The coolest thing at IDF: 3D cinema

 IDF normally has at least one uber-cool presentation. In Shanghai, China, it was the light field camera.

This time around, however, it was the future of cinema: 3D viewing.

Leading from this, what's the next step in movies? That's a question posed by Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of Dreamworks Animation.

Beginning in 2009, all Dreamworks Animation films will be recorded in 3D, viewed through polarised lenses.

A new (single) projector will be needed for 3D viewing to take place, with the image sent perfectly to each eye. At the moment, around 5,500 cinemas feature RealD CINEMA technology.

As a demonstration, a large screen was rolled into the main keynote ballroom, housing some 3,000 people. Then, an action-packed sequence from Kung Fu Panda, recompiled for IDF, was played in glorious 3D.

The first Dreamworks CG-animated 3D film will be Monsters vs. Aliens, released on March 27 next year, and we can't wait if the never-to-be-shown demo is anything to go by.

The underlying technology in running 3D belongs to INTRU3D,  is an Intel company, and it has licenses out the 3D technology to Dreamworks Animation.

We wish we could show it to you, but that's kind of difficult, right?