International 3D And Advanced Imaging Society Announced Top Nominees For 3D Awards

Congratulations to all, especially our friends over at 3ality Technica for their Century Award and Pixar for their Wheatstone Award! Unfortunately I will not be able to make it this year to the award ceremony, but I'm looking forward to seeing some of the highlights soon afterward!

SIR CHARLES WHEATSTONE AWARD TO BE PRESENTED TO PIXAR

CENTURY AWARD TO BE PRESENTED TO STEVE SCHKLAIR AND 3ALITY TECHNICA

The International 3D and Advanced Imaging Society announced its top nominated 3D movies for the 2014 Creative Arts Awards Ceremony to be held January 28th at Warner Bros. Studios.

The top live action nominees include “Gravity” (Warner Bros.), “The Great Gatsby” (Warner Bros.), “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” (MGM/New Line Cinema), “Oz the Great and Powerful” (Walt Disney Pictures), and “Star Trek: Into Darkness” (Paramount Pictures).

In the animation category, the top nominees include “Frozen” (Walt Disney Animation Studios), “The Croods” (DreamWorks Animation), “Despicable Me 2” (Universal Pictures), “Monster’s University” (Walt Disney Pictures/Pixar), and “Turbo” (DreamWorks Animation.

“2013 was a year 3D’s blockbuster box office success was matched by creative and technical brilliance,” said Buzz Hays of the True Image Company and Society Awards Chairman. “The level of quality across the board is stunning,” he added.

The Society will present its gold Lumiere™ statuettes to winners in 20 categories selected by ballot from 460 of the Society’s professional voting members.

Pixar will receive the Society’s Sir Charles Wheatstone Award for creative excellence in 3D story telling.

The Society’s annual Century Award will be presented to 3ality Technica. The company’s camera systems have been behind some of this year’s biggest blockbusters including “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Stalingrad,” and “Oz the Great and Powerful.”

“The Century Award is annually presented to those individuals and companies who have indelibly left their mark on 3D’s first century,” commented Society Awards Chairman, Buzz Hays. “From 3D movies to television, 3ality Technica and its founder Steve Schklair have been a core part of paving the way to 3D’s worldwide success,” he added.

Steve Schklair, Founder and CEO of 3ality Technica stated, “Our entire team is honored and thrilled to be recognized by the I3DAIS for the work we have done during the last 10
years. We’ve worked hard to develop new technologies that make 3D shooting on 2D schedules possible, and that enable great filmmakers to tell better stories while not getting encumbered in the technology.”

More than 150 entries were judged by the Society’s voters for this year’s honors. Submissions were received from all around the world, including: the U.S., China, Japan, Korea, the U.K., Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, and Taiwan.

About The International 3D And Advanced Imaging Society:
The International 3D & Advanced Imaging Society is a community of content creators and professionals whose mission is to develop the arts and technologies of 3D, advanced imaging and its innovators, as well as educate members and consumers. With over 60 companies and 800 professional members in 20 countries, the Society is open to individuals and organizations active in moving 3D and advanced imaging to an exciting new era of creative achievement and consumer support. For more information please visit: www.International3DSociety.com.

About 3ality Technica:
Known as the company who brought the world U2 3D in 2007, 3ality Technica is considered the birthplace of the current 3D revolution. Headquartered in Burbank, California, 3ality Technica is the leading innovator, providing both production services, rentals, and sales of stereoscopic 3D (S3D) production systems and technology. The company’s product line is comprised of both hardware and software combined to produce the most accurate and advanced image processing systems in the world. These advanced systems are widely used by leading Hollywood filmmakers, the music industry, and by major broadcasters. Releases include The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, The Great Gatsby, Jack the Giant Killer, Stalingrad, Prometheus, and The Amazing Spider-Man. Upcoming Hollywood titles utilizing 3ality Technica’s advanced S3D image systems include Transformers: Age of Extinction, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, Pompeii, and The Legend of Hercules. Recognized as the industry leader in providing 3D production development, and systems rentals on a wide array of projects, 3ality Technica is also noted for its amazingly true‐to‐life 3D image capture for artists such as the Black Eyed Peas, Britney Spears, Alice Cooper, Jennifer, Lopez, One Direction, Katy Perry, and Kenny Chesney. In 2012, the company participated in capturing historical and archival 3D content for the final NASA Space Shuttle Endeavor landing in conjunction with the Society of Camera Operators.
BSkyB, the world’s leading 3D broadcaster bases their live event productions on the backbone of 3ality Technica’s technology. Host Broadcast Systems utilized 3ality Technica 3D equipment to capture and broadcast internationally live game feeds for the 2012 FIFA World Cup. Committed to providing true and accurate 3D to the world, 3ality Technica’s international list of broadcast partners includes TV Globo (Brazil), Telegenic (UK), CCTV (China), BTV (Beijing), Topvision (Germany), Sky Sports (UK), NEP (worldwide), and Fuji TV (Japan). To learn more about 3ality Technica, please visit us at www.3alitytechnica.com.

LIFE OF PI Sweeps 3 Top Honors At 3D Creative Arts Awards

I had the privilege of attending this years International 3D Society's 3D Creative Arts Awards Ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel's Crystal Ballroom and I must say I was very impressed with the evening! Kudos to Jim Chabin (President), Tom Cosgrove (Co-Chairman), Dan Schinasi (Co-Chairman) and the rest of their organization for an entertaining and full slate.

