Then I saw Glee: The 3D Concert Movie, and thought, "Hey, maybe there's something to this 3D thing after all."
Don't get me wrong. Glee: The 3D Concert Movie isn't a cinematic masterpiece by any stretch. You probably won't enjoy it unless you're a fan of the TV show (and judging from the abysmal opening weekend draw, even those fans weren't watching it, either). If you do go to watch it, though, you'll no doubt find it an enlightening exercise in how 3D video technology should be used--which is to say, subtly and sparingly.
3D Isn't Just Stuff Flying Out of the Screen
Wasn't the promise of 3D video to deliver a more immersive, engaging movie experience? For my part, I wanted 3D tech to make stuff just dive out of the screen at us--frisbees, bullets, giant alien birds, whatever. Maybe it's a holdover from the virtual reality goggle days, but if I have to wear a pair of silly glasses, I demand immersion, and nothing says "immersion" to me more than thinking that an onscreen bullet is actually headed my way.
This works fine for Glee: The 3D Concert Movie, which is mostly performed on an I-shaped stage that extends out into the audience. The 3D doesn't make much of a difference in the close-up shots of one or two performers, but the ensemble and full-stage shots look great--kind of like we're watching a concert in a diorama from a top-down or 3/4ths angle rather than on a flat movie screen.
Oddly enough, since the Glee movie's 3D image emphasizes the difference between the foreground and the background planes, I found I was able to take in both the foreground and the background better than I could in a 2D image, where I naturally focus on the foreground. So what's going on in the background that would make me want to ignore the foreground? Well, Harry Shum Jr. ("Mike Chang") is my favorite of the cast, and he's dancing in the background for most of the concert. I spent more time watching him than I did paying attention to whoever was in the foreground--just as I would have if I were actually at the show.
Give 3D Cameras a Chance
And I've found that 3D movies shot well with an actual 3D camera are far more subtle with the 3D effect, which is a good thing. It seems like with the right 3D-shooting gear (and, no doubt, excellent camera people and directors), a 3D movie can feel more natural, with the various "layers" of the shot less jarring to the eye. Done right, you're not constantly squinting around the screen wondering "Hey, is this in 3D? Is that in 3D?" Instead, you just feel you're watching a normal movie, except it looks a bit more deep and real than movies normally do.
It's like the difference between lightly seasoning a steak to bring out a beefy flavor, and taking a tough cut and covering it in A-1 sauce. Concert movies don't need heavy computer-generated 3D effects, and the few stage effects used during the concert (pyrotechnics during Lea Michelle's rendition of "Firework" by Katy Perry, for example) look great shot naturally with the 3D cameras.
I must admit that I haven't seen any of the other 3D concert movies that have been coming out (guess I'm obligated to watch Justin Bieber's Never Say Never next), but after being impressed by Glee: The 3D Concert Movie's relatively modest treatment of 3D, I'm looking forward to seeing 3D continue into high-profile sports events and documentaries. That kind of subject matter benefits from the same you-wish-you-were-there dynamic as a concert flick, and it brings a sense of realism into the fold.
All in all, I'm willing to give 3D another chance--even if it means watching a Justin Bieber concert.
This story, "How 'Glee: The 3D Concert Movie' Sold Me on 3D" was originally published by PCWorld.