tr3nDy?
My earliest memory of 3-D is from childhood. I remember getting my blue/red 3-D glasses from the store in anticipation of watching “The Creature from the Black Lagoon” in 3-D on television. As I recall, it wasn’t as cool as I had hoped it would be. I was actually pretty bummed out when the creature failed to reach through the TV into my living room. But 3-D has come a long way since then. Today’s 3-D movies are pretty remarkable. I honestly can’t imagine seeing “Up” or “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” in 2-D. The technology has gotten so good you actually feel like you’re part of the action. So, is 3-D a passing trend or is it here to stay?
In my opinion, it’s not going anywhere. In fact, you’re only going to see more of it. You may have noticed that the topic of 3-D has been in the headlines a lot lately, especially during the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Last year, everyone was talking about 3-D televisions and programming – wheareas this year, manufacturers like Sony and Samsung are actually showing 3-D products. Sure, it will take time for the technology to be affordable and widespread; that was the case with color television and more recently, high-definition television, but I would bet it will take hold. You can even expect to see 3-D make its way into other products such as hand-held devices like smartphones. Last summer, 3M announced a new film that will let people view 3-D images on hand-held devices without using special glasses. Efforts are even underway to make video games a true 3-D experience.
3-D technology is exciting because it raises the level of realism by virtually eliminating the divide between audience and action. It’s interesting to think about the possibilities for advertising. To be able to feel as if you can reach out and touch a product or walk into a destination. It simply comes down to engaging the audience and 3-D will always initiate a sense of wonder. Even low-tech 3-D can be extremely entertaining. The 2009 Go East holiday card used anaglyph 3-D photographs which helped underscore the overall message and made the viewer feel as though they could reach into the card. It was fun, engaging and it initiated a lot of positive feedback.
I think the prospect of an enhanced entertainment experience in the home and on-the-go is truly exciting. Personally, I don’t like messing with classics, but a part of me can’t help but wonder what “The Creature from the Black Lagoon” would be like if created with today’s technology. Perhaps someday that Creature will invade our living rooms again.
