April is always such an exciting time for me.  When I was in high school and college, it was a spring break dance-a-thon on some overcrowded beach.  But once I realized I was too old (and far too impatient) to hang with all the young partiers, I had to find a new spring event to get me excited. Enter NAB.  The National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas.  Yep – you heard right.  Vegas Baby.  Consider it the spring break for post grads.  Okay, well, maybe for the tech geek.  Regardless – it’s a tradition going on eight years now.  Every year I look forward to walking the Convention Center Halls, checking out the new technology – cameras, editing platforms, software, you name it, it’s there. Oh, and did I mention it’s in Vegas?  After being back from NAB for a week and playing catch up, I finally had time to reflect on what I saw.  And hands down there was one topic that dominated all the buzz.  3D.  You couldn’t walk two feet without stumbling upon something 3D.  Lenses, monitors, cameras, classes…they had it all.  A number-letter combo that could instantly cause a roar of applause, or a violent array of boos and groans.  Since it stuck in my mind, I decided to do some research. I’m not gonna lie – I’m a sucker for a 3D movie.  But what makes some better than others?  And why all the controversy?

THE PROS AND CONS OF DIRECTING

People will never agree on the same thing.   3D is a perfect example.  Some of the biggest directors in Hollywood have let their opinions be known.  The directors that are Pro 3D – James Cameron (he took a chance on the format for a little movie called Avatar), Robert Zemeckis, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and surprisingly, Martin Scorsese.   The long and the short of it?  Just because you agree that 3D is the movie format of the future doesn’t mean there won’t be conflict.  Avatar has obviously set the standard for how a 3D movie should be made, having every shot set up with 3D in mind, versus Louis Letterrier’s Clash of the Titans, where 3D treatments were added in the edit suite. James Cameron has openly criticized the film, with the belief that if you are going to complete a film in 3D, do it from day one.  George Lucas is currently looking into having the Stars Wars films converted into 3D.  And on an interesting note, we’ve mostly seen 3D used for animated movies and blockbuster films.  Be on the look out for Martin Scorsese’s latest film, slated for a 2011 release titled The Invention of Hugo Cabret, to be one of the most interesting and intriguing projects we’ve seen to date.  Scorsese believes 3D can and should be used to enhance dramas, as well as blockbuster and animated movies.  The Invention of Hugo Cabret hopes to achieve this.

The Not-So-Pro – Michael Bay (this one was a shocker), Christopher Nolan, Jason Reitman, and Louis Leterrier (explanation below).  Michael Bay, probably known as one of the BIGGEST blockbuster “let’s-see-how-many-things-we-can-make-explode-in-one-movie” directors in Hollywood is not looking to enhance his films using 3D.  He told Deadline Hollywood, “Right now, it looks like fake 3D, with layers that are very apparent. You go to the screening room, you are hoping to be thrilled, and you’re thinking, huh, this kind of sucks.”  So don’t expect to see Transformers 3 in 3D anytime soon (sorry to all of you who were hoping to see Megan Fox in 3D).  Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Prestige) just to name a couple, would rather focus his energy and budget on having fun with the possibilities of IMAX, toying with the idea of shooting an entire film using IMAX cameras and lenses.  And why Louis Letterier, who recently released 3D Clash of the Titans? Apparently he was unhappy with his finished product after the edits were all said and done.  Maybe the director doesn’t have the final say afterall.  Or maybe it was just a way to deflect all of the criticism.

DEMAND AND SUPPLY

In case you thought 3D was just a ploy to drive more people into the theaters, it goes both ways.  Sure, the hearts of Twentieth Century Fox Film Studio execs skip a beat when they hear Avatar has grossed over 743 Million Dollars at the box office alone, but since it’s release, 33% of the box office earnings have been from 3D movies, proving there is a demand.  People are willing to spend the extra money on a 3D ticket. And now, huge brands such as Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, and Fuji, just to name a few, are scrambling to release High Def 3D TV’s for the home, despite Samsung releasing a warning this week that there are health risks related to 3D TV’s.  Playstation is currently working on perfecting 3D gaming.  Even popular viral video website youtube is testing codes to upload videos in a 3D format.

Who knows if we are merely rehashing a fad that started in the 50’s, came back in the 80’s, and is now back again in 2010, OR, if it truly is a wave of the future.  Regardless of its lasting power, expect the 3D Blockbuster movie wagon to continue.  Shrek Forever After 3D will be released in late May, James Cameron is set to start production on the sequel to Avatar, and just announced, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones have signed on to reprise their roles for Men in Black 4 in 3D, which Sony will attempt to fast-track for a Summer 2011 release.  Hmmm…Fast-track?  Maybe Sony should take a page out of James’ Cameron’s book on 3D film making and take the time to shoot it right from the beginning.