The Current 3D Market
The market for 2D-to-3D conversion and 3D content on the whole has exploded in the past year. Close to forty major motion pictures are expected to be released in 3D in 2011 and among those slated for release are several highly profitable franchise films. These films include Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II, Transformers 3, Saw VII 3D and Final Destination 5. Beyond the 3D conversion of these new release films, there exists a tremendous opportunity to convert existing catalog films into 3D. As the previous installments of each of these franchises were released in 2D, each could subsequently be converted from 2D into 3D for theatrical, home video, and mobile re-release creating a significant increase in the value of these existing assets. Once converted, an entirely new asset for the content owner is created and can be leveraged for re-release in theaters, on 3D Blu-ray disc, and on digital or mobile platforms, providing them with dynamic new revenue streams.
As the next step in the evolution of home entertainment, the success of 3D continues to generate tremendous enthusiasm among studios, broadcasters, gaming developers and consumer electronics manufacturers. Leading television manufacturers including Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Sharp and Sony continue to invest significant resources into the development, production, sales and marketing of 3D televisions. It is expected that there will be more than 200 million 3D-equipped television sets shipped by 2015 and this increased distribution of 3D television sets is greatly increasing the demand for 3D content. Several leading broadcasters and distributors, including ESPN, Sky, Discovery Channel, IMAX, Sony and DirecTV, have also exhibited confidence in the 3D home entertainment opportunity as they continue to launch dedicated 3D networks.
In addition to the growth in 3D television screens, mobile device manufacturers continue to invest capital and resources into the development and implementation of 3D screens for mobile devices. Further illustrating the power and cross-over value of conversion, once Legend3D has converted a video entertainment asset to 3D, it can be viewed on all media platforms. The limitless possibilities introduced by conversion will continue to create additional revenue streams as the development and distribution of 3D-enabled mobile devices becomes more and more widespread.