WARCRAFT Powerleveling In China! $145 Million In 4 Days

Contrary to many critics I enjoyed WARCRAFT. Perhaps it's because I've actually played the game and I can pick up on most of the locations and references - it's still a CGI powerhouse and the 3D is amazing.

The 3D is amazing because most of it's pure digital 3D that's well done. It's a positive byproduct of doing most of the movie with CG characters and backgrounds. Loved the action sequences and how it all looked on a giant IMAX 3D screen. I'll be seeing it again on a Real D screen and I'm sure the level of excellence will be the same for stereo enjoyment.

WARCRAFT is the fastest international movie to $135 million ever in China. The movie only opened to $27 million in North America. I love how the movie has bounced back against the critics in China. Absolutely love it.

The story is somewhat hard to follow at times for someone who has not played the game I would imagine, but even if you haven't the visual effects are jaw dropping. The scale of the movie is off the charts.

WARCRAFT is a definite must-see in 3D. The stereo view enhances the CGI and makes the characters much more realistic and closer to crossing the uncanny valley. Trust me. 3D makes this movie.

MUST WATCH: New International Trailer For STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Click to Enlarge

Well hello. This new Japanese trailer for STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS looks stunning! Many new scenes and not too much given away regarding spoilers - although more than what we're used to from Abrams. Certainly there are visual spoilers and characters have their closeups but don't be worried about learning too much of the storyline. That being said, this trailer goes into more depth than the domestic materials so as usual you are being warned.

And... the poster is new as well! Adam Driver's Kylo Ren dominates the new Korean poster and it looks sensational.

SWTFA is going to look amazing in 3D. I've got that feeling. I think everything about this movie is going to be perfect. The story, the imagery, the soundtrack, the characters, the soul. The pressure on JJ Abrams to deliver this thing must be off the scales, but he seems to be taking everything in stride. I've seen the domestic trailer in IMAX and it brings chills. Can't wait for its 3D.

I've already have my ticket bought for opening night and I urge you to buy ahead of time as well. You'll want to see this thing early to 1. enjoy it and 2. avoid the spoilers that will undoubtedly be flying EVERYWHERE on social media the day after opening.

Enjoy the trailer!

STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS opens on December 17.

RealD Responsible For Over 70% Of "My Bloody Valentine 3D" First Week Box Office

RealD DELIVERS 71% OF THE $27 MILLION PLUS FIRST WEEK GROSS FOR LIONSGATE’S MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D

Film is first feature ever to release in more than 1,000 digital 3D locations

Los Angeles (January 23, 2009) – In what marks the widest theatrical 3D film release to date, RealD, the world’s leading outfitter of 3D-enabled theatres, brought in 71% of the total box office for Lionsgate’s MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D, which topped $27 million in its first week of release. Verifying the growing strategy of releasing films in 3D, opening week 3D screens outperformed 2D screens 6:1.

“We are proud of the great opening week that Lionsgate had with MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D in RealD theatres,” said Michael Lewis, chairman and CEO of RealD. “3D continues to be the bright spot in the industry and it’s clear that audiences responded to the promise of this superior filmgoing experience in RealD 3D.”

Steve Rothenberg, President of Distribution for Lionsgate said “We are thrilled over the fantastic audience response to MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D. Lionsgate has been a leader in horror innovation, so it was important that MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D be a showcase for today’s 3D as an immersive experience and not just a gimmick. RealD helped make that possible, and these opening numbers are proof of the film’s success.”

Presented in stunningly real, cutting edge 3D projection, MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D stars Jensen Ackles (TV's "Smallville" and "Supernatural"), Jaime King (THE SPIRIT, SIN CITY, SIN CITY 2) and Kerr Smith (FINAL DESTINATION, "Dawson's Creek"). A remake of the 1981 horror classic, MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D is directed by Patrick Lussier from a screenplay by Todd Farmer and Zane Smith, based on a screenplay by John Beaird, story by Stephen Miller, and is produced by Jack Murray.

About RealD (website: www.reald.com)

RealD is the global leader in 3D, bringing the most advanced and enjoyable digital 3D experience to cinemas worldwide. RealD’s next-generation technology, deployed across the world’s largest 3D platform in 34 countries with over 1,600 screens, provides a stunningly realistic viewing experience. 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 visualization technologies are used by organizations such as NASA, Pfizer, BMW, Boeing and more.

RealD is a sponsor of MarketSaw

Quick Post: Reuse or Recycle Those 3D Glasses!

