3D Geek Alert: Hungry? How About A Dark Vador Burger!

Yes, it's spelled wrong to those of us in North America, but the French have known Darth Vader as Dark Vador since 1977 due to the translation.

As far as in-your-face marketing is concerned, this is definitely in-your-face and your mouth potentially.

The burgers are from France and is helping to merchandise the upcoming re-release of STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE 3D. They will be available for purchase until early March and come in three different takes: The Dark Burger which is the choice of the red meat loving Darth Maul, The Jedi Burger which seems to have Quebec poutine type cheese curds and white sauce and of course the aforementioned Dark Vador Burger which will attack the taste buds of any Darth Vader lovers. Yes, the Dark Vador Burger has an ALL BLACK BUN. Don't know that if you choke on it you sound like Vader trying to breathe.

You should read the comments section about this restaurant chain in France - apparently it's not a large leap to imagine choking on it!

HuffPo offers up the translations for the ads: "...the top asks onlookers to decide which side of The Force they want to align themselves with, while the bottom encourages them to eat more than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day."

Let's face it, these burgers are in a restaurant far, far away. So, in a battle to save your galaxy, which burger would you choose? Or would you abstain and take the easy way out? :-)

Thanks for the info on France's naming of Darth Vader and on the Quick hamburger chain HDVision!

Source: HuffPo

WATCH: Werner Herzog's CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS Trailer #2!

Filmmaking at it's best! When a movie can deliver emotional and intellectual connections to moments of man's history that are not often dwelt upon it is truly a gift to the world. Werner Herzog's CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS will be remembered and treasured as such.

I invite you to watch the second trailer for the film and imagine what it must have been like to not only see these cave drawings, but what it must have been like to DRAW them in the first place. What inspired them?

Here is the synopsis:
CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, a breathtaking new 3D documentary from the incomparable Werner Herzog (ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD, GRIZZLY MAN) follows an exclusive expedition into the nearly inaccessible Chauvet Cave in France, home to the most ancient visual art known to have been created by man. A hit at this year’s Toronto Film Festival, CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS is an unforgettable cinematic experience that provides a unique glimpse of pristine artwork dating back to human hands over 30,000 years ago — almost twice as old as any previous discovery.

Werner Herzog is a wizard at conjuring unforgettable visions. Now he brings us the earliest known visions of mankind: the Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc cave art of southern France, created more than thirty thousand years ago. By comparison, the famous cave art of Lascaux is roughly half as old. Since Chauvet’s discovery in 1994, access has been extremely restricted due to concerns that overexposure, even to human breath, could damage the priceless drawings. Only a small number of researchers have ever seen the art in person.

Herzog gained extraordinary permission to film the caves using lights that emit no heat. But Herzog being Herzog, this is no simple act of documentation. He initially resisted shooting in 3D, then embraced the process, and now it’s hard to imagine the film any other way. The 3D format proves essential in communicating the contoured surfaces on which the charcoal figures are drawn. Beyond the walls, Herzog uses 3D to render the cave’s stalagmites like a crystal cathedral and to capture stunning aerial shots of the nearby Pont-d’Arc natural bridge. His probing questions for the cave specialists also plunge deep; for instance: “What constitutes humanness?”

Enjoy!

Dimension 3 Festival Call For Entries

An international competition for S3D content launches a call for entries!

Dimension 3 Festival, an event dedicated to all S3D contents, is calling for entries: the Festival’s fifth edition will be held as a part of Dimension 3, the International Forum on S3D and new images, in La Plaine-Saint-Denis (Paris area, France) from May 24 to 26, 2011.

Dimension 3 Festival’s call for entries is open from February 15 to April 15, and is aimed at all producers and creators of 3D content, who can sign up their S3D projects in one of the Festival’s 9 categories:

• Feature films (live, action or animation)
• Preview (feature film released in theaters)
• Special formats (theme parks, museums, IMAX…)
• Advertisements/Corporate films and visual identity
• Documentary
• Animation (single or series)
• TV fiction (single or series)
• Short film (school or independent production)
• Live acquisition (sports, live show, concert…)

Fourteen “Dimmy’s Awards” will be given by a jury of professionals during the Festival’s award ceremony on May 24, 2011. Members of the jury, who are prominent experts in the audio-visual industry, will award one prize in each category, as well as 5 special prizes:

