Tri-curious New York City residents and visitors will be treated to a very special three-day (of course!) event next month, when The 3D Experience hits Times Square. Following successful events in Singapore and Hong Kong, this festival will be giving both industry insiders and consumers at large the lowdown on the latest and greatest technology. For more details on what we should expect next month--the official dates are Friday 9/24 thru Sunday 9/26--we bent the ear of Nino Balistreri, Managing Director of The 3D Experience.
BPBS: So why a "3D Festival"? How did the idea originate?
NB: After we organized the first two 3D events--3DX Film Festival in Singapore and 3D Screenings Asia in Hong Kong, which were primarily focused on 3D cinema--I saw that the buzz around this genre was beginning to spill over into other areas in other industries. This was right around the time that the movie Avatar had come out, and it was really sparking an abundance of experimentation in 3D technology.
We knew we had a successful formula for our 3D festivals already, but we were eager to climb aboard this broader trend in 3D and expand our reach. The 3D Experience, our first festival to focus on both entertainment and technology, demonstrates for professionals and consumers the full spectrum of this genre. The Executive Forum provides professionals with the visionary, future-looking perspective, while the 3D Showroom and 3D screenings provides professionals and consumers alike a glimpse into what is available now. Either way, you can expect to be entertained and educated about one of the most exciting and promising technology trends of this decade.
BPBS: Why New York City?
NB: Not only is New York City a top destination for tourists, Times Square is one of the most vibrant, tech-forward neighborhoods in the world. Along with our partners NASDAQ and Best Buy, we are able to bring The 3D Experience to some of Times Squares' most popular landmarks, including the NASDAQ Marketsite, AMC Theatres Empire 25 and Discovery Times Square Exposition, from September 24th to the 26th.
BPBS: Why is now the time for an event like this?
NB: 3D has exploded! Every day we see the technology being more widely used and accepted, whether it's in-home entertainment, videogames, theaters, online or mobile. The 3D Experience gives professionals and consumers the opportunity to learn the "how" and "what" of 3D, so that they're empowered to make the right decisions, whether it's for their business or their home.
BPBS: Should we expect the focus to be primarily the theatrical experience, or TV and gaming as well?
NB: The focus will be spread pretty evenly among all three areas. Visitors can check out the latest 3D TV and gaming technology at the 3D Showroom for all three days at the Discovery Times Square Exposition. Best Buy is hosting the 3D Showroom, and will have its Geek Squad crew there to help consumers with any questions they might have. We'll also be featuring a full roster of 3D films at the AMC Theatres Empire 25 for two days of the festival, the 25th and 26th. The lineup already features the concert film U23D, nature documentary Sharks 3D, science docs Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure and Sea Rex 3D: Journey to a Prehistoric World, and eco-pics Bugs 3D and Planet You. We're in the process of confirming four to five additional films as well. We'll be updating our schedule in real time on our website, and tickets will be available for purchase at the box office beginning Thursday, September 23rd, the day before the show opens.
BPBS: You said it will be geared toward consumers and the industry?
NB: Yes, the 3D Experience is unique because it is the first 3D festival that is actually focused on both the industry and consumers. For professionals, we offer the Executive Forum, which takes place all day Friday the 24th at the AMC Theatres Empire 25 in Times Square, and gives them access to numerous networking sessions and technical demonstrations. Delegates are also invited to the NASDAQ Opening Night Reception Presented by LG Electronics USA on the evening of Thursday the 23rd, as well as a red carpet premiere and reception the following day. Consumers meanwhile will have access to the 3D Showroom I mentioned before, as well as all of the 3D movie screenings at the AMC Theatres Empire 25.
BPBS: What are some of the highlights that attendees can look forward to?
NB: One event we're particularly excited about is the 3D Test Drive. It takes place at the NASDAQ MarketSite twice during the festival, first on Friday in a special media-only press preview luncheon, and then again for Executive Forum Delegates on Saturday. This is the first time anyone has offered a non-biased platform for comparing, side-by-side, the top brands in 3D TVs currently available.
BPBS: Who's supplying the hardware for the 3D Test Drive?
NB: We are working with all the major consumer electronics companies that offer 3D products. Mitsubishi and LG are just a couple of the names we can share at this point.
BPBS: My dad has trouble with his depth perception: Should I drag him along, too?
NB: Sorry, no comment.
BPBS: Damn! (laughter) Who are some of the industry folk who attendees can expect to see at the 3D festival?
NB: So far, speakers at the Executive Forum include Phil McKinney, CTO for HP; Richard L. Gelfond, CEO of IMAX; Bruce Aust, executive vice president of NASDAQ OMX Group; and Ken Venturi, executive vice president of interactive media for NCM. We're working with a number of other industry VIPs and will be releasing publicly our full agenda and list of speakers in a few weeks.
BPBS: What do your sponsors stand to gain by their involvement?
NB: Sponsors are getting double the benefit here. They're getting exposure with professionals who are attending the Executive Forum and are eager to learn about the 3D field. They're also getting in front of consumers who will one day be making a decision on which brand to buy, which movie to see, gadget to own, etc. We really cover the spectrum as opposed to a show that focuses primarily on B2B or just B2C.
BPBS: Your 3D Festival has already taken place in Asia?
NB: Yes, we have hosted similar events in Asia. We started with the 3DX Festival in Singapore in November of 2008, followed by 3D Screenings Asia in Hong Kong in March of 2009. These events combined with our upcoming event in New York all have one, unique thing in common: they are the first 3D festivals or conferences to focus on the consumer as well as the professionals.
BPBS: What has the reaction been like so far?
NB: We could not have asked for a better response for our inaugural event in the United States. People and organizations have really been connecting with our vision and wanting to get involved. We've attracted major players in all sectors. Our event partners, some of which I mentioned, include NASDAQ OMX, Best Buy, National CineMedia, IMAX, AMC and Discovery Times Square Exposition. LG Electronics USA, Mitsubishi, Northern Lights Entertainment, 3D Eye Solutions, Body Sound Technologies and Passmore Lab have also signed on as sponsors. And last but not least, we've got National Geographic Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Red Bull Records, IMS Research and International 3D Society as event supporters as well.
BPBS: How will the festival be promoted here?
NB: We are working with global PR firm Edelman and Easterday Promotions to promote The 3D Experience.
BPBS: And how can our readers find out more about the event?
Visit us at www.the3dexperience.org. You can also follow us on Twitter, @the3dexperience, or find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/3dexperience to keep up with the latest 3D news and announcements.
(Big Thanks from Big Picture Big Sound to Nino, and the team at Edelman for taking time from their exhaustive show preparations to take part in our Q&A.)
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