Ang Lee was initially skeptical about 3D but after shooting “Life of Pi” he believes 3D can offer better drama than 2D.
“3D should be used not just for action movies but also dramatic movies,” he said when accepting the International 3D Society‘s highest award Wednesday night (Feb. 6), the Harold Lloyd Filmmaker Award. “I’m so inspired by this process,” he said. ‘I could not have made ‘Life of Pi’ in 2D. I told Fox that 2D is cheaper but it’s just a bad idea.”
“Pi” has been nominated for 11 Academy Awards.
The award, presented by Lloyd’s granddaughter, Suzanne Lloyd, and Society Co-Chairman Tom Cosgrove, CEO of 3net, was part of the Society’s annual presentation of 25 honors for distinguished achievement in the 3D Creative Arts Awards hosted by Leonard Maltin and attended by several hundred industry and media folks at the Beverly Hills hotel in Los Angeles. 20th Century Fox’s “Pi” also won Best Live Action 3D Feature and Best Stereography – Live Action, and 3D Sequence/Moment of the Year.
In accepting ESPN’s Best Live Sports Broadcast award for its 3D telecast of the 2012 BCS College Championship Game, Bryan Burns, VP at ESPN, who leads the company’s business strategy team for ESPN 3D, said the company has produced nearly 350 3D broadcasts, probably more than any other entity. He also noted that the events are all live. Burns praised the Society’s recent merger with 3D@Home and encouraged the attendees to focus more attention on 3DTV programming.
Society President Jim Chabin presented the world premiere of a trailer for DreamWorks’ upcoming 3D animated movie “Turbo” about a snail.
Two of the Society’s Lumiere statuettes were presented to “Brave” (Pixar) for Best Animated 3D feature, and Best Stereography – Animation. “The Avengers” (Paramount) was honored for Best Use of 2D to 3D Conversion in 2012. ‘”Katy Perry: Part of Me” won in the category of Best Motion Picture Live Event.
DreamWorks Animation (DWA) was honored with the Sir Charles Wheatstone Award for education and distinguished achievement for 3D body of work.
Panasonic Corporation was honored with the Society’s Century Award for its support of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games 3D broadcasts from London.
In television categories, 3net won Best Documentary for “Sky Soldier – The Vietnam War in 3D.” Volkswagen Germany was awarded a Lumiere™ for Best 3D Commercial. Bwark Productions and Sky UK were honored for Best 3DTV Short Subject Program for “Little Crackers,” and PGS and Sky Italia won a statuette for Best 3DTV Entertainment Program for “The Little Prince.” The “Britney Spears: Femme Fatale Tour” 3D concert telecast won a Lumiere™ for Best 3DTV Entertainment.
Universal Studios Hollywood received a Lumiere statuette for Best Themed Attraction, “Transformers: The Ride” (see related story).
Complete list of award winners:
LIVE ACTION 3D FEATURE
- Life of Pi – 20th Century Fox
ANIMATED 3D FEATURE
- Brave – Pixar Animation Studios
SHORT 3D MOTION PICTURE/NARRATIVE
- La Luna –Pixar Animation Studios
3D DOCUMENTARY
- Storm Surfers – Storm Surfers
THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURE – OUTSTANDING USE OF 2D TO 3D CONVERSION
- The Avengers – Marvel Studios & The Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
3D LIVE EVENT
- Katy Perry: Part of Me – Paramount Pictures
STEREOGRAPHY – LIVE ACTION
- Life of Pi – 20th Century Fox
3D MOMENT OF THE YEAR
- “Fish Flying Over Boat,” Life of Pi – 20th Century Fox
STEREOGRAPHY – ANIMATION
- Brave – Pixar Animation Studios
3D ELECTRONIC BROADCAST MEDIA – LIVE SPORTS
- 2012 BCS Championship – ESPN
3D ELECTRONIC BROADCAST MEDIA – ENTERTAINMENT
- Sky Soldier: The Vietman War in 3D – 3net
3D ELECTRONIC BROADCAST MEDIA – LIVE EVENT
- Britney Spears: Femme Fatale Tour – 3ality Technica
3D ELECTRONIC BROADCAST MEDIA – COMMERCIAL
- Volkswagen “Flower Power” – Stereotec
THEMED ATTRACTION
- Transformers: The Ride—3D – Universal Studios Hollywood
SIR CHARLES WHEATSTONE AWARD
- DreamWorks Animation (DWA)
HAROLD LLOYD AWARD
- Ang Lee
CENTURY AWARD
- Panasonic Corporation
AUTODESK 3D INDEPENDENT SHORT FILM COMPETITION
- Ora – The National Film Board of Canada
INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (JAPAN)
- Tekken: Blood Vengeance – Namco Bandai / Sony PCL
INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (CHINA)
- 3D Taiwan – Gene Young 3D Image Co., Ltd
INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (KOREA)
- The Fetus – KBS (Korean Broadcasting System)
INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (EUROPE)
- Vicky and the Treasure of the Gods – Stereotec (Rat Pack Filmproduktion)
INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (3DTV – LIVE SPORTS)
- The Ryder Cup (2012) – Sky UK
INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (3DTV – ENTERTAINMENT)
- The Little Prince – PGS & Sky Italia
INTERNATIONAL JURY PRIZE (3DTV – SHORT)
- Little Crackers – Bwark Productions & Sky UK
In addition, two more 3D Technology Awards were presented to RealD, and Innoventive Software.
Voting was conducted during the month of January by 400 of the Society’s voting members.
— By Scott Hettrick