We are mi

3D! 3D! Everyone say 3D! Last year 3D was everywhere, the launch of Avatar catapulted 3D film back into the mainstream, and now every man and his stereoscopic dog are jumping on the bandwagon. But what exactly is this new 3D? How can you take advantage of it? And more importantly, should you use it at all?

So, Stereoscopic 3D. What the hell is that all about then? Well, the theory is actually pretty simple: we have two eyes (duh), each eye sees a slightly different image, the brain then processes this difference to create depth. Stereoscopic technology simply recreates this.

The first 45 seconds or so of this video explains further. And here is another video explaining how Mr Cameron did it. And here is a whole nine yards explanation from Wikipedia, should you want instant expertise.

The difference with this new 3D technique is that it seems to be here to stay. Sky is not just on the bandwagon, they are driving it , and 3D TVs are becoming widely available. The World Cup is predicted to be the catalyst to the take up of 3D domestically.

But whooooa there. Not everyone is singing the praises of 3D, some still see it as a gimmick, another nerdy fad which doesn’t add anything to the communication – here’s the BBC’s Mark Kermode on Avatar.

Gareth, our technical director is also cautious; “3D, if done right, can be amazing, for me Avatar was brilliant, because it was conceived and filmed as a 3D film. Clash of the Titans on the other hand was crudely rendered out 3D in post – it wasn’t actually really 3D, but it was sold as if it was. If the audience pays the premium, but sees 3D done badly, they are going to be quickly turned off and see stereoscopic as another marketing fad.”

So where does that leave you? Should you be using 3D? Will 3D get you more trade? More views? More sales?

Well Mi opinion is that it depends, as ever, on the creative idea, what you are trying to achieve, and how much of your audience can view your film in 3D. A CGI architectural film, shown at a launch event could greatly benefit from 3D. A TV ad for a bingo website would probably not.

If your pondering the whys and wherefores of 3D for a project give us a call, we’ll give you an honest and helpful appraisal before you jump on the bandwagon.