point. $2.5 billion in box office essentially forgives practically ANY cost the film incurred in its making, not that he should be denouncing anything that any other movie has done. And $500m has not even been proven. He doesn't even mention Bigelow or the others who are up for awards here. It is as if it is his own movie.

I find the whole thing very, VERY ugly.
The only positive coming out of this is the class act response from Jon Landau.

Thanks to Jo for sending in the heads-up of the Jon Landau comments on the situation!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Must Watch: New HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON Trailer!

Jim here. It's looking good!! Love this new trailer from Dreamworks Animation's HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON. I can imagine how good the 3D will be in some of those scenes :-)

Have a look!



It has a lot of potential don't you think? I think DWA has delivered the goods! HTTYD opens March 26.

TRON LEGACY Viral Site Announces Exclusive Events This Weekend!!

Jim here. The creative folks over at Disney have taken a page from the Fox marketing playbook and are hosting exclusive TRON LEGACY events this weekend. Odds are it is a special screening of small segments of the movie - ala AVATAR Day.

Here are the locations and times for the events:
New York
AMC Loews Lincoln Square IMAX - Sat., Feb. 27, 10:00AM EST

Los Angeles
IMAX Theatre at The Bridge - Sat., Feb. 27, 2:30PM PST

London
bfi London IMAX Cinema - Sat., Feb. 27, 1:30PM GMT

Toronto
Scotiabank IMAX Theater - Sat., Feb. 27, 11:00AM EST

Sydney
LG IMAX Theatre - Sun., Feb. 28, 10:00AM EDT

Tickets will be released on THIS SITE on February 25 at these times:
New York - 4PM EST
Los Angeles - 1PM PST
London - 9PM GMT
Toronto - 4PM EST
Sydney - 8AM EDT (*2/26)

You must also be a registered member of the
FlynnLives website to be eligible to get tickets. So register now and hope you can get through when the designated time arrives in your home city!!

GOOD LUCK! Let us know if you get in... :-)

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

FLASH GORDON Going 3D!

Jim here. Am I surprised anymore at the number of sci-fi and horror movies that are going S3D? Nope. It is really more about what projects get green lit at all and which ones don't.

Breck Eisner (THE CRAZIES), director just spilled the beans to Collider that FLASH GORDON will be in 3D. Native 3D? Well judging by Eisner's choice of words I would say no: "Yes, this will definitely be a 3D movie. Like I said, when it’s the right kind of movie, you want to use the right kind of technology, so we intend to shoot it for 3D."

"...shoot it FOR 3D." Sounds like a 2D shoot that is optimized for a post production conversion to 3D. This is not confirmed, but certainly rings about right.

Here is what Eisner had to say about the movie itself: "Flash Gordon is a project I’ve been pursuing for years. It’s a true passion of mine. Sci-fi is a real passion of mine. And I finally got it set up at Sony and we hired the two writers, [Matt] Sazama and [Burk] Sharpless. I’ve been breaking story with them since I finished post on The Crazies, for the last two months or so. We finished that process; we’re now putting pen to paper, or keys to keyboard, and writing the script. We should have that in a month or two. And I think we have an awesome story. It’s not in any way connected to the camp of the ’80’s and it’s not connected to the serials of the ’50’s. It’s very much looking back to the original Alex Raymond strips; it’s imagining that Alex Raymond were to draw the strips today instead of in the ’30’s and ’40s and what would they be? It’ll be action and adventure; it’ll be aggressive and dynamic and intense with a really strong lead character who goes on an interesting personal journey over the course of the movie."

Sounds like he has got a good grip on what needs to be done with FLASH GORDON to make it a success. I know the 1980's version left a lot to be desired. We will keep our ear to the ground on this one and watch for telltale signs of his direction in THE CRAZIES. Early of course, but I think FG could turn out to be well worth watching.

Check out the remainder of the interview at
Collider.


Best Buy - Listen Up: LLLLETS Get Ready To DEMO!

