Article Blog 9: 3-D Technology in the Movies and Television (March 21, 2010)

Recently, Americans have seen a recurrence of 3-D technology in the movies, as Avatar, which passed Titanic as the number one box-office hit ever, and the newest movie starring Johnny Depp, Alice in Wonderland. In the article, "'Avatar' in Wonderland: The Future of Film Technology is so Bright, You Gotta Wear 3-D Shades," (see link: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/2010/03/07/2010-03-07_avatar_in_wonderland_the_future_of_film_technology_is_so_bright_you_gotta_wear_3.html) Ethan Sacks writes that movies such as Avatar and Alice in Wonderland are only the beginning to a bright future of 3-D technology in the cinemas and other visual outlets such as television. This technology is also making the jump to television. "3-D is even hurdling to the small screen: TV sets with high-tech glasses are in the works, and several stations are gearing up to meet the need, including an ESPN 3-D network that will kick off with this summer's soccer World Cup." As technology continues to increase, the use of 3-D technology will continue to rise.

We have seen 3-D technology in movies in the past, but none with as sharp of quality as Avatar and Alice in Wonderland. Steve Tuttle writes in "3-D House of Horrors," (see link: http://www.newsweek.com/id/235127) that everything old is becoming new again. It is not that 3-D technology in the movies is new, in fact it is quite old, but it is just now catching on and becoming popular due to advanced technology and clarity in the film making. The movie industry has seen recent success in 3-D technology, which shows that society is interested in seeing how technology can impact things around them. As television networks plan on investing in their own 3-D stations, the question that arises is whether or not 3-D television will follow in the same footsteps as did the recent 3-D movies. This definitely has the possibility to impact society, but there is still some uncertainty within the casual audience. Tuttle writes, "But I guess my bottom line is this: before I plunk down a few grand on a 3-D TV - which for me is about what I'd pay for a car - I want to be sure that it's not a fad and that there is plenty of product in the pipeline... I'm betting the trend will whimper and die... I hope I'm wrong, because for all it's problems, the 3-D movie experience is in a lot of ways more captivating than our workaday 2-D lives." Only time will tell whether 3-D becomes a thing of the past or it becomes the future of entertainment, which will greatly impact today's consumer and technologically driven society.