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Surfing Pop Culture: 3D or Not 3D?

December 28, 2011 by Rick Bonn 4 Comments

Just over a month ago, our movie theater in Astoria added a 3D projector. Finally, coastal cinephiles need not drive the 69 miles to Hillsboro to see the splendors of multi-dimensional cinema (and I’m mostly talking about the visual technology, not the depth of story or theme). And, boy, is it worth the extra three bucks in my opinion.

3D cinema is mostly maligned for being about shock effects — you know, when a spear thrusts out of the screen at you, or you ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ when finding yourself in a cloud of falling popcorn, and certainly those moments provide fun. But the true joy of 3D is when craftsmen respect it as an artistic tool and use it to more deeply immerse you in their fantasy worlds.

Pixar makes great use of three dimensional screen space — if you’ve seen the vertigo-inducing heights of UP in 3D, you may never want to see it on a traditional screen again. And Martin Scorscese’s HUGO (though I have not yet seen it) is getting raves for its 3D artistry. 3D works the best for me in exotic environments — the flourescent jungles of AVATAR or the cobblestone streets of PIRATES 4 — when hundreds of tiny details make you feel like you’re really there. Done this way, 3D moviemaking is the closest we have to time travel. And if you like to disappear into movies, to escape fully into their alternate worlds, then you disservice yourself by not seeking out 3D showings.

The current film playing in 3D in Astoria is Steven Spielberg’s THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN — which gets a strong recommendation from me. It’s an Indiana Jones style adventure that’s rousing for all ages — featuring humor, madcap chases, and exotic settings in an old fashioned era. It also gives Spielberg a new technology to play with – the virtual camera.

The movie uses mocap technology (motion capture), which means it attaches hundreds of electrodes to actors wearing body suits and records their movements (yes, even facial expressions) in the computer. This data can then be maniuplated in any way, i.e. bodies molded and costumes swapped, but the real revolution is freeing actor from set. Because they’re filmed in front of green screens, any kind of background or action can be designed around them. Imagine taking photos of your kids to Bill Steidel, hiring him to design a world of flying balloon ships around them, and then making it all look real. That’s what MoCap allows.

It also allows a virutal camera which Speilberg uses to great effect in TINTIN.  Imagine a floating camera that can fly anywhere at any speed, tracking actors on motorcycles through city streets then following them crashing through a window and out the other side of the building and down a clothesline and on and on — all in one shot! There’s a sequence like this in the middle of TINTIN that’s worth the admission price alone. With a virtual camera, Spielberg can create anything he imagines and not be limited by where a camera can be placed in the real world. It’s the biggest argument for seeing this film if you love film.

I’m not the biggest fan of our coastal movie theaters, but if you can’t get over the hill give 3D in Astoria a chance, especially with something as rousing as TINTIN. It’s a whole new world cinematically that succeeds by giving us more of our  old world. 3D or not 3D, for me, that is no longer the question.

Filed Under: Art, Culture, ULE Tagged With: Bill Steidel, Spielberg, Tin Tin

About Rick Bonn

Rick is the founder of BonnFire Media and a writer/producer in Hollywood, specializing in content development (film, TV, streaming). His writings have been published by Westminster John Knox Press, Prism Magazine, aintitcool.com and others. He teaches screenwriting and film, is an optioned screenwriter and has written comics for INDIE COMICS, currently available on Comixology (https://www.comixology.com/Indie-Comics/comics-series/84916?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC90b3BSZXN1bHRzU2xpZGVy).

Comments

  1. Watt Childress says

    December 29, 2011 at 9:27 am

    Imagine a floating camera that can fly anywhere at any speed, tracking actors on motorcycles through city streets then following them crashing through a window and out the other side of the building and down a clothesline and on and on — all in one shot!

    While reading that sentence I flashed on a special effect used in the film LIMITLESS, which we watched recently at home. Director Neil Burger employs a technology called “fractal zooms” to create an effect that sounds similar. Clips included in the link below.

    Looking forward to seeing TINTIN, in 3D hopefully, thanks to your persuasive post. (Side question: is it standard in the industry to use all caps for titles, rather than quotes? That seems new to me, but I wouldn’t know. I’m following you here, regardless, because it looks fresh and cool.)

    http://www.fxguide.com/featured/fractal-zooms-and-other-side-effects-in-limitless-2/

    Reply
  2. RW Bonn says

    December 29, 2011 at 4:24 pm

    LOOK AT YOU!!! Out Hollywooding the Hwood guy!! 🙂 Nice site, don’t know how you came across it but plan to explore. Got any more insights into Hwood technology for me? You know I’m always looking to learn more! 🙂

    Reply
    • Watt Childress says

      December 29, 2011 at 11:24 pm

      TINTIN special effects are discussed in an article linked below at the same website. Because I want to watch the film first I did not read the article, or watch the clips. But folks who’ve seen the film already may be interested.

      http://www.fxguide.com/featured/tintin-weta-goes-animated/

      Reply
  3. Rabbi Bob says

    December 29, 2011 at 6:50 pm

    My son saw this film last night, and was really impressed. He’s a Tintin lover, and said the film followed the particular adventure picked to a T, and the animation was amazing. He wants to see Spielberg make more of the these, to cover all the Adventures of Tintin.

    I wish I was still going to movies with him!

    Reply

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