My Thoughts on Stereo 3D Technology

I hardly ever go to the movies. When I do go, it's usually to see something that will be best viewed on the big screen. This past weekend I went to see the final installation of Harry Potter. There was the option to see it in 3D, which I went for given that I have yet to experience the whole 3D craze.

As soon as the film started up, I quickly realized that the 3D hype was completely missed on me. For starters, how impressive can 3D effects be when you are contained to a rectangular frame? I realize that there are neat tricks to be done in terms of depth illusions, but how necessary is that in an art form that is intended to be viewed as 2D?

I found that in the case of Harry Potter, 3D attempted to enhance the visuals at the expense of the film. Rather than contribute, it distracted. I spent the 2.5 hours rubbing my forehead and wondering what sort of effect was having on my eyes.

Now, I didn't set out to write this as a long rant/complaint. I actually walked away from the film (which was pretty good) curious about the technology behind stereo 3D and what effects, if any, it might have on our brains. Turns out not a lot of studies have been done. I read about one that was done at UC Berkeley. TechCrunch had a good summary on it and how the study indicates that stereo 3D displays do have a negative impact on our eyes & brains.

The way I understand it (and can best articulate it in laymen's terms) it's the tricking of our brain that is hurting us. In viewing a movie, we have our eyes focus on the source of light that emanates from the screen. When stereo content is placed behind the screen, our eyes shift to accommodate the change in depth, only to find no change has really occurred.

I find it to be pretty fascinating, especially since it's such a trend right now. However, I will mention that Harry Potter (unlike Avatar) was not filmed for 3D, which involves shooting with a dual camera rig (imagine as though each scene were filmed with two human eyes, which would produce the illusion of depth). I've heard that films shot for 3D are a whole other beast--one that is less taxing on the viewer.