James Cameron Creates New Company to Shove 3D Down Everyone’s Throat

James Cameron is aiming to make 3D his legacy and he wants to make sure that you won’t be able to escape it no matter how much eye-strain it may cause.  We’ve received a press release announcing that Cameron will team up with Aliens of the Deep cinematographer and fellow 3D enthusiast, Vince Pace (above left), to form the Cameron – Pace Group (CPG), “which seeks to accelerate worldwide growth of 3D across all entertainment platforms including features, episodic and live television, sports, advertising and consumer products, pioneering a new generation of camera systems, services and a variety of creative tools that are innovative, powerful and easier to embrace.”  Huzzah.

Some of the projects already under the CPG banner include Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, The Three Musketeers, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Life of Pi, and 47 Ronin.  Hit the jump for my thoughts on Cameron’s aggressive expansion of 3D and the full press release.

Currently, the cost of 3DTVs isn’t consumer-friendly enough to attract the casual buyer.  There simply isn’t enough 3D programming and even if you do buy a 3DTV, you also have to buy more glasses (sets usually only come with one or two pairs).  Cameron can’t do anything about the cost of the hardware, but he can try to provide more 3D programming and that’s what he’s doing here.  If there’s enough material in 3D, then the idea is that consumers will have to buy a 3DTV or else they’ll feel like they’re missing out on seeing 3D sporting events and 3D commercials.  And if there’s one thing people don’t want to miss, it’s commercials.

Here’s the full press release:

James Cameron and Vince Pace Form New Venture to Accelerate 3D Solutions Across All Entertainment Platforms

Legendary filmmaker and 3D visionary, James Cameron has teamed up with acclaimed cinematographer and fellow 3D pioneer, Vince Pace to form CAMERON – PACE Group (CPG), which seeks to accelerate worldwide growth of 3D across all entertainment platforms including features, episodic and live television, sports, advertising and consumer products, pioneering a new generation of camera systems, services and a variety of creative tools that are innovative, powerful and easier to embrace. Cameron and Pace unveiled the new company this morning during a press conference at the 2011 NAB Show in Las Vegas.

CPG will build upon the strong foundation of PACE and the 3D technology to which its co-founders have individually and collectively contributed, such as the revolutionary FUSION 3D system. In combination, Cameron’s and Pace’s technologies, products and services have been responsible for $4.7 billion of box office receipts and have played an extensive role in 25 features, seven concert and music entertainment projects and 40 sports productions worldwide, including “Avatar,” “TRON: Legacy,” “Resident Evil: Afterlife” and “U2 3D.” This history puts CPG in a unique position to respond to the growing demand for high-quality 3D entertainment and to provide 3D technology innovations that serve studios, filmmakers, directors of photography, producers, networks, studios and broadcasters. The company plans to take full advantage of its position to drive innovations in technology and deliver products, services and creative tools in unprecedented ways.

In addition to making advanced technologies, tools and services available to the global entertainment community, CPG will serve as an industry advocate for 3D technologies, practices and creative tools that will help filmmakers and other content producers realize 3D’s full potential as a creative and powerful storytelling and live broadcast medium. It will also drive public advocacy by setting the “gold standard” for the public’s perception of 3D, which will result in compelling, engaging and high quality 3D entertainment.

“Our goal is to banish all the perceived and actual barriers to entry that are currently holding back producers, studios and networks from embracing their 3D future,” said James Cameron, Co-Chairman of CAMERON – PACE Group. “We are dedicated to building a global brand that is synonymous with high quality 3D and spans multiple channels, from features to episodic television, and changes the boundaries of what is understood to be 3D material.”

“CPG’s mission is to step up industry-wide efforts to help filmmakers realize 3D’s full potential as a creative and powerful storytelling medium and accelerate the growth of the next generation of 3D solutions across all platforms,” said Vince Pace, Co-Chairman and CEO of CAMERON – PACE Group. “Through our expanded reach and new generation of 3D solutions, we will deliver a variety of creative tools including SLATE²SCREEN™ 3D production services, educational workshops for industry professionals in FUSION 3D and FUSION 3D Mobile Workflow Units that support end-to-end solutions for both the live and recorded production environments. CPG will deliver CAN DO solutions.”

CAMERON – PACE Group already has an extensive list of current and upcoming projects, including “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” “The Three Musketeers,” “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” “Life of Pi,” and “47 Ronin.” For a more extensive list of CPG projects, as well as a comprehensive overview of CPG’s available products and services, please refer to, www.cameronpace.com.

PACE has begun the formal rebranding process and its operation under the CAMERON – PACE Group banner is effective immediately. CPG will be headquartered in Burbank, CA, at the current home to PACE. CPG is going to expand PACE’s technology impact by developing new solutions and implementing current solutions worldwide. These activities will require the company to both expand its existing staff of engineers and technicians and fill a number of newly created positions. Qualified and talented industry professionals, design engineers, software engineers and technicians interested in shaping the future of 3D entertainment are invited to learn more at, www.cameronpace.com

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