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Native 3D Movies vs. 2D Conversions

By Tassos Markas, President and CEO, 3DMedia

A significant number of 3D movies are scheduled for release in 2012 and beyond. Most of them are 2D-to-3D conversions where the film is shot in 2D and then converted to 3D during post-production. There has been a lot of discussion about whether converted films can provide the same experience as those shot in 3D from the beginning.

3D offers many new elements that can add to the storytelling and overall experience, provided it is created properly. The processes of shooting natively in 3D and converting from 2D both contain a lot of variables that affect the final results, so both methods can yield a range of 3D quality. However, as it stands today, I believe that 2D-to-3D converted content generally provides a lesser experience compared to native 3D. There are a lot of things missing in conversions, and although the typical audience may not be able to tell this immediately, I don't believe it will give them a lasting experience once they leave the movie theater. The question is not whether the audience can tell the difference, as many conversion stereographers emphasize. The question is whether the conversions offer an experience that will be deeply embedded in peoples' minds and will make them fully embrace this new means of communication and come back again and again. I do not believe that conversions can reach this level.

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