INDUSTRY insiders at the ongoing 2014 Beijing International Film Festival are calling for an end to the 3-D craze in China to ensure sound development of the market.

    “The 3-D film market has grown fast in China, but many films lack quality,” said Yang Buting, chairperson of China Film Distribution and Exhibition Association and China Film Overseas Promotional Corporation.

    “If this kind of vicious competition is not contained, it will be a disaster for the 3-D film market,” said Yang, former chairperson of the China Film Group Corporation, the largest film producer in the country.

    Paul Anderson, director of the blockbuster series “Resident Evil,” echoed Yang’s remarks.

    Anderson said that some North American and European filmmakers should apologize for the bad 3-D movies that have been released.

    “China is one of the most vibrant 3-D markets,” he said, but so was America in 2010, and then it collapsed in four short years.

    3-D films, which enhance the illusion of depth perception, became more successful throughout the 2000s, culminating in the unprecedented success of “Avatar” in 2009.

    In China, most big hits are 3-D films, which cost between 100 yuan and 120 yuan (US$16 to 19) for a ticket. A 2-D film costs about 70 yuan.

    To increase profits, Hollywood has been promoting 3-D films exclusively for the Chinese market.

    The 2014 version of “RoboCop,” which debuted in February, was in 3-D exclusively in China and in 2-D in other parts of the world.

    “RoboCop,” with an average of 5.5 on U.S. movie review site Rottentomatoes.com, notched up 329 million yuan in China, or 20 percent of its global box office.

    Industry insiders say converting some 3-D movies was done merely to make more money, rather than create a better experience for moviegoers.

    Many filmgoers have complained that so-called 3-D films have poor effects and some only had 3-D effects at the beginning of the movies.

    For some, it is an annoying distraction to wear 3-D glasses. For others, it even creates nausea and headaches.

    “It’s hard to enjoy true 3-D films with good pictures and effects in Chinese cinemas,” said Yang.

    More than 20,000 movie screens in China can play 3-D films, and more companies are competing to sell their 3-D projection equipment, which used to cost between 80,000 yuan and 150,000 yuan. Now equipment is no more than 20,000 yuan, said Yang.

    “This kind of vicious competition has lowered the quality and cost of 3-D films, thus upsetting viewers,” he said.

    Anderson holds the view that it is better to give audiences choices.

    “If you don’t give them a choice and you deliver bad 3-D products, eventually they will stop going to the cinema. American people are choosing to watch 2-D rather than 3-D films,” he said.

    As the largest movie manufacturer in the world with the best technologies, the United States should not just simply convert 2-D films into 3-D versions to make money, said Yang, as it was cheating consumers.

    In order to improve the 3-D film market, Chinese enterprises are beginning to seek partnerships with international players to produce high-quality 3-D films.

    Fantasy Media Group (FMG), a Sino-Canada joint venture, was set up in Shanghai’s pilot Free Trade Zone this year to boost 3-D production capability in the country.

    “There is a lack of industrial standards for 3-D film production in China, but we are pushing for some,” said Ma Xiaorui, an FMG Asia regional manager.

    Eric Deren, a U.S. senior stereographer, said that there is a tremendous opportunity to grow the 3-D market in China and not make the same mistakes as in other parts of the world.

    “China is in a very good position to be able to learn from all that, move forward and succeed tremendously in this area,” he said.

    (Xinhua)