THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES Eying $1 Billion - Opens To $50m In China!

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES has opened to $49.5m in China which is just about as much as the first Hobbit movie made during it's entire run in the country! Goes to show the recognition that the movie brings now to the Chinese as well as the further development of the theater industry there - especially 3D. With FIVE ARMIES being made in native 3D with world leading 3ality Technica rigs, these box office results underscore what great movie making can achieve.

Peter Jackson's finale to the Hobbit trilogy has raked in $866 million worldwide as of now and as China is it's last major market the echos of the release may be enough to push it to the magic billion dollar mark despite being obviously snubbed by the Academy for Oscars this year. The movie only managed to be nominated for Sound Editing. How it is not at least nominated for Visual Effects is beyond me.

Will THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES hit $1 billion? Will we ever return to Middle-earth again any time soon? I'd dearly love to see some spin offs from these movies - character origins stories, adventures and the like. I doubt the Tolkien estate would allow it, but there would definitely be a huge market for it. Even a bridge movie bringing Legolas together with Strider as described at the end of the movie would be huge.

Can't wait to get the extended trilogy versions on Blu-ray! All the behind the scenes action is what I really enjoy in these boxed sets. Stay tuned for further box office updates!

International 3D And Advanced Imaging Society Announces Nominees For 3D Awards

Here's this year's nominations for awards from our friends over at the International 3D and Advanced Imaging Society. There is some amazing productions here - I personally loved DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES and X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. 2014 was a great year for 3D! Very excited to see Jean-Pierre Jeunet being honored here - his THE YOUNG AND PRODIGIOUS T.S. SPIVET looks amazing.

Here's the press release:

The International 3D and Advanced Imaging Society has announced its top nominated 3D features - Live Action and Animation, as well as the 2D to 3D Conversion categories were voted on by the International 3D Society's members for the 2015 Creative Arts Awards Ceremony to be held January 28th at Warner Bros. Studios.

The top live action nominees include “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (Marvel/Disney), “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” (20th Century Fox), “Exodus: Gods and Kings” (20th Century Fox), “Guardians of the Galaxy (Marvel/Disney), “Maleficent,” (The Walt Disney Studios), “Noah” (Fox/Paramount), “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (Paramount Pictures), “The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (Sony Pictures Entertainment), “The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies,” (Warner Bros./New Line), “Transformers: Age of Extinction (Paramount Pictures), and “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” (20th Century Fox).

In the animation category, the top nominees include “Big Hero 6” (The Walt Disney Studios), “How to Train Your Dragon 2” (DreamWorks Animation, “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” (DreamWorks Animation), “Rio 2” (20th Century Fox Animation), “The Book of Life” (20th Century Fox Animation), “The Boxtrolls” (Laika), “The Lego Movie” (Warner Bros.), “Planes: Fire & Rescue” (Pixar/Disney) and “Penguins of Madagascar”), Fox/DreamWorks Animation)

The nominees for 2D to 3D Conversion include ”300 Rise of an Empire” (Warner Bros.), “Captain America The Winter Soldier” (Marvel/Disney), “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” (20th Century Fox), “Godzilla” (Warner Bros.), “Guardians of the Galaxy (Marvel/Disney),”Maleficent” (The Walt Disney Studios), “Noah” (Fox/Paramount), “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (Paramount Pictures), and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (Sony Pictures Entertainment).

“Many of the leading blockbusters of 2014, were some of the highest grossing 3D films in history, and we are thrilled that this genre of filmmaking has a significant role in film quality and innovation,” said Buzz Hays of the True Image Company and Society Awards Chairman. “These films are visually stunning to watch and are continuously evolving.”

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.

Sky, Atlantic Productions and David Attenborough will receive the Society’s Sir Charles Wheatstone Award for creative excellence in 3D story telling.

Since launching in October 2010, Sky 3D has broken new ground across a range of genres including live music, the arts, sports, movies and natural history, including six landmark projects from Sir David Attenborough with a seventh, Conquest of the Skies, due to premiere on the service this Christmas. Produced by Colossus Productions, a joint venture company formed by Sky and Atlantic Productions, Attenborough’s Sky 3D documentaries have delighted critics and audiences alike, and delivered multiple award wins.

Sir Charles Wheatstone is credited by history as the inventor of modern-day 3D. The Society’s Wheatstone Award has previously been presented to Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Panasonic Hollywood Labs.