RealD GOES GREEN WITH WALT DISNEY PICTURES’ “BOLT”

Los Angeles (October 14, 2008) – When Walt Disney Pictures’ newest animated comedy adventure BOLT opens Nov. 21, 2008, audiences in more than 1,000 theatres will not only enjoy a family film about an action-star dog who believes he has superpowers, they will be able to able to see it in RealD 3D, then – with no superpowers required – help save the earth by recycling their 3D glasses in the theater.

With the opening of BOLT, RealD is expanding a comprehensive eyewear recycling program, available for moviegoers to deposit their glasses after seeing a film. However, moviegoers will continue to have the option of keeping their glasses as a souvenir to remember their RealD movie experience. Since RealD launched as a company, recycling its glasses has been a goal. When JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH opened in July, it began a successful pilot program with several exhibitor partners, leading to the new comprehensive program. There are over 30 3D films already announced to be released within the next three years.

“Like any successful recycling program, it’s about making it easy for people to recycle,” stated Michael V. Lewis, RealD chairman and CEO. “We appreciate the participation of our exhibitor partners and know that audiences will appreciate the convenience as well.”


About the Movie

For super-dog BOLT (voice of JOHN TRAVOLTA), every day is filled with adventure, danger and intrigue—at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet—a cross-country journey through the real world to get back to his owner and co-star, Penny (voice of MILEY CYRUS). Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and the help of two unlikely traveling companions—a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens (voice of SUSIE ESSMAN) and a TV-obsessed hamster named Rhino (voice of MARK WALTON) -- Bolt discovers he doesn’t need superpowers to be a hero. Directed by Disney veterans Chris Williams and Byron Howard, BOLT is a hilarious, fun-filled, action-packed animated comedy adventure in Disney Digital 3-D.

RealD is the global leader in 3D, bringing the most advanced and enjoyable digital 3D experience to cinemas worldwide. RealD’s next-generation technology, deployed across the world’s largest 3D platform in 27 countries with more than 1,400 installations worldwide, provides a stunningly realistic viewing experience. The impact of 3D upon today’s moviemaking has been compared to the advent of color film when once there was only black and white. 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 visualization technologies are used by organizations such as NASA, Pfizer, BMW, Boeing and more. For more information, visit www.RealD.com.

Hey, it's a great idea to recycle those glasses if you do not intend on bringing them back for your next 3D movie like I do. If people can remember to bring them back for the next 3D trip, then reusing the glasses is the best option. I did not see a 3D glasses recycle box at my last 3D movie screening, but obviously that is not an indicator for the rest of the world. Let's get in the habit now, rather than later! Reuse or recycle please!

Quick Post: Christie Launches Industry First Technological Breakthrough for 3D

CYPRESS, CA – October 13, 2008 – Christie, a leader in digital cinema projection, is pleased to introduce its Brilliant3D technology that enables 3D content to be projected in full 2K resolution for digital cinema projectors utilizing 1.2” DMD chips from Texas Instruments. A first for the industry, this new technology will be available exclusively on all Christie digital cinema projectors and will be launched at ShowEast beginning October 13th in Orlando, FL. Following the successful demonstrations with RealD at IBC in Amsterdam last month, Christie’s new technology provides 33% more brightness for 3D content and uses only a single lens system.

“We’re very excited about this technological development from Christie. This advancement combined with our RealD XL system enhances the 3D experience tremendously. Together, we can fill screens up to 75ft in width with true triple-flash capable technology, making 3D films even brighter and clearer,” noted Joseph Peixoto, president of worldwide cinema, RealD.

Craig Sholder, vice-president of Christie’s Entertainment Solutions stated, “With more than 15 new movies slated for 3D release over the next 18 months, Christie’s new Brilliant3D will enable exhibitors to project 3D movies onto the largest screens—while reducing both lamp and electricity expenses. Christie engineers initiated development of this technology so that audiences would have the most compelling 3D experience.”

Christie Brilliant3D will be available on the world’s brightest 2K DLP Cinema® projectors, the Christie CP2000-SB and Christie CP2000-XB, as well as on the Christie CP2000-ZX. Christie’s CP2000-M digital cinema projector, based on the .98” DMD chip, will also feature Christie Brilliant3D technology. With this new technology, Christie now offers 3D in full 2K resolution at brightness levels not previously seen before in theatres.

Sholder added, “We’ve enabled our full suite of digital cinema projectors with Christie technology. And, our flagship Christie CP2000-SB will offer double the brightness for 3D projection than any other competitive product on the market. We’re thrilled to offer a much more viable solution to the industry for projecting 3D movies on medium and large screens. Christie remains at the forefront of the digital cinema revolution with 3D solutions for every exhibitor on any size screen.”

