When CNN debuted its 3D "hologram" reporters on election night, the flickering, blue-rimmed images of Will.I.Am and correspondent Jessica Yellin, the tomograms, to be more precise, were widely derided as gimmicky and cheesy, a stunt more than an innovation.
CNet blogger Don Reisinger said the holograms on election night were "horrendous... shoddy and stupid." (Tell us how you really feel, Don.) The Chicago Tribune's Maureen Ryan called the holograms "freaky" and "TOTALLY WEIRD." Yes, in all caps. And they were not alone in drubbing the holograms as some kind of weak stunt - a legion of media pundits ridiculed the election-night stunt.
But they're all wrong. I now believe that the CNN holograms actually presage a major trend as 3D media experiences become widespread and common, perhaps even ubiquitous. Indeed, 3D is the new HD.
While I, too, was also tempted to throw water on CNN's experiment with jokes about Princess Leia being projected in a desert hut to a young Luke Skywalker ("You're my only hope!"), I also sensed that I was experiencing something groundbreaking and perhaps even momentous. Events in the intervening months have convinced me that CNN's foray into 3D presages a coming wave of 3D experiences that will soon wash over popular culture.
Beyond CNN, here are three data points to consider:
*3D cinema has gone mainstream. With the release of Pixar's $150 million "Up," in 3D, it's clear that 3D is no longer the province of B-grade slasher movies. Parent company Disney currently has a dozen big-budget digitally animated 3D movies and six more with live-action 3D either in planning or production. Competitor Dreamworks, which currently has a big-budget 3D flick, "Monsters vs. Aliens" in theaters, has announced that ALL of its movies in the future will be screened in 3D. On the exhibition side, national chains such as AMC and Regal have announced plans to convert the majority of their screens to 3D.
*After it conquers the silver screen 3D is coming next to the small screen. At the National Association of Broadcasters show, which is more about the technology of TV rather than its content, 3D emerged as theme of the show. You literally could not walk 50 feet in the exhibition hall without passing another booth hawking either 3D camera systems or 3D display technology for TV. Panasonic displayed a 3D camera and opened a 3D theater. JVC showed off a 46-inch 3D LCD monitor. 3ality showed off a range of camera rigs. The geeky glasses were everywhere.
*3D films and TV shows are converging with video games. Also at NAB, I spoke on a panel about machinima with a dynamic duo from NamcoBandai, David Robinson and Paul Gardner, the producers of the Afro Samurai videogame. After showing off the amazing videogame they created, they then showed how they were able to create a promo for Spike TV and a 30-second spot for Foot Action using the "Afro Engine" game engine
developed for the game. By re-using assets and leveraging video game production techniques, they have shown how 3D assets could be shared across platforms and event titles. I first became aware of the ease of making 3D movies using video game technology quite accidentally when I saw my own short movie in 3D at the AFI Digifest in Los Angeles last year; although we didn't make the movie to be displayed in 3D, the fact that we used a video game engine to make it meant that all the 3D models could be exploited to easily port to 3D.
As for CNN, I spoke with Jason Odell, who was a key player, along with David Bohrman, in bringing the holograms to the screen. He said that many people are missing some of the more promising applications of the 3D technology they developed. "You can now broadcast from virtually anywhere, but look like you're in that big professional studio in Manhattan" he said. "You could have an anchor working in his home office and make it look like he's in the same place." While all the use cases and applications for the technology have yet to be discovered, the potential for video bloggers is obvious.
When you consider the advancements in 3D camera technology for live action, together with the advantages of 3D rendered animation production techniques, and then combined with the advent of better cinema
and TV displays, only one conclusion can be made.
While it's impossible to prognosticate exactly which forms of 3D will become ubiquitous, it's near-certain that 3D experiences will become commonplace and widespread, rather than mere novelties. Get ready for a whole lotta 3D everywhere you look.