The Society’s annual Harold Lloyd Award will be presented to Academy Award Nominee and French Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet. 
Jeunet's latest work 'The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet,' starring Helena Bonham Carter, Judy Davis, and Kyle Catlett, was produced in 3D and shot at various locations in Canada and Washington D.C. The film has been released in Europe and the Weinstein Company has acquired North American theatrical release rights.

"Jean-Pierre Jeunet has thrilled us with movies including 'Amélie,' 'The City of Lost Children,' 'Delicatessen,' 'A Very Long Engagement,' and countless others," said Society Awards Chairman Buzz Hays of the True Image Company. "With 'T.S. Spivet,' he has graced us with an extraordinary work of 3D artistry," Hays added.

Harold Lloyd was a keen observer and was deeply influenced by the French filmmakers of his era," stated Suzanne Lloyd, Chairman of Harold Lloyd Entertainment. "As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Harold first stepping in front of the camera, I know he would be thrilled that this award, bearing his name, be presented to an artist of Mr. Jeunet's passion and achievement," added Lloyd.

Confirmed guests to attend thus far include, Sky Productions Head of Non-Scripted, Celia Taylor, Anthony Geffen, President and CEO of Atlantic Productions, Chris deFaria; President, Animation, Digital Production and Visual Effects, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Marvel Studios, James Gunn, Director, "Guardians of the Galaxy.”


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 And 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 its members and their consumers. With over 60 companies and 1,800 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.

More on the awards as they happen! Stay tuned. Good luck to all!
 

Movie Review - THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES - 9.1 Stars!

Peter Jackson has done it again. He has nailed the genre and no one is better on the face of the earth in bringing such to the big screen. Furthermore Jackson is spearheading the future of cinema with his outstanding use of stereoscopic native 3D (using rigs from 3ality Technica) and High Frame Rates (48 fps).

That said, one really does have to watch all three Hobbit movies one after the other to get a sense of story and character development and so as a standalone movie I have to score those aspects much lower than I would if all three movies were one. I would wager most movie goers will have seen the previous two Hobbit movies however and the best way to see the whole story is to watch them all back to back to back.

I won't spoil the movie for those of you who haven't seen it as of yet. I will tell it is more of what you have come to expect from Peter Jackson and company. Thrilling adventure, magnificent characters and epic battles. Everything is as it should be from Howard Shore's magnificent score to the visuals to the acting performances.

I'll briefly diverge here for a moment. The sole operator of movie theaters in my area, Cineplex, has decided to not distribute THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES in HFR in my area - perhaps all of Canada - I'm checking into this. I am extremely disappointed in this decision. They have no competition here and so I have no way of checking out the HFR version of the movie. So I apologize to you that I can't comment on the HFR . I will say that judging from previous movies I have seen I believe variable frame rate will be the way of the future in that portions of movies will be shown in HFR while the remainder will toggle back to 24 fps. This way the effect will not be jarring and HFR will only be used for moments that truly will shine with the technology - such as slow motion.

So what did I love about the movie? Certainly I will elaborate in detail in the comment section below where spoilers are encouraged, but to be honest, I loved the whole thing. I have some questions that I'd like your opinions on (again in the comments) but overall I have seen the movie twice now, one in IMAX 3D and the other in AVX (7.1) 3D and it just keeps getting better.

Some scenes are literally crying out for more - or origin stories - or just singular character stories; essentially I want Jackson to continue to make Middle-earth stories, but with his own original ideas within the world. Again I can't say more here, but I will below.

So the native 3D was outstanding! A perfect blend of function (immersion and excitement) with the practical (forgetting the 3D was even there). In other words, this 3D that was shot on the world's leading native 3D rigs from 3ality Technica was perfectly executed. I saw no flaws to speak of at all. Battle scenes were amazing. Sweeping shots of cities and towns along with the jaw dropping vistas of New Zealand's 3D Middle-earth were inspired and delectable. Intimate character shots were oh so real in native 3D!

The visual effects of the movie were definitely in the genre wheelhouse of Weta Digital and they brought them to us with unreal precision. Suspension of disbelief came easy for me when the extremes were handled with care - from decisive serious scenes to comedic scenes didn't make me think at all about how it was done, but simply to live it.

70% of the initial world box office was generated from 3D ticket sales for the movie, underscoring that 3D is now part of our culture. Can't wait to see what 2015's 3D movies have in store for us!

Sadly, this will be the last trip to Tolkien's world - unless we are very lucky. But it was as if Peter Jackson himself said: "If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end, as to be worthy of remembrance."