In addition, Christie is also announcing a new suite of variable prime zoom lenses that enable a convenient and cost-effective, single lens solution for 2D and 3D content regardless of format, keeping operating costs down. These lenses and new projector solutions will be available for the release of the 3D blockbusters scheduled for the upcoming holiday season.

ShowEast attendees will see Christie’s Brilliant3D technology in action on the Christie CP2000-XB showing select scenes from Lionsgate’s, “My Bloody Valentine”, and Disney’s “Bolt” 3D trailer on the Christie CP2000-ZX displayed at their booth # 1100.

This is awesome news for 2K digital projection. Gotta see this in action!

GDC And Real D Creating 3D Platform Partnership

GDC Forges Partnership with RealD to Deliver Leading-edge 3D Digital Cinema Experience

USA (Oct 9, 2008) - GDC is pleased to announce a partnership with RealD, the global leader in 3D cinema technology. Under the partnership, GDC’s best-selling digital cinema server - SA-2100 will be offered as part of RealD’s premier 3D platform for future 3D rollout.

GDC is the market leader in Asia with two-thirds of the market share and has the second largest deployment of digital cinema servers worldwide. RealD is the global leader in 3D, having captured 90% of the worldwide digital 3D market. The partnership will propel GDC servers into the fast expanding 3D market, estimated to reach between 4000 and 5000 screens by 2009. Early success of the partnership includes 20 installations at Lotte Cinema, South Korea.

GDC’s SA-2100 digital cinema server has been vigorously tested by RealD and awarded the “RealD Ready” status, which is an assurance of full “out-of-the-box” compatibility with the RealD system.

“GDC’s LINUX-based servers are one of the most robust and reliable servers on the market,” stated Joe Peixoto, President, Worldwide Cinema, RealD 3D. “We are encouraged by the initial success in Korea and expect to see additional 3D deployment throughout the rest of world with GDC servers in the near future.”

“3D digital is a rapidly growing force in digital cinema. We recognized this from the beginning and made sure that our SA-2100 digital cinema server can play both 2D and 3D movie files,” said Dr Man-Nang CHONG, founder and CEO of GDC Technology. “We are honored to be a partner with RealD and excited by the prospect of growing our server business together with RealD’s rapid expansion in the 3D digital rollout.”

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About GDC Technology (website: www.gdc-tech.com )

GDC Technology (“GDC”) is a subsidiary of the Hong Kong publicly listed company - Global Digital Creations Holdings Limited. GDC is one of the leading solution providers for digital cinema, media delivery and display markets. GDC has successfully delivered and installed over 1000 operating digital cinema servers worldwide, including Austria, Africa, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the Netherlands, the Philippines, the US and UK. More than 500 feature titles have been released digitally on GDC’s Digital Cinema Servers.

About RealD (website: www.reald.com)
RealD is the global leader in 3D, bringing the most advanced and enjoyable digital 3D experience to cinemas worldwide. RealD’s next-generation technology, deployed across the world’s largest 3D platform in 24 countries, provides a stunningly realistic viewing experience beyond the usual concepts of 3D cinema. The impact of 3D upon today’s moviemaking has been compared to the advent of color film when once there was only black and white. 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 visualization technologies are used by organizations such as NASA, Pfizer, BMW, Boeing and more.

I can see how this will work reciprocally as well - Real D will have a much more pronounced presence in Asia now and will definitely facilitate aggressive growth in that region. Anytime you can have an out of the box, turn key experience in deploying a technology, its good news for the speed and integrity of the solution. Awesome news!

3DFF Boots Up October 10-12 & 17-19 In Florida

ORLANDO/SPACE COAST TO HOST THE WORLD’S FIRST
DIGITAL 3-D FILM & INTERACTIVE FESTIVAL
OCTOBER 10 – 12 & 17-19, 2008

Orlando, FL & The Space Coast (October 7, 2008) – Representing a milestone innovation for the worldwide film festival community, the world’s premier digital “3-D Film & Interactive Festival” (3DFF) will debut October 10 – 12, 2008 in Orlando and continue October 17 – 19 at nearby Cocoa Beach. Hosted by AMC Entertainment® (AMC) and presented by RealD 3D, The Kerner Company, Domaine de Canton and Florida’s Space Coast. The project is noted as the first competitive film festival in the world to feature a program comprised entirely of digital 3-D stereoscopic content in all forms of entertainment media.

Founded by The Dream Factory Studio’s Chief Creative Officer, Christopher Crescitelli, 3DFF aims to shine the spotlight on up and coming independent 3-D directors and emerging gaming technologies. “3DFF will be dedicated to driving innovations in the 3-D entertainment industry and to help perpetuate the art and science of the medium. Through its biannual and touring non-profit festival programs, 3DFF will pay tribute to and honor the many companies, technologists, and content creators, who have in the past and are currently pioneering the future of the 3-D stereoscopic motion picture and video game industries,” stated Crescitelli.

