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THE HOBBIT NEWS

WB Trying to Educate Moviegoers About 'Hobbit' HFR 3D with FAQ

by Alex Billington
November 6, 2012
Source: Regal Theatres

If you're a regular reader of this site, you probably know what HFR stands for, mostly because we've talked about it plenty before (and even seen demos ourselves). However, the "regular" moviegoer, the casual viewer out there, doesn't know what it means. And it might be even more confusing given everyone is referring to 48FPS, and not the term "High Frame Rate" itself. But as we pointed out back in April, the HFR era is now upon us, and Peter Jackson's The Hobbit is the first film to debut theatrically in HFR 3D. Regal Theatres has launched a HFR page that features a FAQ sheet answering numerous questions about HFR technology.

While this comes from the Regal site, it actually looks to be an official creation from Warner Bros/New Line to promote HFR to consumers. But will it work? Does this answer any questions/concerns you have? Do you need to see a sample yourself before you decide if you're going to go see this in HFR or not? I appreciate that they're trying to inform customers, but this seems like a very lackluster and very unenthusiastic attempt at convincing everyone that this is the next evolution in cinema technology. But maybe that is the big question, and it's up to the audience to decide in December anyway. Here's the official Hobbit HFR 3D FAQs in full:

There's a listing of theaters playing HFR on Regal's website, but AMC and other theatres will also post their lists, too. You can find some theater listings on Bleeding Cool, with a full HFR list on 48fpsmovies.com.

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit... J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, being directed by Peter Jackson as three separate movies, is set in Middle-Earth 60 years before Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, which Jackson and his filmmaking team brought to the big screen in a trilogy ten years ago. The films, with screenplays by Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, were shot consecutively in digital 3D using the latest cameras. The Hobbit follows the journey of Bilbo Baggins, played by Martin Freeman, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey arrives in theaters in 3D & 48FPS on December 14th.

Filed under 3D, Discuss, Hobbit, Movie News

From around the web:

http://www.facebook.com/people/Brad-White/1458067169 Brad White

No worries, not planning to see it in 3D!!!
Ryderup

24fps and not 3D for me. Fuck 48fps. There is a reason no one likes the 29,97fps of NTSC video cameras.
- http://www.facebook.com/chris.groves.507 Chris Groves
  
  You've never seen a full length feature film shot at 48 FPS. It's never been done, so it's not really fair to judge.
  - ronadair
    
    I have. Last night. It was utter crap. The Hobbit 3d HFR IMAX was officially the worst movie-going experience I've ever had. I had already written off 3D as the monumental movie studio gimmick it is. I went to give Jackson a chance, taking his word at what he has been preaching to be the best way to watch the movie. I will never do HFR again. I've lost all respect for Peter Jackson, James Cameron, and anyone else promoting this medium. It was the most hokey, distracting, UN-cinematic thing I've ever seen. Horrible!
    - http://www.facebook.com/chris.groves.507 Chris Groves
      
      Many disagree with you.
      - ronadair
        
        Many also love Beiber and Spears. Thank goodness quality is not measured by popularity or consensus.
      - http://www.facebook.com/chris.groves.507 Chris Groves
        
        Nope, nor is a single opinion to be reported as some kind of final say on the matter. If you dislike 3D and 48 FPS, sucks for you...3D certainly isn't going away any time soon, and for all we know, HFR could become the new norm. I'd be interested in seeing what you would do in a world full of exclusively HFR films if it ever happens.
      - SUSAN
        
        My guess is they would stop seeing new movies for the most part. HFR is not going to be the new norm any time soon.
      - http://www.facebook.com/chris.groves.507 Chris Groves
        
        If someone would stop watching movies for a reason such as not liking 3D or HFR...then they don't love cinema as much as they may think.
      - Susan
        
        Actually I keep hearing people think the 3D HFR looks "fake", and it wasn't their favorite 3D movie yet.
- Ethan
  
  I have seen true 48fps and it is NOT like 30 or 60 fps. It is like 24 fps but smoother during fast motion. When there is little or no motion it looks identical to 24. The smoothness cannot be compared to 60fps (like James Cameron is using) because it is a different ratio of frames. 48 is double 24 so it retains the ratio. 24 and 48 are smoother to the eye than 30 and 60 respectively due to this "magic" ratio.
  - ronadair
    
    Wrong. It looked absolutely horrid.
- C
  
  Dude, the higher the framerate for 3D movies the better, it makes it less flickery & smoother viewing experience.
John

I will probably try this out. I'm interested to see for myself if I like the look of 48/FPS. If it makes the image smoother and helps motion blur issues, it could significantly improve the 3D experience. Of course, WB failed to include one important question that will be on people's minds: Will HFR 3D cost more than regular 3D? (The answer better be no).
- Akirakorn
  
  OF COURSE IT WILL BE MORE... but hopefully a similar price to RPX or IMAX, and not more.
  - TheaterNation
    
    no, the HFR doesn't cost any extra. just the same as regular 3D
http://www.facebook.com/chris.groves.507 Chris Groves

I'm interested. This is the first major motion picture to be shot and presented in this format. In 20 years, whether HFR takes off or not, am I going to want to be the guy that skipped the new format, or am I going to want to be the guy who says 'Yes, I remember the first HFR film Hollywood released, and I saw it in the format opening night'
- Akirakorn
  
  I will be the guy who says 'it's nice and all, but there isn't a movie theater with 48FPS withing 2,500 miles from me.' And yes, I am STILL the guy who says 'IMAX is nice and all, but there STILL isn't a movie theater with a (real) IMAX screen within 2,500 miles from me.'
  - http://www.facebook.com/chris.groves.507 Chris Groves
    
    Well even "Fake" IMAX screens are still IMAX screens...only those who are super picky think otherwise. An IMAX screen is simply a promise of being the biggest screen and the best sound set up at the theater...it might not be as big as other IMAX screens...but then again, not all 'standard' screens are always the same size either.
Nate

Alex, so IMAX won't be in HFR?
castingcouch

I'll give 48fps a chance to impress me, but I fucking hate 3D movies.
- ronadair
  
  Hope you haven't wasted your money. It was HORRIBLE. HFR 3d IMAX. Worst movie experience I've ever had, hands down. It looked like a really bad made for TV special, or a behind the scenes look into the show. The costumes were a joke, the hair and makeup was terrible, and the motion made me want to vomit. Never again.
AaronJ

So no HFR in IMAX? I'm lucky enough to live 15 min from a real IMAX and go frequently. I was really hoping they'd do the HFR. I hope AMC does something close, the Regal listing looks like the closest one is several hours away. For that matter it I decide to find a theater doing HFR for the experience, I hope they are also using Atmos, but the listing on Dolby's site is pretty sad.
Me

People complained about the soap opera effect and said it wasn't what the director intended. Now it is what is intended so they can stop complaining about it.
shaun driggers

Didn't answer my question...
solun1

I have seen it in IMAX in Prague, Czech Republic just to find out later that there is HFR enabled cinema in that city. LOL. My question is - how do I know that IMAX in my city offers the best IMAX experience available? And what about HFR?