Jim here. Big box electronics retailers heed warning: No more just standing around citing specifications and pointing at flat screens! You are going to need to do more than always say "This is the set I have at home and it is great".

With the advent of S3DHD televisions you are going to have to demo it
, or not have access to them! So says Panasonic. When the VT25 lineup of S3DHD plasmas come on stream in May, retail employees will have to be well versed in the technology and be able to effectively demo what the consumer will be buying.

Said Bob Perry, SVP Marketing at Panasonic: "To us, all of our retailers are really important, but if a retailer cannot properly display it we will not allow them to sell it."

From Twice.com: Panasonic sees 3D as a key differentiator for plasma technology, since it has an inherently rapid switching capability that is necessary to deliver the rapidly alternating full 1080p images to each eye of viewers equipped with special active shutter glasses.

"We believe that when they go into retail and see our 3D plasmas, the average consumer will say, "That looks better" he said. "We aren't going to trash LCD, but are going to make sure the consumer knows that if they want the best 3D experience so far, it is going to be available from Panasonic plasma."

3D TV will be a central part of Panasonic's focus in its previously announced upcoming 15-city "mini-CES" showcase that will use three touring "show booths" with a wide range of products, to hit each of the East, West and Central regions of the country, hitting heavily trafficked venues in the nation's top designated market areas.

...the tour is part of an intensive advertising and promotional blitz for 2010, estimated at around $100 million, that will see Panasonic spend twice as much on advertising some product categories, over the previous year, he said.

I am so glad that Panasonic is putting its foot down on this.
Customer service at some of these retailers can be abysmal; I had a guy telling me a few days ago at one of these stores that 3DTVs will be around NEXT YEAR sometime. I hope other manufacturers follow suit. Consumers deserve the best information possible on what they are buying. S3D deserves it too.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

AVATAR 2: Early Rumblings And Yes, Cameron Is Directing

Jim here. I have been hearing more and more about AVATAR 2 and the direction that Cameron wants to take it from one of my best sources.

Yes, Cameron will be directing. There is obviously some posturing going on to position the sides for the upcoming negotiations regarding the projects. Don't think for a second he will let anyone else water down this franchise like what happened to TERMINATOR.

So what have I heard about AVATAR 2? We are going to be seeing a great deal more future Earth in 2 and 3 - especially AVATAR 2. The extended edition for AVATAR will help set this up for us, but there are also key elements from the original movie that will do so as well of course.

My source is in a hard place right now as the information he/she has is "very spoilery" and may even turn out to be inaccurate in some places when actual production starts down the road. What he does say is: "It is not what you may expect". It will be similar yet very different with the same main characters. Not everything is as it seems in that system (Polyphemus).

Of course keep in mind the elements of war that we posted exclusively a few weeks back! And of course that other moons will be involved, not just Pandora. Again, a MarketSaw exclusive - a full month before the LA Times ran their story.

Our source promises more soon. He/she really only wants to give us information that will most likely happen. That's what I love about my top sources - they are essentially just like us! We love movies and how they are made. We appreciate creative talent!

Stay tuned...

Monday, February 22, 2010

Cameron Revisiting Plans for "Avatar 2" Story...And a Must-Watch Cameron Interview with Charlie Rose!

Michael here. Thanks to m4st4 for pointing me to this video where Cameron talks about Avatar 2; although he has a general direction for the story, he may be revisiting some of his assumptions regarding the story arc for the sequel now that the first Avatar is in theaters. He also says that the team feels a strong desire to stay together and go beyond what they did on Avatar. Watch below:



Also be sure to check out the Cameron interview with Charlie Rose below. It's one of the very best I've seen - it is worth it for his thoughts on storytelling alone. He also does a great job answering some specific criticisms of the film.

Watch the video here!