For me, the highlights were of course meeting a couple of my favorite movie industry personalities in Ang Lee (winner of three awards tonight - note I am quite a bit taller than he is, so I held my camera lower for my interview with him) and Leonard Maltin. I'll have more from them in later posts - stay tuned!

The room also paid a tribute to Ray Zone, the "3D King Of Hollywood" who passed away November 13, 2012.

I constantly had conversations going all night with all my 3D friends from around the globe and I'm really looking forward to doing it again next year.

Here's the official press release:

INTERNATIONAL 3D SOCIETY BESTOWS 25 AWARDS AT 4th ANNUAL CREATIVE ARTS CEREMONY IN LOS ANGELES

“BRAVE,” “THE AVENGERS” “KATY PERRY: PART OF ME” AND “BRITNEY SPEARS: FEMME FATALE” HONORED

3NET, ESPN, SKY UK, SKY ITALIA, AND KOREA BROADCASTING WIN TV AWARDS

The International 3D Society bestowed 25 honors for “distinguished achievement” in the 3D Creative Arts Awards Wednesday night at a black-tie ceremony held at the Beverly Hills hotel in Los Angeles. “Life of Pi” (20th Century Fox) swept several categories including: Best Live Action 3D Feature, Best Stereography – Live Action, and 3D Sequence/Moment of the Year. Two of the Society’s Lumiere™ statuettes were presented to: “Brave” (Pixar Animation Studios) for Best Animated 3D feature, and Best Stereography – Animation. “The Avengers” (Paramount Pictures) was honored for Best Use of 2D to 3D Conversion in 2012. ‘”Katy Perry: Part of Me” won in the category of Best Motion Picture Live Event.

“Life of Pi” director Ang Lee received the Society’s Harold Lloyd Filmmaker Award, which was presented by Lloyd’s granddaughter, Suzanne Lloyd, and Society Co-Chairman Tom Cosgrove, CEO of 3net.

DreamWorks Animation (DWA) was honored with the Sir Charles Wheatstone Award for education and distinguished achievement for 3D body of work.

Panasonic Corporation was honored with the Society’s Century Award for its support of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games 3D broadcasts from London.

In television categories, 3net won Best Documentary for “Sky Soldier – The Vietnam War in 3D.” ESPN won Best Live Sports Broadcast for its 3D telecast of the 2012 BCS College Championship Game. Volkswagen Germany was awarded a Lumiere™ for Best 3D Commercial. Bwark Productions and Sky UK were honored for Best 3DTV Short Subject Program for “Little Crackers,” and PGS and Sky Italia won a statuette for Best 3DTV Entertainment Program for “The Little Prince.” The “Britney Spears: Femme Fatale Tour” 3D concert telecast won a Lumiere™ for Best 3DTV Entertainment.

Universal Studios Hollywood received a Lumiere™ statuette for Best Themed Attraction, “Transformers: The Ride.”

“The sheer volume and quality of work across all platforms was extraordinary this year,” said Buzz Hays, the Society’s Awards Committee Chairman.

“Our theme for the night was ‘Our Story Begins.’ Our honorees demonstrated that 3D is really just beginning to tell its story. But, the quality and breadth of content is very impressive,” said Society President, Jim Chabin.


Award winners include:


LIVE ACTION 3D FEATURE
Life of Pi
20th Century Fox

ANIMATED 3D FEATURE
Brave
Pixar Animation Studios

SHORT 3D MOTION PICTURE/NARRATIVE
La Luna
Pixar Animation Studios

3D DOCUMENTARY
Storm Surfers
Storm Surfers

THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURE - OUTSTANDING USE OF 2D TO 3D CONVERSION
The Avengers
Marvel Studios & The
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

3D LIVE EVENT
Katy Perry: Part of Me
Paramount Pictures

STEREOGRAPHY – LIVE ACTION
Life of Pi
20th Century Fox

3D MOMENT OF THE YEAR
"Fish Flying Over Boat"
Life of Pi
20th Century Fox

STEREOGRAPHY – ANIMATION
Brave
Pixar Animation Studios
3D ELECTRONIC BROADCAST MEDIA - LIVE SPORTS
2012 BCS Championship
ESPN

3D ELECTRONIC BROADCAST MEDIA – ENTERTAINMENT
Sky Soldier: The Vietman War in 3D
3net

3D ELECTRONIC BROADCAST MEDIA - LIVE EVENT
Britney Spears: Femme Fatale Tour
3ality Technica

3D ELECTRONIC BROADCAST MEDIA – COMMERCIAL
Volkswagen "Flower Power"
Stereotec

THEMED ATTRACTION
Transformers: The Ride—3D
Universal Studios Hollywood

SIR CHARLES WHEATSTONE AWARD
DreamWorks Animation (DWA)

HAROLD LLOYD AWARD
Ang Lee

CENTURY AWARD
Panasonic Corporation

AUTODESK 3D INDEPENDENT SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Ora
The National Film Board of Canada

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (JAPAN)
Tekken: Blood Vengeance
Namco Bandai / Sony PCL

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (CHINA)
3D Taiwan
Gene Young 3D Image Co., Ltd

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (KOREA)
The Fetus
KBS (Korean Broadcasting System)

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (EUROPE)
Vicky and the Treasure of the Gods
Stereotec (Rat Pack Filmproduktion)

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (3DTV - LIVE SPORTS)
The Ryder Cup (2012)
Sky UK

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (3DTV - ENTERTAINMENT)
The Little Prince
PGS & Sky Italia

INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (3DTV - SHORT)
Little Crackers
Bwark Productions & Sky UK


In addition, two more 3D Technology Awards were presented to RealD, and Innoventive Software.