If you have seen the movie already, then I invite you to read the comments below and join in on the conversation! And if you haven't seen the movie yet... WHAT? What are you waiting for? :-) Christmas? 'Cause you know, Christmas is here...

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES is now playing in 3D, IMAX 3D, HFR 3D and flat.

GOLD! THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES Will Open $75M+, Already At $122M+ Overseas - Over 70% Of Total From 3D Screens!

This is it guys. The last trip we will have to Middle-earth for a long time. So go out and enjoy it! Peter Jackson's THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES opened last night to massive midnight screenings and is projected to hit north of $75 million for the weekend. Add on the $122 million it has already made overseas and we're well on our way to another gigantic release for Tolkien's imagination. Well mostly Tolkien and some kind liberty by a fella known as Peter Jackson.

After seeing the first two releases in this franchise series, it really makes me wonder what Guillermo del Toro's versions would have been like. More practical effects I'm sure, but what would be the big differences? I'm hoping that perhaps some of those concepts get included in the upcoming trilogy blu-ray set for THE HOBBIT next year. They've got my money already, but that would be the icing on the cake.

Back to the matter at hand - I won't be able to see the finale until the weekend, but Tim says he's seen it already so it will be great to see his review on the movie and the native 3D. Mine will be coming forthwith! Can't wait to see all that native 3D goodness, all from the amazing 3D rigs of 3ality Technica. Bring it on!

Here's the movie's storyline:
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES is now playing in 3D, HFR 3D, IMAX 3D and flat.

First Clip From THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES!

Check the first clip from THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES and Bilbo's bravery in spite of Gandalf's opinion of the situation.

The falling snow in this particular scene is going to add a enchanting piece of realism and immersion in native 3D! Stereographer Sean Kelly (my exclusive interview with him here) and his team using 3ality Technica native 3D rigs and RED Epic cameras are going to nail this movie, I can feel it. Add in the CG snow for optimal immersion and we have a perfect balance for this shot. Can't wait to see in three dimensions!

Here's the storyline for the movie:
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES opens on December 17, a mere 2 weeks from now! See it in 3D, HFR 3D and IMAX 3D.

**WARNING: Obvious spoilers in this clip as it is from the actual upcoming movie! Fair warning.

Fall Stereographer Interview Series - THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES' SEAN KELLY

Our Fall Stereographer Series continues and has a great list of the world's best stereographers and technicians. Our goal is to enlighten you about the modern stereographer, his/her role in major tentpole productions, new technology and expert advice for the up and coming new generation of 3D creators. Be sure to check out all our interviews right here.

Next on tap for our series is stereographer Sean Kelly (THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY) who has also worked on some other movies in various capacities that you MAY have heard of, like AVATAR and THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN. How I would dearly love to be a fly on the wall during the production of these movies!! Well, we've got the next best thing in Sean right now...

Here's THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES' storyline:
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

Thanks for making yourself available Sean - I know you are very busy! Let's start off with what is your favorite 3D movie and why?
Sean Kelly: I enjoyed the visuals and story of THE LIFE OF PI. The idea of being left in the middle of a large expanse has always appealed to me in 3D. To me, this is a movie that deserved 3D due to simplicity of the environment for much of the movie and how it played on the fact that we naturally understand the space of a vast ocean. 3D did its job of enhancing an already fantastic story and absorbing the viewer in the drama without asking for any "work" on the viewers behalf. The beautiful visual effects and lack of gratuitous 3D, for 3D sake, did it for me. GRAVITY was also a movie that worked extremely well. Again, the environment of space being a fantastic setting to showcase 3D, albeit, a conversion.

I loved LIFE OF PI! And GRAVITY was amazing with plenty of rendered 3D too. Explain your thoughts on the native 3D vs. 3D conversion debate as it stands with today's technology?
SK: I practice the native style of film making so I am prejudiced towards that. There is no doubt that conversions can be done at extremely high quality. Cost will of course always be a factor in the decision. If a movie is converted without enough money or time, then the final product will suffer. This is not necessarily true when shooting native. In conversions, if each shot is "signed off" by the director when they are 100% happy, and have the proper resources to ensure there is no compromise, there is no reason flawless 3D cannot be achieved. I suspect that often the reason a movie is converted is based on the fear of shooting speed on Set with 3D rigs. I believe this fear is unfounded with todays equipment and crews.

