3D film and video has seen something of a renaissance throughout the year 2009. Leaps in 3D cinema technology have brought on a burst of new films such as My Bloody Valentine, Monsters Versus Aliens and the soon to be released Avatar. On top of this is a wave of classics being converted for 3D cinema; perhaps most notable are the Pixar films Toy Story and Toy Story 2, both re-released in 3D. But as the big screen charges forward once again into the third dimension the small screen is following in the slipstream.
An array of new technologies are working their way into the business of television design and soon the 3D capabilities of a TV may be as much of a concern as the HD specifications. Meanwhile Channel 4, never one to miss out on a new trend, organised a 3D Week starting from the 16th of November featuring various programs and films in 3D.
This isn't the first time that 3D technology has appeared in the video entertainment industry and the big question is will 3D be around to stay this time? Will it be a temporary novelty or an indispensable evolution in our entertainment? Channel 4's 3D Week certainly touched on this subject as it showcased examples of classic 3D film and television, looking at the recurring cultural interest in the technology of 3D video.
Requiring the use of the well known red and blue specs (obtainable from Sainsbury's), 3D Week opened with part one of The Queen in 3D; a documentary discussing the Queen's coronation and a set of 3D films made of the events surrounding it. This wasn't necessarily the most visually remarkable way of opening the week as the actual 3D footage in the program was over fifty years old and didn't exactly leave the eye dazzled. That said it's rare to find footage of the coronation in colour, let alone 3D.
The documentary did have some interesting content, showing early 3D footage taken by film-makers Bob Angell and Arthur Wooster. Unfortunately the 3D effect of the footage suffered from considerable colour distortion and didn't exactly sell the idea of 3D television to a new audience. Compounding the quality issue is the fact that the program shifted back and forth between 3D and standard footage - not too easy on the eyes.
The documentary discussed the development of 3D technology but never really entered the 21st century, focusing instead on the history of 3D. While it proved fascinating to learn that stereoscopic (3D) imaging existed long before even the moving image and that each monarch since Victoria has been photographed in 3D, it did feel like a very retrospective way to begin 3D Week.