WEEKLY CineBUZZ REPORT - 9 April 2012

In This Week's Report:

 - Internet Outpaces Hollywood in 3D Format
 - Paramount Inks Deal with Google
 - Apple To Intro 3D Camera in Next iPhone ?
 - CinemaCon 2012, Anything New ?

YouTube Goes 3D - Big Time and Outpaces Hollywood.  As of last Thursday, users that access HD 1080p short-form videos posted on YouTube will be given the option (click on Quality settings) to view that video in 3D.

Beta tested since last September, Google (owner of YouTube) has developed a way to obtain the 3D effect by analyzing a video's "components" and developing a depth perception for each frame of the video.

Cross you eyes for the 3D Effect

It appears that many people are interested in bringing 3D content to YouTube - as it has converted "hundreds of thousands" of videos to 3D over the last several months.

So, with one click you can turn the 2D video you are viewing into a 3D presentation.  3D glasses are, kind of, required but at least half of the U.S. population should have a pair of glasses received from viewing a 3D movie over the last 5 years at the local cinema. YouTube 3D videos can accommodate every style of 3D glasses, and if not available, just cross your eyes ( yes,it works).


YouTube claims to have the most HD online content - 10% of all posted videos on YouTube can now be viewed in 3D.  So, Google has just offered another reason for the folks to stay in their living rooms and postpone that trip to the cinema.  We'll see and keep you posted.

Paramount Inks Deal With Google

Last Wednesday (4/4/12) Paramount Pictures agreed to allow YouTube (owned by Google) access to 500 films for online rental.  This makes Paramount the fifth major studio (Fox is now the only holdout) to join the YouTube online video store - that charges $2-4 per movie rental.

Online movie and pay-per-view options have brought on heavy competition between Google, Apple (iTunes), Amazon (Amazon Plus), and Netflix. The deal with Paramount, brings the YouTube movie library to 9,000 titles.  Renters are given up to 30 days to began watching the movie after purchase but must complete the viewing within 24 hours after starting.

Apple's 3D Glasses-free Camera Image

 Next iPhone to Sport 3D Camera

As Hollywood falters with 3D acceptance by the public, others (such as YouTube) have taken the format to new levels.  Not to be outdone, rumor has it that Apple's next iPhone will sport a 3D camera!  Apple has a patent filing for cameras that incorporate laser and light-detection and ranging sensors for determining depth as well as color accuracy. The pictures will be glasses-free.

If the 3D iPhone becomes reality it will be the second on the market, HTC's Evo phone is 3D capable, but Apple claims its camera will be a vast improvement over anything currently on the market - and you don't want to doubt Apple's ability to intro superior products.  The 3D cameras will also be standard on  iPads.

CinemaCon, Anything New?

CinemaCon (previously called ShoWest), the cinema industry's annual convention and trade show, will take place April 23-26 at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. Should I expect to see anything new?  Probably not.  I will however be looking for anything related to digital laser projection systems (the next phase in the development of digital cinema).  Now that the digital genie is out of the bottle, cinema exhibition is open to continued developments in the technology, which will be a big switch from film's 100+ year virtually unchanged run.

I'll be providing a full report on CinemaCon and the usual best and worst in Show.

Best and Happy Movie Going!
Jim Lavorato