What do you make of the negative comments that Seamus McGarvey has made regarding 3D?
SK: Making a 3D movie was often filled with unknown technical dangers. These can be easily solved now. They can have a roll on effect when shooting starts. Preparation of the rigs to be used and the understanding of their limitations and expected uses is extremely important. On "the Hobbit" we had a very clear understanding of what was expected when shooting started and were lucky enough to have the backup and technical expertise on hand to ensure we were ready. 3Ality and RED were with us from the start so we could discuss, develop and solve issues in a very quick manner. We found that rather than prepping, we used the systems as though we were in a shooting scenario as early in preproduction as possible. This enabled us to encounter not only the time frames needed to put our systems into different configurations, (lens changes, cranes, hand-held, steadicam etc) but also to find 3Dcentric issues that a 2D crew would not normally anticipate. Our aim was to shoot at 2D speed and we were all very proud of the end result. Some of the developments, like wireless steadicam, helped operators continue their jobs without technology becoming a burden. Of course, the post production pipeline also benefited greatly from this pre production approach. To start a shoot, without solving these mainly time issues, understandably leads to problems. These "problems" are solvable and it is very possible to shoot movies, as we have always done in 2D, with the right people, equipment and preparation. It is a pity he had such an experience, it doesn't necessarily need to be that way.

Yes I've heard many, many great things about the technical expertise from 3ality. How to you position China now on the world cinema stage now that they have ~20,000 3D screens in place and growing?
SK: A major improvement! Its great to see how they have embraced the 3D technology and have decided it is the future. I believe they are shooting more 3D than 2D now? And TV content must also be delivered in 3D in many cases. For me it is a natural progression in visual media. We have had the technology to make this possible for many years now and the leaders, like 3Ality, are firmly setup there now. I hope other countries take note that, with good content, 3D is at least equal if not a better experience. They are also a huge market for the West which can always help the bottom line. Too much negative press for 3D worldwide was based on hearsay and faux 3D. Everything is in place for many countries to do the same as China and, also, the 4K TV can only help.

I agree. What brought you to 3D in the first place? (chance, study, interest, etc)
SK: I was a 1st AC based in Wellington. When James Cameron came to town to shoot Avatar I was asked if I would be interested in being a "convergence operator". I very quickly found I enjoyed the medium and learned many valuable lessons under James Cameron. After this I became involved in various projects with local cinematographer Richard Bluck and Peter Jackson. Peter was very innovative and experimented with 3D well before the Hobbit. During these times we used 3Ality rigs and RED cameras. I could safely say I was in the right place at the right time with the right people.

I'll say! James Cameron and Peter Jackson are two of the top driving forces of the 3D industry. What is your preferred set up on set? (camera, rig, lens, etc)
SK: Steadicam. The TS5 lightweight in full wireless mode. prime lens, a few picture receivers set up, our wireless IA/convergence set up, with many players in the scene. I imagine a nightmare for the operator to remember all the lines but the more IA/convergence moves the better. This, when done right, can be seamless and very rewarding as an end result. I think this may be the focus puller in me.

Are there any new stereoscopic technologies coming out in the field that has your interest?
SK: Laser projection for better brightness and bigger dynamic ranges. Colour is such an important part of depth perception so the whiter whites and blacker blacks with a greater controllable range in between will be a benefit to 3D.

When working with optics do you find there is disparity between how long it takes to make a 2D lens change verses a modern 3D set up?
SK: We will always blow our trumpets at this point. The 1st AC's I have worked with are extremely capable. We mainly shoot prime lenses. For them to unhook lens motors, slide two cameras back, remove and remount the new lens, re-hook motors and slide the two bodies back into position takes one to two minutes. The stereographer part of remotely loading the lens data to the rig and then visually aligning the lens in a zero or overlay position takes another couple of minutes. This sounds fast, and it can be. Obviously the physical position of where this needs to occur can add a little time. Many times it can be done quicker and there are tricks with the 3Ality system that means the remote stage done by the stereographer can be done during setup/rehearsal to shorten the time even more.


What would be your favorite shot for 3D and why?
SK: I have always liked a wide lens on a big technocrane move into a full drama shot. A slow move establishing the environment at the head. I like to ignore any so called edge violations in the move. Lots of atmosphere, heavy rain and a finishing point where the negative space can be used. A set with texture and natural depth cues. With luck, no CG elements that weren't expected will appear later!