AVATAR Set To Pass $2.5 Billion Worldwide Tally!! ...And How Fox Could Amp Up More Box Office Right Now

Jim here. It just doesn't want to stop, nor should it! According to my calculations, AVATAR should pass the unheard of pinnacle of $2.5 BILLION dollars worldwide on Friday night. It should pass $700 million domestically on Saturday too! These are simply crazy numbers. Take into consideration if a star or director had first dollar points to the tune of say 10 or 15%. Stunning payday. I am not saying Cameron had anywhere near this type of deal, but still - the potential is there for AVATAR 2 and 3.

But they could earn more. A LOT more...

If Fox was smart, they would start marketing the fact that AVATAR will be bowing out of a lot of screens by March 5th. This will create another groundswell of people who have already seen it, but want to see it again in its full glory on the big screen. It has to be marketed correctly though. I remember Neil Gaiman twittering (well at least his publicist!) about losing CORALINE screens to Disney last spring - getting the word out that if you want to see it in 3D - do it NOW. I thought it was very effective. A limited audience to be sure, but I think studios should jump on this standard marketing ploy when the opportunity presents itself. It is called "creating urgency".

Actually I can see why Fox may NOT want to release the 3D Blu-ray in November: A potential re-release could be in the making. Once the summer swath of 3D movies are out there, I see no reason why they would not sneak AVATAR in once again in the fall. 2D on a small screen does NOT cut it! Could happen folks.

I just took in AVATAR myself for the eleventh time over the weekend.
ELEVEN times. And I still am not saturated by it. I took my parents who are in their 60's to an IMAX screening (almost sold out too for a matinee) and they thoroughly enjoyed it. My mother said: "Boy that last guy was REALLY hard to kill! (speaking of Col. Quaritch)" I had to laugh about that - he really was a tough SOB. I plan on bringing my AVATAR screenings to an even dozen sometime this weekend.

Guys - one last thing. I am working on an AVATAR 2 story that will have some more revelations included. Stay tuned! :-)

Sunday, February 21, 2010

3D Geek Alert: Awesome Interview With Joe Letteri Of Weta!

Jim here. A special treat for you AVATAR fans! Guess whose got "Oscar" written on his forehead? Ok yeah - other than Jim Cameron :-)

You guessed it: Joe Letteri. For those not acquainted with Joe's exploits, he was Weta's Visual Supervisor on AVATAR and was effects supervisor on THE LOVELY BONES, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND, KING KONG (won Oscar), and the last two LOTRs movies (won Oscar for BOTH) to name just a few.

You can check out his interview right here at TVNZ.

His body of work in visual effects is astounding - check it out at
IMDb. This guy is definitely on my interview list too! :-) I would say his Oscar chances are hovering around 100%.

Fox Interested In Atari's MISSILE COMMAND For A 3D Movie?

Jim here. According to the LA Times, Fox and Peter Chernin's new production company are interested in obtaining the movie rights to Atari's 1980's video game MISSILE COMMAND. If you are familiar with the Atari 2600 video game console then you have probably seen this game in action as it was introduced on that platform and was quite successful.

The game centered around trying to defend your cities from incoming missile attacks. You had to time the detonation of your attacks to match the incoming warheads.

From the LA Times: There are traces of science-fiction elements to the game (the story is putatively set in another galaxy) as well as military overtones. And the film would likely be shot in 3D, tapping into the current vogue. But how a studio could turn Missile Command into a full-fledged action movie remains a question.

I never owned MISSILE COMMAND.
I was a SPACE INVADERS guy myself. Wait. SPACE INVADERS! Perfect for a movie...

Saturday, February 20, 2010

"Battle Angel" Retitled, and Coming After Avatar 2?

Michael here. This is interesting. I had the same thought myself regarding the T and A titles, and how Cameron might have to change the name to "Alita" to fit the pattern. Well, it looks like Jon Landau is thinking along similar lines, suggesting that the film be called Alita: Battle Angel.

From MTV: (thanks m4st4 for the heads up!)

