In every multiplex these days it seems that 3D cinema is taking the film business by storm and crowds are flocking to see new blockbusters such as Avatar and Alice In Wonderland. Although not a new concept it is being touted as the future of cinema with big name directors such as James Cameron, Tom Burton and even Steven Spielberg adopting it.
A History of 3D
3D is not a new concept. It has been around since the 1950's albeit with very poor images which tended to be blurry images of something or other coming towards you from the screen. Although dying a death it picked up a bit of momentum in the 1980's with Jaws 3D and the Nightmare On Elm Streets series trying it out to boost flagging franchises. It is only now with new technology that a new 3D environment can be realised and fully imagined.
It was perhaps only a matter of time that 3D would make its comeback. With computer technology coming on in leaps and bounds a film could seem dated within a couple of years of release. Tentative steps were taken in the horror fraternity, once again a genre not afraid to experiment, but it was the vision of the man who brought the world Titanic that would open up a whole world of possibilities.
Pandora's Box
Avatar hit the cinema's amid a storm of hype and media frenzy. The production had been kept under wraps with James Cameron only letting slip that he had invented all new technology to realise his dream. This would be 3D like we had never seen before. Cameron wanted to bring to life an entire alien world where we could immerse and lose ourselves.
Avatar was a huge success and it was not hard to see why. The visuals were stunning and through the use of CGI and new 3D people were catapulted into an experience which they had never witnessed before. It seemed like you were running through the forests of Pandora or stuck in the midst of a huge battle.
All of a sudden it seems like very new film is going to be filmed in this new medium. From Pixar picking it up to Spielberg adopting it for Tintin, the future looks bright. But is it really the future and are all films going to be filmed this way?
As good as this new medium is, it is in a way detracting from what a film really needs. Whilst Avatar was stunning visually it was also helped by a plot which kept viewers riveted. There is no point in making a film unless the viewer has a story to latch onto and characters to believe in. From the myriad of 3D films that have been or are due to be released only a handful will have a decent story. The rest will use the medium as a way to make quick money. This may seem churlish considering Hollywood is a business and business means money.
The Future
It is in the future when we look back at these films that we will realise how many are classics. Yes, Avatar will be rightly remembered and more than likely so will Toy Story 3. But who is going to remember Clash of The Titans in years to come?
Associate Editor of Variety magazine David Cohen has postulated about the future of 3D cinema. He states that
"The revenue for 3D movies is limited entirely to theatres,"(news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/8174335.stm).
This is a valid point as at the moment television technology hasn't moved that far. That will mean that 3D films are not going to be the same experience on DVD.
While this may seem irrelevant we need to remember that a great deal of revenue from a film will come from DVD sales. It is becoming par for course now for the DVD to be released only a couple of months after the cinematic release as a way of capitalising on profits. This is giving a film a shorter shelf life which could be argument behind the decision to raise prices for a 3D experience in the cinema.
Another point to remember is that 3D is great for big blockbusters but that isn't the be all and end all of cinema. It is hard to see a new Meryl Streep character study being filmed in 3D. There would be no point. A film such as this would rely heavily on plot and little CGI would be involve. 3D certainly has a future but it is not going to completely take over from the classic form. As soon as the hype dies down cinema takings will drop and film companies will think twice about spending big money on this new medium.
Martyn Coppack - I am a writer who is just starting out and am looking to concentrate on film, music and literature. Having passed my degree in English and ...
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