I remember as a kid thinking how I didn’t like the stuttery look of films when the camera panned. Then I knew nothing of the technology. Now that I do, I still don’t like that look. I hope higher frame rates catch on and the new aesthetic is adopted.

I agree with your comments on 3D, even though I don’t wear glasses. It just feels like a gimmick, and rarely adds anything to the story. I do think it’s a fad, though: it was a fad in the ’70s, and it went away, and I think it’s a fad now, and will go away eventually.

Thanks for the comment “Sparks.” “Controversial” may be too strong a word. 3D is controversial in as much that many people debate whether it really adds to the story telling experience. Why I don’t think it’s a “fad,” for me personally I don’t like having to deal with the glasses. Since I wear glasses, having to wear 3D glasses over my regular glasses is a pain. And frankly, most of the time it doesn’t really do much. It understand it’s a personal preference. I definitely don’t think NOT watching it in 3D is an offense to the filmmaker.

As far as explaining your art, there’s a difference between explaining “why” you made a particular piece of art, and explaining why a particular piece of art looks weird. If you have to explain it, it’s not serving the story. If it serves the story, you shouldn’t have to explain it. For example, when I watch a “found footage” movie like “Chronicle” or “The Blair Witch Project” you don’t need to explain to me why it looks like crappy video. That’s the point. I undertand that look and why and how it’s used. It works for the story. If “The Hobbit” looks a little “off,” and there’s no inherent or obvious reason for that look as it relates to the story, and it’s so bad you need to write a FAQ and post it in a theater, IMHO, that just doesn’t work.

But, as I said in the blog post, I trust PJ and I have no doubt the 2D experience will be terrific.

I think that art with out an explanation can be disastrous to an artist. In the art world it is common to create an artist statement so that one can understand the ‘why’ for the art medium and context.

Because this will be the first film done this way I think it deserves an explanation. As a film maker I can go into it now knowing what it is. If I had not read the information I would have gone in saying ‘WTF is going on?’

I guarantee when good 3D is a readily available technology for all budgets everybody will be on board.

There is nothing wrong with having to explain your art.