“I’m telling people that we have to call it ‘Alita: Battle Angel,’ because Jim only does T&A movies,” grinned Landau, listing the examples. “’Titanic,’ ‘Aliens,’ ‘Terminator,’ ‘Abyss,’ ‘True Lies,’ ‘Avatar.’”

“So, we can’t call it ‘Battle Angel’,” he insisted. “We have to call it ‘Alita: Battle Angel.’”


And it seems that Alita: Battle Angel may go right after Avatar 2:

[‘Battle Angel’] is something that Jim is very, very passionate about. It was actually brought to our attention by another filmmaker, Guillermo del Toro; Guillermo saw those things in the property that he thought would really relate to Jim, and Jim responded to it immediately.”

Although Landau was quick to point out that Cameron plans to shoot an “Avatar” sequel first, he re-affirmed the filmmaker’s intentions to adapt Yukito Kishiro’s manga classic after that.


Sounds good to me! I'm a ravenous fan of the Battle Angel Alita (Gunnm in Japan) graphic novels, and I hope Cameron makes a stunning series of films out of them as soon as he can.

Read Landau's comments on their plans for Alita: Battle Angel below to get even more excited:

“We really wanted to take our time in developing a large arc-ing story that really encompasses the whole world,” remembered Landau. “We were very close to doing that movie before we did ‘Avatar,’ and I think you’ll see that resurface. That’s a story in our minds about: What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to fall in love? Are you human if you have a heart? Are you human if you have a mind? Or are you human if you just have a body? It’s a journey of self-discovery for a young girl.”

From everything Cameron and Landau have said, it is clear they understand what makes Battle Angel Alita so great. I absolutely can't wait to see the world and characters come to life on screen!

Rumor: Lionsgate's CONAN THE BARBARIAN Reboot Going S3D?!

Jim here. I don't know how good this information is but it comes from IESB who has "received word". Apparently Lionsgate is in the thick of switching CONAN THE BARBARIAN to stereoscopic 3D.

IESB says that multiple "effects shops" have received Lionsgate's requirements and supposedly will be bidding on the work. According to this wording I would say that they will be shooting in 2D and converting in post, but it is not very clear at all.

We will see what happens - I would love to have the CONAN franchise in 3D! A no-brainer if you ask me. Here's hoping. We will be checking with our own sources on this...

Thanks to @ProjectCould for the heads up!

Friday, February 19, 2010

Heads Up: Stereoscopic Cinema Class at UCLA Extension

Michael here. Yesterday on the set of I.E. Effects' S3D production I happened to run into stereographer Keith Collea, who was supervising the 3D for the shoot. We talked S3D for a while, and he helped clarify a lot of points regarding stereo production. The funny thing is that I did not realize at first that he was teaching a class I registered for a couple months ago, a course titled "Stereoscopic Cinema: The Basics of 3D Filmmaking."

The class is being offered at UCLA Extension. Read the description below:

Today's trend toward 3D moviemaking is on the rise. This course looks at the history and current technological innovations in the 3D field. You learn about to the theory and techniques of Digital Stereographic 3D filmmaking and spend a day on stage with a 3D camera system similar to those being used today on the biggest Hollywood productions. Finally you see how this footage can be posted using Final Cut Pro and you visit a local post house specializing in 3D Digital Intermediate work.

Westwood: 202 Extension Lindbrook Center
Monday, 7-10pm
March 1, 8 & 15

Los Angeles: Red Cam Studios
Saturday, 10am-1pm
March 6, 13 & 20


I can't wait for the class. Anyone else in the LA area interested in expanding their knowledge of S3D should definitely consider joining!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

I.E. Effects Creating Groundbreaking S3D Experience for 2010 World's Fair

Michael here. Today I had the chance to visit visual effects and creative production company I.E. Effects as they worked on a soundstage in Carson, CA to shoot live action components of a revolutionary stereoscopic 3D project destined for the 2010 World's Fair in Shanghai.


