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Sony to stop paying for movie theater 3D glasses, theater owners fire back
As if going to the movies wasn't getting expensive enough, now theater owners and studios are fighting over the cost of 3D glasses -- again. Sony Pictures sent out a letter indicating that starting in May 2012, it won't foot the bill for moviegoer's 3D glasses anymore, pushing the charge onto the theater instead. The Hollywood Reporter uncovered the letter and indicates the total pricetag for a major movie like the ones Sony has planned for next summer -- Men in Black III and The Amazing Spider-Man -- can run as high as $5 to $10 million in total. Studios have been covering the cost to help push 3D so far but Sony's declaration could lead to other studios following, and changing to a model where moviegoers buy and keep their own 3D glasses. It'd be nice to think keeper pairs could reduce the surcharge -- or for 3D haters, switch more showings to 2D -- but with a half-full box of candy apparently worth its weight in gold, we're not optimistic.
Movie theaters could screw up your 2D movies by leaving the digital projector set up for 3D
We generally prefer to do our movie viewing in our own home theaters, but when we succumb to the temptation of public moviehouses we often choose digital projection hoping for a flawless viewing experience. Unfortunately, this report by The Boston Globe indicates that may not be the case. It is alleged by unnamed theater employees that theaters are leaving the 3D lens adapters on their Sony 4K digital projectors even when showing 2D. Just like viewing 3D, this cuts the light output and it's worse for 2D films not made with that in mind, but theaters do it because removing the lenses is overly complex and many moviegoers don't seem to notice or complain. The Globe suggests checking the digital projector yourself -- if you see two beams of light from on high at a 2D flick then something is rotten in Denmark. Check the article at the source link for a rundown of many of the chains using these types of projectors and why that's the case (money), but after this and Liemax premium VOD is starting to sound better and better.
Carmen in 3D hits 1,500 movie theater screens tomorrow
After setting records by screeneing for 240,000 movie theater attendees of its HD broadcast, we suppose the only natural evolution for Carmen was to go 3D. Filmed live at the Royal Opera House, Carmen in 3D will be shown at over 1,500 RealD equipped movie theaters around the world tomorrow. It's the first time an opera has been screened in 3D, which, like HD before it, is supposed to let audience members feel even more like they're actually in the auditorium with the actors. Hit the read link to find out if it's showing near you, though we're not sure how those little opera glasses will work in combination with the usual 3D specs.
Cablevision bumps Comcast to the back, 3D sports at home starts next week
Just as Comcast leapfrogged DirecTV's 3D plans, its claim to the first live HD 3D event has been stolen away by Cablevision, which will broadcast a Rangers/Islanders NHL matchup Wednesday, shown both in a special viewing party in the Theater at Madison Square Garden and on iO TV channel 1300 (if you already have a 3DTV but not Cablevision then keep an eye on your channel guide as, like the Masters broadcast, it may be shared with other networks.) While this is probably just the beginning of another FCC battle over who it will have to share the broadcasts with, MSG is just focusing on keeping a trend going since it was one of the first to jump on HDTV production of NBA and NHL games way back in 1998 and plans to keep 3D broadcasts coming over the next year with more games and concerts. Production is being handled by 3ality Digital, previously responsible for the BCS game that turned some of our preconceived notions about 3D with its BCS National Championship broadcast a little over a year ago, which plans to use 5 cameras from a lower angle than usual to resemble the perspective of the actual players -- minus concussion-inducing blindside hits to the head. Anyone willing to host a viewing party? We're totally down to bring snacks... if you'll cover our 3D glasses. [Thanks, William & Vinny]
Oculus3D vies to be the greener solution in disposable 3D shades
As of December, RealD cinemas alone served 100 million moviegoers, and even if the vast majority recycle, that's still a ton (probably several thousand tons, in fact) of plastic 3D glasses. According to a company called Ceroplast, those glasses aren't biodegradable; if so many as 10 million pairs end up in a landfill, it would result in C02 emissions equivalent to burning 50,000 gallons of gasoline. Of course, Ceroplast wouldn't be quoting statistics if it didn't have a greener solution. Under the brand of partner Oculus3D (whose co-founder Lenny Lipton is RealD's former CTO), it's presently making biodegradable polarized shades out of polylactic acid that it intends to deploy -- along with the company's proprietary OculR projectors -- as early as summer of this year. As for which theatres you should expect to see them in, well, we're still in the dark on that one.
