Longtime Cronenberg Producer Martin Katz Acquires Feature Length Rights For FOXED!

My good friend James Stewart has ample reason to be full of cheer (other than the holidays being here) with producer Martin Katz (MAPS TO THE STARS, COSMOPOLIS, HOTEL RWANDA) acquiring the worldwide rights to Stewart's 3D short FOXED! as he plans to spool up a feature length stop-motion animation under his production banner Prospero Pictures.

Says Katz: "Emily is a sympathetic girl and the foxes are terrifying. There's no punches pulled in the film's design, which combines stop-motion animation techniques with modern 3D."

I've known James for years now and he is always in the center of the Canadian stereoscopic 3D industry. To view his 3D short on iTunes, click here.

In the short, children are being kidnapped by foxes and forced to work in mines. The feature-length “Foxed!” will continue the story of Emily and the other children who have been kidnapped and must work together to escape and save their town.

From THR: "Stewart's short was released on iTunes in 60 countries after screening at 90 film festivals worldwide. Foxed! has won a half-dozen awards, including at the San Antonio and Garden State film festivals.

Stewart is at work on a script and will direct the Foxed! feature. His screen credits include the 3D work on Werner Herzog's Cave of Forgotten Dreams as well as a slew of cinema commercials, stop-motion and CG animation.

Katz compares the look and mood of the upcoming Foxed! feature to Tim Burton's dark fantasy animation, or Henry Selick's 2009 stop-motion film Coraline. Foxed! is set for a 2017 release, and will include a full Oculus Rift VR experience written and designed to run alongside the theatrical release."

From Variety: “As a storyteller, it’s exciting to work on multiple platforms at once,” Stewart said. “I’m excited about telling the story in an immersive environment, where the viewer is able to have a very different experience with the same story. The VR experience will be a separate, similar story, but it will obviously be nonlinear and be an active experience in 360.”

Stewart said the VR platform offers a host of new opportunities for storytellers, which he finds energizing.

“From a narrative point of view, the difference between VR and linear storytelling is very much like the difference between reading a book and having a dream,” he said. “The way we dream is very nonlinear and very abstract, and I think that is what VR is going to closely resemble, as opposed to something that starts with a beginning, middle and end. It’s definitely going to have a beginning, it’s definitely going to have a middle and it may not have an end, depending on who you are and how enthusiastic you are about it.”

So thrilled for James to have this happen for him and Geneva Film Co. I'm really looking forward to seeing more details about the full length stop-motion animation and how the story has being adapted. Keep an eye open for this one!

Trailer for the 3D Short FOXED!


Sources: THR | Variety

TIS3DC 2013: Great Weekend! Toronto Is A World's Hotspot for On Set 3D Tech And Creative Talent

You all know Tim Buttner who is also a regular contributor on MarketSaw - he and I had an amazing time in Toronto last week at the Toronto International Stereoscopic 3D Convention!

The 2013 edition of the TIS3DC was packed full of surprises for me. I expected to see some familiar faces within the 3D world (and I know a LOT of faces in 3D) but probably not as many as I would see in Los Angeles for example.

I was right initially. It took awhile to acclimatize to the situation - but then it all happened remarkably fast. Conversations. Social drinks. Panels. Screenings. An amazing energy that only a large room full of like minded individuals can muster: A symbiosis of sorts. I quickly became friends with many, many industry professionals and a few really stood out.

I will be the first to admit it, I didn't know about this magnificent cluster of stereographers in Toronto. I don't just mean singular people, their teams are based here as well. And by magnificent I mean it. The stereographer behind HUGO, 47 RONIN and the soon to be released THE YOUNG AND PRODIGIOUS T.S. SPIVET was there: Demetri Portelli. The stereographer behind X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION and THE THREE MUSKETEERS was there: John Harper. The stereographer behind SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D was there: Brent Robinson. And I could go on with more of the local talent but I think you get the picture.

Of course it makes sense in retrospect; Toronto is a major hub of tentpole productions and a very healthy portion of those are 3D. So yes, talent will grow here and I will vouch that it indeed has. These guys are at the top of their game.