The program was held in the Crystal Ballroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel. Host Leonard Maltin, was assisted by actress Jackie Lloyd, granddaughter of Harold Lloyd, and singer/actress Meagan Chase. Voting was conducted during the month of January by 400 of the Society’s voting members.

About the International 3D Society And 3D@Home Consortium
The International 3D Society and 3D@Home Consortium advances 3D content, products and adoption through recognition, networking, communication for professionals and consumers. With over 60 companies and 500 professional members, the organization honors the year’s best during its 3D Technology and 3D Creative Awards programs; hosts worldwide meetings, workshops and demonstrations; and manages many online resources to assist consumers and professionals to further understand and integrate 3D into their lives. Visit: www.International3DSociety.com, www.3DatHome.org, and 3DUniversity.net to explore the full range of 3D information available.

Press Contact
Amy Prenner, (310) 709-1101
amy@theprennergroup.com

Society Information
Nick Urbom, (310) 880-2415
Nick@international3Dsociety.com

I'll keep you guys in the loop as the coming year moves along toward another banner 3D year and the 3D Creative Awards that honors those accomplishments. Of all the original material we saw at the show, I think Little Crackers by Bwark Productions and Sky UK was the most fun. Brilliant material! I highly recommend watching that 3DTV Short. Of course most of us have seen LIFE OF PI and BRAVE, but if you haven't - try to see them in theaters!

What's New In 3D: Talking With Samsung's Dan Schinasi

Here's a second interview I completed today - this time with Samsung's Dan Schinasi and what his state of the union on 3D looks like. Join me in welcoming Dan to MarketSaw along with Samsung's amazing 3D products and industry support!

Jim Dorey: Dan, being in senior marketing management at Samsung as well as co-chairing the I3DS must take up most of your time! How do you manage to stay on top of two such dynamic organizations?

Dan Schinasi: It’s a balancing act but one that I take pride in. One that leverages my passion for marketing the world’s greatest TVs and the incredible 3D experience they are capable of delivering. Of course none of it would be possible without the support of my Samsung colleagues and management as well as the dedicated and professional leadership at I3DS!

JD: Speaking of the I3DS, what are you most proud of during the past 12 months?
DS: There have been a number of accomplishments that I share with my Co-Chair Tom Cosgrove, I3DS President Jim Chabin, and his terrific staff. The first is the successful merger of I3DS and 3D@Home. The combined organizations complement each other; our combined membership spans the entire 3D spectrum: we have members from all parts of the globe representing studios, broadcasters, content creators, the medical community, eyewear manufacturers, exhibition equipment makers, as well as CE companies. All of whom have a passion of seeing 3D thrive.

JD: What do you see happening with 3D over the next quarter? Next 6 months?
DS: On the consumer and production side, we will see continuous growth and consumer adoption of 3D in theatrical and home entertainment. We will further collaborate with researchers to better understand the hidden benefits of 3D, how we can continue to push the technology forward, as well as other applications.

JD: There are still misnomers and missteps when the media covers 3D; why do you suppose that is?
DS: There was significant promotion around the launch of 3D TV back when it was introduced in January of 2010. At the time there was not an abundance of content to enjoy and the media focused on that fact (the same misconception was apparent for HD content after HDTV’s entered the marketplace in the 90s). There was also a fair amount of confusion regarding the use of 3D technology that led to factually incorrect stories such as prohibitively expensive 3D gear to enjoy the technology at home. I3DS and its members are passionate about the technology and happy to educate the community about the technology and experiences available.

JD: The 3D Awards are coming up on Feb 6 - what are you most looking forward to during the evening?
DS: I’m most looking forward to meeting industry colleagues and the awards ceremony. In particular, honoring Ang Lee for his dedication and artistic capabilities in 3D production. There are a handful but growing number of producers that effectively use 3D as a tool to complement the story line. We are excited to reward Ang Lee for joining this expanding circle of producers.

JD: Thanks for your time today Dan! Appreciate all the time you put into 3D from multiple fronts and continued success!
DS: Thank you Jim!

More interviews to come!

What's New In 3D: Talking With Jim Chabin, President Of The International 3D Society

I'm going to meeting many, many key individuals in Hollywood and beyond within the 3D motion picture industry in the coming days and I will be bringing you all up to speed with what is happening lately and what we can expect in the coming year(s). These guys are in the know. It's exciting to see the energy surrounding the 3D standard and the huge year ahead of us. I'll be introducing you to these various individuals so that you too can get the full picture.

Today I'm speaking with Jim Chabin, President of the International 3D Society. It's obvious how energetic and passionate he is about 3D but it's his ability to channel all that energy into the greater good of 3D that makes him unique for his important role.

