Mystery Workshop

The mystery workshop was focused on 3-D filming and the process of achieving the effect. Unfortunately, I was absent from class that day due to illness; a rarity for me as I take my attendance quite seriously. Anyway, I did get to see a few of the finished films, and I was quite impressed by what I saw. I especially liked the film that had the girl facing the camera with her hair over her face and only after the action stopped, did I realize that she was not facing away from the camera, but right towards it. I am not sure if that was a desired effect of the makers all along, or a happy accident, but it was effective and cool nonetheless. I am sorry that I missed the experience.

Since I did miss the workshop, and I am not one to chince out on my workload, I guess I will talk about the topic that the workshop covered: 3-D. I find 3-D to be a very interesting tool in the filmmakers bag. When used correctly, it can be quite enjoyable and actually engage the audience more in the overall experience of viewing a film. When used incorrectly, you get thing like Jaws 3-D; a film where every single shot revolved around how the image on camera would or could pop out at the audience. In that respect, it's quite distracting and somewhat annoying and the list does not stop with that film as there are a plethora of films that fall under that category. And there are many acclaimed filmmakers who seem to believe that 3-D is the future of all films to come. George Lucas has said that he thinks that eventually all theaters will become fitted to show 3-D, and that this will ultimately lead to all films being made in 3 dimensions. Of course, I could easily debunk him by saying: aside from the first Star Wars flick, how does he know because what has he done? Then again, what he has done is made more money than all of Wilmington combined will ever make, so he definitely knows that end of the business. His buddy Steven Spielberg seems to have the same feelings regarding the new version of 3-D; not the ole red and blue glasses of my day. And now, a lot more films are coming out in 3-D. Not only is there all of the animated films that come out in 3-D, but even James Cameron is bringing his long in gestation Avatar out in the format. Granted, the flick looks like mostly rubbish, but then again, when has Cameron made a bad flick, and the answer is: never. I guess we'll just wait and see how that one turns out, and if, in fact, these mavericks of celluloid are correct in their predictions.

When it comes to 3-D, my biggest problem with it is the glasses themselves. I don't want to have to sit through a 3 hours long flick with cardboard glasses resting upon my nose; though I know the new glasses are usually made of plastic. Nevertheless, I just don't want to wear them. Honestly, I do not see why they could not find a way to put the material that the glasses are made of over the actual screen instead of on my face. It seems plausible enough to me. It could even be used as another screen to unfurl in front of the standard one and can, therefore, be put away when not needed. Still, I'm not an expert in the technology by any means, so I won't presume to act like I know what I'm talking about... too much. At any rate, it looks like the technology of 3-D is here to stay for the time being, so I guess I'll just have to wait and see how it all shapes up, and what it will mean for the filmmaking world.