"I believe that this is the greatest opportunity for movies
and for the theatrical exhibition business that has come along in 30 years,"
says Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation. "Advancements in sound
have dramatically improved the auditory experience, but there hasn't been a
corresponding breakthrough in the way we see movies until now. Stereoscopic 3D
technology gives us a real opportunity to significantly enhance the theater
experience."
To date, most films shown in 3D have been created for
traditional projection and have then been rendered into 3D in post production.
In order to take full advantage of the new technology, DreamWorks intends to
make films with the stereoscopic 3D concept in mind from the beginning of the
production process.
The growth in the number of theaters capable of projecting
3D films has risen in the past two years, and by 2009 it is expected that there
will be several thousand screens equipped for 3D. The company has already
started production on its first film in this format, Monsters vs. Aliens (working title with concept art shown), intended for release in the summer
of '09.
Jason Clark, who served as executive producer on Monster
House 3D, and Jim Mainard, who for
many years was the head of DreamWorks Animation's Research and Development,
will both lead the launch of DreamWorks Animation's stereoscopic 3D
efforts. Phil McNally, stereographer on Chicken Little and stereographic supervisor on Meet the
Robinsons, will be the stereographic
supervisor on Monsters vs. Aliens.