• S3D visual effects
• 2D-to-3D conversion
• Stereographer’s prize awarded by UP3D (association of 3D professionals)
• Jury’s favorite
• Grand prize // Seine-Saint-Denis prize

“A unique international festival, Dimension 3 Festival presents contents that were creating using a great variety of S3D technologies: in 2010, our Festival presented 60 international programs from a dozen countries, a historical record for an event focusing on 3D images! The opening of S3D channels for TV broadcasts offers new perspectives for producers and directors whom we hope will submit many high-quality programs this year, once again,” explains Nathalie Klimberg, manager of the Festival.“Digital technologies give birth to many new codes of expression, and greatly enrich the potential of images. The writing opportunities offered by 3D technologies are incredible… The Festival’s 2011 edition aims, more than ever, at providing a showcase for contents with added creative or technological value; it also puts creators back under the spotlight of the image industry!” comments Stephan Faudeux, general manager of Dimension 3.

Thanks to the involvement of our manufacturer and contractor sponsors, the Dimmy’s Awards come together with valuable prizes. (Prizes in 2010 included S3D TVs and cameras, editing and pre-production software suites, laboratory work…)

Participants should fill in a registration form, available from March 2 in the “Festival” section of the Forum’s website: http://dimension3-expo.com

ABOUT DIMENSION 3
Dimension 3, the international forum on S3D and new images, welcomes professionals and experts from all around the world as well as French prosumers (teachers, physicians, architects…) to have a look at the state of the art in stereoscopic 3D creation and visualization solutions, as well as in the industry of new images and their applications. Dimension 3, en event held at the Pullman Dock and Haussmann Dock in La-Plaine-Saint-Denis (right outside Paris), offers a series of conferences, workshops and a Festival from May 24 to 26, 2011. Dimension 3 is co-produced by Avance Rapide and Seine-Saint-Denis Avenir, with support from the region of Seine-Saint-Denis’s local authority. (In 2010, the Forum had been attended by 120 speakers and 3,500 visitors).
www.dimension3-expo.com

Must Watch: Trailer For Werner Herzog's CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS

Finally the trailer emerges for Werner Herzog's CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS stereoscopic 3D documentary! Herzog is a world renowned filmmaker who is a favorite of many critics including Roger Ebert.

The titular cave is none other than France's Chauvet-Pont-d'Arc. Here is what the Toronto International Film Festival had to say about documentary (via /Film):

Werner Herzog is a wizard at conjuring unforgettable visions. Now he brings us the earliest known visions of mankind: the Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc cave art of southern France, created more than thirty thousand years ago. By comparison, the famous cave art of Lascaux is roughly half as old. Since Chauvet’s discovery in 1994, access has been extremely restricted due to concerns that overexposure, even to human breath, could damage the priceless drawings. Only a small number of researchers have ever seen the art in person.

Herzog gained extraordinary permission to film the caves using lights that emit no heat. But Herzog being Herzog, this is no simple act of documentation. He initially resisted shooting in 3D, then embraced the process, and now it’s hard to imagine the film any other way. The 3D format proves essential in communicating the contoured surfaces on which the charcoal figures are drawn. Beyond the walls, Herzog uses 3D to render the cave’s stalagmites like a crystal cathedral and to capture stunning aerial shots of the nearby Pont-d’Arc natural bridge. His probing questions for the cave specialists also plunge deep; for instance: “What constitutes humanness?”

Enjoy!!



SO looking forward to this one!!

New THOR International Poster!

Check out the new international poster for Marvel's THOR! Chris Hemsworth plays Thor in the comic book adaptation and is featured in this poster from France.

Here's the official storyline:
Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present the epic adventure, “Thor,” which spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and is forced to live among humans. A beautiful, young scientist, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), has a profound effect on Thor, as she ultimately becomes his first love. It’s while here on Earth that Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Rene Russo, Stellan Skarsgard, Jaimie Alexander, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Josh Dallas, Tadanobu Asano, Idris Elba, Clark Gregg, Colm Feore
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Co-Producers: Craig Kyle, Victoria Alonso
Executive Producers: Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Stan Lee, David Maisel, Patty Whitcher
Produced by: Kevin Feige
Release: May 6th, 2011

VOILA! French AVATAR Poster Online

Jim here. Fox seems to be smiling on France as they have scored a gorgeous AVATAR poster. CloneWeb delivers Pandora's floating mountains and hints at the spectacle that is looming large.

What do you think? Note the date at the bottom of the poster - France sees AVATAR two days early!