Jim Dorey: Hi Jim, great talking with you again! Let's jump right into it: What are you most proud of during the past 12 months?
Jim Chabin: Plenty to be thrilled about. After honoring Martin Scorsese and our 3D professionals last year at the 3D Awards we've embarked upon an exciting year. Probably of most note is the tremendous growth of 3D internationally, especially in China. We spent some time in Asia and we're really just at the beginning here. Our society members continue to expand their markets and business as 3D unfolds further into the world markets. Just recently we're teaming up with MarketSaw in bringing together timely and accurate information to the media. We've got news stories, recent stats, a list of executives in the 3D industry willing to give quotes or interviews whenever needed and much more coming.

JD: What do you think of Lucasfilm's recent decision to postpone STAR WARS EPISODES II and III?

JC: It really doesn't have to be complicated as some would make it out to be. They are probably looking at better ways of doing things just as they have in the past and will continue to do. This is part of the reason why our new mutual initiative with MarketSaw is so important. We need to have the correct information out there. That list of 3D Executives you have accumulated to assist with future media stories involving our space will be a great asset! Disney is huge on 3D. I'm anxious to see their cutting edge 3D technology used with the STAR WARS franchise as they have with their Disney, Marvel and Pixar brands. 

JD: And we just heard the recent announcement of WORLD WAR Z going 3D! 

JC: Exactly. There's something new everyday. Of course I can't comment on some of the projects that we know are going stereoscopic 3D, but suffice to say there are more coming and we're thrilled.

JD: What's on your plate Jim - what can we expect in the coming months?

JC: Well we're honoring Ang Lee on Wednesday night at the Beverly Hills Hotel for his outstanding work in 3D for LIFE OF PI, along with all the other deserving award winners like DreamWorks Animation. It's a night we all look forward to every year. We are honoring Panasonic for making the Olympics 3D broadcasts a reality last year. It's also exciting to hear that we can look forward to over 50 3D feature films in theaters in 2013! Later this month we are presenting to the Association of National Advertisers annual media leadership meeting - these are the brand management senior leadership, so that's an incredible new opportunity for our industry. Getting national ad brands into 3D! And we have engaged our colleagues in cable at the highest level to get better information on the benefits of getting all these 3D TV 's activated with content from 3net, ESPN and others... So our plate is definitely pretty full! 

JD: Thanks for taking the time to speak with me on this today - I know this is crunch time before the awards on Wednesday.

JC: It all comes down to this week - I'll see you there!

More interviews to come!

Announcing MarketSaw's 3D Media Connect Initiative!

It's with great pleasure that I announce MarketSaw's new 3D Media Connect initiative. We're working closely with 3D industry insiders including the International 3D Society to deliver a much needed resource to today's media: A reliable and timely source of 3D information, talking points, executive quotes and interviews.

Today's media has a problem. They will see a story that they want to cover and can't quite get the vetted information that they need to complete their story before their deadline. Sometimes their stories can go out without the backing of solid data and supporting quotes for example. The problem is that all of this can lead to misleading or out of context information for the public to consume. Moreover, stories tend to propagate in a viral fashion throughout the Internet and build upon each other's mis-information.  It's kind of like saying a phrase to a person at the end of the line and telling him to pass it on down the line. By the time it reaches the end the phrase is changed entirely.

We want to help eliminate that problem. We're going to present good data and talking points on 3D and it's verticals, provide a roster of 3D executives and creative talent for support quotes and interviews, maintain a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list as well as a Myths Debunked page. Finally I'll be bringing back the MarketSaw 3D movie list.

It won't be a simple task, but the end result will be worth it. So if you are in media and need to make your deadline on anything to do with 3D entertainment, we are now your one stop shop.

I look forward to working with you all! If you aren't media but simply curious - by all means, check out the pages. Your comments are greatly appreciated. Email me at jim (at) marketsaw (dot) com.


Here are the Media Connect pages thus far!

Media Connect: 3D HOME	Welcome!
Media Connect: 3D CONTENT	Talking Points For Your Needs
Media Connect: 3D EXECUTIVES	Quotes and Interviews Available
Media Connect: 3D FAQs	Coming Soon
Media Connect: 3D MYTHS DEBUNKED	Coming Soon
Media Connect: 3D MOVIE LIST	Coming Soon

4th Annual 3D Creative Arts Awards - Feb 6, 2013, Beverly Hills Hotel

3D Month Continues! I'm excited to announce the upcoming 3D Creative Arts Awards at the Beverly Hills Hotel on February 6th, 2013. The International 3D Society is the host. Yours truly will be there and mingling with of all those amazing and creative 3D aficionados. Expect full details!

As 3D enthusiasts yourself, I'm sure you will be interested in this gala event!

Here is the official announcement (emphasis is mine):

Dear friends,

On behalf of the Board of Governors of the International 3D Society and 3D@Home, we cordially invite you to join us as we honor the people and organizations who have distinguished themselves in the 3D arts and technologies at this year’s 4th Annual 3D Creative Arts Awards.

Our annual black tie dinner has become an exciting and enjoyable evening for our friends to gather and celebrate the best of 3D from around the world.

Please join us as we honor director Ang Lee for his extraordinary achievement with ‘Life of Pi,’ DreamWorks Animation (DWA) for their leadership in 3D artistic and technical achievement, and 3net as it celebrates its 2nd anniversary.