Obviously 3D has matured since the late 2000's both in technology and expertise. What credentials / experience would you mention that helps separate you from the field and brings you to the top of the industry?
SK: I have been extremely lucky with the people and technologies that have crossed my path. From my first 3D experience with Avatar to the continuing work with experts like Director Peter Jackson, Cinematographer Richard Bluck, Post Production Stereograhper Meetal Gokul, physical and electronic technical expert Dion Hartley, and the farm of experts at 3Ality, I'm just very lucky.

What education would you recommend to up and coming stereographers / cinematographers in today's world?
SK: There are now many 3D courses available worldwide. I don't really have any knowledge of their quality so I can't comment. I am sure there would be excellent ones out there. Or the "hands on" method of contacting anyone who is in 3D. We are an industry of people passionate about what we do. Many of us (if not all) have been helped to get where we are by kind and sharing people and will naturally help others, when possible, into the industry. The problem can be the timing of when that help can be given so keep trying. Also, read about and watch 3D! Lots of it, you need to train your eyes to see it properly. Cinematographers shooting in 3D can be greatly helped by collaborating with a good stereographer. Stereo is only there to enhance what the Cinematographer and Director are out to achieve. It shouldn't be a compromise.

Do you have a post-production software preference for working with the stereo images to do any fine tuning you need to do?
SK: Meetal Gokul is the expert and he is using Mistika from SGO. Park Road Post Production have worked closely with SGO to develop pipelines and workflows with their DI platform Mistika. It has been a strategic partnership for a number of years, providing the solutions that have been needed.

How important is resolution? Would more pixels be more important for stereo 3D? Higher dynamic range? HFR, like what is used in THE HOBBIT trilogy?
SK: Acquisition at higher resolution is a benefit but it is necessary that they go through the entire process to realize their benefit. More pixels only if they are "good" pixels. They must include the best dynamic range, color space and color range. HFR is a given when you see and feel the smoother visual delivery of the movie.

Are there any specialty filters that you find enhance the stereo images? How about specialty filters that you have found should never be used?
SK: We have always shot without filtration. Polas can cause retinal disparities very easily and should therefore be used carefully.

Split focus diopters are a popular tool in 2D. Do you think a director looking for an effect like that can get that in stereo 3D?
SK: That would be something I would like to try. I haven't up until now and would be interested in the result.

Open mic: What is the biggest challenge that you'd like to openly discuss about today's 3D?
SK: Conversion vs Native. Can we find a way to shoot Native in the first place rather than convert later? I still believe that negative space looks better in native capture. Are the producers convinced that the native process is much more expensive? Is 48fps or 60fps the future? Does this slow down the uptake of native shooting due to the post production price and fit out? And subtitle placement??! These questions are part of what keeps the 3D world an exciting place to be involved in as it develops.

Open mic: What are you happiest about in the 3D field
SK: I enjoy the film making process and being part of the creative process. It is good to still be onset and still have the experience of film making. The physical side of shooting native 3D means I can still be up a mountain or beside a river. Knowing that advancements in technology mean that 3D will only become better and more accessible. I love walking onto a new set that will lend itself to good 3D and know that this is where we can make a difference from the traditions of 2D

If there was one thing you could change about the industry what would it be?
SK: The sometimes negative attitude towards 3D. I understand that it is very differcult to make everyone enjoy 3D, but we can help change this pre-conception by making more good 3D. There are very capable Stereographers, Cinemotographers, and Post Production houses who could help in projects that are damaging the 3D reputation. The people and physical technology is already here to be used and New Zealand is a great place to do it.


Thanks so much for your time for this Sean! Speaking for everyone, I wish the best of success for the finale of THE HOBBIT in THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES at the box office and for the award season. I'm sure I'll be in the theater multiple times to relive the experience over and over again just like I did with the first two! For more from Sean, check out Peter Jackson's production video blog #6 right here.

Stay tuned for our next interview in the our Stereographer Series coming soon!

James Cameron Dishes On AVATAR Sequels: "They’re gonna be BITCHIN'!"

James Cameron has come out from his creativity cave to finally give the world some comments on his AVATAR sequels and he doesn't disappoint! What I love about his movies are that they go for broke and leave nothing on the table. It's in your face and authentic. So yes, you can expect to have your mind blown for each and every one of these sequels. 

Here's what he had to say:
“I can tell you one thing about them, they’re gonna be bitchin’. You will sh*t yourself with your mouth wide open.”

