NEW YORK, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The wide re-release of Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" in 3D on Friday comes right on the heels of the many-months-long run of "Superman Returns" with scenes converted to IMAX 3D. With word that "Star Wars," enhanced by similar conversion, will be re-released in 3D, this trend gains real momentum.

Along with the recent success of 3D animated films, from "Polar Express" to "Open Season," 3D has captured the public's imagination.

However, it is conversion of existing library films that first sparked the imagination of inventor and computer graphics pioneer David M. Geshwind, President of Three-Dimensional Media Group, Ltd. (http://www.3dmg.com/). 3DMG licensed two US Patents to IMAX to enable their conversion of films to 3D.

Geshwind believes 3D conversion offers a "unique opportunity to bring blockbusters back into theaters with something new to offer. Consider the box-office that a relatively low-cost re-release in 3D of 'E.T.' 'Indiana Jones' 'Harry Potter' 'Lord of the Rings' 'The Matrix' or even 'The Ten Commencements' would bring to theaters.

"However, for new live-action films, with only a few weeks between the completion of a 2D film and its release, there is not enough time to economically convert a two-hour film to 3D using our original process. IMAX converted only 20 minutes of 'Superman Returns.' We have worked hard to solve that problem, and developed advanced patent-pending technology to convert an entire film to 3D for simultaneous 'day-and-date' release with the 2D version," says Geshwind.

"Library films can be converted at leisure, but what excites me now is the ability to show an entire new live-action film in 3D on the same day as its 2D release," says Geshwind. "We look forward to licensing the first such production with our new technology soon."

While "Superman Returns" was the first widespread public use of Geshwind's patented StereoSynthesis process, he first demonstrated it in the early 1990s to add 3D depth to a segment of the original (1933) King Kong.

Geshwind, who holds eight other patents, developed StereoSynthesis as a low-cost form of virtual reality, and to "adapt the huge resource of existing 2D media for 3D systems. The advent of 3D has taken longer than anticipated, but the effective use of 3D adds greatly to the 'suspension of disbelief' that is key to entertainment. We will bring this same realism to enhance medical imaging, educational materials, scientific visualization, TV, games, the desktop, advertizing, and to other fields as 3D digital displays become ubiquitous."

3DMG licensed IMAX through UNIPAT.ORG. Geshwind conducts independent R&D in media technology through Digital Media Group, Ltd. (an affiliate of 3DMG). His other technologies, available for licensing through UNIPAT, include: ChromaSynthesis, internet protocols, intelligent search, interactive video, bandwidth compression, educational technology, 3D paint, improved HDTV, and personalized video.

CONTACT: Anne C. Avellone UNIPAT.ORG 212/787-1275 3dmg@unipat.org

Digital Media Group, Three-Dimensional Media Group, 3DMG, ChromaSynthesis and StereoSynthesis are (tm) and/or (sm) to David M. Geshwind.

CONTACT: Anne C. Avellone, UNIPAT.ORG, +1-212-787-1275, 3dmg@unipat.org

Web site: http://www.unipat.org/
http://www.3dmg.com/