The overall record, which represents a whopping 10% increase (about $960 million) from 2008 is clearly entirely attributable to 3D, which accounted for 11% of the overall, or nearly $1.2  billion.

The 11% share came from only 20 movies in 3D, representing just 2% of the total releases. But 20 was more than double the eight 3D movies released in 2008.

Overall ticket sales were up 5.5%, the first increase in two years.

3D also sparked an 86% jump in digital cinema screens, 7,000 of which were added, bringing the worldwide total to 16,000, with digital 3D digital screens tripling to 8989 worldwide and 6% of overall screens, the fastest growth category in that sector.

“Digital technology is the foundation on which 3D has been built,” said Bob Pisano, president and interim John Fithian, president and interim CEO of MPAA. “Together digital presentation and 3D hold the promise of a dramatic game change in moviemaking and movie-going.”

Blobal boxoffice rose 7.6% to a record $29.9 billion.

– By Scott Hettrick

The package will include a 50-inch Viera plasma TV(TC-P50VT20 – SRP $2,499.95), a 3D Blu-ray player (DMP-BDT300 – SRP 399.95), and a single pair of active shutter lens glasses (TY-EW3D10U). Additional pairs of 3D eyewear will be available with an SRP of $149.95.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs will be the first 3D Blu-ray title from Fox.

In voicing support for the Panasonic 3D system, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment executive VP, marketing Mary Daily announced that the studio’s first 3D Blu-ray title will be “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs.”

Sources say the title will be bundled with Panasonic product beginning in April.

“Panasonic has announced amazing new products today and along with Best Buy’s commitment to the format, 3D will become a game changer for the home entertainment industry,” Daily said.

– By Scott Hettrick

Highlights of the rest of the official media release:

By delivering a full 1080p-resolution image to each eye, Panasonic’s Full HD 3D technology offers consumers the highest possible visual experience. To enjoy Full HD 3D programming, users wear a lightweight pair of active-shutter eyewear.  The sets are also Full HD TVs that display pristine 1080p content in two dimensions (2D) for conventional HD viewing.

“Television has successfully moved from black and white, to color, to High Definition. But immersive, totally realistic 3D imagery has been the final frontier and beginning today, Panasonic has conquered that as well,” said Bob Perry, Senior Vice President, Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company. “Best Buy has been a proactive and important partner in bringing 3D into the living rooms of America and we are happy to share this milestone with them.”

“The demand for 3D technology in the home is just beginning for consumers,” said Michael Vitelli, President, Americas, Best Buy. “

The VT20 is a Best Buy exclusive model and is equivalent to the VT25 series that was voted “Best of Show” at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show.  The BDT300 is also a Best Buy exclusive model and is equivalent to the BDT350 which received the Consumer Electronics Association’s esteemed Innovations Award for its innovative 3D technology.

In addition to the 50-inch class size, the Panasonic Full HD 3D Home Theater System will also be available in a 54-inch class (54” measured diagonally), 58” class (58” measured diagonally) and 65” class (64.8” measured diagonally) screen sizes with suggested retail pricing and availability to be announced at a later date.

To create the best possible 3D picture, Panasonic has developed new, faster screen phosphors; coupled with its 600Hz sub-field drive, the new displays output alternating imagery at 60 frames per second to each eye. The brain then combines the images and interprets them as 3D.

The BDT300 outputs stunning, rock-solid, and immersive Full HD 3D imagery to compatible displays.  It also handles a wide variety of audio standards, and up converts all standard definition video formats. The BDT300 utilizes groundbreaking technologies incorporated in Panasonic’s proprietary UniPhier LSI chip, enabling the player to flawlessly process the large quantity of visual information necessary to create a Full HD 3D image in 1920 x 1080 resolution. Adaptive Chroma Upsampling insures that colors will be faithfully reproduced; and all native digital DVD formats are up scaled to 1080p resolution quality.

Panasonic’s Full HD 3D products meet the recently announced Blu-ray 3D™ specification standard.  This standard, which represents the work of leading Hollywood studios and consumer electronic and computer manufacturers, enables the home entertainment industry to bring the 3D experience into consumers’ living rooms on Blu-ray Disc, the most capable high definition home entertainment platform. Individual manufacturers and content providers will now be able to provide the technical information and guidelines necessary to develop and bring products to market.