Not surprising words to describe his movies - he's earned the right to say them, jokingly or not. More importantly to me, he addressed a technical issue that has been on the top of my mind since I spoke with him after his high frame rate (HFR) demonstration in Vegas. Specifically, whether he was leaning more toward 60 fps or 48 fps. Here's his dish on that:

“My thinking at the time was that 60 (frames per second) might be a better segue to the video market. I’ll be plugging into a system that’s a little more mature, so it makes sense for me to do 48 frames at this point.”

We all know that Peter Jackson's HOBBIT franchise was all shot in native 3D (with those amazing 3ality Technica rigs) and at a HFR of 48 fps. Cameron is giving a nod to Jackson for getting the ball rolling on HFR and it appears as though Lightstorm Entertainment will follow this same path at 48 fps. Further, with Cameron's close friend's franchise finale THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES launching in mere weeks, Cameron also acknowledged that a MAJOR plot point in the original AVATAR originated from Jackson and/or Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens...

“When Neytiri is holding Jake and she’s just brought him back to consciousness, the ‘I see you’ line was suggested by them. It might have been Peter who said that.”

For me, that scene in the trailer where Neytiri holds Jake is the culmination of the entire movie. It was make or break time and the visual effects prevailed big-time. I can't tell you the emotional impact that scene had on me from a creative standpoint. It resonated with me deeply and it still affects my creative writing to this day. So yeah, huge contribution by Jackson and his team on that one, and good on Cameron to give that credit. Man, would I ever like to see a collaboration between Jackson and Cameron on a project - similar to what Jackson has done with Spielberg - but MORE. :-)

More on the AVATAR sequels when I get them.

Source: Empire

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES Theatrical Trailer is Here!

Tim here, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Theatrical Trailer is finally here! YAY! I've put it above so you can watch it front and center. It's so dark and so intense. This isn't the children's story the book was originally anymore. This film will definitely lead into The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The emotional stakes are high.

My first thoughts are: WOW! Peter Jackson will make his last journey into Middle-Earth an epic one. And it's going to look so good in Native Stereoscopic 3D and High Frame Rates shot on 3ality Technica rigs. About one month to go until this movie is unleashed upon the world, and the anticipation is so great. This trailer gives us only glimpses of what to expect. I plan on being thoroughly surprised by his vision.

The release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies arrives in theaters December 17^th, 2014 in IMAX 3D, RealD 3D, HFR 3D.

Tomorrow the Final HOBBIT Trailer Arrives!

Post by The Hobbit.

Tim here. As you can see from The Hobbit's Facebook post tomorrow the final dragon... I mean trailer... will descend upon Laketown... I mean us. Man, I really want to see this movie. Look out for our post tomorrow as soon as it arrives.

The release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies arrives in theaters December 17^th, 2014 in IMAX 3D, RealD 3D, HFR 3D.

UPDATE: Theatrical Trailer for THE HOBBIT 3 Coming Nov. 6?

Tim here, and Happy Halloween everyone. It's the last day of October and we still haven't gotten a theatrical trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies like we thought. TORN is reporting that November 6^th may be the date. Warner Bros. will likely pair it with another big movie of theirs: Interstellar. This is a slight margin of error for PJ's earlier comments this year. We can't hold it against him as we all know delays are bound to happen. Plus today is a special day for him.

We'll keep an eye out and share it with you as soon as it hits. For the meantime enjoy dressing up as your favorite characters from your favorite 3D movies this year... Happy Halloween. And... Happy Birthday Peter Jackson!

The release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies arrives in theaters December 17^th, 2014 in IMAX 3D, RealD 3D, HFR 3D.

Must Watch: Hobbitized Air New Zealand Safety Video !

You gotta love the relationship Air New Zealand has with Peter Jackson as they have collaborated before on commercials. AirNZ wraps their planes in Hobbit characters too.

And of course they need to have a Middle-earth safety video as well! So check it out below and, hey, why not entertain a trip to New Zealand? They'll get you there, and back again.

Here's the movie's storyline:
From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES, the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain.

As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES marches into theaters December 17 in HFR 3D, IMAX 3D, RealD 3D and flat.

Five More HOBBIT Character Posters!

Tim here, and here are yet another five more character posters for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Again spread across the last few posts on The Hobbit's Official Facebook Page. The images above are the new posters, and each keeps the close-up on the face of the character theme; First up Bard (Lee Evans), then Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly), followed by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), then Thranduil (Lee Pace), and lastly Bilbo (Martin Freeman). Yes, another Bilbo poster, but this one stays in the theme of the others.