The part of the shoot I witnessed featured an actor on a green-skinned vehicle atop a large rotatable green disk. All in front of large green screens. According to I.E. Executive Producer David Kenneth, the CG elements are already at an advanced state of completion. The stereo was worked out in advance so that the live action would perfectly match the CG.

The set featured a Hyundai 3DTV which displayed a realtime 3D feed of what the camera was capturing.

I.E. shot with dual RED ONEs on an Element Technica beamsplitter stereo rig. The 3D content will be exhibited as part of a fully immersive ride which will seamlessly blend elements like 180 degree panoramas with a physical set. I.E. has done a great deal of research and development to push the boundaries of what's possible with traditional projected content. Some of the techniques they are employing have never been used before.

I'll be meeting at I.E.'s Culver City offices to take a much more detailed look at this project and some of the revolutionary ideas and technologies it will incorporate. Stay tuned!

METRO 2033 To Support NVIDIA's 3D Vision, DX11 !!

Jim here. THQ and NVIDIA have announced that METRO 2033 will be supported by the graphics card maker's 3D Vision technology. Further, PhysX will also be featured.

METRO 2033 is a first person shooter that will make use of the most advanced DirectX 11 techniques ever seen.

Click images to zoom.

"Our engineers have been working closely with 4A Games to ensure that Metro 2033 takes full advantage of some of the spectacular effects made possible with the next generation of DX11 hardware," said Tony Tamasi, SVP, Content & Technology at NVIDIA. "The 4A Engine is one of the most advanced game engines we’ve ever worked with, and with DX11 enabled, Metro 2033 is undoubtedly one of the best looking PC games of 2010. Combine this with NVIDIA 3D Vision and PhysX and you will experience mind-blowing visuals."

The METRO 2033 video game is set in the shattered subway of a post apocalyptic Moscow, Metro 2033 is a story of intensive underground survival where the fate of mankind rests in your hands.

In 2013, the world was devastated by an apocalyptic event, annihilating almost all mankind and turning the earth’s surface into a poisonous wasteland. A handful of survivors took refuge in the depths of the Moscow underground, and human civilization entered a new Dark Age.

The year is 2033. An entire generation has been born and raised underground, and their besieged Metro Station-Cities struggle for survival, with each other, and the mutant horrors that await outside.

You are Artyom, born in the last days before the fire, but raised Underground. Having never ventured beyond your Metro Station-City limits, one fateful event sparks a desperate mission to the heart of the Metro system, to warn the remnants of mankind of a terrible impending threat. Your journey takes you from the forgotten catacombs beneath the subway to the desolate wastelands above, where your actions will determine the fate of mankind.

Man, this sounds like a ton o' fun. I will be definitely checking this out with my 3D Vision system the second it is out.

Look for METRO 2033 in PC and Xbox 360 formats on March 16
in North America and Germany, March 18 in Australia and March 19 for the UK and Europe.



Quick Post: New ALICE IN WONDERLAND Featurette!

Jim here. Take a look at a new Disney featurette for Tim Burton's ALICE IN WONDERLAND!

This clip talks about 3D a bit more with Mia mentioning it as well as Burton himself. I find it fascinating that Burton decided against a native 3D shoot in favor of a conversation - we'll see how it turns out March 5!

No Worries! AVATAR S3DHD Blu-ray Out In November!!

Jim here. Rest easy AVATAR fans! James Cameron himself put to bed any notion of the 3D Blu-ray for the movie taking years to get to us. In a recent interview, he said the time frame for 3D on Blu-ray is November of THIS year.

From WSJ: “It’s all right on schedule,” said Cameron. “We’ll do the Blu-ray and the standard def DVD April 22nd, that’s our plan as of right now, and that’ll be pretty much bare bones. And then we’ll do a value-added DVD and a 3-D Blu-ray in I think November sometime.”