In January, DIRECTV and Panasonic announced a strategic relationship that will make it possible to bring 3D TV into the homes of millions for the first time. DIRECTV’s HD 3D channels, powered by Panasonic, will offer a 24/7 3D DIRECTV Cinema and pay per view event channel focused on movies, documentaries and other programming, a 24/7 3D DIRECTV on Demand channel and a free 3D entertainment channel featuring event programming such as sports, music and other content. In addition, to celebrate the launch of Panasonic’s Full HD 3D Home Theater System, DIRECTV is giving the first customer to purchase the system at today’s Best Buy launch event in New York one year of free programming, including its upcoming HD 3D service, which will be available this June.

“The superior quality of the HD 3D programming that DIRECTV will debut in June will be unlike anything that is available in the television market today,” said Eric Shanks, executive vice president of DIRECTV Entertainment.  “Being able to experience that quality through Panasonic’s Full HD 3D home theater system will make our customers feel like their living room is a 3D movie theater. We have had a long- time relationship with both Panasonic and Best Buy and we are proud to be partnering with these industry leaders to make the next frontier of television a reality.”

To bring the excitement of Full HD 3D and Panasonic’s range of home entertainment solutions to consumers, Panasonic will launch a 15-city, Panasonic Touch The Future nationwide tour next week.  The tour will kick off in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles beginning March 15 and then visit Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco, Phoenix, Seattle, Detroit, Minneapolis, Dallas and Houston in March and April.

Samsung will be releasing the Shrek series in 3D for Blu-ray this year.

Samsung’s official announcement of the launch of its full HD 3D LED TV and lineup of 3D home entertainment products worldwide also included word of an expansion of its strategic alliance with DreamWorks to feature an exclusive offering of the Shrek film series in its entirety in 3D for the first time ever.

As previously reported, Samsung’s promotional program will allow everyone who purchases a 2010 Samsung 3D TV and 3D Blu-ray Player or Home Theater System to will receive a 3D starter kit that includes two pairs of Samsung 3D active glasses and a first time, feature-length 3D Blu-ray version of DreamWorks Animation’s 2009 release, “Monsters vs. Aliens” (exclusive to Samsung products). Additionally, during the second half of 2010, the most successful animated film franchise of all time — DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek film series, with more than $2 billion in worldwide boxoffice — will be available in 3D Blu-ray for Samsung home solutions.

Cnet reports that Samsung’ UNC7000 3D TV series is currently going for around $2,350 at Amazon for the 46-inch model ($2,600 MSRP).

Samsung’s larger 55-inch 3D TV costs about $3,000 at Amazon ($3,300 MSRP) while the 40-incher is being listed by online retailers at about $1,800 ($2,000 MSRP). The 3D-ready BD-C6900 Blu-ray player is under $400 and the SD-2100AB 3D active shutter glasses are about $150.

Panasonic, which makes its official announcement tomorrow, Wednesday, is expected to price its 50-inch 3D Viera at about $2,500, and $3,000 for a bundle that includes the DMP-BDT350 Blu-ray player and a pair of glasses.

Sony hasn’t mentioned pricing for its line-up that arrives June 10. LG is expected in mid-May. Vizio is the only other maker to announce pricing for its 3D products coming in August that start at $1,999.

– By Scott Hettrick

The rest of the official Samsung media release:

“Samsung has been the number one company in the global TV market for four straight years, and we remain committed to leading the market by deploying new categories of entertainment like Full HD 3D LED TVs, on which consumers around the world will be able to enjoy their favorite content, including DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek franchise, in their homes,” said Boo-Keun Yoon, President of Visual Display Business Unit at Samsung Electronics. “With the widest range of options for 3D home solutions ever, Samsung continues to lead the home entertainment industry by liberating 2D content to 3D, and creating new, immersive experiences for consumers.”

“We are thrilled to be able to offer audiences the exciting opportunity to bring the world and characters of all of our Shrek movies home with them this year in 3D,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation.

The news was delivered at Samsung’s Full HD 3D LED TV global launch press conference held in New York City today, one of several global events this week created by the company to invite influencers and consumers to enjoy all the capabilities of Samsung’s 3D technology leadership.

