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June 20, 2013

Fox to air new Avatar trailer on NFL broadcast Sunday

by John Scott Lewinski, posted Oct 30th 2009 11:28AM

Avatar will replace Tony Romo on this huge screen on November 1.Fox will use football this Sunday to help tall, blue aliens take over our televisions.

On November 1, Fox is shooting for the "world's biggest live trailer viewing" when it airs the new preview of James Cameron's Avatar live on TV and in the Dallas Cowboys' home park on the world's largest video display -- the Cowboy Stadium's Diamond Vision Screen before the Lone Star State's heroes take on the Seattle Seahawks.

A Fox press release explains that the Fox Sports NFL Sunday pregame show will present the new trailer live on the network. Meanwhile, those Cowboy fans still sober enough at noon to enjoy the brief glimpse of the sci-fi epic will take it in on a screen larger than some Far Eastern countries.

Putting the TV network's football viewing figures to work is the kind of bold step Fox needs to take to publicize Cameron's $300 million dollar movie. Though obviously ambitious and technically groundbreaking, special previews of the 3D fantasy flick left some viewers less than thrilled. While the film will be 3D in theaters, the trailer will stick to a simpler 2D TV image for the big event.

What's the big deal about the video screen in Cowboy Stadium? Precisely that it is indeed a very big deal. I looked it up, and the stats from the manufacturer (Mitsubishi) say:

"The world's first four-sided, center-hung, high-definition video display in a stadium consists of four Diamond Vision LED video screens, with the two main sideline displays measuring 72 feet high by 160 feet wide, and two Diamond Vision end-zone displays measuring 29 feet high by 51 feet wide. Weighing 600 tons, the screens are suspended 90 feet directly over the center of the playing surface and stretch from nearly one 20-yard line to the other. With a total viewing area of 11,393 square-feet, on each side, the Diamond Vision display is equal to 3,268 52-inch televisions, and has 10,584,064 LED lights."

"Some Bible scholars believe the screens were foretold in the Holy Book of Freaking Huge Things. But, if the screens were ever to fall from their moorings, they would still not be big enough to crush the ego of former Dallas Cowboy receiver Terrell Owens."

(I improvised that last part.)

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bruce

Daniel M: the cross-polarized lenses is the same technology Disney used like 20 years ago when they made Captain EO with Michael Jackson. I remember seeing it at Disney World when I was a kid, and I was very impressed with the 3D, unlike the old "red and blue lenses" method of 3D, which is worthless. Things did, in fact, pop out at you in Captain EO, it really looked and felt like you could just reach out and touch Michael Jackson - back then kids wanting to touch MJ didn't have the patina of disgust and creepiness that it would carry today.

I'm know Cameron is using the most advanced filming and post-production equipment, but at the end of the day the technology is exactly the same as in Captain EO (do they still show that at Disney World?). While the quality of special effects have certainly improved over the past 2 decades, I don't see how one can improve on the principle of cross polarized lens 3D. Just like one can't improve on the red and blue glasses. The only way to improve it would be to somehow allow for 3D viewing without the need for any glasses at all.

October 30 2009 at 9:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Daniel M

He filmed the movie for 3d and from the screening on avatar day, the 3d will be about depth not aobut things popping uo in your face. It works really well. Non-invasiive and makes the scenes look cool. It is not red and blue, the 3d will use polarized lenses, or tinted glasses. Also this film will be in 3d as long as your theater supports.

I'm excited about this, word has been buzzing on the net for a long while and hopefully this stunt gets the word out.

October 30 2009 at 12:04 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bruce

I have no idea how well the 3D will work, but I've read the Avatar script and (no spoilers) I think it's going to be one amazing movie. It will certainly make a profit.

October 30 2009 at 11:59 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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