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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

XpanD 3D System Demoed at "Battle for Terra" Screening

Michael here.  At ShoWest last week XpanD showed off their 3D system at a screening of Lionsgate /Roadside Attractions' computer animated film Battle for Terra.  XpanD is a name you may not be too familiar with if you live in the United States, as the vast majority of 3D screens here utilize Real D's system.  In Europe, however, Real D and Dolby both trail behind XpandD in number of screens.  And in China, XpanD has a near monopoly.

As opposed to Real D's polarized glasses / silver screen combo, XpanD utilizes active lcd shutter glasses and a regular, non-silver screen.  From this screening alone (my first theatrical experience with the XpanD system) I had a difficult time judging any difference in the quality of the 3D experience offered by XpanD, as opposed to that of Real D or Dolby.  However, I can say that XpanD's new X101 Series glasses are great.  Compact and comfortable, they performed perfectly during the movie.  I've had trouble in the past with other brands of lcd shutter glasses in regards to the glasses becoming out of synch with the movie/tv screen, or with the lcd in one or both of the lenses occasionally becoming stuck on the black (blocked) setting.  XPanD has overcome this problem.

Battle for Terra itself is an oddity amongst animated films, to say the least.  There was not a single audible laugh from the audience at any point during the screening--and that may have been the filmmakers' intention.  After all, they've gone very serious with the anti-war message of the film, which is portrayed with all the skill and subtlety of a jackhammer to the skull.  If this film strives for artistic credibility, however, it is undercut by the Saturday morning cartoon quality CG work, phoned-in voice acting, tensionless script, predicable storyline, and a truly awful C-3PO ripoff robot sidekick character (hmm, I guess they were going for laughs afterall.)

And yes, Battle for Terra "borrows" heavily from various aspects of the Avatar scriptment.  But believe me - it borrows, but it has no idea what to do with these ideas.  Overall, this movie strikes me as a cynical ploy to simultaneously cash in on the 3D bandwagon and the excitement for Avatar.

I must emphasize that the XpanD 3D system was great--I hope they continue to work with 3DTV manufacturers to bring their system into the home.  It was the movie that was offensive to the senses.

Graphic courtesy of Charlotte Jones of Screen Digest