Your red carpet cocktail reception, honoring this year’s 3D Technology Award Winners, will be held at 6pm. Dinner will follow in the Crystal Ballroom at 7pm, and our program will begin promptly at 8pm.

There are a limited number of tickets and tables available, so we encourage you to RSVP as soon as you know you’d like to join us.

For all Table and Ticketing information, please call (310) 429-3830 or email info@influencepictures.com.

Join us for 3D’s biggest night of the year!

--


Copyright © 2013 International 3D Society, All rights reserved.


Our mailing address is:
International 3D Society
16255 Ventura Blvd., Ste. 525
Encino, CA 91436
www.international3Dsociety.com

This Is 3D MONTH On MarketSaw! Stay Tuned For Exciting Site Additions And News!

We're ramping up here for the whole month of January leading into the 3D Awards of the International 3D Society which happen on February 6.

In fact. today was a big day for stereoscopic 3D at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. There were panelists and presentations from such 3D industry players as Maria Costeira – CEO, XPAND; Jim Chabin – President, International 3D Society and 3D@Home; David Cohen – Associate Editor, Features , Variety; Rick Heineman – SVP Marketing Communications , RealD; Jim Mainard – Head of Digital Strategy and New Business Development, Dreamworks Animation; Tom Morrod – Director, Consumer and Media Technology, IHS Global, Ltd.; Steve Schklair – CEO, 3ality Digital; William Sherak – President, StereoD; Adrian Pennington – Editor, Journalist, Copywriter; David Brenner – CEO, Principal Media; Bryan Burns – VP, Strategic Business Planning and Development, ESPN; John Cassy – Director, Sky 3D, bSkyb; Tom Cosgrove – President and CEO , 3net; Eisuke Tsuyuzaki – Chief Technology Officer, Panasonic Corporation of North America; Yulia Poltorak – VP, International In-Home Sales, The Walt Disney Studios; Chris Chinnock – Co-Founder, 3D@Home Consortium and President, Insight Media; Scott Hettrick – Editor in Chief , Hollywoodinhidef.com; Carolyn Giardina – Contributing Editor, Technology , The Hollywood Reporter; James Fishler – Senior Vice President, Marketing and Go-to-Market Operations, LG Electronics USA; Matt Liszt – Vice President, Marketing , MasterImage 3D; Bernard Mendiburu – VP Professional Market , Volfoni - 3D Consortium; Kathleen Schroter – Executive Manager, 3D Innovation Center, Berlin , Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute Berlin; Lisa Truitt – President , National Geographic Cinema Ventures; Ami Dror – Co-Founder and CSO, XPAND; Michael Duenas – Chief Public Health Officer , American Optometric Association; Jim Sheedy – Director of Research , Pacific University Oregon; Ken Lowe – VP Engineering and Co-Founder, VIZIO; Peter Lude – Senior Vice President of Engineering, Sony; Dan Schinasi – HDTV Product Planning, Samsung Electronics and Roland Vlaicu – Senior Director, Broadcast Imaging , Dolby Laboratories, Inc.

You can see more details about these sessions right here. We'll have more news coming from the show as we get it!

2013 has over 50 S3D movies on tap for us and that has me over the top with excitement. We all know about the big budget ones like: HANSEL AND GRETEL WITCH HUNTERS, JACK THE GIANT SLAYER, Oz the Great and Powerful, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Iron Man 3, PACIFIC RIM, The Great Gatsby, Star Trek Into Darkness, Man of Steel, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Thor: The Dark World, 47 Ronin, Gravity and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. But what movies are going to sneak up on us and truly surprise us with they're ingenuity and creativity? Stay tuned! We've got a lot to discuss!!

More site additions and exciting news coming this week!

Variety Reports: Leading 3D Organizations Merge

Tim here. Variety has reported that The International 3D Society and the 3D@Home Consortium have merged into one company. Here is the official press release:

In the world of 3D, maybe one is better than two.

The industry's two top 3D organizations - the International 3D Society (I3DS) and the 3D@Home Consortium - are merging into a single association, effective immediately.

The move also merges the two orgs' rosters, with the combined org -- monikered the International 3D Society and 3D@Home -- comprising members in 20 countries and chapters in North America, China, Japan, Korea, Europe and the U.K. Leadership at both orgs has ratified the merger.

"This newly formed organization will serve to spearhead the growth and expansion of the 3D entertainment industry across the entire ecosystem - from content conception and development, to consumer education and adoption," said Tom Cosgrove, co-chair of the combined org, who's also prexy and CEO of 3net, the 3D channel co-venture of Discovery, Sony and Imax.

Dan Schinasi, the org's other co-chair and senior TV planner at Samsung Electronics, believes 3D in-home consumption will be spurred by dropping prices in consumer electronics. "3D entertainment in the home has become an affordable proposition, with entry-level sets falling below $1,000," he said. Schinasi added that new platforms such as 3D Blu-ray discs and 3D streaming of sports and entertainment channels will contribute to the growth of the 3D medium.

"From supporting content creators to educating consumers, our two groups have distinguished themselves in providing neutral, non-branded information," said Jim Mainard, past chair at I3DS and head of digital strategy at DreamWorks Animation. "Their combined power and scope will maximize our ability to steadily grow 3D across countless media platforms in education."