Ask Engadget HD: Does Dolby, RealD or someone else offer the best 3D movie theater experience?
In case you hadn't heard, there's a pretty high profile 3D movie coming to theatres near you this weekend, and assuming one actually has multiple multiplexes to choose from, who has the best technology? RealD and Dolby have been fighting it out to ramp up 3D theater installs over the last couple of years with other competitors also mixed in, but our friend Kevin wants to know if there is a noticeable difference from location to location: A question I have every time a new 3D movie comes out: We have two theaters here that offer 3D movies. One lists them as "Digital 3D"; the other as "RealD 3D". What are the technical differences, and do they end up producing noticeably different final results? Or am I getting the same experience at both theaters? Thanks for your help! We know a few of you must have grabbed a pair of glasses and checked out flicks form the Toy Story series to Coraline and My Bloody Valentine, do you have preference on where to go to see 3D? Got a burning question that you'd love to toss out for Engadget HD (or its readers) to take a look at? Tired of Google's blank stares when you ask for real-world experiences? Hit us up at ask at engadgethd dawt com and keep an eye on this space -- your inquiry could be next.
RealD figures designer glasses might help the acceptance of 3D
The solution to consumers gripes over ill fitting and odd looking 3D eyewear? Offer up polarized lenses in designer frames, or even prescription strength for glasses-wearers. That's what some execs have suggested at the 3D Entertainment Summit, revealing plans for Gucci and other frames to hit stores ahead of the launch of Avatar in December. We're still anticipating serious sticker shock when 3D comes home next year, tacking on ultraexpensive options above the already hiked theater price seems like the perfect way to stop any momentum this trend has gained.
Theaters, studios squabbling over who will pay for 3D
We're not hopping off the 3D bandwagon, but just when things couldn't be going any better a fight over money could knock things off course. Fox apparently informed theaters it wouldn't foot the $1 million bill to cover 3D glasses for Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, and already word is leaking out that the nation's largest theater chain Regal Cinemas is planning to only screen the flick in 2D, with AMC Theaters and Cinemark poised to follow suit. For its part, Fox is claiming no exhibitor has said they won't be showing Ice Age in 3D and they're only "working out the issues." Of course if they did, the plan of offering 3D as something audiences can't get at home could be turned on its head quickly.[Via Cinematical]
NFL in 3D: Good technology overcomes bad entertainment
Simmer down athletic supports, we didn't just call your beloved NFL boring. But Thursday night's matchup between the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers wasn't going to generate this much interest on its own. As described by the LA Times who attended the 3D broadcast of Thursday night's "football" game at Burbank's 3ality Digital cinema, "The experience wasn't jaw-dropping, but it was noticeably better than a conventional broadcast. The game was drama-free, yet the novelty of 3D made it hard for me to take my eyes off the screen... The effect was subtle at times, but just as compelling as in "U2 3D," 3ality's concert film of the Irish rockers. The most striking thing in both cases was how much more you could see in three dimensions than in two."The event wasn't glitch free, however. Two hiccups caused the satellite feeds to go black in Boston, New York, and LA. and a few quick camera pans and poorly executed transitions had viewers convulsing behind their polarized glasses. As a proof of concept though, viewers generally seemed impressed which means more of this in the future.[Via Yahoo]
Live NFL broadcast to air in 3D as "proof of concept"
As the NFL gobbles up even more market share in the United States, it follows logic to see the next big in-home entertainment push side with it in order to garner attention. With every company and its third subsidiary twice removed trying to shove 3D into the home, we'd say starting with the NFL is a brilliant move. In a closed-to-the-public "proof of concept" demonstration, next week's matchup between the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders will air live in 3D to select theaters in Los Angeles, New York and Boston. Third-dimension mainstays 3ality Digital and RealD will play critical roles in the delivery, though it remains unclear what exactly the NFL and 3D backers in general plan to do afterwards. If you'll recall, this isn't the first pro sporting event this year that was beamed in 3D to nearby theaters, but we can't think of anything more appealing than 300-pound gentleman crushing each other just inches from your retinas. [Thanks, Jesse]
