Asian film directors expressed a cautious attitude towards 3D technology during a forum of the 13th Shanghai International Film Festival yesterday, though 3D blockbuster "Avatar" had done extremely well at the China box office.Industry officials, however, decided to continue expanding into 3D sectors due to huge market demand.
"Without 3D, \'Avatar\' is an impressive story,"said Hong Kong film director Pang Ho-Cheung. "There are also many copycat 3D films, with nothing more than technology." The 3D film has "gradually developed" in China and its still has a long way to go. People, including directors and film fans, should not care only about technology but also storytelling.
A 3D film requires huge investment and it\'s still a challenge for Asian directors and producers to get the investment back. People may like 3D but they have different tastes and understanding of 3D titles in Japan, China and Korea, according to Pang.
The 3D equipment for cinemas, like projectors and audio systems, are not ready in China, especially in second or third-tier cities, said Chinese director He Ping.But no one can deny the huge market demand for 3D content and it\'s time to penetrate the sector, industry officials told the forum.
Boosted by the "Avatar" effect, China is going to digitize 2,000 cinema screens this year, double the number of last year, according to Belgium-based Barco, a major digital (3D) projector provider for Chinese cinemas.
Shanghai Media Group, the country\'s No. 2 media group, is going to establish a national video and cartoon creative zone in Songjiang District of Shanghai, Xue Peijian, SMEG\'s president told the forum.
"We will develop all new media and new technologies in the industry zone, including 3D content and mobile TV," Xue said.
Industrial Light & Magic\'s digital artist, Dean Yurke, a 15-year-veteran of the film industry, showcased the latest 3D technologies and trends during the forum. Yurke, who joined George Lucas\'Industrial Light and Magic to work on the Star Wars films in 1997, contributed animations and effects to titles including "Star Wars," "Transformers," "Harry Potter," "Star Trek," "Iron Man" and "Avatar."
The 3D technology has started to help the box office in the United States and it\'s a way to fight against piracy, according to Eric Edmeades, chief executive of Kerner Group, which contributed to blockbuster titles including "Terminator Salvation," "Star Trek" and "Avatar." The US-based firms have come to China to seek cooperation on 3D films.
A 3D title called "Golden," jointly directed by Yurke and Chinese director Hu Bo, is going to be released in 2011.