By Iain Blair

A friend is working on Avatar, the eagerly awaited new 3-D film from James Cameron, and now it seems as if 3-D is everywhere in Hollywood. Since first arriving back in ’51, 3-D films have enthralled audiences, even when they resembled little more than stunts/joy rides. But now 3-D—partly thanks to Cameron—is being taken very seriously indeed. The success of Disney’s Bolt follows animated hits like Meet the Robinsons and Chicken Little, and Disney plans more 3-D releases. Next year sees nearly a dozen 3-D releases – and that’s just in animation—including Pixar’s Up and Dreamworks’ Monsters vs. Aliens.

Another very exciting 3-D trend is in live action in such films as Final Destination 4 scheduled for release by Warner Bros. in August 2009. In Final Destination 4, a sequel in the popular series directed by David Ellis, death once again sets out to collect those who evaded their end—this time in a deadly race-car crash, thanks to the forewarning of a teen’s premonition. “What’s amazing about this film is that it’s the first “gun-and-run”-style 3-D motion picture shot on location, instead of primarily against a green screen,” 3-D guru Vince Pace told me. Vince is the developer of the proprietary PACE/Cameron Fusion System that Cameron is using on Avatar, and he stressed that “3-D is finally coming of age.” Pace also worked closely with Director of Photography Glen MacPherson, ASC and digital imaging technician Nick Theodorakis.  “We showed that it’s possible to shoot a 3-D picture like a real movie,” he told me. “It’s so exciting for all of us who see it as a storytelling device, not just a gimmick.”

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