3D storytelling conference Ravensbourne

This post comes to you hot on the heels of the 3D Storytelling Conference held at Ravensbourne 22-23 March at their O2 Arena campus London. Thanks to generous support from Skillset and the the National Lottery via the British Film Institute my colleagues at Ravensbourne were able to bring together an impressive array of people involved in 3D production in the UK for free. As that sounded like my kind of 3 D I was up for it the instant BECTU’s notification dropped into my in box. At the very least this was a good opportunity to put PanoCAST 360 in front of a well informed critical audience. So my thought on heading south for day two of this two-day 3D fest was, bring it on!

The conference title ‘3D Storytelling’ was indeed well chosen with the stand out contributor for my money being ace story editor Kate Leys (FOUR WEDDINGS, TRAINSPOTTING, THE FULL MONTY, THE GIRL WITH THE PEARL EARING to name but a few). What Kate in her own insightful and solidly ground way did was to ensure was that we were left in no doubt that Aristotle was right all along. 3D technology changes less in the world of filmmaking than you might be forgiven for thinking based on the techno hypo around it thus far.

Spectacle (costume, set, special effects etc), as the great man pointed out some 2,350 or so years ago in classifying the six fundaments of drama, is one of the key elements but is the least artistic of them and is incapable in itself of making a great play. For this the other five elements are all more important i.e. plot (the events that make the story), character (the problem they have), theme (two or more abstract ideas in opposition e.g. good v evil, dialogue (as appropriate) and music (setting mood). And so it remains even in the brave new world of 3D storytelling.

It seems from the evidence she presented that an appetite for engaging characters and good stories remain foremost in the heart and mind of the audience even if they don’t know it and they are watching 3D. Hallelujah!

As part of her presentation on storytelling in the 3D world she was able to point to research that gave some sobering indications of how 3D is going down with UK film audiences. Most telling is the fact that it seems many of us go to see 3D movies with high expectations but leave afterwards feeling disappointed consequently 3D box office seems to be falling. Kate’s take on why this is happening is, if I have understood her correctly, that mere 3D effects alone are not what the audience are looking for but rather good 3D filmmaking in support of a good story. Sound familiar? I should think so and Kate sure knows so.

So what makes for good 3D storytelling in 3D films? Well according to Kate the same things that make for good storytelling in 2D films. Compelling characters based in real life experience situation dealing with personal problems they have been carrying all of their life, which in the now time of the film they can no longer avoid dealing with. Those somebodies having difficulty getting something they want being brought to the realisation of what they really need in their life through the events of the plot. This might seem an oversimplification but good 3D storytelling is that simple. In fact its simple enough for kids to understand. A page from her note book obtained from one of her kids illustrates this point and the fundamentals of good storytelling. Characters in a setting with a problem that is worked through to a solution from and through a beginning, middle and end that somehow leaves us wiser for the experience. Simple, just hard work to do but in the end 3D storytelling is no harder than 2D storytelling and its still a lot cheaper and more cost effective than mere spectacle. Nice one Kate!

Friday, 23 March 2012

3D storytelling conference Ravensbourne

3D how far will it go

3D cameras by Telegenic on show at Ravensbourne’s 3D Storytelling Conference