The show opens with a gala event in Orlando on October 10 with a screening of “3ology,” a feature length program comprised of various 3-D feature clips, short films and music videos from around the world including: the trailer for Disney’s upcoming “Bolt” directed by Byron Howard & Chris Williams, Missy Elliott’s “Ching-a-Ling” 3-D Music Video directed by Dave Meyers, and Bjork’s “Wanderlust” 3-D Music Video directed by Encyclopedia Pictura. The program also features clips provided by several leading 3-D production companies including: CGI Studios, DzignLight, In-Three, nWave, Paradise FX, The Scar Company, PassmoreLab, Uvphactory and 3-D film and television pioneer 3ality Digital, who will feature a song from their “U23D” film, directed by Catherine Owens and Mark Pellington. All films and 3-D content will be screened in RealD 3D.

The three day Orlando portion of the event, hosted by AMC at Disney’s Pleasure Island, continues through October 12 with additional 3-D screenings, the weekend prior to the ShowEast Convention, where 3DFF will support its sponsors on the showroom floor.

3DFF relocates to the Cocoa Beach Hilton Oceanfront for its three day Space Coast Edition from October 17 through October 19. 3DFF’s scenic beachside venue will kick off with a Space Coast Screening and Party on October 17 and feature “The 3-D Film & Interactive Lounge” where attendees can interact with some of the world’s most advanced 3-D HDTV displays and 3-D video game presentations presented by leading 3-D technology companies including: Dynamic Digital Depth (DDD), Samsung, Hyundai IT, JVC, IZ3D, Brain Paint, Mtbs3d.com and Vzillion, the world’s first 3-D stereoscopic virtual world platform. The “3-D Film & Interactive Lounge” will tour the film festival circuit as part of a special outreach program to integrate with existing film festivals that might be interested in establishing a 3-D program of their own.

Orlando Schedule:

The Opening Night Screening will take place on Friday, October 10 at AMC Pleasure Island 24 in Downtown Disney at 7:00 p.m. The Opening Night Gala, which follows the screening, will be held at the luxurious Buena Vista Palace Hotel from 9:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. Additional 3-D screenings will take place at AMC Pleasure Island 24 from 12:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 11 and on Sunday October 12 from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Space Coast Edition Schedule:

The Space Coast Screening and Party will take place on Friday, October 17, at the Hilton Cocoa Beach from 8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m., and The 3-D Interactive Lounge will operate Friday October 17 - 19 from 12:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. and the Virtual World Award Show will debut live via webcast on Sunday, October 19 at 9:00 p.m. on 3DFF.org.

Passes for the 2008 3-D Film & Interactive Festival, and Opening/Closing Night Galas are available at www.3DFF.org or by calling (415) 448-2115 for more information. Tickets will also be sold at the door for all venues.

About 3-D Film & Interactive Festival (3DFF)

3DFF is noted as the first digital 3-D film & interactive festival program of its kind in the United States. 3DFF’s non-profit initiative, whose mission is to educate and inspire independent filmmakers to use 3-D as a new tool for telling their stories, will be comprised of 3-D animated and live action film screenings, red carpet events, technology displays, and educational panels. The festival operates as a non profit 501(c)3 through a fiscal partnership with the Women In Film organization (Las Vegas Chapter).

About RealD

RealD is the global leader in 3D, bringing the most advanced and enjoyable digital 3D experience to cinemas worldwide. RealD’s next-generation technology, deployed across the world’s largest 3D platform in 27 countries with more than 1,400 installations worldwide, provides a stunningly realistic viewing experience beyond the usual concepts of 3D cinema. The impact of 3D upon today’s moviemaking has been compared to the advent of color film when once there was only black and white. 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 visualization technologies are used by organizations such as NASA, Pfizer, BMW, Boeing and more. For more information, visit www.RealD.com.

Looks like a great time! I like the competitive nature of the festival - it will be interesting to see the results...

Commentary: Ghostbusters 3D? No, Not The Planned Sequel... but Real D

**UPDATE: October 4th: This post needs to be updated as I have a factual error. Yes! I am not above them! Carol Giardina is right to have reported that the studios are wanting Real D to do this processing immediately before projecting at each theater. And as pointed out in the comments section, there is hardly any ghosting because of the fact that there has been ghostbusting applied. However the post stays. This needs to be said: Real D is THE standard. Period. Folks need to wake up to this fact and adjust there operations accordingly.

