A growing number of blockbuster, live-action films and animated movies are expected to be offered in 3-D in the next few years, as thousands of theatres around the country are outfitted with the special projectors and screens needed to show the films. About 700 theatres across the country are now outfitted with 3-D technology, with thousands of others moving to spend the $17,000 needed to install the equipment. So far, moviegoers have reacted positively to the few 3-D films that have been released in recent years, eager to shell out a few extra bucks for special 3D glasses.
For theatre owners and studios, the technology could be the answer they need to sophisticated home theatre systems, pirated movies, video games and other alternative entertainment. Some industry executives think theatres can add as much as 50% to the cost of a ticket for a 3-D feature. Moviemakers, meanwhile, estimate that making a movie in 3-D can add as much as $15 million to the cost.
Previous 3-D systems projected two images on the movie screen, one for each eye. That required the use of red and blue lenses or even glasses with mechanized shutters that opened and closed quickly to separate the images. With newer systems, moviegoers still need to don special glasses but this time special polarized lenses separate the stereo images projected on uniquely coated screens. The theatres also use digital projectors that show movies stored in bits on a computer hard disk rather than traditional film.
News source: CNN
18 Comments - Add comment