Next up we'll get posters of Merry, Pippin, and Samwise... kidding. Obviously, we've yet to get all the dwarves: Fili, Kili, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Ori, Nori, Dori, Oin, Gloin, Dwalin, and Balin. My, oh my, I hope I didn't leave anyone out. However, Bilbo is the last of the character posters according to the Facebook Page. And then: the theatrical trailer!

I can't say when the theatrical trailer will hit. However, it is supposed to be this month. So keep cool and we'll let you know a soon as it hits.

The release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies arrives in theaters December 17^th, 2014 in IMAX 3D, RealD 3D, HFR 3D shot in native 3D with 3ality Technica rigs.

More Character Posters for THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES !

Tim here, and here are three more character posters for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. Spread across a few posts the last few days from The Hobbit's Official Facebook Page. The images above are the new posters. Each of them are close-ups on the faces of each character; First up we have Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellan) looking off to the side with a grim expression, followed by Galadrail (Cate Blanchett) staring directly into the eyes of viewer, and finally Legalos (Orlando Bloom) poised with his bow ready to let an arrow loose.

If you go to the Official Facebook Page and comment on the latest posting of the picture you can vote who's character poster you'd like to see next. This means we're going to be getting more character posters, and it could possibly be a character poster a day until we get the theatrical trailer. The cast is that large, so it is feasible.

The release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies arrives in theaters December 17^th, 2014 in IMAX 3D, RealD 3D, HFR 3D..

New Poster Of Bilbo For THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES !

Tim here, and it looks like we'll be getting the next trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies soon because yesterday Peter Jackson shared a new poster on his Official Facebook Page. The image to the left is the new poster. It depicts Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) with his sword, Sting, thrust out in front of him, and what lies behind him is the devastation of a battle with burning flags and what looks to be the ruin of Dale.

Now there's nothing that explicitly states that we're getting a new trailer soon, however due to comments earlier in the year it's more than probable. Back in July when the teaser trailer was released we had been informed that the full theatrical trailer would hit in the fall. Our belief was that it would possibly be October. With the release of this poster on Jackson's Facebook it sparks the need to pay close attention again to Jackson's page. Most of the activity since the teaser trailer debut has been with regards to The Hobbit Fan Contest. Thus, this poster is an indication that activity on the page is about to increase. And we're still early in October so it could be the end of October that we'll actually get to see the trailer released. However, we're going to keep an open eye out for you and post it hear as soon as it's available.

In the meantime enjoy this new poster. I hope it's the start of many more Character Posters that we'll be seeing leading up to the release of The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. The movie hits theaters December 17^th, 2014 in IMAX 3D, RealD 3D, HFR 3D - all shot in native 3D with 3ality Technica rigs!

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF FIVE ARMIES Banner Released In Higher Resolution

Click on Banner to Enlarge

The banner that was seen at the San Diego Comic Con has now been released in higher resolution and it is gorgeous. The banner shows the chronology of what takes place in the final chapter of THE HOBBIT's trilogy of movies starting with Smaug's rage on Laketown to the huge final battle sequences.

The best way to experience this banner is over at EW - click here to view it with a moveable virtual magnifying glass to blow up all the intricate details. Imagine these shots in beautiful native HFR 3D captured on Red Epics with 3ality Technica rigs! Can't wait.

Here is the movie's storyline:
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town.

Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain.

As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES opens on December 17 in 3D, HFR 3D, IMAX 3D and flat.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Teaser Trailer Lands

Tim here, and the Teaser Trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is here! It's the final Hobbit movie, and it looks insane already. Check it out below:

First thoughts are: WOW! I love how the logos fly by at the very beginning. They would look so cool in stereo 3D, and I hope that I can see it in front of Guardians of the Galaxy this Friday in 3D. And the native 3D for the production should be over the top with 3ality Technica manning the camera rigs! We barely get glimpses of the action that is to come in the movie. We see a brief shot of Smaug bringing devastation to Laketown, followed by a shot of the aftermath. I definitely get a sense of the "calm before the storm" type of pacing with this teaser trailer. There's plenty of shots leading up to the big titular battle, and possibly some shots from it. I will say that the cinematography, color, and VFX presented within are already impressive.

The movie hits theaters December 17^th, 2014 in IMAX 3D, RealD 3D, HFR 3D, and regular flavor 2D. We can also expect a full theatrical trailer in the fall, probably around October.

