"in contrast to, say, BluRay"
Actually, BluRay could be what makes 3D possible. The majority of people are currently unwilling to upgrade to a device they see no need for, but most of those haven't seen a HD movie yet. Making a movie release in HD and 3D could boom both markets. And using BluRay disks means better 3D, as opposed to the old "just add glasses" approach.
History records that The Jazz Singer revolutionized film by adding sound. But it was given only an honorary award at the first Academy Awards ceremony. Wings, a silent, won best picture.
Something similar happened this month. Avatar has revolutionized film with 3D, married to acting and story and computer graphics. But the winner for best picture was The Hurt Locker, a more conventional film.
The reason I mention all this is because, when the history of our time is written, one of the biggest tech stories will be the revolution of 3D. I have written here about 3D still cameras. The first such camera, delivering prints you didn’t need special glasses to see, came out in 1982.
And now it’s coming to video games. Nintendo will show a portable 3D game machine, usable without glasses, at E3 in June. Sony will offer both 3D gaming and TV later this year.
It is nothing less than a revolution, which is creating a quiet economic boom.
Theater chains are investing heavily to convert more screens to 3D. This is because people are willing to travel many miles for a 3D show, as shown in box office receipts, while driving past conventional theaters.
Films originally produced for 2D, like 300, are reportedly now being remastered for 3D display, and are expected to do well. Other big hits of the recent past, including The Lord of the Rings, could follow.
It’s also exciting to know that America has a big place in this new world. 3M has been producing 3D LCD screens since last year, and is reportedly in line to supply Nintendo. It was a Canadian director, James Cameron, who proved a 3D movie could work, not just technically but cinematically. And it was a U.S. studio that released it.
When a change like this occurs, it affects the whole ecosystem, and the U.S. entertainment ecosystem is massive. Over the next few years you will be offered 3D PC screens, 3D TVs, shows and software for both, and a host of new products and services for which there is proven demand (in contrast to, say, BluRay).
A lot of people, hungry for jobs, are asking where are the new jobs going to come from? We know some will be in health IT. We have been pounding the table at SmartPlanet for alternative energy.
But it’s possible even more will come fro the 3D revolution.