I3DS topper Jim Chabin will lead the new org, whose membership includes more than 60 companies and 500 individuals. Studio and TV members include Disney, DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Pixar, ESPN, Turner Broadcasting, BSkyB and National Geographic Cinema Ventures.

Other corporate members include Panasonic, XpanD 3D, Dolby Laboratories, 3ality Technica, Masterimage 3D, RealD, IMAX, StereoD, CCTV China, Korea Telecomm, Intel, THX, Microsoft, Technicolor, Samsung, Sony Electronics, MobiTV, BluFocus, Eutelsat, Vizio, among others.

About the International 3D Society And 3D@Home Consortium
The International 3D Society & 3D@Home Consortium advances 3D content, products and adoption through recognition, networking, communication for professionals and consumers. With over 60 companies and 500 professional members, the organization honors the year’s best during its 3D Technology and 3D Creative Awards programs; hosts worldwide meetings, workshops and demonstrations; and manages many online resources to assist consumers and professionals to further understand and integrate 3D into their lives. Visit: www.International3DSociety.com, www.3DatHome.org, and 3DUniversity.net to explore the full range of 3D information available.

POLL: 71 Percent Agree That 3D Is Better Than 2D And 31 Percent Say It's "INCREDIBLE"!

Jim Chabin, President, International 3D Society

American moviegoers continue to find 3D movies exciting, according to a study released today by the International 3D Society. 

In a poll conducted by the organization, 52% of those surveyed had seen at least one 3D movie in the last three years. Asked to describe their experience, 71% said that their 3D experience surpassed watching conventional 2D movies, 31% reporting that their 3D experience was “incredible.”

“Moviegoers continue to enjoy quality 3D movies,” said Society President Jim Chabin. “Consumers are savvy in selecting what movies to watch in 3D, but according to our results, they feel it is clearly a more fun, more exciting, and a more valuable experience.” 

The poll was conducted for the Society by Opinion Research Corporation and Seidmon Associates from interviews of 1,011 Americans ages 18+ between April 5th - 8th, 2012.

Upcoming 3D movies announced for 2012 include: ‘Men in Black 3,’ ‘The Amazing Spiderman,’ ‘Prometheus,’ ‘Katy Perry: Part of Me,’ ‘Finding Nemo,’ and ‘The Great Gatsby.’

About the International 3D Society: The International 3D Society was founded to advance the art and technologies of stereoscopic 3D content and its professional innovators through education, hands on demonstration and recognition. For more information please visit: www.International3DSociety.com.

International 3D Society sponsors include Signature Sponsors: Panasonic and Korea Telecom, as well as Founding Sponsors: 3ality Technica, Dolby, DreamWorks Animation (DWA), IMAX, MasterImage 3D, PIXAR, RealD, Inc., Sony Corporation of America, Vizio, The Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and XPAND 3D.

Not all that surprising to me of course! 3D has been growing in influence year after year - all you have to do is look at the top movies this year and see that most of them are in three dimensions. Onward and upward!!

"Hugo" & Scorsese Win Big at International 3D Society Awards

Tim here. Martin Scorsese walked away with the Harold Lloyd Filmmaker Award when the International 3D Society honored him and his 3D masterpiece Hugo at the 3D Creative Arts Awards held at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Hugo received three awards, Best Live Action 3D Feature, Best Stereography (Live Action), and Best 3D Moment of the Year. Scorsese also spoke about the restoration of classic 3D movies for Blu-Ray, which was met with thunderous applause.

"My favorites are the old ones," Scorsese said. "There are so many. To see the films at home (on 3D Blu-ray) is going to be really remarkable. And to see them in their original form … seeing Dial M for Murder in 3D, in particular, is an entirely different experience."

Animation also was huge at the awards ceremony as The Adventures of Tintin and Puss in Boots walked away with Best Animated 3D Feature and Best Stereography (Animated) respectively. Chris Miller, director of Puss in Boots said, "(3D) is on the verge of being recognized as a great contributor to cinematic storytelling — and that is what it is. When we added it into any sequence in the film, it was about ‘how can we best (use 3D) to tell the story."

Wim Wenders' Pina received the Jury Prize for Excellence from the Society, and additional Lumiere statuettes were awarded to The Lion King for Best 2D-to-3D Conversion, and Cave of Forgotten Dreams for Best 3D Documentary.

Winners in television include 3net’s Fields of Valor: Civil War, for entertainment programming; Sony Japan’s Ayumi Hamasaki: Arena Tour, for a live event; and BSkyB’s Champions League Final, in live sports.

Sony Corporation of America was honored with the Sir Charles Wheatstone Award for education at its Sony 3D Technology Center in Culver City.

Additional Award winners included:
3D Short Motion Picture/Narrative: "The Foundling" (RSA Films)
Electronic Broadcast Media (Television) – Ad/Commercial: "Best Buy 3D"
Electronic Broadcast Media (Television) – Short: "Foster the People - Don’t Stop" (Digital Revolution Studios)
Special Attraction – "King Kong 360 3D" (Universal Studios Hollywood)
3D Videogame – Portable: "Street Fighter IV" (Capcom)
3D Videogame – Console: "Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception" (Naughty Dog-Sony Computer Electronics)
3D Videogame – PC: "Batman: Arkham City" (Warner Brothers)

International "Jury Prizes" were presented to:
Beijing Film Academy (China) – "The Light of Shanghai Expo"
KT Skylife (Korea) – "3D Microspace"
NHK (Japan) – "The Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami"
Nippon Television (Japan) – "3D Baseball Live"
Sony (Japan) – "Final Fantasy"
Bandai (Japan) – "Hipura"
Fuji Television (Japan) – "Tokyo Control"

The Society’s television partner, 3net, plans to air a one-hour special, "Your World in 3D,” highlighting nominated works and red carpet interviews from the ceremony.

