DISNEY’S FIRST CG FEATURE, “CHICKEN LITTLE,” TO DEBUT
IN DISNEY DIGITAL 3D™ IN SELECT THEATRES NATIONWIDE ON NOV. 4TH;
REVOLUTIONARY NEW SYSTEM OFFERS
Walt Disney Pictures offers
moviegoers a glimpse into the future of theatrical exhibition with the November
4th debut of “Chicken Little” in Disney Digital 3DTM.
Disney Digital 3D, presented exclusively in Dolby®
Digital Cinema, is a brand new state-of-the-art technology that provides the
first true three-dimensional digital experience in movie theatres. In
collaboration with Disney, Dolby Laboratories is overseeing the rollout of its
Dolby Digital Cinema systems in a total of 84 specially-selected, high-profile
theatres in 25 top markets. Visual effects giant Industrial Light & Magic
(a Lucasfilm Ltd. company) rendered the movie in
3D. Digital 3D pioneer, REAL D, applied
several of its patented technologies (screens, software and glasses) to make
the “Chicken Little” 3D experience possible for presentation on the Real D
Cinema system. This joint effort has resulted in the next leap forward in the
evolution of motion picture entertainment, bringing animation to life.
“Chicken
Little” is Disney’s first fully computer-animated feature film, and it brings
the Studio’s distinct filmmaking style and approach to this exciting medium.
The sky’s the limit in this delightful comedy-adventure that gives a
sophisticated and satirical twist to the classic fable. It is now one year
after the “unfortunate acorn incident” when Chicken Little caused big-time
havoc in his hometown of Oakey Oaks by proclaiming
that the sky was falling after being conked on the head by what appeared to be
an acorn. Down but not out, the plucky
chicken joins the local baseball team in the hopes of reviving his reputation
and winning the respect of his father, Buck Cluck. When he leads the town to an
upset victory, he becomes the toast of the town. But no sooner has the champion
chicken redeemed himself when he is hit on the head one more time. And this time the sky really is falling!
Fearful of once again being labeled crazy, he is reluctant to tell anyone what
has happened. Instead, he enlists the
help of his closest pals – Runt of the Litter, Abby Mallard (aka Ugly Duckling), and Fish Out of Water – in an attempt
to save the day without sending the town into a whole new panic.
Commenting
on the announcement, Dick Cook, chairman, The Walt Disney Studios, said,
“Disney Digital 3D is a truly groundbreaking technology that combines the
latest innovations of science and art, and we are proud to be a part of
filmmaking history. Walt Disney pioneered many technological breakthroughs and
set an uncompromising goal for his Studio to constantly push the envelope to
offer a superior movie going experience. We are very proud to add this
animation milestone to the long list of technological breakthroughs for the
studio, and we are especially thrilled to work with entertainment technology
leader Dolby in this exciting launch. Likewise, we are proud to have the
wizards at Industrial Light & Magic to help deliver the movie in 3D, and
the experts at REAL D on board to make 3D like no one has ever seen.”
Academy
Award®-winning director James Cameron (“Titanic”), a long-time
supporter of 3D, added, “I think digital 3D offers an opportunity to do
something as profound for today’s moviegoing
audiences as the introduction of color and sound. This is the next big thing,
and I think people are going to respond to these really high quality 3D images.
‘Chicken Little’ is going to go a long way towards getting people really
excited about 3D again. I call it the 3D renaissance. Disney is a leader in
showmanship and animation, and animation and 3D go together like peas and
carrots. Animated films and fantasy
films really benefit from 3D. You get a heightened sense of being personally
present in the space of the movie.
You’re drawn into it. It’s like the movie wraps around you and takes you
into its reality. That’s a very exciting thing for a filmmaker. I’m really
proud of Disney for grabbing the flag and running out in front to make this
happen.”
Tim
Partridge, senior vice president and general manager of the professional
division for Dolby Laboratories, observed, “We live in a digital world, and
consumers expect most of their entertainment these days to be delivered with
the quality of digital. Digital cinema
ensures that the movie will look as good on the hundredth screening as it did
on opening night. There’s no more dirt or scratches; the image is always
crystal clear and beautifully steady. What you see on the screen is the movie
exactly as the director intended. As a result, audiences are able to get much
more involved in the story because there are no distractions. When audiences go
to see a movie played in Dolby Digital Cinema, they will be blown away by the
quality and will want to see all their films digitally in the future.”
“‘Chicken
Little’ really lent itself to 3D because of the way the filmmakers composed
their shots and told their story,” said Colum Slevin, senior director of computer graphics at ILM Slevin. “The design
is gorgeous, simple and stylized, and your eye is always drawn to a particular
character or detail with the lighting.
The 3D enriches that design and makes it pop, without ever slapping you
in the face. You just feel like you’re looking at a really deep, rich image.”
Joel
Aron, ILM’s digital
production supervisor, observed, “What’s amazing about the 3D in ‘Chicken
Little’ is that you’re able to look around and see everything in the frame. You
can see things behind the characters. You can look out the window of Chicken Little’s home and see the stars in the sky. This level of
detail has never been done before in 3D and this is the latest evolution of the
technology.”
“We’re
excited a studio with the prestige and heritage of Disney has embraced the
digital 3D medium with such enthusiasm,” said Michael V. Lewis, chairman, Real
D. “We’ve worked for years to create a digital 3D delivery system that is
elegant for exhibitors and extremely comfortable for moviegoers, and we’re
thrilled Disney’s ‘Chicken Little’ will be the premiere presentation in the
REAL D Cinema format.”
Added
Joshua Greer, CEO, REAL D, “The REAL D Cinema system projects left and right
frame images sequentially at 144 frames per second – three times that of
traditional film-based 3D movies – which was the threshold REAL D deemed
necessary for creating a natural 3D entertainment experience for the mainstream
consumer. As each frame alternates between left and right eye images, the
system changes the orientation of the light of match the orientation of the
glasses. The polarized glasses that decode the images allow audiences to tilt
their heads and move around, making for the most enjoyable 3D movie-going
experience ever. Finally, a specially-treated silver movie screen keeps the
polarization coherent, allowing audiences to perceive depth. This complete
system allows for the most comfortable, highest quality 3D experience ever
produced, and one we think audiences will come back to experience again and
again.
According
to “Chicken Little” director Mark Dindal, “What I
like about the process is that it’s very comfortable to watch. It feels like
the screen becomes a window instead of a wall, and you’re looking behind it
into this universe that really exists. It has the warmth and charm of a
View-Master®. As I would watch the dailies come back in 3D, I
literally cheered and laughed and clapped my hands. It was a fantastic
collaborative experience.”