Val Morgan gears up to create 3D cinema ads

Australia’s largest cinema advertising group Val Morgan has developed an in-house facility to create 3D enhancements to existing 2D commercials for the first time. Val Morgan has invested in new 3D technology that allows advertisers to capitalise on Australia’s current 3D cinema boom and provide a unique and compelling audience experience, starting in March with the 3D release of the much-anticipated Tim Burton film Alice in Wonderland, starring Johnny Depp.

In the last 12 months alone there has been a 10-fold growth in thenumber of 3D screens in Australia, to 260 screens, fuelled by sci-fifantasy Avatar. Four of the top 10 movies last year were released inboth 2D and 3D format, culminating in the massive success of Avatar,which has now grossed in excess of $87 million in Australia, 80 percent of which was from 3D screens.

“This will be the first opportunity for advertisers in Australia tocapitalize on the 3D boom with a 3D enhanced commercial,” Val MorganCEO Graeme Yarwood said.

“The phenomenon that is Avatar, which is Australia’s highest grossingfilm ever, has seen audiences flock to 3D cinemas. Avatar has been thecatalyst for the rapid expansion of 3D screens installed in Australiancinemas. We expect Alice in Wonderland to continue the 3D boom and havebroad audience appeal.”

Val Morgan’s in-house production facility offers advertisers a seamlessmedia and creative solution. The facility can create 3D enhancements toexisting 2D commercials. 3D-enhanced cinema commercials can be adaptedto feature elements such as 3D logos, pack shots, still imagery and3D-enhanced computer-generated content.

Val Morgan is offering advertisers a complete end-to-end solutionincluding the adaption of existing 2D commercial elements to 3D andcinema screen time with Alice in Wonderland.

“This is a significant step for Val Morgan to offer advertisers theopportunity to become involved in the 3D cinema experience in a waythey have never been able to before. We are committed to providingadvertisers innovative opportunities and solutions and this is ourlatest demonstration of that commitment,” says Yarwood. 

In 2009, the cinema industry posted a new record box office of $1.09billion – the highest grossing box office year in Australian filmindustry history – for the second consecutive year. This was a 15 percent increase on 2008’s results with annual admissions increasing by 7%to 90.7million according to the Motion Picture Distributors Associationof Australia.

The moviegoing boom is set to continue with an exceptional line-up ofblockbuster films for 2010, including “Alice in Wonderland” and “GreenZone” in March, “Clash of the Titans”, “Date Night”, “Wall Street 2″and “Iron Man 2” in April, “Robin Hood” and “Prince of Persia” in Mayand “Sex and the City 2”, “Shrek Forever After” and “Toy Story 3” inJune among many others.

The four top 10 movies that were released in 3D format last yearincluded “Avatar”, “Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs”, “Up” and”Monsters vs Aliens”. This year alongside “Alice in Wonderland”, otherkey 3D releases over the next six months include “How to Train YourDragon”, “Shrek Forever After” and “Toy Story 3”.