Sure Real D is working on a solution for the ghosting issue from the studios and may very well have something to implement for each and every 3D theater under there care. To me this is above and beyond the call of duty and it does not seem as though they are getting the credit they deserve - to the contrary it seems that the only press has been negative! The bigger picture and what should be happening in my opinion, is for the studios to realize that, yeah - Real D is the standard and we need to add the ghostbusting process TO our complete process as it covers 90%+ of all 3D implementations. Get off your high horse and work with the defacto standard - rather than force a company to implement a solution to drop a black box in front of thousands of screens and growing every week.

So Carol, I owe you an apology. Your piece was accurate and timely if lacking further details I would have liked to have seen like Real D's track record for implementing optimizations. It is my passion for 3D that drives my posts and this whole blog in fact and so when I see a company that has done great things for 3D seemingly dragged through the mud I get upset.

According to THR, there is an issue with ghosting with Real D systems. Sure, ok - perhaps a few times during a movie there seems to be some blurring where images for one eye leaks into the other eye's view. I barely notice it and I am looking for things like that. By the way, yes - Real D is a sponsor of MarketSaw, but I have always supported their tech over all others from day one. It just makes much more pragmatic sense.

Ghosting in today's modern 3D is a small issue. But Carolyn Giardina of THR has made a big stink about it. In fact she goes on to say that competing 3D companies do not have the same issue. Yeah, so? They have their own issues, big time. If they had such a great solution then they would have all large chains locked up like Real D does (AMC has not announced anything yet), but they don't. There are reasons why. I won't go into them now.

Look, I want a perfect system too - so that absolutely everyone has a perfect projection of 3D, everytime. And it will happen. Real D is working on a solution and say that they will have something in place by mid 2009 to correct this minor issue. I am happy with that. It bothers me that a publication like THR goes to such length as it makes it seem as though seeing a 3D movie will be terrible because of all the ghosting. IT IS HARDLY NOTICEABLE IF AT ALL. Relax already. Frankly I am stunned at how they presented this whole story.

Will Real D succeed in correcting the ghosting? Of course. THR does not focus on Real D's track record of having a problem and correcting it. A little background would go a long way to help their readers understand this. For example, they had a more worrisome problem like dimming. To project 3D on to larger screens presents a problem as you must obviously project two different images, one for each eye. This cuts the brightness down considerably. Last year they had a breakthrough to allow REAL D systems on a 60' screen. Awesome. Now, this year they have a solution for screens up to 75'! (Real D XL) Now that was a much more serious issue and was corrected quickly and is being continually optimized. But THR did even touch on that. You can expect the same response from Real D for ghosting. Indeed Real D has said that they will provide the solution at no charge for the theater chains.

How do you feel? Have you noticed blurring during the 3D movies you have seen within the past 12 months (since Beowulf last fall)? And if you did notice it, did it bother you enough to tell others about it?

Quick Post: WIRED Likes Our 3D Movie List And Dolby Drops Prices

My friend Betsy Schiffman over at WIRED has posted on their blog network that Dolby just dropped their prices for their rather expensive and reusable 3D glasses from $39 to $27.50 and then linked to yours truly and our upcoming 3D movie list.

How much of a splash will the Dolby price reduction have for theater owners remains to be seen, but with only one major player yet to confirm their intentions (I am not going to mention any names, but their initials are AMC) for their 3D projection technology, it seems a little late.

Both Cinemark and Regal opted for the rapidly growing Real D technology, as well as many others including NATO's Cinema Buyers Group of independant theater owners.

Full disclosure: Real D is a sponsor of MarketSaw.

NATO's Cinema Buying Group Secures Massive Deal with Real D For 3D Screens

This is simply AWESOME news for the 3D movie industry! Hats off to all that negotiated this tremendous deal and lets get to work!! :-) Here is the release...

Los Angeles (September 2, 2008) – Cinema Buying Group (CBG), a buying program for independent theaters administered by the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), today announced an agreement with RealD, the world’s largest digital 3D experience provider. The agreement brings next-generation 3D capability to CBG’s independent cinemas, currently totaling over 8,000 screens in the United States and Canada.

With CBG’s earlier announcement of Access Integrated Technologies, Inc. as its selected digital integrator, the essential ingredients for taking North American independent cinema operators into the digital era, including digital 3D capability, are now in place.

The new generation of digital 3D exemplified by RealD has been hailed as the most vital and exciting development in cinema since the advent of color film.

Wayne Anderson, CBG’s managing director, said, “CBG is committed to bringing the best 3D experience possible to our members. We are very pleased that we can offer a simple, affordable, and superior 3D experience to all of our cinema guests. As the penetration of digital screens grows, we anticipate RealD installations to top 1,000 among CBG members.”

