3D Media Workshop

The 3D Media Workshop will be held at Fraunhofer HHI, Berlin between 15 and 16 October 2009.

It will provide an international forum to discuss and give guidance to future research, standardisation and development activities of 3D, bringing together production and post production companies, multimedia content providers, broadcast operators, regulators, manufacturers, and R&D organizations.

Topics to be presented and discussed cover the complete chain of 3D production to 3D displays for 3D cinema, (mobile) 3DTV, 3D games, and other immersive applications around 3D content.

The Workshop programme is now online.

Avatar Day

August 21 was the Avatar Day, as 20th Century Fox launched the first "extended look" to the new, long awaited James Cameron's movie, filmed with an innovative 3D technology developed by the famous director.

AVATAR takes us to a spectacular new world beyond our imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption, discovery and unexpected love, as he leads a heroic battle to save a civilization. The film was first conceived by Cameron 14 years ago, when the means to realize his vision did not yet exist. Now, after four years of actual production work, AVATAR delivers a fully immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film, disappears into the emotion of the characters and the sweep of the story.

Economy hurts 3D

Today from IMDb News:

DreamWorks Animation chief Jeffrey Katzenberg, who, only a year ago, was forecasting that the animated Monsters vs. Aliens would open in around 5,000 theaters in 3D -- and had reduced that number by half only last month -- has now concluded that fewer than 2,000 theaters will be capable of showing it in 3D when it opens on Friday. In an interview with the Associated Press in Hong Kong, where the movie is about to have its premiere, Katzenberg pointed out that it costs about $100,000 to install 3D digital projection equipment in a theater. The problem is, he observed, "it's harder to get financing right now." He estimated that only about 15-20 percent of theaters that will be showing the movie when it opens on Friday are 3D compatible.

Upcoming 3D movies

Walt Disney Studios has announced that the only full-length animated feature film to ever be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture is being converted into Digital Disney 3D: the 1991 Beauty and the Beast will be re-released in 2010.

Like many other Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney plans to release (or re-release) several 3D movies in the next years, including the upcoming Bolt.

You can find a comprehensive list on the 3D Movies List blog.