During the press conference for The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn today, director Steven Spielberg and producer Peter Jackson* were asked their opinions of 3D and its future in film, since this film has been shot and will be released in 3D. And what was interesting was that both have their reservations about the format, and share the same concerns as many film fans about it.
Said Spielberg, "I’m hoping that 3D gets to the point where people don’t notice it, because then it becomes another tool and the ticket prices normalise. I hope that the prices calm down, which would be more fair to the consumer. Not every movie should be shot in 3D – you don’t need it for, say, a little romantic drama. The last great 3D movie I saw where it really enhanced the experience for me – and I’m a co-producer so this is going to sound weird – but it was Transformers 3. But it needs a trained eye, it’s not for everybody, and you shouldn’t do it to improve your box office another few per cent. It’s not just putting another lens on the camera and forgetting it. It will change your approach to where you put the camera, so it’s not for everybody."
Jackson added, "I think it’s really interesting at the moment, because after Avatar it survived for a while on higher ticket prices, but then audiences realised you were being charged $5 more to see a bad movie. I certainly believe that it enhances the experience with the right movie, and that’s what I hang on to. But the brightness, projection issue needs to be addressed if it’s going to have a long-term future in the cinema. It’s just another step forward, but something has to be done about the dim pictures."
Is it just us, or is it really encouraging to hear industry powerhouses like these too acknowledge both the promise and the problems of 3D?
Keep checking back all weekend for more reports from Comic-Con, and keep your eyes peeled for the boy reporter when The Adventures Of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn opens in the UK on October 26.
*Yes, they were both in the same room at the same time. The floor had had to be reinforced to hold that much awesomeness.