Demetri Portelli and Ben Gervais

Take Demetri for example. He gave us a Master Class on how he tackles 3D projects and to underscore just how important his team is to him, he brought in his Camera Systems Engineer Ben Gervais (who I also had the pleasure of speaking with at length). The weekend was more than just an opportunity to see how they pull off a production though. We saw results too with Demetri's latest work THE YOUNG AND PRODIGIOUS T.S. SPIVET and had the added benefit of having master filmmaker Jean-Pierre Jeunet there as well - larger than life - on the big screen via Skype. Let me tell you right now on record, the film is gorgeous. It rivals Scorsese's HUGO in that regard because this is a drama in 3D - and well of course Demetri was the Stereographer on that movie as well.

I think Jay Weissberg of Variety says it best on SPIVET: "Not since “Hugo” has three-dimensionality been used so inventively; unsurprisingly, the films share stereographers in the exceptionally talented Demetri Portelli, whose feel for pictorial planes is miraculous. Rather than seeming cheesy, each element thrown, swept or blown toward the camera induces smiles of surprise."

Yeah, so there's THAT. I haven't seen the whole movie yet but can't wait. What I did see dilated my pupils with excitement. That this level of achievement is arriving in a dramatic setting. I'm here to say as well that I think Demetri Portelli is the world's foremost Stereographer in the dramatic genre today. Yes Brian Gardner did very well with LIFE OF PI, but Portelli has HUGO and SPIVET under his belt now and has branched out into action as well.

Here's an excerpt from Jonathan Holland's review from THR: "...The viewer is bombarded by a jaw-dropping array of enjoyable 3D effects -- motes of prairie dust and scary stuffed animals are among them, but the most satisfying are those which spring from the character’s minds, such as T.S.’s device for dropping an egg without breaking. This has been imagined by both T.S. and by Jeunet with a precision which is then transferred unerringly to the screen by d.p. Thomas Hardmeier and stereographer Demetri Portelli (previously responsible for recreating another young boy’s imagination, that of Martin Scorsese’s Hugo). Larsen’s book is full of T.S.’s devices, designs sketches, and these too are reimagined there, lovingly given motion."

So yes, these guys are talented. World class. I will be speaking to each one of the stereographers listed (and more on other stereo platforms) in a series of interviews on how the standard of native 3D filmmaking is not only maturing - but bringing the whole of cinematography with it. At least ((Whole of cinematography) - (The Wally Pfisters of the world)) > 0. Much greater than zero.

Now about the Toronto International Stereoscopic 3D Conference in general. An amazing weekend organized, staffed and executed in a professional and efficient manner. My compliments to Christos Alex. Giotis, the 3D FLIC Project Director that headed up the events. Amazing job! His team was nothing short of stellar as well. I couldn't believe how networked and easy the screening of segments were. It was a breath of fresh air. The volunteers looked and acted like professionals!

Some great 3D companies represented here too - Adam May of Vision3, London (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES, JACK THE GIANT SLAYER) and I are planning an upcoming interview on the 3D scene in the UK. Robert Neuman, the Stereoscopic Department Head at Disney Animation Studios also spoke at the conference. I won't name all the companies that were represented but I hope this gives you a flavor of the conference.

The talent I touched upon above does not do the whole event justice. There were filmmakers here (April Mullen, director of DEAD BEFORE DAWN 3D and Eric Tessier, director of PEE WEE 3D were on my panel as well as financier Alex Farrell from RBC), James Stewart from Geneva Film Co. (They did FOXED! and the 3D mastering for CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS), Catherine Owens, Director of U2 3D - to this day still a benchmark for 3D concert movies. I loved her keynote and her message regarding education for the 3D industry fell on wide open ears. Read more about her recent 3DOO creative partnership here.

The sky is the limit for this conference, situated exactly where it is in one of the world's epicenters of Stereoscopic 3D.

For all of our TIS3DC coverage, click here. Can't wait for the next iteration!