Joe Peixoto, President, Worldwide Cinema, RealD, said, “We are very proud to add Cinema Buying Group to our family of exhibition partners. RealD has allowed both large and small exhibitors to take full advantage of next-generation 3D technology. The addition of CBG is further validation that 3D is here to stay. With over 30 3D titles already announced in the next three years, exhibitors and audiences can truly believe in the future of cinema.”

Kendrick Macdowell, NATO’s vice president and counsel to CBG, said, “CBG’s mission is to ensure a thriving community of independent exhibitors in the digital age. The RealD deal takes us a critical step forward in that mission. 3D capability, however, requires a digital projector and server. So it’s now incumbent on all the industry stakeholders, including studios, to get agreements in place that ensure access to affordable digital equipment for independent exhibitors.”

The Cinema Buying Group, a NATO-administered program for independent theater operators, currently represents 643 members with 8,125 screens in the United States and Canada.

RealD is the global leader in 3D, bringing the most advanced and enjoyable digital 3D experience to cinemas worldwide. RealD’s next-generation technology, deployed across the world’s largest 3D platform in 27 countries with more than 1,400 installations worldwide, provides a stunningly realistic viewing experience beyond the usual concepts of 3D cinema. The impact of 3D upon today’s moviemaking has been compared to the advent of color film when once there was only black and white. 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 visualization technologies are used by organizations such as NASA, Pfizer, BMW, Boeing and more. For more information, visit www.reald.com.

Real D is a sponsor of MarketSaw.com

Big Screen 3D Gaming? You Bet. Check this out...

So what's new in 3D gaming lately? A lot. Recently at SIGGRAPH a rather historic event took place in that the very first video game (to their knowledge) has been shown on the big screen in 3D using the S-3D format. Present and responsible for the very successful demonstration was REALD, iZ3D, NVIDIA, Sony Imageworks, Epic Games and MTBS.

An audience of 800 saw not one but two games presented in 3D - Unreal Tournament 3 (live) and Bioshock (via clips). Read more about it here.

It is not just the PC gamers that are getting worked up into a frenzy about 3D gaming - apparently a leading console game developer said that console S-3D is close to being reality.

Looks like 3D gaming is about it hit big. It would be awesome to see the next generation of consoles from Microsoft and Sony (sure Nintendo too!) be offered in S-3D as well. Couldn't be better timing with lots of 3D movies coming down the pipe and needing a media player to present them! Anybody remember how Blu-ray won the war? A little something called the PS3 helped didn't it?

"Journey" Box Office a Huge Success for 3D!

UPDATE: The weekend actuals are in, and Journey has surpassed the estimates, earning over $21 million!

Hey folks, Michael here with some great news for 3D.

This past weekend's 3D showings of Journey to the Center of the Earth had per-screen averages over 3 times higher than the 2D shows--a new RealD 3D record!

"We're really thrilled," said RealD chairman and CEO Michael Lewis. And they deserve to be. More than 57% - or $11.7 million - of Journey's estimated $20.6 million weekend box office came from its 854 3D screens, which comprised only 30% of its total 2811 venues.

These numbers mark a really big milestone for 3D. Besides yet again demonstrating that consumers will gladly spend a few extra bucks for the 3D experience, they prove that 3D is a format that works with all types of movies - not just the animated CG, documentaries, and concert films that have been successful thus far.

The groundwork has been laid. Now let the 3D rollout continue!


**Editor's Note: I thought that was Bono for a second...

Cinemark and RealD announce deal for 1500 3D screens!

Hey folks, Michael here with another HUGE 3D milestone!

The 3D revolution is in full swing now as RealD 3D has teamed with Cinemark to convert 1500 Cinemark screens to 3D!  This will bring the total worldwide RealD 3D screen count to over 5000.

Michael Lewis, RealD chairman and ceo, calls the 5000 screen milestone a "game changing number for 3D and for the business of movies."

Dan Fellman, President Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, called the deal "a huge win for studios and exhibitors alike."

Now, along with the 1500 screen Real D / Regal deal announced just last month, 2 of the 3 major theatre chains (only AMC has yet to ink a major 3D deal) have staked a big claim in the future of cinema!

RealD is now even more firmly positioned as the leader in the 3D rollout.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, although some 3D installations will proceed immediately on previously installed digital projector systems, most of Cinemark's 3D installations will have to wait until more screens are converted to digital.  And this, of course, won't happen until financial arrangements between the studios, digital projector companies, and exhibitors are ironed out.  This new deal should help expedite that financial wrangling, as one by one the theatre chains are making their commitment to 3D obvious, and no one will want to be left out!

Congratulations to both Cinemark and RealD 3D on the deal!

