Beauty and the Beast gets 3-D makeover

[blackcauldron85]

But then...why not start with Snow White? Or even Pinocchio? And why didn't Sleeping Beauty get it? All these beautiful, adventurous special

My guess is that they need time to do this, and since B&tB is coming out in 2010, they'll have enough time to work on it and market it, and all they need to do for it.

[Jack Skellington]

Do you guys think this would look like it came out of a pop-up book, since it's in 2D, and that it would just show distance ?

[Disney Duster]

Thanks CJ!

And Amy, I think you're right, it probably has to do with time. Ichabod also touched on that.

Neal, it's okay, maybe you thought that in the 3-D it would somehow look like 3D animation the way they did it...but I'm sure that won't happen!

Jack Skellington, it may look like a pop-up book, even The Nightmare Before Christmas kind of did, from what I remember, in my opinion. But only kind of, and probably only because they couldn't go back and mess with the original sources, like they couldn't film each claymation puppet with the special camera.

But I think it will be depend on opinion how much it looks like a pop-up book...we'll see...and there's nothing wrong with that for a fairy tale which is supposed to look like a storybook (well...Beauty and the Beast, and the Little Mermaid, weren't made to look like storybooks actually...).

[Disney 181]

As long as they keep the 2D version on the new platinum i think this will be interesting! I can't fully imagine it just yet, but it sounds like an interesting endeavour! I hope this turns BATB into a movie of the millennium. Since it hasn't been available for years and years (if you count the break between VHS and DVD as well), many children will be seeing this for the first time.
I can't wait to see some demonstrational screenshots!

[Escapay]

Mike, I used the search function! I did what I thought I was supposed to do!!! Albert won't yell at me now.

Anyway, I'm all for another theatrical release for Beauty and the Beast. Let's hope they don't brighten up the colours again.

albert

[blackcauldron85]

Here's an article about the B&tB 3D release as well as some upcoming 3D releases:

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=50656
(via http://community.livejournal.com/ohnoth ... 05949.html )

[singerguy04]

Maybe they're trying 2D in 3D with BatB because they know it'll already make a good amount of money because of it's popularity. Perhaps trying it first with TPatF is a little too risky for Disney. Afterall they do kind of consider going back to 2D a huge risk already.

My personal opinion is that it'll probably look like a giant movie version of a pop-up book. I'm not convinced that hand drawn animation that was never made to be 3D originally will look all that great in 3D.

[Jack Skellington]

Do you think it would also be rereleased in Imax-3D ?

[Disney Duster]

Maybe they're trying 2D in 3D with BatB because they know it'll already make a good amount of money because of it's popularity. Perhaps trying it first with TPatF is a little too risky for Disney. Afterall they do kind of consider going back to 2D a huge risk already.

But they've released every new, not yet popular film in Disney Digital 3-D!

Unless you meant they are only trusting Beauty and the Beast as the first 2D movie in 3-D because it is popular.

[singerguy04]

Maybe they're trying 2D in 3D with BatB because they know it'll already make a good amount of money because of it's popularity. Perhaps trying it first with TPatF is a little too risky for Disney. Afterall they do kind of consider going back to 2D a huge risk already.

But they've released every new, not yet popular film in Disney Digital 3-D!

Unless you meant they are only trusting Beauty and the Beast as the first 2D movie in 3-D because it is popular.

Precisely, dear duster.

I'm not 100% sold on the idea behind this, but it does sound kind of cool. If anything, it'll be nice to see in the theaters again. I wonder what posters will look like...

[blackcauldron85]

I wonder what posters will look like...

Maybe it'll have the characters wearing 3D glasses...that's the first thing that popped into my head. Maybe call me Captain Obvious...but that was my first thought!

[BrandonH]

I wonder what posters will look like...

Maybe it'll have the characters wearing 3D glasses...that's the first thing that popped into my head. Maybe call me Captain Obvious...but that was my first thought!

They did this with Bolt. They had the hamster in the glasses with the tagline "Even more awesome in 3D."

[Jack Skellington]

They did that with The Nightmare Before Christmas too !

[Disney's Divinity]

Even though I don't know what to think of a 3D effect, I'll definitely go to see this. There are so many great Disney films I'd love to see in theaters and I hope this'll be the way the company'll re-release them there again.

I'm guessing they'll be showing the Platinum restoration though. Still, it's better than nothing.

[Jack Skellington]

Check this out :
http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=2104

Looks like we might watch movies like this in 3D at home in 2010, let's hope that it's out before October.

Remindes me of when I made a thread about a 3D player last year, and everyone got pissed and thought I was endorsing Blu-ray ! I still have a grudge on you guys for that !

[kurtadisneyite]

The CAPS system that Disney used for BATB allowed the compositors to store all the elements separately. So, since they retained all the files (many of which followed relatively standard formats adaptable to newer systems), all the producers have to do is re-composite the elements using a depth axis / 3D compositing system, of which there are several to choose from.
The workhorse SW of 2D Animation these days comes from TOON BOOM TECHNOLOGIES, which develops several software packages excelling in vector/classic animation, and which offer 3D compositing abilities.

In any event, the only issue I can see is how to keep the animation from looking Viewmaster "cut-outish" (a problem some early 2D to 3D films had), but given new lighting and rendering techniques available at Disney's beck and call, the BATB results should look very nice.

The issue is much more difficult for Disney movies shot without element separation, such as stop motion or "flat" live action. For those, a much more tedious (though increasingly automated) process is required to separate the elements for 3D / depth exposure.

[Matt]

I wonder how they are going to do the re-release of the Platinum Edition DVD? I know Blu-ray will hold all the movies but now they are adding another movie to the 3 which will make it 4 movies? I am guessing the Platinum Edition DVD will have 3-Disc's?
I SOOO cannot wait for the release! I just hope the colors are back to normal in some parts
(WISHFUL THINKING LOL!)

[Jack Skellington]

Great to see a 3D expert in this thread, Kurtadisneyite. I think your'e the right person for us to discuss with about this.

What do you think this might look like ?

I can only think about depth when visualising BATB in 3D, I can't imagine that the characters would actually reach out to the audience, I mean I can imagine dandelions flying around the screen in the Belle Reprise scene, but if such things happen then I think that would look a lot like Paper Mario !

[kurtadisneyite]

For BATB to be 3D, the Disney or contracted technicians will probably have to make a fair number of Z-maps (specially designed gray scale images, working in a separate information channel), that tell the 3D Renderer what position any given 2d planer object is to be located within 3D space.
The map appearance is very similar to a toning map (gray scale, feathered or varying intensity) used for defining character shading and also invisible to the audience.

For example; Belle could be sitting at a table with objects flying around her. A given object's Z-map will vary its shading and position or time such that the same object will be recognized by the 3D Renderer as going behind, around and in front of Belle.

This is not an artistic process, but a painstaking, highly repetitive or possibly automated task.
The LORD OF THE RINGS documentaries give a peek at the general process.

As to what the __exact__ process will be, it'll be highly proprietary until Disney or the contractor (given permission by Disney) discusses it in Journals or articles available to the general public.

[Jack Skellington]

Thanks for that Kurta, I think if this is the process of adding depth to 2D movies then I'm sure they can do this to all of the other Disney movies, if it was logical to rerelease them.