Sir Peter Jackson gave a verbal response to the criticism that has been given by viewers of the released 10 minutes of film at last weeks CinemaCon at Las Vegas. Here is an excerpt of an article i viewed:
Peter Jackson says the negative reaction this week over new technology he’s using to shoot
The Hobbit won’t hold him back, and he hopes moviegoers will give it a try and judge for themselves.
“Nobody is going to stop,” he said. “This technology is going to keep evolving.”
When Warner Bros. showed off 10 minutes of footage this week at
CinemaCon, the annual convention for theater owners, many attendees
complained that this version of Middle Earth looked more like a movie
set than the atmospheric, textured world seen in
The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
There was a lot of love for Jackson’s storytelling — the scenes of
young Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman, from the British version of The
Office) battling a trio of goblins, and
Ian McKellen’s
Gandalf exploring the tombs of the now-reanimated ringwraiths,
received universal praise. Complaints only centered on the technology
used to capture and project the footage.
Jackson hopes critics of the format will change their minds when they
see the finished film, but notes that it will also be available in
traditional formats in many theaters.
“At first it’s unusual because you’ve never seen a movie like this
before. It’s literally a new experience, but you know, that doesn’t last
the entire experience of the film–not by any stretch, [just] 10 minutes
or so,” Jackson tells EW. “That’s a different experience than if you
see a fast-cutting montage at a technical presentation.”
So what does he say to people who just decide they don’t like the glossy new look of the format he’s using?
“I can’t say anything,” Jackson acknowledges. “Just like I can’t say
anything to someone who doesn’t like fish. You can’t explain why fish
tastes great and why they should enjoy it.”
Right now, every second of a motion picture is made up of 24 images, or “frames,” but Jackson is shooting his two
Hobbit films at 48 frames per second, which he says creates a more lifelike picture and will make 3-D less of a strain on the eyes.
When it debuts Dec. 14.
, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will
be the first major performance for 48-frames, while this week’s
showcase was just an audition. Jackson says those who remain unconvinced
should wait to see more before closing their minds completely. “There
can only ever be a real reaction, a truthful reaction, when people
actually have a chance to see a complete narrative on a particular
film,” he said.
Some representatives from smaller theater chains, unwilling to speak
on the record, grumbled privately about the cost of upgrading their
projection equipment (which could be thousands of dollars per screen) to
accommodate something they fear could attract a backlash from
customers.
Jackson, however, says he noticed one thing in the press: Critics seemed to like it more as the show went on.
“A couple of the more negative commenters from CinemaCon said that in
the Gollum and Bilbo scene [which took place later in the presentation]
they didn’t mind it and got used to that,” Jackson says. “That was the
same 48 frames the rest of the reel was. I just wonder if it they were
getting into the dialogue, the characters and the story. That’s what
happens in the movie. You settle into it.”
The Hobbit has become the touchstone in a larger
conversation happening within the film industry about how to make movies
more immersive and appealing.
While Jackson and
Avatar‘s James Cameron are advocates, not
all directors are sold on the 48 frames format. Ang Lee – who was at
CinemaCon to show footage from his upcoming 3-D epic
Life of Pi – told EW he hadn’t seen
The Hobbit
presentation but worries that 48-frames may be too much of a good
thing. “I have mixed feelings. I don’t think 48-frames solves
everything. Each time you solve a problem you can bring in others —
because you make the problem look more clear, maybe, ” he said with a
laugh. “It takes time. It sounds like a good idea, but I’m a little
skeptical.”
Despite the mixed reaction, Jackson and Warner Bros. did not lose any
major support from exhibitors they need to get this format in front of
audiences.
Large exhibitors remained committed to at least
giving 48-frames a try, based on Jackson’s track record as an innovator.
Amy Miles, CEO of Regal Entertainment Group, said she hoped to upgrade
between 2,500-2,700 of the company’s 3-D projectors to show films at 48
frames per second.
“At end of the day, we have to do everything we can to widen that
experience gap between what you see in the theater and what you see in
the home,” Miles told EW. “Bringing the option to our customer is what
we’re doing. Ultimately, let’s be clear, that’s who decides what’s going
to be successful going forward.”
Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros.,
suggested audiences may just need time to get accustomed to the new
presentation. “It might not initially be accepted by all, but eventually
[Jackson] feels it will be and eventually it can only improve,” he
said.
Fellman also pointed out that some of the
Hobbit footage was
unfinished. In a pre-taped intro, Jackson warned the audience that many
visual effects were not yet in place. Fellman said the rawness of the
material may have been at least partly responsible for the negative
response. “I think by the time he presents this film finished, the
majority of moviegoers will accept it and be pleased,” Fellman said.
The studio won’t have to bet its entire box office earnings on the foundation of 48 frames per second.
The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey
will be available in six different ways: 3-D, 2-D, and IMAX 3-D, each
one in both the traditional 24-frames style and the new 48-frames
Evidently there will be many different styles to choose from, so keep the countdown to December 14th going. It's gonna be a great time no matter how you choose to view it.