Congratulations to all involved!

Digital Revolution Studios Wins Lumiere Award From the International 3D Society

Industry Pioneer in 3D Takes Home Award for Foster the People's 'Don't Stop' Music Video

VAN NUYS, CA-- Award-winning Stereoscopic 3D and 2D production company, Digital Revolution Studios (www.drs3d.com), won a Lumiere Award from the International 3D Society, which held its black-tie event Wednesday, February 1 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The award was in the 3D Television and Electronic Broadcast Media category for Digital Revolution Studios' work on the music video for Foster the People's 'Don't Stop.'

The 'Don't Stop' project was the first music video for DRS. The work was done for Sony Music and Nintendo in conjunction with Pretty Bird Productions and the directing duo, Daniels. It was a very quick shoot with many challenges to overcome and a fast post-production turn around, but the end result was a lot of fun and has been very well received.

Digital Revolution Studios is headed by Oscar-nominated and Emmy winning producer, Craig Tanner, who brings his world leading 3D production and post-production process to DRS. As Visual Effects Editor on the 3D blockbuster, AVATAR, Craig assisted in the creation of the complex live-action and motion capture hybrid post-production pipeline for James Cameron. Backed with an engineering degree from the world-renowned Air Force Academy, Craig has dedicated years to developing cost-effective solutions for the creation of custom 3D content and has designed and created 3D cameras and equipment for DRS.

"The more high quality 3D content we, as a company -- and as an industry -- are able to provide the suppliers -- and thus the consumers -- the more advertisers will jump on board," notes Tanner, President and Executive Producer of Digital Revolution Studios. "As a company, DRS is convinced that Mobile Devices will be a game changer and feel that we will be part of the world movement of streaming content."

ABOUT DRS

Digital Revolution Studios is a full-service, stereoscopic 3D production company that specializes in creating beautifully realistic high quality stereoscopic 3D content. From concept to deliverables, DRS can provide the service for any production. It is a world leader in high quality 3D productions, and prides itself on being ahead of the curve. DRS has a top-notch post-production team that works all aspects of post, from 2D & 3D editing, to color, to VFX, to deliverables.

MAKE IT 3D! Cool Promo Ad...

Click to enlarge!

Love these new promo ads from The International 3D Society...

www.International3DSociety.com

James Cameron Update: AVATAR 2, BATTLE ANGEL, His Top Five Movies And A New Award!

Guys, it's time for a James Cameron update as he has been doing press junkets for his newly minted production SANCTUM.

First off, Cameron has given (via WSJ) some brief tidbits on AVATAR 2 and in particular how to improve the 3D viewing experience:

Says Cameron: “For ‘Avatar 2,’ what I’m most interested in is getting theaters to up their light level,” Cameron told Speakeasy in an interview Saturday in Los Angeles, Calif. “And we want to shoot the movie at 48 or maybe even 60 frames a second, and display it at that speed, which will eliminate a lot of the motion artifacts that I think are causing some people problems.”

“‘Sanctum’ was a cookie-cutter of the camera technology we used on [‘Avatar’],” Cameron explained. “It literally was, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, use it. But it will be in all of these different environments, water and all of that, where specific problems have to be solved that are external to the camera.”

“People talk about feeling sick or something like that, and I think it’s because the image is strobing,” Cameron observed. “That’s a function of the 24 frame frame rate, which has actually got nothing to do with 3D. It’s just made more apparent because the 3D is otherwise such an enhanced, realistic image, that all of a sudden you’re aware of this funky strobing which you weren’t aware of.”

Yes! Higher frame rates is the next holy grail to achieve in the AVATAR batting lineup and it will help S3D in many ways. While light levels for AVATAR were fine in my estimation, it is just like Cameron to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

MarketSaw is and shall be the top source for AVATAR universe updates before anyone else gets them - stay tuned!!

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Secondly, Collider spoke with Cameron specifically about his upcoming project BATTLE ANGEL. The problem being he has a couple of small art house films he is shooting back-to-back called AVATAR 2 and 3! So poor BATTLE ANGEL has been back-burnered.

Says Cameron: "I’m obviously going to be pretty busy for the next five years [with Avatar 2 and 3]. And so I had to consider, do I hand this project off to another director? And then I thought, ‘No, I love it too much.’ …It’s such a rich world. What I’m going to do is take the spine story and use elements from the first four books. So, the Motorball from books three and four, and parts of the story of one and two will all be in the movie."

BATTLE ANGEL is one of those movies you KNOW is going to be a massive, MASSIVE hit. Cameron has all the tools required to drive this one home and I will be following developments in this story VERY closely. You should know that I regularly inquire with my sources about anything to do with this film.

Follow all of our BATTLE ANGEL updates right here.

