Lucasfilm Selects Prime Focus to Convert Star Wars to 3D

By Scott Wilkinson • Posted: Apr 5, 2011

Converting 2D content to 3D is controversial at best, but when George Lucas wants to do it to Star Wars, that's big news. Following an exhaustive testing process, Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic have selected Prime Focus to convert Episode I: The Phantom Menace to 3D for theatrical release on February 10, 2012.

Of course, 2D-to-3D conversion can ruin a movie—just look at Clash of the Titans—but it can be done well if enough care is taken with the material. And Lucas is known for sparing no expense, at least in the technical aspects of his movies. "It was incredibly important to me that we have the technology, the resources, and the time to do this right," says Lucas. "I'm very happy with the results I've been seeing on Episode I."

The conversion is being completed under the supervision of John Knoll, visual effects supervisor for ILM. "Getting really good results from stereo conversion requires a lot of attention to detail, and it is imperative that you take the time to get it right—and that's just what we're doing," he says. "We're taking a different approach than you might expect. George's vision has been to add dimension to the film in subtle ways. This isn't a novelty conversion, with things jumping out at the audience; our goal has been to enhance the classic Star Wars theatrical experience, utilizing the latest cinematic tools and techniques." That sounds like the right approach to me.

Prime Focus will be at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention next week, and I'm scheduled to interview the company's CEO, Namit Malhotra, on Wednesday, April 13, at 10:30 AM. You can watch that interview live at live.twit.tv or later here at UAV. It should be an interesting conversation!

Comments

Submitted by WazNeeni on April 7, 2011 - 10:34am.

Scott,

Why can't this photo-shifting technique be used for glasses-less 3D?

http://pinktentacle.com/2009/10/animated-stereoviews-of-old-japan/

The perspectives switch every other frame, and blammo! Why would this not work for film?

Submitted by Scott Wilkinson on April 7, 2011 - 12:18pm.

This is an interesting technique, but I doubt it would work for high-quality video presentations. First, if a movie shot at 24fps alternated views with each frame, each eye would see 12fps, which would look mighty herky-jerky. Of course, you could increase the frame rate, but it would have to be at least 48 or 60fps. Even then, the viewer's two eyes still need to be isolated so the right eye doesn't see the left image and vice versa. The still images on Pink Tentacle have a mild stereoscopic look to them, but there's still a lot of crosstalk, which would be unacceptable in a movie.

Submitted by Jarod on April 7, 2011 - 1:12pm.

I have been an ultra-mega Star Wars nerd since I was 5. So to say that I am excited to see the Saga on the bigscreen in 3D would be a gross understatement! I am sure the results will be nothing short of breath-taking and I like that they are releasing the movies in the proper time-line sequence, not that I would complain if they released them in 3D in the same order in which they were released. I think Mr. Lucas wants his first 3D showing to be of top-notch quality of course, and starting with the prequels should do the trick. The podracing scene alone is going to be amazing!! Can't come soon enough.