Awards

The Biggest 3D Impact of the Decade? The release of “Avatar” last month and “The Polar Express” in 2004.

Biggest HiDef Impact of the Decade? ESPN HD debut in 2003 and Blu-ray Disc debut in 2006.

Most Dynamic Blu-ray Disc overall in 2009? “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

Best 3D Experience of 2009? The IMAX documentary “Under the Sea.” (“Avatar” best non-fiction.)

Best 3D Experience on Blu-ray Disc in 2009? “Coraline.”

Best HiDef Program on TV in 2009? “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” on PBS.

These are just a few of the dozens of 3D and HiDef programs recognized by shared partner sites HollywoodInHiDef.com and 3DHollywood.net as the most notable of 2009 and the past decade.

Read below for the top honors in each category as selected by an informal survey of entertainment industry professionals, journalists, consumers, and HiHD/3DH editor Scott Hettrick.

BEST 3D EXPERIENCE 2009

Overall: “Under the Sea 3D”

•    Theatrical Film, scripted (Overall): “Avatar”
……Animated: “Disney’s A Christmas Carol”

……Live-Action: “The Final Destination in 3D”

……Converted 2D-to-3D: “Toy Story/Toy Story 2”

……Limited 3D Scenes: “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” (13 min. IMAX 3D)

•    Theatrical Documentary (overall): “Under the Sea 3D” (40 min.)
……IMAX: “Under the Sea 3D” (40 min.)

……“X Games 3D” (92-min.)

•    Theatrical Concert: “Jonas Brothers – The 3D Concert Experience”

•    Blu-ray Disc (Overall): “Coraline”
……Animated: “Coraline”

……Live-Action: “My Bloody Valentine 3D”

……Concert: “Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience”

……Short: “B.O.B.’s Big Break”

•    Live Event for Theater/Stadium (Overall): USC-Ohio State football game Sept. 12, 09
(several arenas)

……National Public Event: NBA All-Star Saturday Night Feb. 12, 2009 (movie theaters)

……Limited Public Event: Dallas video board live 2D-to-3D conversion Dec. 13, 2009 (20-min., Cowboys stadium)

……Invitation-only: USC-Ohio State college football game, Sept. 12, 09 (several arenas)

……Special Venue: “Al’s Brain: a 3D Journey through the Human Brain with Weird Al Yankovic” (Orange County, Ca. Super Fair 10-min.)

MOST DYNAMIC BLU-RAY DISCS of 2009

Overall: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition”

Live-Action
….Modern: “Harry Potter Ultimate Editions: Year 1: ‘The Sorcerer’s Stone,
Year 2: ‘The Chamber of Secrets,” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”

….Classic: “North by Northwest 50th Anniversary Edition” / “Gone with the Wind”

Animation
….Modern: “Monsters, Inc.”

….Classic: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition”

Musical
….”South Pacific 50th Anniversary Edition”

TV Series
….“Lost: The Complete Fifth Season – The Journey Back, Expanded Edition“

(Also check out the top ten Blu-ray/DVD list for 2009 of DVD Spin Doctor Glenn Abel)

MOST DYNAMIC HiDef TV PROGRAM of 2009

Overall: “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea”

……Cable: “WWII in HD” (History Channel)

……Broadcast: “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” (PBS)

HD IMPACTS of the DECADE

Biggest (tie): ESPN HD debut – March 2003 / Blu-ray Disc debut – June 2006

Others:

• “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” – April 1999 (the first latenight talk show in HiDef; even though this was a few months before the decade began, it’s close enough for us since most people could not receive it in HiDef until the 2000s.)
• TiVo HD debut – 2004
• Beijing Olympics - summer 2008 (first all-HiDef coverage by NBC)

3D IMPACTS of the DECADE (2000-2009)

Biggest (tie): “The Polar Express” – 2004 / “Avatar” – 2009

Others:

• “It’s Tough to be a Bug” – 2001 (9 min., Disney theme parks)
• “NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience” – 2004 (40-min. IMAX documentary)
• “Superman Returns” – 2006 (20 min. 3D footage interspersed in IMAX 3D theaters)
• “The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D” – 2006 (theatrical 2D-to-3D conversion)
• “U2 3D” – 2008 (85 min. theatrical concert)
• Oakland Raiders/San Diego Chargers – Dec. 4, 2008 – (first live 3D NFL game broadcast)

BLU-RAY LAUNCH IMPACT DISCS (2006-2007):

• “Casino Royale” – March 13, 2007
• “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl” — May 22, 2007
• “300″ – July 31, 2007
• “Close Encounters of the Third Kind 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition” – Nov. 13, 2007
• “Blade Runner Five-Disc Complete Collector’s Edition” – Dec. 18, 2007

BEST 3D EXPERIENCE 2008

Overall: “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”

•   Theatrical Film, scripted (Overall): “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”

……Animated: “Bolt”

……Live-Action: “Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D”

•   Theatrical Documentary: “Wild Ocean” (40 min.)

•   Theatrical Concert: “U2 3D” (85 min.)

•   Theatrical Short: “Tokyo Mater” (7-min.)

•    Blu-ray Disc (Overall): “The Polar Express”

……Animated: “The Polar Express”

……Live-Action: “Journey to the Center of the Earth”

•    Live Event for Theater/Stadium: Oakland Raiders/San Diego Chargers NFL game (Dec. 4, 2008)

•    Special Venue:  “Toy Story Mania 3D” (Disney theme parks ride)