Tim's Initial Thoughts And Overview of TIS3DC

Hello everyone, Tim here, and I've got a few posts from the Toronto International Stereoscopic 3D Conference (TIS3DC) that will happen through the next week as I collect the notes and images together into Dreamweaver. This first one will cover the big news bits from the second day, and the third day and fourth day will get individual, combined, and special posts, and the big news coming from The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet will be getting it's own post, including a repost of the trailer. News on North American distribution on that film will hopefully be coming soon.

The first day for me was the second, and the opening night's remarks were witnessed by Jim Dorey as I was delayed by traffic crossing the border on a Friday via automobile and checking into my hotel. There are some future posts that will cover specific notes that are in connection with one another. The third day included a special IMAX screening (Born to be Wild), and a preview of a new IMAX documentary (Island of the Lemurs: Madagascar), that included the producer sharing a lot of great bits about the experiences on both. Jim's panel was the third day in the evening following great previews from several key speakers, including the Skype interview with Jean Pierre-Jeanet and his stereographer Demetri Portelli, who was there live in person. The fourth day was a technical day that included a workshop with Portelli and his 3D Production Systems Engineer Ben Gervais, HFR footage was discussed and shown, and again we can't stress how much the stereo industry likes HFR, but research seems to be proving that variable frame rates for playback could be important. More on that in a later post. Brightness was a key talk…

The biggest sense I got was a disappointment in the theatrical system because of the worldwide lack of proprietorship to give the best experience. On a technical level it's being provided, but staff is looked upon poorly for when there's an issue with any technical issue. Even Jean Pierre-Jeanut mentioned during his Skype interview a lacking willingness in France to upgrade the systems and bulbs, plus he displayed preference to a specific system. The greatest hope is for the auto-stereoscopic displays that are on their way. Since certain people couldn't exactly say certain things about certain companies, I don't want to venture into repeating their off-handed comments about auto-stereoscopic tablets that are near. However, the experience I've had with autostereoscopic screens on MasterImages preview devices was good enough that we'll all be in for treats when the public gets their hands on them. By the way, most of us understand people watch short videos on smart phones and will expect stereo content for them. Stereo on phones will have less of a stereo depth because the screen size will always impede it, but it is possible to scale something for that level. Resolution will dictate screen size, and for the big theatrical experience resolution seems like it's going to keep climbing.

Surround Sound is going to get it's own post, as there are some theatrical developments happening with Dolby Atmos and more. The honor of coolest use of PowerPoint/Keynote software for presentation goes to Julian Pinn, who used a method of zooming in to a specific section of his whole presentation keynotes. It reminded me of some of the things that are possible using pinch zooming and scrolling on mobile devices. Needless to say there were further animations within and it overall did a great job giving everyone an understanding that sound isn't done evolving yet. Some buddies of mine in the industry will find this a great post when it comes.

Overall the conference was a great success, and the team who put it together should be proud. A full list of those individuals can be found on their site. Special thanks must be given to them for allowing so many industry to come together. Look out for the next post, which will be on it's way soon.

One final note of a rumor worth repeating: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug may be getting a trailer in front of Gravity on October 4th! Many are excited for the audience's reaction to the stereo in that movie, so a 3D trailer for DOS seems likely since it's the last major Warner Bros. release before the release of DOS.

Toronto International Stereoscopic 3D Conference Converges Sept 20-23 With Yours Truly!

I've received and accepted a moderator role at the Toronto International Stereoscopic 3D Conference this month from the 20th to the 23rd. The conference is a great influencer in Canada and the world in the S3D industry. This year they are reaching out with special screenings, top line talent complete with an exceptional workshop on Quality in Stereo-3D and a masterclass held by Demetri Portelli (47 RONIN, HUGO).

I'll be helming the 6pm session on September 22st entitled: 3D CREATION ON A 2D BUDGET with panelists April Mullen (DEAD BEFORE DAWN 3D), Eric Tessier (5150 ELM'S WAY) and Alex Farrell (Director, Media and Entertainment, RBC Commercial Markets). This also ties nicely into what I'm doing with my own passion production, DREADLOCK.

