Discussion of 3D (stereoscopic) cinema often highlights three distinct areas in operation during the unfolding of action. The first area is that of the screen plane (zero parallax point) where objects seem to be located in a similar position to 2D cinema. The second is off-the-screen space where objects appear to pop-out into the auditorium (negative parallax space) and the third is behind the screen space where objects appear to recede away from the viewer (positive parallax space). This presentation will argue that instead of considering these as three distinct spaces, they are better thought of as a continuum of stereoscopic space. Within this space, the film body (following Vivian Sobchack) or the skin of the film (following Laura Marks) bulges towards and recedes away from the viewer. Using examples drawn from Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2011) and Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010), I will demonstrate how this dynamic interplay operates within a screen space, shared with the audience, that simultaneously delivers a seemingly enhanced level of realism and reminds viewers of the optical illusion inherent in this space’s construction.
Biography
Dr Miriam Ross is Lecturer in the Film Programme at Victoria University of Wellington. She is the author of South American Cinematic Culture: Policy, Production, Distribution and Exhibition (2010) and 3D Cinema: Optical Illusions and Tactile Experiences (2015) as well as publications on filmindustries, stereoscopic media and film festivals. She is also co-founderand administrator of stereoscopicmedia.org
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