3D

In the past 3 years there has been no bigger boom in mainstream film quite like 3D. Unlike the big digital vs. film debate, 3D is seen mostly as a financial bump for the studios. While there are some film makers who are attempting to implement this tool in as an earnest storytelling tool, the general public seems to have grown weary of poor post conversions and cheap attempts to increase box office numbers.

In the beginning of the summer, Marvel’s Thor had an opening weekend gross with 60% of which was for 3D screens. In the coming months, the summer blockbuster season was in full swing, with over a dozen 3D films released, sometimes more than one each weekend. By the end of summer, Marvel’s other release Captain America: The First Avenger was released in similar fashion to Thor as well as catering to the same audience, yet its 3D take that accounted for about 40% of its audience. This shows that there was a definite over-saturation of the market. I have included a chart from Box Office Mojo to show how many 3D movies have been released, and how many have been just this summer alone. Though there seems to be a dip in interest, some film makers and studio executives are hoping to reverse this trend before it no longer becomes a viable option.

One of 3D’s pioneers James Cameron, whose Avatar grossed over $700 million most of which was from 3D tickets, will on hand at the 4th annual 3D Entertainment Summit to talk about how the public’s perception of 3D can change so that it can stay around for years to come. Some plans are to lower the price of 3D tickets, and make cheaper more wieldy 3D rigs to shoot on, to counter the post conversion craze. Cameron has been quoted by saying “This is a good moment for Hollywood to acknowledge that they have to try harder to maintain the idea that 3D is a premium experience. We can’t take cheap routes to offer a 3D title in the marketplace.”

Also on hand for the Summit will be Fox chairman Tom Rothman, and many other studio big wigs with the best intentions, and here’s hoping that the weekend of the 20th they can make strides towards making 3D something that sticks around and doesn’t turn into a trend like horror remakes or Dane Cook movies.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2011/09/02/3d_summit_-_speakers_james_cameron_vince_pace_tom_rothman_gene_simmons/

http://boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=3d.htm