I'm really excited about the events! You can find out more and plan to attend right here: http://www.tis3dc.ca/

The Toronto International Stereoscopic 3D Conference is an acclaimed unique international gathering of creative, scientific and business minds discussing, discovering and inspiring innovation in “Stereoscopic 3D” Cinema. Brought together by the 3D Film Innovation Consortium (3D FLIC), the Conference offers the highest quality discussions on the creative, scientific and business challenges and possibilities of Stereoscopic 3D.

The 3D Shorts Programme consists of six Canadian and international short stereoscopic films, animations and videos produced in the last two years. This selection of stereoscopic shorts was specially curated for the 2nd Toronto International Stereoscopic 3D Conference by 3D cinema scholar Sanja Obradovic.

Here are the speakers who will be speaking this year at the conference:

Catherine Owens (U23D, Sculpting Space)
Robert Neuman (Disney)
Demitri Portelli (Stereographer - Hugo, 47 Ronan)
Graham Clark (Stereo D)
Stephen Low (IMAX)
Hugh Murray (IMAX)
Marty Banks (Berkeley),
Andrew Watson (NASA),
April Mullen (Dead before Dawn)
Eric Tessier (Les Pee Wee 3D)
Matt Cowan (Entertainment Technology Consultants Canada Inc.)
Drew Fellman (Born to be Wild)
Jim Chabin, (President International 3D Society)
Laurie Wilcox (York University)
Robert Allison (York University)
Ali Kazimi (York University)
Buzz Hayes (True Image Company, Inc)
Gordon Harris (Christie)
Munro Fergusson (Director, NFB)
James Stewart (Director - Foxed!)
Jonathan Barker (Flight of the Butterflies 3D)
Paul Salvini (Christie)
Liane Kotler (TVO Doc Studio)
Tony Gunnarsson (IHS Screen Digest)
Florian Maier (Stereotec)
Bill White (3D International Media Partners)
Phillipe Baylaucq (Ora)
Julian Pinn (Dolby)
Tim Dashwood (Dashwood Cinema Solutions)
Peter Lude (SMPTE)
Brian Cullen (University of Waterloo)
Jeremy Lloyd (Marketing Magazine)
Jim Dorey (Editor-in-Chief MarketSaw)
Adam May (Vision 3D)
Mark Stevens (Redlab)
Ken McNeil (Creative Post Inc.)
Peter Armstrong (byDeluxe)
Ian Herring (Parallax Films)
M. Bove (MIT),
N. Schneider (MTBS.com)
Vincent Chapdelaine-Couture (McGill)
Roy Anthony (Christie)
Cristin Bargheil (Side Effects Software)
Eric Deren (Dzignlight Studios)
Ihor Petelycky (Spatial View)
Alex Farrell (Director, Media and Entertainment, RBC)
Piotr Didyk (MIT),
Stephen Palmisano (University Wollongong),
Inna Tsirlin (York University)
Denise Quesnel (Emily Carr University)
Maria Lantin (Emily Carr University)
John Helliker (Sheridan College, SIRT)
Andrew Hogue (University of Ontario Institute of Technology)
Bernhard Riecke (Simon Fraser University)


Special thanks to James Stewart of Geneva Films Co. for co-chairing the conference and inviting me to participate.

If you have the opportunity to attend I'd love to see you in person! More on the conference soon...

Award Winning 3D Short Film FOXED! Being Released June 28 At TIFF

Short film, stop-motion and 3D aficionados pay heed: The award winning 3D short film FOXED! is being released on June 28th at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Bell Lightbox. It will be opening in front of Storm Surfers 3D - another great project to check out if you are in town for the festival!

Director James Stewart is a good friend of mine and his is exceptionally proud about this project.

Here is the storyline for the short:
Emily has been Foxed! in this 3D stop-motion tale of fighting for what you believe in. Filmed in stunning 3D, director James Stewart crafts a humorous tale about growing up in an environment of parental control and how children are often mis-portrayed in the eyes of their parents.