Also here is a clip from MTV:




All of this makes total sense. I was dumbfounded when I heard that the 3D release would be delayed. I NEVER thought it would be years as other sites conjectured - I don't know where that came from! This timing is perfect if you ask me: S3DHD televisions will be flowing in and out of CE stores starting next month and ramping up through summer / fall, and AVATAR hits just before the holidays!

Can you feel it? AVATAR in your home in stunning S3DHD by Christmas!! Potentially your home at least :-)

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Another Toy Story In 3D? No, Not Pixar... ERECTOR SET 3D Under Construction!

Jim here. LOL! Well, look out. Once marketers get a hold of something it is hard to get them to let go of it. And marketers, toy manufacturers in particular, have gotten a tight grip on S3D lately!

BATTLESHIP, STRETCH ARMSTRONG and TRANSFORMERS to name a few, have all thought S3D. Pixar was right about TOY STORY weren't they?

The manufacturers love it because if the movies are done right it expands their branding very nicely. Profits are good too at times!

So now we hear about ERECTOR SET 3D. Helix Films has teamed up with the Meccano Toy Company (Meccano was AWESOME!) to come up with a stereoscopic 3D movie for the Erector Set brand.

My first thought was "Oh no". But then I realized where they could take this thing. My thinking is strictly conjecture so no point in printing it right now, but I see where they could make a real go of it. Special effects would be very heavy - and Aircraft Aluminum Boy pictured here would have to be involved. Definitely a family fantasy adventure genre too.

Seriously though, I am certainly willing to give it a chance... Will you?

MUST WATCH: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON Featurette!

Jim here. Dreamworks Animation is letting us see many of the different types of dragons that will be populating HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON in their newly released featurette on "Dragon Training".

Of course this is only a featurette so don't expect top notch graphics as I am sure they are using all their processing power on their feature film!

It is actually quite clever to give us this look now as it was quite confusing to some to see many different types of dragons in the trailers. Interesting to think that there are many breeds! With different strengths and weaknesses!! Watch on...

3D Geek Alert: Pre-order AVATAR Character Busts!

Jim here. Got some new AVATAR items up for your consideration! You can pre-order these items now for delivery in May (Tsu Tey will be released in July).

These mini busts were created from the film's actual 3D models so they are perfectly accurate and are limited editions.

I have used Entertainment Earth many times before and their service is very good. The manufacturer is Gentle Giant.

The busts are cast in high quality poly-stone and no detail was overlooked. Hand painted with florescent paint to give off an eerie luminescence.

These strictly limited edition collectibles come numbered, complete with matching certificates of authenticity.

Here's Neytiri, Jake and Tsu Tey! (click to enlarge / order)
Avatar Neytiri Mini Bust Avatar Jake Sully Mini Bust Avatar Tsu Tey Mini Bust

The cost? $69.99 - not bad for quite a nice collectible! The Viper Wolves will be coming out at $79.99 in January 2011. I don't like the cheap plastic knock offs that seem to come out all the time - I like substantial pieces. These are definitely going on my collector's shelf :-)

MarketSaw Exclusive Confirmed: Brevig's 17 DAYS OF WINTER To Begin Shooting Mid 2011 In New Zealand

Jim here. We now have the title of Eric Brevig's upcoming Korean War epic: 17 DAYS OF WINTER. The story focuses on the 1950 Battle of Chosin Reservoir and Variety has confirmed MarketSaw's exclusive info that it will be shot on the South Island of New Zealand and will begin shooting mid 2011. South Korea will also see production and potentially S3D post production. Charlotte Huggins is producing.

From Variety: Story will follow the 1st Marine Division over the brutal 17-day battle of Chosin Reservoir, where United Nations forces including 12,000 U.S. Marines and soldiers were encircled by a vastly superior Chinese force. In a brutal battle fought amid rugged mountains and sub-zero temperatures, U.N. forces escaped to safety, though American forces suffered more than 6,000 casualties.

It looks like the final budget for the epic
could reach $100m.