Global Product Availability

Samsung will launch the broadest line of 3D home entertainment products in 2010. Its 3D TV lineup includes the LED 7000/8000/9000 Series, LCD 750 Series, and the Plasma 7000/8000 Series. Available this month are the 3D capable 46″ and 55″ LED C7000, with the remaining 3D TVs rolling out over the next several months. Samsung is delivering 3D the way it was meant to be watched, combining the Samsung BD-C6900 3D Blu-ray player or the Samsung HT-C6930W 3D Blu-ray integrated home theater system, stylish 3D active glasses and movie in Blu-ray 3D. The result: Full HD with lifelike depth and color clarity at home.

First to Market Full HD 3D LED TV Raises Bar for TV Excellence

This year’s premium LED TV models, the C7000, C8000 and C9000, feature Samsung’s Real240Hz(TM) refresh rate technology and Samsung’s proprietary built-in 3D processor that is compatible with major 3D format standards. Samsung’s 3D technology and a faster panel optimized for 3D work together to deliver an immersive viewing experience. When not in the 3D mode, you’re back to watching one of the best performing HDTVs on the market with the push of a button.

The LED TVs come with Internet@TV connectivity which includes the world’s first HDTV app store, Samsung Apps, allowing users to download and view applications on their TV screens. The 3D LED TVs are also the highest performing and most eco-conscious HDTV products Samsung has ever released, all exceeding the more stringent EnergyStar 4.0 guidelines.

Taking the Wonder of 3D to people’s home

In the US, Samsung is launching a holistic marketing campaign under the name “Dedicated to Wonder,” a high-profile marketing effort that includes television advertising and the first 3D Cinema advertising (Spot?) for a consumer electronics brand. Samsung assembled an elite production crew, including the Oscar-winning director of photography, Mauro Fiore, and is bringing the wonder of the 3D experience to life with this new marketing campaign. New commercials will begin hitting the air this week, highlighting Samsung’s 3D technology and the wonder it brings to the home entertainment experience.

Samsung’s in-store display plan is also key to exposing consumers to the technology and educating them on the value of 3D. Samsung’s internal research shows that while awareness of 3D technology is high, less than a third of consumers have had any experience with it. For this reason, Samsung is strengthening marketing activities in an effort to make it easier for consumers to experience 3D. In 2010, consumers can expect to experience this immersive experience in more than 5,000 stores across the nation. Displays will start being deployed later in the month.

Not that the average consumer would notice since there are no 3D Blu-ray movies on the market yet but industry insiders have told 3DHollywood.net that the players were recently tested with 3D Blu-ray movies compliant with industry standards that are being prepared for market and that they do not work at all in the Samsung players. That could mean Samsung may have to recall or modify their players.

Sources say that Samsung’s players have come to market before the Blu-ray Disc Association has issued its final certification specs for the industry standard that the organization announced in December.
Any products released now by a company not intimately engaged in the day-to-day tweaks and revisions of the format will simply be guessing at the final approved standard. Apparently Samsung guessed wrong.

A spokesperson for Samsung responded to an inquiry from 3DHollywood.net admitting that Samsung is “in the process of finalizing full certification at the authorized testing center” and that “the next step is for the BDA to release official test discs based on the new 3D specification, which Samsung will use to confirm certification.”

“Samsung is fully committed to upholding all technology standards issued by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA). Samsung’s 3D Blu-ray player has passed all the BDA Blu-ray 3D verification tests issued to date…
“Samsung is confident that the new 3D Blu-ray player will pass certification once the process is complete.”

Samsung has already said it will bundle the first home 3D versions of DreamWorks’ “Monsters vs. Aliens” with its 3D players starting March 21. Paramount distributes DreamWorks animation titles.

The company also promoted its 3D TVs a lot during Sunday’s Academy Awards program and during the run-up to the Oscars heavily promoted a special “3D Hollywood” contest (no connection to this site) for viewing KABC’-TV’s “One the Red Carpet” arrivals live program in 3D on Samsung’s LED TVs via closed circuit feed at an invitation-only event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills to which the media was not allowed.

Blu-ray Disc Association officials and several execs at other studios said they were not at liberty to comment about the status of the certification process or Samsung’s 3D Blu-ray players.