In this tale of fighting for what she believes in, Emily is up against the sinister forces of foxes. FOXED! has been enthusiastically received at international film festivals in Stuttgart, San Francisco, Annecy, and Sarasota, FOXED! is a darkly humorous tale about growing up in an environment of parental control in which children are often misrepresented in the eyes of their parents.

Beware of what hides behind the mirror. The menacing 3D, stop-motion world of FOXED reveals young Emily toiling in the mines beneath her house, imprisoned by foxes who have duped her entire town into believing children can be replaced. Emily has to grow up quickly if she is to escape and outwit the foxes at their own game. But her daring attempt to get away is met by a stunning encounter above the ground that leaves her lost and confused.

You can check out more details about the TIFF screenings here.

Further, you can also see FOXED! at one of these fine venues in the near future as well:

New Media Film Festival, Opening Night, June 11, Los Angeles, CA
http://newmediafilmfestival.com

Annecy + Screening, Annecy, France June 14th
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Annecy-/116891325091116

San Antonio Film Festival June 17 – 23, San Antonio ,Texas
https://safilm.com

Anima Mundi International Festival of Animation of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug 14 - 18th
http://www.animamundi.com.br/en/festival/

Montreal World Film Festival Aug 22nd
http://www.ffm-montreal.org/en_index.html



Here's the trailer for the FOXED!:





Like the short on Facebook.

Check out the first "Making Of" featurettes for the short right here.

About James Stewart and Geneva Film Co.
FOXED! is co-directed and produced by digital 3D filmmaking pioneer James Stewart whose credits include the 3D work for Werner Herzog’s acclaimed Cave of Forgotten Dreams. As the head of Toronto-based Geneva Film Co., Stewart is one of the world’s most active directors and foremost experts in 3D filmmaking. His short film FOXED! – which recently won the Best Animated Film Award at the Yorkton Film Festival - is currently being developed into a full-length feature film.

James Stewart is an award-winning director and the founder of the Geneva Film Co. in Toronto, Canada. Through his production company, Stewart has produced over 30 projects in digital 3D, including cinema commercials, concerts, stop-motion and CG animation. He is a director, storyteller, artist, digital innovator and multi-platform visual designer whose work ranges from mobile to giant screen, from motion graphics to stereoscopic 3D installations.

Recent projects include the stop-motion film FOXED!, the experimental short BÉATRICE CORON’S DAILY BATTLES in collaboration with NYC based French artist Béatrice Coron, Werner Herzog’s CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, ONTARIO 4D for the Vancouver Olympics, and live 3D concert films of the Montreux Jazz Festival and Kylie Minogue. In 2012, he produced the world’s first gesture-controlled 3D cinema game for the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S3.

A sought-after director, artist, and expert on 3D, Stewart is a six-time speaker at The Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity and has spoken at TED.

Geneva Film Co. can be found on the web at www.genevafilmco.com

Twitter: @jamesstewart3D

Nothing Much Flatter Than Paper - Except When It's A 3D Masterpiece! James Stewart And Beatrice Coron Bring You DAILY BATTLES

Check out the trailer and TED talk about the new 3D work from James Stewart (Geneva Film Co.) and artist Beatrice Coron. Both are masters at what they do and combined make for a spectacular show!

Here's the press release:
A trailblazer in leveraging the immersive power of 3D storytelling, Canada's James Stewart brings a new dimension to Béatrice Coron''s breathtaking, 61-panel papercut masterwork of medieval life. An art film about a work of art, BÉATRICE CORON''S DAILY BATTLES tells its story in an abstract montage created in Stereoscopic 3D. With each medieval scene, we enter a tale of struggle, battle and trickery representing the challenges of life. The canvas that Coron and director Stewart have expressed in stunning 3D allows the viewer to transcend the traditional film narrative and fall into a world where non-linear abstraction is the only way out.

Using animation, sound, light and shadows, and a sprinkling of humour, Stewart renders each scene of Coron''s 2D cutouts in true 3D splendor, depicting a new aspect of the medieval world. Together, these vignettes make up the layers of a complex society where good and evil co-exist, illustrating the daily battles of life through the ages. There is always a dragon to slay, a baby to comfort, a kingdom to be won, or a meal to be prepared.