(Brevig) isn't aiming for an effects-driven spectacle but that 3D is critical to the pic. "Telling a personal story against an epic background involves bringing the audience into the story with the characters," he said. "The ability to create amazing immersive images that have never been seen before is what makes 3D an exciting and appropriate tool for the story."

I love how this project is taking shape and the potential for this story is practically limitless. Here is a great example of a director coming out of seemingly nowhere (Brevig actually has outstanding visual effects credentials), grabbing the S3D head by the horns and creating an amazing career for himself.

I have sources close to the project and will update as news comes in! Stay tuned.


Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Want that S3DHD Television? You Can Pre-order Samsungs Right Now For Next Month Delivery!!

Jim here. Exciting news! Samsung has two of its S3DHD television line up available for pre-order! Be the first on your block to have immersive S3D movies, games, sports and more. The televisions will be released on March 8!!

Just click the links below for full details and to order:

The Samsung UN55C7000 55-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LED HDTV (Black) looks stunning. Some of the highlights of the unit are downloadable and customizable widgets along with Samsung apps. Widgets allow you to track local weather and news with Yahoo, access eBay, display Flickr pictures and see Twitter updates - all on your screen. With a split-screen display, you can do it all without missing a second of your favorite shows. You can also get movies on demand via blockbuster and Amazon Video On Demand. 240Hz technology brings you your S3DHD content via the new S3D Blu-rays or cable / satellite channels. More stereo input options on the way of course, like the Sony PS3's firmware upgrade. These S3DHD TVs are only 1.1 inches thick and LED edge lit!

Key Features
• Screen Size: 55 inches
• Full 1080p HD: Enjoy the powerful picture quality, vivid colors and stunning clarity of Full HD 1080p resolution..
• 240 Hz Clear Motion Rate: Samsung 240 Hz technology delivers even the fastest onscreen motion with utterly life like clarity.
• 3D-ready: Samsung 3D technology makes images leap off the screen– so you feel like you’re a part of the action. Sync up with our Samsung Blu-ray
player to experience movies in 3D on your TV – and enjoy more TV broadcasts in stunning 3D, coming soon.
• Ultra Slim Design: Stunning ultra slim depth – includes tuner (no external transceiver box).
• Ultra Clear Panel: Advanced technology lets you enjoy crisp image details, natural skin tones, excellent shadow detail, and vibrant colors.
• Touch of Color design: Exclusive Mystic Earth Touch of Color design combines texture and color that can complement any room.
• ConnectShare Movie: Connect a thumb drive or digital camera quickly and easily. User-friendly interface allows access to videos, music
playlists and pictures via the remote.
• Internet@TV: Connect to an ever-expanding portal of your favorite digital content. Customizable widgets give you access to BLOCKBUSTER, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Amazon Video On Demand and more – all on your HDTV.
• Game Mode: Enhances dark areas, sharpens the picture, speeds up the image processing response and enhances the sounds of your games. Picture and sound quality optimized for the special needs of gaming systems at the touch of a button.
• Exceeds ENERGY STAR Standards: Up to 57% more energy efficient than ENERGY STAR 4.0 minimum standards.
• Wide Color Enhancer Pro delivers the entire spectrum of color and luminance for rich, saturated images with intense detail.
• 15 Watts x 2 audio power stereo broadcast reception: Supports multichannel sound (MTS)and second audio program (SAP) with 181-channel capacity.
• Built in Digital Tuner: no external box needed.
• Warranty: 1 year parts and 1 year labor warranty (90 days parts and labor for commercial use), with in-home service, backed by Samsung
toll-free support.
• BDWise: Automatically adjusts all your components for the best picture and sound quality.
• AllShare: Sync up your entire household. A wired or wireless DLNA connection lets you stream your PC audio and video files to your HDTV using your remote.
• Skype on Samsung TV: Enjoy the convenience and connectivity of free, IP-based, picture-in-picture video calls via Skype right from your couch: View it all life size on your Samsung TV.
• Swivel stand