In addition to the products already in stores, Samsung is expected to officially introduce a new 3D Blu-ray player and a 46-inch LED-LCD HDTV that joins Samsung’s already-available 55-inch 3D TV, all of which feature active shutter glasses.

As there is presently no 3D product available on Blu-ray and no 3D programming on TV, Samsung says much of your existing 2D content can be converted into 3D.

The company has said that starting March 21, Samsung will include a starter kit (a 3D Blu-ray Disc version of “Monsters vs. Aliens” and two pairs of Samsung 3D active glasses) with the purchase of a Samsung 3D-ready HDTV and Blu-ray player.

More than 900 Best Buy stores will have Samsung 3D experiences beginning March 21.

Panasonic is expected to announce Wednesday that iis introducing 50-inch Viera 3D TVs for $2,500 this week and is setting up special branded demo sections at Best Buy stores.

Sony is announcing it will wait until June 10 to introduce its first 3D TVs just in time for World Cup Soccer, which Sony is sponsoring on ESPN. The 46-inch Sony will sell for about $3,800 and come with two pairs of active shutter glasses. A 40-inch model will also be available. Sony’s battery-operated active shutter glasses will be priced at about a whopping $133 separately, and may not be compatible with other manufacturer’s 3D TVs.

Meanwhile, in related news, four entertainment company giants — Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Thomson Licensing, Toshiba Corporation and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment — formed a worldwide joint licensing program for Blu-ray patents that was announced Monday (March to be called the BD4C Licensing Group.

– By Scott Hettrick

Scott Hettrick

Showcasing once again the cavernous gulf between Hollywood art and commerce, “Avatar,” the biggest moneymaker of all-time, was shut out of the top Academy Awards categories Sunday, March 7, in favor of the least financially successful movie to ever take home the top honor, “The Hurt Locker.” Meanwhile, on the very same weekend, the newest 3D blockbuster, Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland,” was setting even bigger 3D and IMAX opening weekend box-office records than “Avatar.”

IMAX, which had been put in the difficult position of having to push “Avatar” out of its theaters while it was still doing near sell-out business in some venues (in its 12th week of release “Avatar” generated another $7.7 mil. overall March 5-7 to climb to $720 mil.), enjoyed new record business of its own.

IMAX announced today, March 8, that “Alice” grossed $12.1 mil. at its 188 domestic theaters, a 27% improvement on previous record-holder “Avatar,” and represents 10.5% of the overall box-office despite IMAX representing only 2.5% of total screens on which the film was playing.

IMAX theaters accounted for another $3.1 million from 53 international venues and will open in 29 additional IMAX theatres overseas in the weeks ahead. Globally, “Alice” took in $210.3 mil., and IMAX’s Friday haul of $4.3 million (incl. midnights) for “Alice” is also the biggest in IMAX history, according to Paul Dergarabedian’s Box Office at Hollywood.com.

(IMAX will face another tough situation in three weeks when it is contractually obligated to replace “Alice” with DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon.”)

The IMAX figures came as “Alice” also set a new all-time high for a March debut in all theaters with $116.3 mil (sixth biggest opening weekend of all-time), rughly 70% of that estimated to come from 3D screens. It’s the first movie to ever open with more than $100 mil. outside if the months of May, June, July or November, and the biggest non-sequel opening of all-time.

Hey, I wasn’t a big fan of “Alice” myself (although the 2D conversion was pretty impressive and 3D always looks best on true giant IMAX screens, my favorite part was the 3D trailers for “Toy Story 3D” and especially “Tron Legacy”), and I didn’t like “Avatar” as much as many others obviously did, but the industry’s biggest awards organization must find a way to honor the movies that clearly resonate with the largest block of their customers and generate the most cash, therefore providing funding for the most industry jobs.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the Oscars telecast had its best rating in five years for a show that at least included a nomination for “Avatar,” which clearly drew many hopeful fans. The all-time biggest Oscar audience remains the one for “Titanic,” the previous biggest movie ever. But that was in an Academy voter-friendly genre: drama.

So don’t count on the fantastical “Alice” to score any Oscars next year. After all, the only thing “Alice” and “Avatar” are doing is keeping the movie industry alive and creating new 3D markets by raking in tons of cash that pay for little movies like “The Hurt Locker” to earn all the accolades.