"We are honoured to have our world premiere at the TED Conference in such a great environment of artists, thinkers, educators and activists," said James Stewart. "I first met Béatrice at the 2011 TED Conference and was immediately captivated by the potential for depth in her traditionally flat artwork. Working with Béatrice to re-imagine her work with lighting and immersive 3D has been a joy. DAILY BATTLES is a film we''re all very proud of."

About James Stewart and Geneva Film Co.
James Stewart is an award-winning director and the founder of the Geneva Film Co. in Toronto, Canada. Through his production company, Stewart has produced over 30 projects in digital 3D, including cinema commercials, concerts, stop-motion and CG animation. He is a director, storyteller, artist, digital innovator and multi-platform visual designer whose work ranges from mobile to giant screen, from motion graphics to stereoscopic 3D installations. Recent spots include Samsung, Toyota, Lexus, Sprint, JCPenney.

Recent projects include the stop-motion film FOXED!, the experimental short BÉATRICE CORON''S DAILY BATTLES in collaboration with NYC based French artist Béatrice Coron, Werner Herzog''s CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, ONTARIO 4D for the Vancouver Olympics, and live 3D concert films of the Montreux Jazz Festival and Kylie Minogue. In 2012, he produced the world''s first gesture-controlled 3D cinema game for the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S3.

A sought-after director, artist and expert on 3D, Stewart is a five-time speaker at The Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. He is represented in the US by TateUSA.
Geneva Film Co. can be found on the web at www.genevafilmco.com/3d. Twitter: @jamesstewart3D

About Béatrice Coron
NYC Artist Béatrice Coron creates intricate worlds with scissors and paper, speaking through "the language of silhouettes." Born and raised in France, Coron''s work includes illustration, book arts, fine art and public art. She cuts her characteristic silhouette designs in paper and Tyvek, and creates works in stone, glass, metal, rubber, stained glass and digital media. Her work has been purchased by major museum collections, such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Walker Art Center and The Getty. Her public art can be seen in subways, airports, sports facilities, and other venues.
Béatrice Coron can be found on the web at: www.beatricecoron.com/

New Breed Of Theatrical 3D Advertising Launches - Samsung's Interactive Pre-Movie 3D Gaming Ignites Audiences

Very cool new concept using your hands to control game motion on a 3D screen at the theater! Samsung is ramping up their cinema marketing for their brand new Galaxy S III phone and they are certainly not being cheap about it. $20 million not cheap. Apparently it's the biggest cinema ad buy EVER.

The cool thing about the advertising is that it's in 3D: A traditional advertisement - but in 3D, *AND* an interactive 3D game for the audience to participate in. The game was set in motion by US advertising agency Razorfish, produced by Audience Entertainment/NCM and the live action was produced by Geneva Film Co. headed by my good friend Director James Stewart.

Here's what Digital Outsider had to say about the new 3D advertising / entertainment:
The campaign will run all summer long across National Cinemedia’s entire network of around 18,000 screens nationwide as part of its FirstLook pre-show package of entertainment and advertising, which should put the budget for the cinema ad component at $20 million or more (NCM wouldn’t comment, but comparisons with other cinema ad campaigns confirm it should be well into eight figures; Ad Age earlier reported that Samsung is more than doubling its 2011 budget for promoting Galaxy products this year).

The centerpiece of the campaign is a two-minute-long 3D spot featuring two of the 20-somethings from Samsung’s earlier campaign promoting the S II, not-so-gently mocking Apple fanboys (in which one of them reminds the other, snarkily, “Dude, you’re a barrista”). This time around, while appearing to wreak havoc on the theater from the projection booth, the guys demonstrate one of the big new features of the S III: users can share content with each other simply by tapping the phones, which employ near field technology.