Couple Of Interesting Videos: "Beowulf 3D: a case study" And "The digital stereoscopic cinema: the 21st Century"

Thanks to Andrew over at Stereoscopic.org for these very interesting videos taken during their recent Stereoscopic Displays and Applications XIX Conference:

First up is Rob Engle, Sony Pictures Imageworks who talks about creative and technical challenges encountered during the production of "Beowulf 3D" (note the 3D sections have been blanked out at the request of Sony):



And we also have Lenny Lipton of REAL D talking about today's technology changes in the motion picture industry as it pertains to 3D:



Thanks Andrew for permission to embed these videos - be sure to check out their site right here.

Thank You To Our Sponsors

A special thank you to the following sponsors for our shared passion in 3D:

:: Passmore Lab - 2D to 3D Conversion with No Upfront Cost.

:: Real D - The Global Leader in 3D.

:: iZ3D - 3D Monitors for a 3D World.

:: TDVision - 3D at Home is Now Possible.

Quick Post: Today is 3D at SID 2008 - Check It Out If You Are In LA !

Today is a awesome 3D focused day at SID 2008 being held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Speakers from Dreamworks, Sony, 3ality, Quantel, Dolby and Real D are giving talks today!

For more details of today's events and sessions, check out the agenda right here.

Regal Entertainment Group And Real D: Agreement To Expand 1500 3D Screens

Hang on guys - we are in for a ride! The theaters are starting to come on board!

This is awesome news in light of the recent turmoil over the speed at which 3D conversion agreements were happening. This should pave the way for more agreements shortly in my estimation. C'mon Cinemark and AMC!

The additional 1500 3D screens under the Regal banner will bring Real D's 3D screen total to over 3500 once the Digital Cinema Implementation partnership has been put in place.

Here is some very important industry validation of this HUGE event:

“I believe this partnership between Regal Entertainment Group and RealD marks a defining moment for the greatest transformation in movie-going in 70 years," said Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation. "The future of cinema comes to theaters in 2009, when audiences for the first time can enjoy the extraordinary new innovations in 3D filmmaking and exhibition. Prepare to be immersed in the world of movies like never before.”

Chuck Viane, president, Distribution, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, said, “We're thrilled that Regal Entertainment is now working in partnership with RealD to significantly increase the number of 3D venues and bring exciting state-of-the-art 3D experiences to moviegoers in most major markets. Disney has been a pioneer in producing groundbreaking 3D motion pictures, and has an ambitious slate of projects starting with the November release of our newest animated feature, ‘Bolt.’ Moviegoers have enthusiastically demonstrated their preference for quality 3D entertainment, and we join our friends at Regal and RealD in making the theatrical experience as exciting and enjoyable as possible.”

Bruce Snyder, president, Domestic Distribution, Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation, stated, “With ‘Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” and James Cameron’s, ‘Avatar’ both being released in the not so distant future in the 3D format, we at Fox clearly believe in the 3D process as the next great thing in the movie-going experience. We are currently deep into the negotiation with DCIP to keep the digitalization of theaters moving forward. And we are thrilled that RealD and Regal have joined together to make 3D viewing a reality on a nationwide basis.”

Now is that AWESOME or what? We now have the theaters in action!! 3D is on the way baby!! Can you tell I am typing a bit faster? :-)

ABOUT Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) is the largest motion picture exhibitor in the world. The Company's theatre circuit, comprising Regal Cinemas, United Artists Theatres and Edwards Theatres, operates 6,763 screens in 551 locations in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Regal operates theatres in all of the top 33 and 44 of the top 50 U.S. designated market areas. We believe that the size, reach and quality of the Company's theatre circuit not only provide its patrons with a convenient and enjoyable movie-going experience, but is also an exceptional platform to realize economies of scale in theatre operations. Additional information is available on the Company's Web site at www.REGmovies.com.

About RealD 3D: RealD 3D is the global leader in 3D, bringing the most advanced digital 3D experience to cinemas worldwide. RealD's next-generation technology, deployed across the world's largest 3D platform in 24 countries, provides a stunningly realistic and immersive experience beyond the usual concepts of 3D cinema. The impact of 3D upon today's moviemaking has been compared to the advent of color film when once there was only black and white. Beyond cinema, RealD 3D is the worldwide inventor of and pioneer in key stereoscopic technologies, with thirty years of scientific development behind its systems. Organizations such as NASA, Pfizer, BMW, Boeing, and more use RealD’s mission-critical 3-D visualization technologies. RealD was named to Fast Company’s “Fast 50” list of Most Innovative Companies in 2008. For more information, visit www.reald.com.

MarketSaw Just Made WIRED... Again...