RealD Reaches Out To CGR Cinemas: 200 Screen Deal

Jim here. RealD continues to dominate 3D deployment announcements with this latest one from France...

La Rochelle and Los Angeles (April 21, 2009) – CGR Cinemas, one of France’s leading exhibition chains, and RealD, the world’s leading outfitter of 3D-enabled theatres, announced today an exclusive partnership where CGR Cinemas will add RealD 3D capabilities to each of its 33 locations for a total of 200 RealD 3D-enabled screens. The result will be the largest 3D circuit in France. Installation of RealD technology will begin immediately and is expected to be complete by mid-year, with 4 to 6 RealD-equipped screens at each CGR Cinemas location.

“We are happy to be the precursors of new technology for French and European cinema by allying with the known world leader in 3D systems, RealD. This is another example of CGR Cinemas seizing opportunities first, which make it one of the pillars of French film exhibition today. This collaboration will allow us to take advantage of upcoming 3D films beginning with Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.” said Jocelyn Bouyssy, chief executive officer of CGR Cinemas.

“We’re excited to work with CGR Cinemas to bring the market-leading RealD 3D experience to all of their locations,” added Bob Mayson, managing director or RealD Europe Ltd. “Audiences are seeking a new and engaging cinema experience that CGR Cinemas and RealD together will provide through this agreement to build out the largest 3D circuit in France, and one of the biggest in Europe.”

RealD’s next-generation technology is deployed across the world’s largest 3D platform in more than 40 countries with over 8,000 screens under contract and over 2,600 RealD 3D screens worldwide today. A bright spot for the entertainment industry, RealD 3D is driving box office to the tune of three to four times per screen revenue of the same film on 2D screens.

About CGR Cinemas
Founded in 1974 by Mister Georges Raymond, CGR Cinemas is based in LaRochelle, France. Initially based in the southwest of France, CGR Cinemas worked in the development of multiplexes across the entire French territory. CGR Cinemas is the third largest exhibition chain and the first independent circuit in France with more than 17 million annual spectators. CGR Cinemas was also the first European group to equip itself with digital technology. Madame Nicole Raymond and her children, Luc and Charles Raymond, took over CGR Cinemas when founder George Raymond died. Jocelyn Bouyssy has worked at CGR Cinémas for the last 20 years and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of the company. www.cgrcinemas.fr

About RealD
RealD is the global leader in 3D, bringing the most advanced and realistic digital 3D experience to cinemas worldwide. Beyond cinema, RealD is the worldwide inventor and provider of key stereoscopic technologies used in science, manufacturing, marketing, and other industries, with thirty years of scientific development behind its systems. RealD’s mission-critical 3D technologies are used by organizations such as NASA, Pfizer, BMW, Boeing and more. www.RealD.com

The key point here is that this installation will be COMPLETE by mid year giving a nice buffer between it and the release of AVATAR in December. I believe you will be seeing plenty of 3D deployment action this summer as the theater owners ramp up for what is sure to be the entertainment juggernaut of the year. I will be so bold as to say THE DARK KNIGHT and TITANIC could be looking in the rear view mirrors. I'm not kidding.

Another 3D Conference To Watch: Dimension 3 Expo - France

Wow. The industry's interest in 3D is really taking flight - perhaps orbit is a better term! Yet another 3D conference to track and potentially attend is France's Dimension 3 Expo in Chalon sur Saone (Espace des Arts) from June 3rd to 5th.

Here is the conference schedule.

If I were going this year (can't), then I would definitely fly into Paris and take the fast TGV trains - btw, here are the train schedules to look at :-)

By train :
TGV station: Le Creusot Montceau (30-minute drive to Chalon)

7 TGVs daily from Paris to Le Creusot

Departure from Paris Gare de Lyon	Arrival at Paris Gare de Lyon	Duration
05:54	07:16	1h22
07:54	09:15	1h21
09:54	11:15	1h21
13:54	15:14	1h20
15:54	17:15	1h21
17:54	19:15	1h21
19:54	21:15	1h21

7 TGVs daily from Le Creusot to Paris

Departure from Le Creusot	Arrival at Paris Gare de Lyon	Duration
06:45	08:07	1h22
08:40	10:03	1h23
11:50	13:13	1h23
13:44	15:03	1h19
16:41	18:03	1h22
18:41	20:03	1h22
20:40	22:03	1h23