3D Filming and Presentation Formats of Yesteryear

[Lee Stewart]

3D Filming and Presentation Formats of Yesteryear

Here are some of the more popular 3D shooting and presentation formats that were used from 1952 to about 1990. For more info on 3D films and some of the more obscure processes's names, this LINK seems to have them all.

Natural Vision 3D

Used in 1952 for Bwana Devil which kicked off the 3D craze. Dual Strip 35mm interlocked cameras. Used a silver screen and polarized light. The audience wore cardboard polarized eye wear.

Metrovision Tri-Dee

MGM's 3D twin camera rig system. Same presentation as above.


WarnerVision 3-Dimension

Warner Brothers 3D twin camera rig system. Same presentation as the first.


Stereo-Vision

Short lived 3D presentation process. Shot "flat" then used the SuperScope 235 process (cropped the frame like the Super 35 format of today) then squeezed and printed in Cinemascope


Space-Vision

Single camera with twin lenses that recorded the two images on a single strip of film in the Over/Under format - 2 perf for each image.


ArriVision 3D

Same as above. Arri's (maker of Arriflex cameras) 3D filming process. JAWS 3-D was shot in this process.


StereoVision

Was both a filming format and presentation format. A beam splitter dual lens attachment for filming on single strip film in either the O/U or SbS using anamorphics. As a presentation format, dual strip 3D was converted to single strip 3D O/U or S-b-S anamorphic presentation. Most notable use was for THE STEWARDESSES, one of the most well known and profitable 3D movies made (soft porn BTW )


Deep Vision

Split beam 3D camera attachment that used slightly different color filters. A better attempt at Anaglyph 3D


QuadraVision 4-D

Single strip side-by-side anamorphic 1.33:1


StereoSpace 70

United Artists dual 70mm 3D shooting and presentation process. Never used. Deemed too expensive.


Optimax III

Single strip, twin lens, beam splitter camera with dual 2.35 O/U images in a 1.33 frame. Used in COMIN' AT YA! a 3D film that specialized in things coming out of the screen.


Future Deminisions 3-D

Another version of the StereoVision single strip O/U


3-Depix

Another single strip 2.35 O/U system. FRIDAY THE 13TH-PART III was filmed using this system.


Panaflex 3D

Panavisions 3D filming process. The two cameras are not side by side. They are in the L positions - One shooting straight ahead while the other shooting down off a 90 degree mirror. (was also configured using Super Panavision 70 cameras for 65mm special effects work). Then two images are then printed on single strip in the 2.35 O/U presentation format. Used in SPACEHUNTER: ADVENTURES IN THE FORBIDDEN ZONE.


IMAX 3D

Side-by-Side IMAX cameras shooting 15 perf 70mm film hortizontial. Originally shown using active shutter glasses, now most have converted to polarization presentation.

It doesn't have it's own 3D film process, but it should be noted that T2 3-D: BATTLE ACROSS TIME did use a twin 70mm camera rig shooting at 30FPS instead of the normal 24. It is still the most expensive "movie" ever made - $60 million for 12 minutes.

Marketing Monikers For 3D Films Of Yesteryear:

3D Horrorscope

Marketing "doda" for REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, the sequel to THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON

Real 3 Dimension

3D Stereovsion

Optovision 3D

Super 3-D

3D Wondavision

Wonder-Vision 3-D



Isn't it so easy today. We shoot in in 3D, we present in 3D . . . That's it! 3D! Personally, I miss the great monikers they used back then.

[LordoftheRingsEE]

Cool!