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Thirdly, Cameron serves up his top five movies of all time (Via RT)! They are as follows in no particular order:

- THE WIZARD OF OZ
- DR. STRANGELOVE
- 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
- THE GODFATHER
- TAXI DRIVER

No real surprises and all of them make my top ten list. I am definitely with him on TAXI DRIVER. No question!

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Finally, Cameron is set to receive the International 3D Society's first Harold Lloyd Award for 3D achievement!

Says Suzanne Lloyd, who is 3D pioneer Harold Lloyd's granddaughter and chairman of Harold Lloyd Entertainment: "James Cameron has embodied Harold Lloyd's vision and passion for dazzling audiences across the globe. With Avatar and his commitment to 3D storytelling, it is appropriate that he is the first recipient of this most prestigious annual award."

Note: I am not quite sure if the award will look like the one pictured as this is a Lumiere Award from the same society.

This award makes perfect sense for Cameron to pick up and truly kicks off this inaugural award year in grand fashion! Congratulations Jim!

Oh and if you haven't already - add James Cameron for direct Twitter updates from the man himself! His new verified account is @JimCameron (@JamesCameron was already taken, by a pro blogger no less!).

That's it for now - will have more soon...

International 3D Society Awards Show presented in MasterImage 3D; company's CEO honored with Lumiere Award

My congratulations to Younghoon Lee, head of MasterImage 3D on his Lumiere award at the International 3D Society Awards yesterday!

MasterImage is definitely a company to watch in the 3D space as their rapid theatrical expansion continues around the world.

Here's the press release (emphasis is mine):
Hollywood, CA (October 20, 2010) - Last night's International 3D Society Awards Show at Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood was presented in the MasterImage 3D format. The company's Chairman and CEO, Younghoon Lee, was also honored with a Lumiere(TM) award for the MasterImage digital 3D cinema system.

The International 3D Society, established to advance the art and technologies of stereoscopic 3D content and its innovators, recognized individuals and organizations that have had the most significant impact on the advancement of the 3D medium from 1980 through 2009. In addition to screening the 3D content for the evening's program, the MasterImage 3D system was also recognized for technology achievement.

International 3D Society President and CEO Jim Chabin said, "This event recognizes excellence in 3D, and the quality of the MasterImage 3D presentation format reflects that excellence. MasterImage has been a strong evangelist and driver for 3D cinema here in the US and around the world and we're pleased to recognize their achievement along with other innovators and leaders in the 3D community."

The MasterImage digital 3D cinema system uses a unique combination of display techniques to provide precise image separation, for a vivid, sharp presentation. It is now installed in 42 countries, and all six major Hollywood studios as well as many independent distributors support the MasterImage format for their 3D features.

About MasterImage 3D LLC
MasterImage 3D LLC is a 3D technology company that provides pioneering solutions for theaters, mobile devices and gaming. With digital 3D cinema systems installed in 42 countries, MasterImage 3D is a fast-growing digital 3D cinema system supplier, offering audiences the clearest, sharpest 3D experience while providing exhibitors with a compelling ownership-based pricing model. The company's auto-stereoscopic display technology enabled one of the world's first glasses-free 3D mobile phones and its 3D camera ASIC empowers users to create and share 3D content. Founded in 2004, the company is privately held and headquartered in Hollywood, with offices in the UK, Tokyo, Seoul and Beijing.

For more information visit www.masterimage3D.com.

MasterImage is a sponsor of MarketSaw.

Stereoscopic 3D Technology Awards Coming October 5, 2010; Call For Nominations Now On

Jim here. The International 3D Society is now accepting nominations for its Stereoscopic 3D Technology Awards to be held October 5, 2010 at 7pm at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

The 3D Technology Awards honor technological achievement in the stereoscopic medium -- mainly cinema, television, special venue, themed attractions, video games, PC and other media. The Society announced today that it is accepting entries from the 3D professional community to be voted upon by a blue-ribbon 3D Technology Awards panel. The first 3D Technology Awards of its kind, the program will recognize individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact on the advancement of stereoscopic arts and technologies from January 1, 1980 through December 31, 2009.

"The International 3D Society is seeking to honor the contributions of engineers, scientists, and inventors who have helped to create the stereoscopic medium," said 3D Awards Committee co-chair and Oculus 3D President Lenny Lipton. "We are interested in calling attention to work that has been done in the recent past to advance the technology of the 3D moving image."

Buzz Hays, Society Chair and Senior Vice President of the Sony 3D Technology Center, Sony Corporation of America, added, "For those of us who have worked in 3D, it is nice to see our colleagues recognized with awards presented by their peers."

"All of us working in this exciting 3D environment today realize we are standing on the shoulders of giants who created the very technologies which make stereoscopic 3D possible," said Jim Chabin, President of the International 3D Society. The organization is a professional community dedicated to advancing the arts and technologies of Stereoscopic 3D.

The 3D Technology Awards Show will feature MasterImage3D passive glasses and technology. Rules, regulations and entry forms are available online at http://www.international3dsociety.com/awardstech.html. There is no entry fee for submissions. The deadline for submissions is May 30, 2010. Nominees will be announced prior to the show.

International 3D Society sponsors include Signature Sponsor XpanD and Founding Sponsors MasterImage 3D, Panasonic Hollywood Lab and IMAX.

AWESOME! About time this took place. I am really looking forward to seeing the outcome of the show! Best of luck to everyone involved.