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Author Topic: Can a digital 3D movie be played in 2D? Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-06-2008 02:17 PM                        See the title for my question. I'm envisioning having "2-D" shows at the end of the week, for those legions who would just rather not bother with 3D for whatever reason. Is it possible?  |  IP: Logged Galen Murphy-Fahlgren Master Film Handler Posts: 405 From: Canton, MI, USA Registered: Oct 2007 posted 10-06-2008 02:25 PM                     If I recall correctly, no. They use separate files, and while the hard drive may contain the file for the 2D version, chances are they are not going to give you the license file for both, at least not without such substantial remuneration as to make it implausible for you.  |  IP: Logged Thomas Pitt Master Film Handler Posts: 266 From: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Registered: May 2007 posted 10-06-2008 03:15 PM                     Some movie distributors have been known to supply a theater with both a 3D digital version on HDD, and a 35mm (2D) film print as well in case the 3D system breaks down or they want to move it to another screen. But no, you can't simply play the 3D version in 2D. Not only is it technically difficult, but it would probably get you into trouble with the movie studio as well, since you weren't licensed to play it in 2D.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 10-06-2008 03:46 PM                     Some theaters are provided a 2D virtual print for a movie in digital 3D for purposes of moving the show into a smaller theater if they don't have any other 3D equipped screens to accommodate it.  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 10-06-2008 03:51 PM                    You could try putting a circular polarized filter in front of the projector on the porthole. That would block one of the eyes. Although you may end up with slight ghosting in some scenes where there's high contrast, but maybe the ghost busting would take care of that... I wonder how that would look...?  |  IP: Logged David Zylstra Master Film Handler Posts: 432 From: Novi, MI, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 10-06-2008 04:37 PM                     Galen is correct - 2D and 3D digital prints are separate files. Currently 3D digital "prints" are 48fps and alternate between eyes, the result being 24fps per eye; but the current 3D file is also timed for lower onscreen luminance so projecting 1 eye's information may not be ideal, there could also be issues with the ghost busting information on each eye. Theoretically the server could be in 3D mode (48fps) and the projector simply configured to accept only the image from one HD-SDI input (for 3D each HD-SDI input carries only 1 eye's information) . . . . . . . I wonder if that would work . . . . . Some of the discussions I've heard on 3D is how production will work - i.e. do they create a completely separate 3D copy or simply use 1 eye as the reference 2D version . . . . . . So far we have booked both 2D and 3D versions to provide our patrons the choice(except for Fly Me to the Moon). We have also been required to play the entire run in 3D - i.e. we could not drop a 3D booking down to a 2D in order to move it to a smaller house (our location that only has 1 3D screen had to delay getting Fly Me to the Moon by a week in order for Journey to play its entire booked run)  |  IP: Logged Matt Fields Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 545 From: Ohio, United States Registered: Jun 2005 posted 10-08-2008 08:59 PM                     David- When given the choice, what percentage of patrons go to the 2D version instead of the 3D version?  |  IP: Logged David Zylstra Master Film Handler Posts: 432 From: Novi, MI, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 10-09-2008 03:20 PM                     For the first 2 weeks of Journey the 3D version had 3.5 times the attendance of the 2D version (we dropped the 2D version after 2 weeks). Our other 3D titles varied from 1.5X to 3X the 2D attendance.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 10-09-2008 07:32 PM                     ..and sadly, with the cinemas around here that did play "JCE" in 3D and the other cinemas playing the film version, the film cinemas got the wrath from the customers thinking that they're buying tix to attend a 3D movie and finding out it's just a "normal" movie ...and they were so dissapointed like they wanted to blame the attended cinema for not having any form of 3D capability. 3D is gonna really be the BIG BANG for this new generation. -Monte  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 03-12-2010 02:57 AM                 It has been 518 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Kevin Fairchild Expert Film Handler Posts: 125 From: Kennewick, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2008 posted 03-12-2010 02:57 AM                     I know this is an old thread, but I stumbled across it while looking for another thread. You CAN play a 3D file in 2D. We use Dolby servers and NEC projectors. When both are in 2D mode, it seems to just ignore the second image. I was curious about this so I tested it. Movie looked great. Just to be sure, I played the 3D test chart (the one where you see the word "left" or "right" depending on which eye you have open). Only the left image was projected.  |  IP: Logged Pietro Clarici Expert Film Handler Posts: 136 From: Foligno (PG) Italy Registered: Sep 2008 posted 03-12-2010 06:24 AM                        Yes, I can confirm that. On both NC2500S and NC1600C, you just have to create or modify a Title, setup either SDI-A or SDI-B channel as an input, and change a few setting in 3D controls. Of course you're showing 4:2:2 material instead of 4:4:4 and color could be off as it was timed for 3.5/5.5ftL, but it works.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-12-2010 08:03 AM                     I believe that some distributors require it in their contract that ALL shows be played in 3-D... Disney and Pixar in particuluar.  |  IP: Logged Mike Olpin Chop Chop! Posts: 1852 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-12-2010 01:43 PM                     I can also confirm that. I don't have 3D, but the 3D version of the new Tron trailer plays flawlessly in 2D. Dolby DSP100 Dolby DSS100 Barco DP100  |  IP: Logged David Stone Film Handler Posts: 75 From: Hornsby, Sydney, Australia Registered: Jun 2008 posted 03-13-2010 02:34 AM                     Hi Guys, BVI in Australia sent me both a 3D drive and a 2D drive on Alice in Wonderland after I made a request. I had several parties interested in group bookings in 2D only. Yes the money is generally in 3D, but not everyone can afford or wants to see 3D, and at the end of the day you never want to miss a sale.  |  IP: Logged

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