By Phil Vecchione
New Rochelle, NY-3-D movies produce mixed reactions as the pros and cons are weighed. The evolution of 3-D movies has allowed viewers to be dazzled by vivid digital imagery, but has made their wallets an empty abyss.
The costs of 3-D movies may out weigh the benefits that these movies provide. The standard cost for a 3-D movie comes at a $4 premium, meaning you add $4 to any movies' general admission price.
At New Rochelle's local theater, Regal New Roc City 18 & IMAX, a 3-D movie ticket for an adult is $15.50; $12.50 for children. This summer a family of five would have spent $68.50 on "Toy Story 3" in Disney Digital 3-D.
Director Jon Favreau, who is the brain behind the anticipated film "Cowboys and Aliens," refused to use 3-D technology to film his movies. "So coming next year, 2-D, 'Cowboy and Aliens.' Take the money you save and see it twice," said Favreau on ABCNews.com.
Cost for theatres to invest in new 3-D projection are also high. Many of the independently owned theatres are debating if the investment is worth it.
The cost for a theatre to entirely digital is roughly $75,000, the price will increased by $30,000 with a full 3-D conversion. The conversion requires, 3-D lens for the digital projectors, the viewing glasses and silver screens.
Most independent theatres do not have the funding to install such pricey equipment, therefore they are being beaten out by national movie theatres. Some independent theatres like Visulite, in Staunton, Va., have benefited from full digital and 3-D conversion. The entire process cost theatre owner Adam Greenbuam $150,000. The switch improved Greenbaum's annual Spring season profit by 400 percent bringing in $72,000.
"I knew that in the near term it was the right thing to do for me personally, I didn't want to wait," said Greenbaum to WashingtonPost.com. "We have been in this position where every April we go off this cliff."
Mark O'Meara the owner of University Malls Theatre in Fairfax, said he would not invest well over $100,000 on digital and 3-D conversions.
3-D movies have trended before, their previous failures leave many questions in the minds' of investors. Spending such a high amount of money on this technology may be costly in the long run.
The first 3-D movie released in the U.S. was titled "The Power of Love," which was released back on September 27, 1922. 3-D movies have been around for a long period of time but have not had lasting power.
3-D boomed in the 1950s, but became obsolete for a long period of time due to cost inefficiency. Theatre goers did not want to pay for 3-D glasses, which eventually doubled in price due to double prints. Movies had to be printed twice for the right eye and left eye due to the lack of focus in early 3-D screens.
3-D movies once again reestablished popularity in the 1980s, but they never really gained solid ground. The history of 3-D movies is a timeline riddled with peeks and valleys and inconsistency.
Dropping the Knowledge
History of 3-D Movies
3-D movie Trend
ABC News
2 comments:
Good Post Phil like the statistics and the emphasis on how the price of 3D movies affect us in today's economy. Also good history on 3D and where it went and how it evolved
I think it's rare to find a 3-D movie that was worth paying the extra money for. Avatar is the one movie that I love and thought was enhanced by 3-D.
I've also recently heard that Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan refused to film in 3-D for the third movie, something that I am very excited about. Some movies do not need to jump on the 3-D bandwagon, especially a movie so committed to quality like the new Batman movies.
-Mike
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