– By Scott Hettrick

Observers and crew in Vince Pace's production truck all don 3D glasses during the live-to-tape production of Harlem Globetrotters game at new ESPN Wide World of Sports complex.

Vince was experimenting with three handheld 3D cameras as well as 3D cameras mounted on the top of the scoreboard and a skycam, all of which worked successfully for the most part. The images were not only being watched by a crowd of people wearing glasses in the two production trucks, but also by executives and media in a special room inside the Milk House arena, comparing Sony TVs displaying the active shutter glasses system and the more common polarized glasses system.

Immediately after the taping, Pace talked with 3DHollywood (2 1/2-minute video below) about the strategies, challenges, and successes of the event and offered his views on how far to push the 3D effect in various mediums.

– By Scott Hettrick

ESPN360.com announced today that it will collaborate with MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM) for its technology infrastructure and operations support when the network’s name changes on April 4th.

As part of the deal, the network will use Adobe’s Flash Media Server (FMS) as its core technology. New features and enhancements include customizable widgets with scores, chats, schedules and more. ESPN3.com will also offer more HiDef streaming of live events and additional viewing options via picture-in-picture and split screens.

“ESPN360.com carries a wide variety of more than 3,500 live sporting events online, and continually improving that experience is our top priority,” said John Kosner, senior vice president and general manager, ESPN Digital Media. “This new agreement with MLBAM, which deepens our seven-year relationship, brings two leaders in sports video streaming together on the same platform.”

“Our long-term collaboration with ESPN has been defined by a common thread to serve fans first and supporting the new ESPN3.com with our live streaming technology underscores our continued commitment to this goal,” said Bob Bowman, president and chief executive officer, MLBAM.

Programming on ESPN3.com will remain the same, with access to replay, HiDef-quality streaming and milestone markers for select events, geo-targeted ads and more. The network is available at no cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection from an affiliated service provider. It is currently in 50 million households — a majority of U.S. broadband homes — and accessible via dozens of Internet Service Providers nationwide, including AT&T, Verizon, Cox Communications, Comcast, RCN, Insight, Frontier, Cavalier, Charter, Mediacom, Conway, Grande Communications and more.

Even less likely is a spot situated between several baseball fields. But that is where some of the most aggressive development and experimentation in 3D TV is happening, at the new Innovation Lab at the newly re-branded ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex (formerly ABC) at Walt Disney World Resort (all owned by the Walt Disney Co).

ESPN’s top executives offered the media a preview of the complex and the lab during ceremonies Feb. 25, and invitedmedia  to attend the taping of a special Harlem Globetrotters basketball game shot in 3D.

3DHollywood enjoyed some fairly extensive conversations with Chuck Pagano, ESPN’s executive vp technology, about the companies myriad 3D initiatives, the first of which will be seen commercially with the June 11 launch of the ESPN 3D TV network commencing with the broadcast of a couple dozen World Cup soccer games and 85 events during the year. Pagano made it clear that ESPN 3D will not initially be a 24/7 channel, but only specific events broadcast when they happen.

Highlights of the tour of the complex, the explosive ceremonies featuring a Super Bowl kicker and fireworks, a close-up look at the cameras and the producers in the truck during the Harlem Globetrotters game, and the thoughts and explanations of Pagano on many aspects of 3D, and a brief portion of the interview with 3D industry guru Vince Pace Vince Pace can be seen in the 4-minute video below.

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(In addition to the video above, you can view the full 2 1/2-minute interview with Vince Pace here.)
– By Scott Hettrick

Larry Stewart

That took place only a couple of weeks ago at the Mann Bruin Theater in Westwood, Calif. The theater’s listed capacity is 696, and the place was packed.

At the conclusion of HBO’s magnificent “Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals,” every single person there stood and clapped. This documentary, which debuts on HBO Saturday, March 6 (9 p.m. ET, 6 p.m. PT), is that good. Remember to set your DVR. This film is as fine a documentary as I’ve ever seen. It’s HBO quality as its best.

I was at the screening with my wife as a guest of HBO publicist Ray Stallone, who remains a dear friend even though I’m no longer with the L.A. Times.
I’m so glad he invited us.

In the documentary, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are followed somewhat simultaneously through their basketball careers and beyond. It is some 90 minutes of riveting TV that includes classic footage and candid interviews with the principles.

