Richard Verrier of the Los Angeles Times takes a look at RealD, a company equipping cinemas with 3-D technology, how the technology got off the ground and works, and the finances involved.
The privately owned technology company with 75 employees has emerged from obscurity to become the leading provider of 3-D systems for movie theaters, outflanking established players such as Dolby Laboratories Inc. RealD’s products — which include an adapter that attaches to the lenses of digital projectors and lightweight glasses — account for 90% of the U.S. market.
Looks like 3-D is here to stay this time.
Over the next three years, about 40 films are scheduled to appear in 3-D, including James Cameron’s long-awaited sci-fi adventure “Avatar,” which Fox will release in December. Walt Disney Studios has 17 3-D movies in the pipeline. And DreamWorks Animation SKG is releasing all of its new features in 3-D, starting with Friday’s opening of “Monsters vs. Aliens,” whose performance will be closely watched as a bellwether for the new format.
According to the article, the cinemas pay RealD $5-10,000 plus a about 50 cents per ticket. The story also mentions the involvement of Roy Disney’s Shamrock Holdings.