Connections
• 4 HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia
Interface) version 1.3: 4 back
• Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC): Allows peripheral AV devices such as a DVD player to be controlled by a Samsung TV remote control.
• USB: 2 side
• PC input: 1 back

Dimensions
• TV without stand: 50.5 x 30.0 x 1.0 inches (WxHxD); 48.9 pounds
• TV with stand: 50.5 x 32.9 x 12.0 inches (WxHxD); 54 pounds

And here is the Samsung UN46C7000 46-Inch 1080p 240 Hz LED HDTV (Black) which has ALL the same features as its big brother, but with smaller dimensions:

Dimensions
• TV without stand: 50.5 x 30.0 x 1.0 inches (WxHxD); 48.9 pounds
• TV with stand: 50.5 x 32.9 x 12.0 inches (WxHxD); 54 pounds

Either way you will have an awesome S3DHD viewing experience!
There will also be a 40" model released from their LED 7000 lineup. Can't wait to get one of these beautiful units in my living room... :-)

SPIDER-MAN's Marc Webb Seeks Out The Guru Of 3D Blockbusters Himself...

Jim here. Well what would YOU do if you had the opportunity of a lifetime to direct one of the best, if not THE best superhero franchise of all time? We are talking Sony's recently announced reboot of SPIDER-MAN of course and how to successfully shoot it in web-slinging stereoscopic 3D.

I think I would get the ear of someone who knows what the heck he is talking about! Makes sense right? How about a guy who has the two highest grossing movies of all time (one in 3D!) and is also a huge SPIDER-MAN fan; having even written a script for it!

That's just what
Marc Webb did recently. He sought out James Cameron to discuss plans and compare notes for the much anticipated web-head reboot.

According to Jon Landau they met last Wednesday (via MTV): “[Webb] wants to do the next one in 3-D, which they’ve announced that they want to do. So, we want to try to support that as much as possible.”

What is further interesting is that Cameron has also publicly said that whomever helms the franchise after Raimi will be getting sloppy seconds! I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that conversation :-) Glad Webb is doing the right thing though - he can only go higher with advice from Cameron.

Look for the SPIDER-MAN reboot in S3D theaters on
July 3, 2012! Thanks to everyone that sent in the heads-up - very cool update.

Monday, February 15, 2010

New TRON LEGACY Trailer Coming On February 24?!

Jim here. Some viral marketing is hitting the Interwebs lately for Disney's much anticipated TRON LEGACY.

Several people (via ComingSoon) have received through snail mail a weird looking star with a note attached giving the URL FlynnLives.com/ZeroHour. Alex Billington of FirstShowing calculated the zero hour to be February 24th at 2:30pm Pacific Time.

We are not too sure exactly what will be coming at the "zero hour" but some sort of trailer seems to be the most likely candidate.

I would wager that the trailer or media will be present at the Zero Hour site. Interesting. I am not one to go all nuts over puzzles and such created by marketers, but this movie has my attention - no doubt about it!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

TOLDYA! Cameron CONFIRMS That AVATAR 2 Will Journey To Other Polyphemus Moons

Jim here. Thanks to Kostas2 for the heads up on this ultra cool interview with Jim Cameron! Two kids with Na'vi makeup had the chance to briefly speak with Cameron about AVATAR and in particular where the sequels may take place.

Here is what Cameron said at the 1:30m point of the clip:
"About the other moon? I can't say anything about the other moons in the Polyphemus system because that's top secret, because they're going to appear in the sequel".

We had the exclusive news that AVATAR 2 would take place OFF of Pandora back in October 2009. Gotta love our sources!

I have to say that this interview (other than my own of course) is my favorite that Cameron has given on AVATAR. Those kids were VERY GOOD! I think it is safe to say that Michael and I would love to have them on our team!! :-) Be sure to check out their whole clip right here. In 1080p no less!!

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