College and NBA superstars Magic Johnson and Larry Bird; their college and NBA rivalry and relationship on and off the court is profiled in an HBO documentary playing multiple times this month.

The only flaw I found was that there is a little too much reliance on sportswriters who covered these two superstars. Having worked as sportswriter in Los Angeles for nearly 40 years – no, I’m not one of the sportswriters in the film – I got to know Magic fairly well, particularly after he got into broadcasting.

I knew very little about Bird – I think that is the case with just about everyone – and that is what made this film so fascinating for me. Bird is usually taciturn and only willing to talk about basketball – nothing personal. HBO Sports president and executive producer Ross Greenburg, producer Rick Bernstein and their staff somehow got Bird to open up.

Listening to Bird during the screening reminded me of Jerry West. Both had difficult, secluded childhoods, both have complex personalities and both are perfectionists to a fault. When Bird talked, I could envision West saying exactly the same thing. They even sound alike.
Bird talks about his childhood, including his father Joe’s suicide. Over past dinners at a popular sports hangout, Phil Trani’s in Long Beach, West has confided about his tenuous relationship with his father. Both fathers had drinking problems.
Bird said that, as a child, he didn’t know that everybody had a family car. “I was in a cocoon,” he says.

Magic and Bird have two distinctive personalities – as different as night and day. But amazingly a friendship developed over time. When Magic tested HIV positive in 1992, Bird called him. Magic tears up in the film when talking about that phone call.
Magic was at the screening and afterwards said, “This is the third time I have seen this film, and I cry every time.”

One complaint about the screening took place beforehand when former and current Lakers in the audience were introduced, along with some movie stars. One of the movie stars I’d never even heard of.
Sitting not far from us was Bill Sharman and his wife Joyce. This basketball legend was not introduced.
Sharman is one of only three men in the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach. John Wooden and Lenny Wilkens are the other two. Sharman was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1997. He played for the Boston Celtics (Bird’s team) and at different times was coach, general manager and president of the Los Angeles Lakers (Magic’s team). At 83, Sharman still works for the Lakers as a special consultant.
Magic came to the Lakers when Bill Sharman was the team’s general manager. If not for Sharman, Magic would have never been a Laker.

In 1979, the Lakers had the New Orleans Jazz’s No. 1 pick because of a Gail Goodrich trade. The Jazz finished last in the West, the Chicago Bulls did likewise in the East. Which team got the No. 1 overall pick was determined by a coin flip.
Because of a fan promotion, the Bulls wanted the right to call the coin even though it was the West team’s turn to make the call.  Sharman, an extremely nice gentleman, obliged. Sharman said he would have called heads. Instead, the Bulls’ GM, Rod Thorn, called heads. The coin came up tails.
The Lakers got Magic. The Bulls got UCLA’s David Greenwood.
And Bill Sharman, to this day, gets little recognition.

Longtime L.A. Times sports TV columnist Larry Stewart continues to cover many sports, including horse racing and golf, for various publications, and writes a regular blog for a website in his home town called ArcadiasBest.com featuring fun reading about everything from his ongoing fascinating visits with sports legends to his favorite restaurants, watering holes, and vacation spots.

Samsung Electronics America Inc…. will bring the first ever view of Hollywood’s red carpet arrivals live in 3D to guests at an invitation only viewing event at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on Sunday, March 7, 2010. The exclusive event will feature a special closed circuit 3D feed from KABC-TV’s ‘On the Red Carpet’ live local pre-show that will be seen on Samsung award-winning 3D LED TVs.

“We are thrilled to be the first to bring the wonder of 3D to Hollywood’s biggest night of the year,” said Peggy Ang, vice president of marketing at Samsung Electronics America. “Samsung recognizes that strong content remains critical to the adoption of 3D technologies and this represents a taste of the new dimension of home entertainment that we’ll soon deliver.”

The centerpiece of the event will be Samsung’s 3D LED TVs, featuring a first-of-its-kind built-in 3D processor for an unbelievable, immersive viewing experience.

The event is an industry first-of-its-kind. It is also Samsung’s first 3D viewing party since it unveiled its complete 3D home entertainment solution as part of the world’s largest 3D-capable product line-up at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January. Samsung’s completed 3D experience will be available in the first half of 2010.