The campaign also includes a first-of-its-kind 3D interactive crowd motion game, designed by Audience Entertainment, running at a limited number of theaters equipped with the necessary motion sensor technology. In the game, the audience has to work together to make two phones (which appear to be “hovering” in the ether) touch to share content (as seen in the video) -- thus demonstrating the key new feature again, this time with audience participation.

Check out the game below:

We're seeing the beginning of a new phase of theatrical advertising that I hope is much more enjoyable for audiences. Embedding brands and experiences in 3D games that can be played before a movie starts is a brilliant move. Kudos to the companies involved!

Some content from MediaPost

Yours Truly Moderating The Filmmakers Panel At THE 3D EXPERIENCE In Times Square Next Month!!

I couldn't be more thrilled - I will be moderating the Filmmakers Panel at THE 3D EXPERIENCE in New York's Times Square! The festival runs from September 24 - 26 and has an exciting line up for both industry professionals AND consumers.

In fact, consumers will be introduced to “hands on” demonstrations, product reviews and content creation from all around the world for FREE. There will be a custom 3D Showroom that will take visitors into the world of 3D where they can explore this new technology, including side-by-side comparisons of 3DTVs and have all their questions answered.

For the Filmmaker's Panel, there is a great lineup of creative talent involved, namely: Catherine Owens, Co-Director / Producer of U2 3D; James Stewart, 3D Producer / Director of Geneva Film Co; Wayne Miller, President, CCO of Action 3D Productions; Carl Samson, Producer / Aerial Director of HUMAN FLIGHT 3D; and Geoff Boyle, Director of Photography of DARK COUNTRY, a friend whom I've just added.

I will keep you up to date on further developments and of course real time updates once the festival begins! If you will be able to drop by, let me know as I would love to meet you.

3D Theatrical Commercials Starting To Come Of Age

Thought you may be interested in seeing the new 3D commercial that is running in front of THE LAST AIRBENDER for the new Lexus LFA. Sweet car of course.

Even sweeter for producer/director James Stewart of Toronto (Geneva Film Company) is that in some circles his commercial is receiving higher acclaim than the movie it preceded!

Check out the 2D version:



Nicely done! I want one.

THE HOLE After Party At TIFF's 3D Lounge

Jim here. Got some photos of THE HOLE's after party at the Toronto International Film Festival's 3D Lounge.

A good time was had by all!!

That's Nathan Gamble beside the movie poster and James Stewart with Joe Dante... Their photo was taken with a Fujifilm Real 3D W1 Camera!

Sponsors included our own RealD and PassmoreLab!

By the way - THE HOLE won Best 3D Movie over at the Venice Film Festival!! Congrats Joe!

World's First 3D Public Service Announcement Delivers

Jim here. I was invited to a special screening yesterday at Empire Theatres for the world's first stereoscopic 3D public service announcement. Sound boring? Well, it wasn't. The PSA was written and directed by James Stewart of Toronto's Geneva Film Company for the Tema ConterMemorial Trust. James and I have known each other for awhile and this time he really delivered - the 60 second spot had the difficult task of presenting an awareness message about Post Traumatic Stress in the lives of Emergency Workers.

To tell you the truth I was thinking that it will be very challenging to show this to a movie going audience and resonate in an appropriate fashion - its tricky. One thought going through my mind was to show a firefighter or similar emergency worker doing his/her job through the day, but at night show the effects of the stress they are under.

James took it a step beyond that by using children dressed up as police officers, firefighters and paramedics discussing their dreams of having those careers when they grow up - but also having them discuss the problems they might incur too like post traumatic stress, lack of sleep, etc. - very real adult situations. It worked extremely well. I was moved by the thing and it is only 60 seconds!

I want to thank James for the invitation as well as Empire Theatres for the facilities. These awareness messages are very important for the public and certainly draws attention to this worthy cause.

Here is that 60 second PSA that helps bring awareness of the sacrifice that emergency workers and their families make by serving their community:



If you have a worthy cause that would like to get its message out using stereoscopic 3D for movie going audiences, contact me through the "Contact Me" form below.

For more information on this post's content see www.tema.ca and www.genevafilmco.com/3d