3-D will probably be pushed again for Avatar sequel(s) - how many will be onboard?

[Marcel Birgelen]

The ill-fated IMAX theater in the Sony Center complex at the Potsdammer Platz in Berlin used active 3D glasses in combination with 15/70 3D. That was one of the most immersive stereoscopic 3D experiences I've had, but unfortunately, it was limited to the few 3D documentaries they showed.

The only other place I remember active 3D glasses in combination with IMAX was in a Futuroscope attraction, that actually projected stereoscopic 3D images on a dome. I remember the picture to be pretty "flickery" and dark though.

[Mike Blakesley]

Yep "anaglyph" that was it, I remember that word from back in the day. One of the challenges of the more recent 3-D shows was convincing people that it looked better than anaglyph, you can see actual colors now, etc. As "compromised" as modern 3-D still is, it's miles ahead of that anaglyph crap.

[Harold Hallikainen]

Several years ago, we saw "The Creature From The Black Lagoon in Shocking 3D." It was red/blue 3D.

I wonder how red/green 3D would work. https://bh.hallikainen.org/uploads/h...ema.pdf#page=8 shows an image from the 1917 movie "The Gulf Between" that looks pretty good with just red and green. I wonder if the brain would combine the red image from one eye with the green image from the other while maintaining the 3D horizontal offset between the images.

Harold

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

The anaglyphic process process was called Optimax 3. Stolen right from ORC at the time. Now I know why things didn't come at ya very good....

[Jim Cassedy]

Jaws 3D used the Over/Under Stereovision process. The movie itself was pretty bad.
By 1983, the JAWS movie franchise had pretty much, literally, "jumped the shark" .
I remember most people in the audience were actually cheering for folks to get
chomped by the fish.

Some time in the late 90's, PARAMOUNT sold off all their 3D lens kits. I got one
in mint condition fairly cheap. (It even has a great "Paramount PIctures" logo
silk screened on its' Anvil case, and engraved on the lens. I've actually loaned the
lens attachment out a couple of times, and I think at least one collector used it to
screen "Jaws 3D" during a summer movie fest if my memory is correct.

Another collector borrowed the lens to screen Andy Warhol's 3D Frankenstein flick
awhile back. But the print he had was in very bad shape, & was extremely dirty, I
was later told that the dirt specks in 3D made it look like you were watching the
movie "thru a hail-storm of volcanic ash". It was an interesting effect, I'm told.

Disney sent out awholebuncha HFR / 3D test clips & KDM's last week. I'm going
to be running some on screen tests late tonight after my 35mm show, and will be
discussing the results on a Zoom call with management in the morning.
( The auditorium uses a two-projector system for both flat & 3D digital projection)

One theater owner here, at a venue also known for selling food, once told me that
he was somewhat disinclined to show 3D because people coudln't read the menus
with the 3D glasses on, which cut into food profits.

(I sort of suggested that maybe he should simply print his menus in 3D! )

[Scott Jentsch]

I do not seek out 3D presentations normally, but I will for Avatar.

As far as whether theaters are running 3D movies, here are some showtimes numbers that may be useful for the discussion. These are the numbers of showtimes in US theaters (so far) for Jurassic World Dominion for the day before release and the day of release.

	Thu June 9	Fri June 10
Jurassic World Dominion	18,582 (4,895 theaters)	25,802 (4,233 theaters)
Jurassic World Dominion in 3D	2,842 (1,550 theaters)	4,580 (1,699 theaters)

The relative comparison is overwhelming in favor of 2D, but 4,580 3D showtimes at 1,700 theaters is interesting nonetheless.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

Speaking of 3-D, Chris Condon, guy that ran Stereovision was an interesting guy for sure and a real wheeler dealer. He was working on a new 35mm 6 perf 3-D filming and projection system in the mid 90's and a friend in CA sent him to me for projectors. I happened to have two Cinerama projector heads that I adapted to his needs and sent them to him once they were done. I don't know if this system ever made it anyplace, but he did call me and said it looked great in his screening room. Interestingly he was also a partner in Sierra Pacific Airlines for a number of years, and co-wrote the 1963 edition of the ASC Manual, among other things....

Interesting article at this link...

https://archivesusie3d.wixsite.com/3...s/chris-condon

[Jim Cassedy]

Very interesting, Mark. I was introduced to Mr Condon very briefly some time in the
late 80's or early 90s when when he was overseeing some sort of special 3D installation
at a venue here in San Francisco. Several years ago I bought a book published by SMPTE
that was a compilation of every friggin' 3D paper that had had been published in their
journal from its' inception right up to the year of its' publication. (2011) It was a very big
book, but very informative. Pretty pricy too- - it cost me around $100 with tax & shipping,
although it's currently out of print and very hard to find, so it might be worth more now.
- - but it definitely contains "everything you ever wanted to know" about 3D!

Here's A Screenshot
Of The Book Cover
SmpteBook.jpg

[William Kucharski]

I talked to the manager of a local theater and at least for Jurassic World Dominion 3D take is more or less the same as 2D, meaning people aren’t seeking out 3D but if that’s the next show with good seats, people will choose it.