It’s the last part of our history of 3D, tracing the technology back to its roots more than 100 years ago. Today we’re looking at the latest resurgence, and how 3D is moving from the big screen to your living room. Is it here to stay?
5. The resurgence
3D kept a low profile for sometime after the 80s – or at least until James Cameron came along. He first dipped his toe in the 3D waters in 2003 with Ghosts of the Abyss, the first full length 3D IMAX film. It used new tech called Reality Camera System, utilising HD cameras. The Polar Express, featuring the voice of Tom Hanks, was the first fully animated feature length 3D movie, opening the floodgates for Toy Story 3, Up, and a host of others.
But it was James Cameron’s Avatar in 2009 and its unobtanium that firmly re-established 3D on people’s radars. Cameron wrote it years before, but felt the technology hadn’t caught up to his vision. It was filmed using the same Reality Camera System as the IMAX features, with two HD cameras in a single body. It went on to sell more tickets than any film since 1999’s Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace.
Undoubtedly part of its success was due to the resurgence 3D underwent, with Sky 3D launching, Virgin Media outing its own service, never mind the glut of 3D camcorders and cameras flooding the market.
The main recurring complaint people have regarding 3D is they still have to wear glasses, but the Nintendo 3DS has shown it can work just fine without, on a small screen at least. TV manufacturers are working on glasses-free big screen sets, too, and when they come you can be sure 3D will really take off.
With more manufacturers investing in 3D and more 3D movies on the horizon, everything from Men in Black III, The Amazing Spider-Man, Final Destination 5, to reissues of the Star Wars series and Titanic, it looks like this time 3D is here to stay.