Instagram Teaser of Teaser Trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Tim here, and it looks like we got a 15-second teaser of the Teaser Trailer for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies from the official Instagram account of The Hobbit Movie. Check it out below.

The new teaser trailer for #TheHobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies will be unveiled tomorrow at 12pm PT / 3pm ET! http://t.co/CpJnmXfPbV
— The Hobbit (@TheHobbitMovie) July 27, 2014

And later, the full 1080 version hit YouTube:

The teaser trailer will hit tomorrow (Monday, July 28, 2014) around 3PM EDT / 12PM PDT.

SDCC 2014: First Poster For THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES; First Look This Saturday In Hall H !

Click to enlarge

Glorious! Love this poster!! It's not often I am so elated by a poster but in this case I will make an exception. The Hobbit's twitter account just launched the movie into marketing mode with this poster and that Warner Bros will host a first look in Hall H, Saturday at 10am. So if you're at the San Diego Comic-con and are planning on lining up... do so right now!

Think about it. The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The first two Hobbit movies. Decades of trials and tribulations to get this all on screen and it all boils down to this final chapter! Smaug is rolling in!

The poster amplifies the setting, depicting the great dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) staring down Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans) of Lake-Town. And yes, Lake-Town is made of wood. Uh-oh.

Here's the storyline for the movie:
THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world. Enraged, Smaug rains his fiery wrath down upon the defenseless men, women and children of Lake-town. Obsessed above all else with his reclaimed treasure, Thorin sacrifices friendship and honor to hoard it as Bilbo’s frantic attempts to make him see reason drive the Hobbit towards a desperate and dangerous choice. But there are even greater dangers ahead. Unseen by any but the Wizard Gandalf, the great enemy Sauron has sent forth legions of Orcs in a stealth attack upon the Lonely Mountain. As darkness converges on their escalating conflict, the races of Dwarves, Elves and Men must decide – unite or be destroyed. Bilbo finds himself fighting for his life and the lives of his friends in the epic Battle of the Five Armies, as the future of Middle-earth hangs in the balance.

THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES opens on December 17 in HFR 3D, 3D and IMAX 3D. This marks the end of one of the greatest fantasy epics ever told, and presumably the end of the Tolkien Middle-earth universe as well, at least for quite some time. Sad really. I hope this movie owns up to it's pedigree. THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES is shot in native 3D using 3ality Technica rigs in 48 frames per second. Can't wait!!

TITLE CHANGE: Hobbit 3 Now Titled THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES !

SURPRISE! Tim here, and Peter Jackson has revealed today that the third Hobbit movie will in fact be called: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. That's right. Read below what Jackson had to say on his Official Facebook Page announcing the title change:

Peter Jackson

---

_“Inside Information...

Our journey to make The Hobbit Trilogy has been in some ways like Bilbo's own, with hidden paths revealing their secrets to us as we've gone along. "There and Back Again" felt like the right name for the second of a two film telling of the quest to reclaim Erebor, when Bilbo's arrival there, and departure, were both contained within the second film. But with three movies, it suddenly felt misplaced—after all, Bilbo has already arrived "there" in the "Desolation of Smaug".

When we did the premiere trip late last year, I had a quiet conversation with the studio about the idea of revisiting the title. We decided to keep an open mind until a cut of the film was ready to look at. We reached that point last week, and after viewing the movie, we all agreed there is now one title that feels completely appropriate.

And so: "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" it is.

As Professor Tolkien intended, "There and Back Again" encompasses Bilbo's entire adventure, so don't be surprised if you see it used on a future box-set of all three movies.

Before then however, we have a film to finish, and much to share with you. It's been a nice quiet time for us—Jabez and I happily editing away in a dark cave in Wellington—but those halcyon days are quickly coming to an end. It will soon be time to step into the light. Expect to see and hear much about The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies in the coming months.

And there's also The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Cut, which we're in the process of finishing, with over 25 mins of new scenes, all scored with original music composed by Howard Shore.

It'll be a fun year!_”

There you have it. At least he revealed some additional information about The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition and how much extra footage we can expect. More than likely additional Mirkwood footage will be in there, including Bombur taking a nap after his dip in an enchanted stream as per the book. Also, it's nice to hear that the There and Back Again title isn't completely abandoned as it may show up in box sets of the movie. Here's to hoping for an awesome Extended Edition Trilogy Box Set titled The Hobbit: There and Back Again.

Fear not as the release date for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is still December 17^th, 2014. And, look for word on the release of the The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition release date.