Hey gang, thought you would be interested in this article written by my friend Betsy Schiffman over at WIRED. We spoke at length last week and she has a very good understanding of where the 3D industry is heading. She also spoke with Elizabeth Brooks over at Real D!

Here's the article: Movie Industry Doubles Down on 3-D

The first WIRED article to reference MarketSaw is here - check out the last link in the piece.

We also made SLATE.com a little while back - you can view that here, again - the last link.

Thank You To Our Sponsors

A special thank you to the following sponsors for our shared passion in 3D:

:: Passmore Lab - 2D to 3D Conversion with No Upfront Cost.

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:: Google Adsense & Referral Ads.

RealD's XL Technology Illuminating At ShoWest !

RealD continues to lead 3D digital theater projection technology with demonstrations of their innovative XL technology which allows projecting 3D movies on screens larger than 60 feet!

Before the release of this theater technology there was really no one offering the ability to effectively project standard Hollywood issues 3D images on a 60' or larger screen without using two projectors - which obviously doubles the cost of the equipment but can also cause severe issues with ensuring the images line up correctly or risk audience headaches and nausea.

XL technology is yet another step toward RealD being universally accepted as the standard Digital 3D projection technology. I have seen the others in action (IMAX 3D and Dolby 3D) and my opinion is that RealD is the clear leader and continues to set the pace for the industry.

Full Disclosure: RealD is a sponsor of MarketSaw. However, I had the same opinion before they partnered with us.

Here is the full press release:

REALD 3D BIGGEST AND BRIGHTEST AT SHOWEST

3D Cinema Leader RealD Uses RealD XL Technology to Bring Digital 3D to Larger Screens Than Ever Before

Los Angeles (March 13, 2008) – RealD 3D, the global leader in 3D, continued its innovations in 3D cinema at the ShoWest film conference with spectacular demonstrations of its RealD XL larger-screen technology, which allows RealD's next-generation 3D experience to reach screens over 60 feet wide with a single projector. RealD XL was first unveiled at the November 5, 2007 premiere of Paramount Pictures' Beowulf in Los Angeles.

On Tuesday , DreamWorks Animation chairman and CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg presented a sneak preview of the studio's Monsters vs. Aliens (releasing March 27, 2009 through Paramount) along with a special 3D clip of DreamWorks's 2D summer film Kung Fu Panda, both in RealD 3D, at the Paris Las Vegas Theatre Des Arts. The clips were shown on the Des Arts's 60-foot screen utilizing RealD XL with a single DLP projector and impressed nearly 2,000 convention-goers with the depth, clarity, and color of the 3D visuals. Mr. Katzenberg said, "The proprietary tools and techniques that we've developed as a part of our 3D initiative and the use of Real D's groundbreaking XL technology together allowed us to project onto the silver screen 3D images with unprecedented clarity during Tuesday's ShoWest presentation."

Wednesday at ShoWest, New Line Cinema and RealD screened New Line's summer tentpole, Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D (releasing July 11, 2008), also at the Theatre Des Arts , in RealD 3D utilizing RealD XL. New Line Cinema President of Domestic Distribution David Tuckerman said, "We were thrilled to screen Journey in its entirety in RealD 3D to ShoWest attendees. The film looked great on the extra-large screen- bright, sharp, and colorful- and the audience was blown away."

RealD 3D's ability to reach larger screens than any other digital 3D technology enables exhibitors to show the upcoming slate of 3D movies in their largest auditoriums, increasing both the potential audience for 3D films and incremental revenue for the exhibition community. Drew Kaza, EVP, Digital Development at Odeon-UCI Group, said, "RealD's ability to bring 3D to larger screens is great news for those of us who have embraced 3D and wish to maximize its potential in our largest auditoriums. We are thrilled that screen size is no longer a constraint of great digital 3D."

Michael Lewis, RealD 3D chairman and CEO, said, "RealD is committed to 3D cinema and to innovation. 3D is all we do - and this expertise allows us to continually upgrade our cinema technology, providing the absolute best 3D experience available. RealD XL is the latest example of that."

RealD was recently named to Fast Company's "Fast 50" Most Innovative Companies.

RealD XL will be available as a component of the RealD 3D system for larger theaters in late 2008.

RealD is the global leader in 3D, bringing the most advanced and enjoyable digital 3D experience to cinemas worldwide. RealD’s next-generation technology, deployed across the world’s largest 3D platform in 24 countries, provides a stunningly realistic viewing experience beyond the usual concepts of 3D cinema. The impact of 3D upon today’s moviemaking has been compared to the advent of color film when once there was only black and white. 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 visualization technologies are used by organizations such as NASA, Pfizer, BMW, Boeing and more. For more information, visit www.reald.com.