3D imitation on TV

[P3D Larry Berlin <lberlin@xxxxxxxxx>]

I agree pretty much with all the sentiments most have expressed about the
ABC fiasco. Will TV producers ever figure out the obvious? In other words,
someone please provide them with a workable formula for using 3D. This
obviously isn't it. Not even close!

In support of the obvious in your face kind of thing... if the 3D effect is
so hard to get that the audience isn't sure if it's real, then you have to
do a test where it had better appear 3D. Putting tools and other things into
the audience's face is one good method of demonstrating that it works. Or
better yet, put the cameras farther apart for a wider base and use
Hyper-Stereo for a better 3D effect!!!!

BUT the whole 3D effect in every show was the same thing. Super-short
disconnected super-lame segments of pies, bouncing balls, stick puppets,
.... GAG. 

For starters, if they want to show 3D on TV, they should show 3D. Use 3D
cameras, turn them on, and shoot the WHOLE SHOW in 3D. None of this stupid
*put the glasses on here comes a stupid joke* kind of thing. That's
decidedly NOT what the thousands of folk across the country went to Wendy's
to get 3D glasses for. It's not what 3D is about. AND PEOPLE KNOW THAT! Too
bad the producers have no clue!!!

OK, I can hear the complaints from TV execs about doing the whole show in
3D. The regular producers apparently have NEVER seen a 3D show, of course
they will complain. If this is the only example available, I would too. For
starters, anaglyphic glasses are less than ideal under the best of
conditions. That's no excuse to make it 1000 times worse by a totally stupid
production. In order for anaglyphic images to start appearing at their best,
the audience must wear the silly glasses long enough that the mind starts
ignoring the retinal rivalry caused by the colors. Taking the glasses off
and on for 10 second 3D segments doesn't cut it. By the time you set down
your slice of pizza and fumble around for the glasses, the 3D segment is
over... you end up not seeing the 3D segment at all or it's 3D effect. In
this case it's actually a better option anyway.

Then there is content. TV shows are pretty dumb most of the time. But some
of them manage a semblance of reality even for humor. In fact, the most
successful shows manage that better than the others. This effort didn't even
try. They get an F-. People want to be entertained, not made fun of. To go
out of one's way to get the glasses, anticipation built up for days with
promos (that are themselves more than any of the promised shows turn out to
be), and then be fed the dumbest of jokes which obviously disrupt the normal
flow of the show itself, (in ALL examples so far). It's all so completely
out of line, it's hard to imagine that the TV industry in the late 90's can
be so utterly stupid?!!!! 

Despite my trying to give him the benefit of the doubt a week ago, Mr. Dan
Symmes has a lot to be ashamed of in this production. I even heard some 3D
director (was it Dan?) off screen coaching the actors ad lib to do more
stupid 3D stunts! There was no sense to any of this event. Anyone attempting
to help ABC pull off a ratings stunt should know enough about 3D to avoid
precisely this type of fiasco. Since Dan *so obviously didn't* avoid this
type of stupidity, it shows he perhaps instigated or at least participated
full tilt with this method. Any self respecting 3D producer would have
refused to do these productions in this manner if for no other reason than
IT'S NOT NECESSARY TO DO 3D THIS WAY FOR ANY 3D MEDIUM, TV INCLUDED. Red on
left or right, doesn't matter by comparison to this heap of garbage. It's
not fun, it wasn't funny, it was only very very sad and a terrible
disservice to the entire audience and to 3D in general.

I fully expect the 3rd Rock episode to be totally spectacular by comparison.
(other than the confusion of which glasses to wear! Was this the *real
reason* behind ABC's 3D shows?) They will have much more of the show in
active 3D at a minimum. Hopefully their humor will be *part of the typical
show* instead of the equivalent of old gum wrappers pasted into the scenes
to substitute for humor.

On the plus side ....  I discoverd while wearing the blue/red glasses
(during the 95% 2D shows), that most typical 2D show scenes, by their basic
coloring leaped into relative 3D at least psychologically. The warm colors
of foreground and cool colors of background seemed to make actors stand,
walk or sit, IN FRONT OF the set. Interesting. This virtual effect was more
impressive (by default) than all the scenes where they tell you to put the
glasses on.

I'm still in favor of 3DTV, but I want it done by someone who really knows
3D, not this sick imitation gimmick stuff. There is significant proof that
people in general are interested in 3D. The promos had people lining up to
pick up their glasses. In their own minds they were ready to be impressed
with modern technology, not be insulted with trash. Is ABC trying to ruin
their own ratings?

Larry Berlin

Email: lberlin@xxxxxxxxx
http://www.sonic.net/~lberlin/
http://3dzine.simplenet.com/


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