If Hollywood filmmakers and TV producers are going to insist on having the latest wave of 3D push only behind the screen rather than popping out, then they need to alert advertising people.
Is there any ad you’ve seen yet for 3D TVs or, really, anything else 3D, that doesn’t show stuff coming way out of the screen into your lap or over the head of the person sitting on the couch?
Two new Samsung 3D TV ads for theaters and in-stores show the “Monsters vs Aliens” character’s eyeball popping out of the screen(left), and a sting ray and many other fish swimming right out of the TV (lower left). Kids and parents are excitedly reaching out trying to touch the illusion.
That’s exactly the great effect you get with IMAX 3D documentaries like “Under the Sea” and “Hubble 3D” and the precise experience you get when you see a 3D attraction at Disneyland and Universal Studios. But it’s not even close to what we’re experiencing with mainstream Hollywood 3D movies or TV programs.
Comedians and talk show hosts make the same kinds of gestures when referencing 3D in passing. It’s because that’s what 3D has always meant — images popping out of the screen to within inches of your face. But that’s not the reality of what we’re now being provided and paying a premium to enjoy.
The problem and even danger with this disconnect between what’s demonstrated in ads as compared to what’s being offered in movies and sports TV programs is that consumers may soon become disappointed or even upset that their expectation based on the advertising and the long-held perception about 3D is not being met; not by a longshot.
That poses a challenge for advertisers of 3D products. There’s no wow factor in advertising images that simply show a little more depth deeper and behind the screen, the preferred 3D approach by 21st century Hollywood, it seems. And that’s exactly the point, there’s no wow factor in that kind of advertising because there is no wow factor in the experience.
So, either the ads or the product needs to make a dramatic shift so they are in alignment. As for me, I would much prefer Hollywood start pushing the images way out into the audience, exactly as it looks in all these ads!
— By Scott Hettrick
With 3D cameras and technological know-how gradually reaching indie feature directors, I wonder if this will be the source of 3D innovation in narrative film-making that you have so well described.
The Imax nature documentaries are a strong example of “into the audience” 3D depth that has been missing, with a few exceptions like the opening of “Coraline,” from studio 3D movies.
Perhaps fearing being criticized for gimmickry, 3D studio directors have deliberately avoided your so-called wow factor style; and you are right that the studios are taking a risk by not meeting the expectations of a premium-paying audience.
The reason they don’t do a large amount of the ‘pop-out’ effect is because it causes headaches for viewers. Any 3d effect that goes into the screen seems to be more natural for our eyes to see without straining. So some movies (Like avatar) use a few pop-out effects to try and keep things interesting, but the fewer they use the less straining it is on the viewers eyes. Personally, I hate the shift to 3d. The effect works very very poorly for me, and it only leads to a migraine.
i am very disappointed with this approach. I purchased 3D tv set only because of 3d effects popping out. from the begining i was one of those who seriously defended 3d tech but now i fell stupid. It seems i was wrong and all 3d hype is fake. Someone just want to make a big dollar on us 🙁
I agree with Archie.
Ok I don’t want everything popping out flying around but to have nothing doing that is a real let down.
If this is the way 3d movies continue to go then the set I have will be the last 3d set I’ll be buying.
But then like Roy says perhaps Indie will come to the rescue.
It’s not just movies though. So far none of the games I have played on the ps3 have popped out. I have tried motorstorm apocalypse, mortal kombat, cod black ops, killzone 3. the depth on the last 2 is very pronounced which does make it more immersive but it’d be nice to have some in your face effects too.
I like the 3d out of screen, but here in Holland it’s still pretty expensive to buy al those needed things like 3dtv, 3d blue ray player and glasses.
Right on Archie!!! i am very disappointed with this approach. I purchased 3D tv set only because of 3d effects popping out. from the begining i was one of those who seriously defended 3d tech but now i fell stupid. It seems i was wrong and all 3d hype is fake. Someone just want to make a big dollar on us