Live Events Coming to Theaters-Next wave of 3-D business so close you can touch it

http://www.uemedia.net/CPC/digitalcinemamag/articles/article_16875.shtml

 

By Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter

 

Mar 16, 2008, 14:10

  

Get ready for a radical change in thinking about theatrical entertainment.

 

Alternative content is not a new concept, but the next new thing to enter the dialogue are events broadcast live to theaters in 3-D. That could mean fans will head to their local theaters for a group 3-D viewing of the NBA Finals or the Super Bowl, stadium concerts and the like.

 

And it is closer than many realize.

 

"I think the public can expect to see a live 3-D broadcast in a theater in 2008," said Vince Pace, founder of 3-D production innovator Pace in Burbank. "(It is) possible today with existing technology."

 

Pace and others are encouraged to see stakeholders getting involved in these discussions.

 

"About 12 live events are being discussed; which ones will actually make it is hard to say," Real D president Joshua Greer said.

 

The issues that need to be overcome include a variety of business and deployment factors.

 

"It's not the technology that is holding up a live broadcast to the theaters. It's rights and business case -- putting together something that make sense from a financial point of view," 3ality Digital founder and CEO Steve Schklair said. "If you were to do a live sports broadcast, you would want it to be an event of some stature because that is what would bring people to theaters. (But) rights to any events of stature -- the Super Bowl, World Cup -- are pretty well sewn up by the broadcasters. That has to be dealt with."

 

Schklair added that from a financial standpoint, a 3-D broadcast would involve production and theater costs "and in the middle, two rights-holders -- the league and the broadcasters -- that already have the rights."

 

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