Legend3D
Encyclopedia
Legend3D, Inc., a San Diego-based company, was founded in August 2001 as Legend Films
, Inc. The company specializes in the conversion of feature films, both new-release and catalog titles, television programs and commercials from their native 2D format into 3-D film
and video format utilizing proprietary technology and software. The company started business providing restoration and film colorization
services for classic black-and-white films for DVD
, HDTV and theatrical release and the sale of many of these restored, colorized films in DVD format. The company was officially renamed Legend3D, Inc., in 2010 in recognition of the change of its primary business to 3D conversion services.
Legend3D has performed 3D conversion on a number of high-profile projects, including feature film work for Disney, Dreamworks Animation
, Warner Bros.
, and Sony Imageworks, as well as commercial work for Hewlett-Packard
, Fanta
, New Balance
, and M&M Mars, television work on the Chuck TV Series and for MTV
and special feature work for the Michael Jackson
"This is it" tour.
Legend3D also continues to support its two legacy businesses. The first, Legend Films
Home Entertainment Distribution, produces and distributes DVDs of films and video content that have been colorized from their original black-and-white format. The second, RiffTrax
, is a creative business from the stars of Mystery Science Theater 3000
. RiffTrax offers humorous downloadable audio commentaries designed to be played back in synch with movies played from DVD
s.
Company History=
Legend3D's founder, Barry Sandrew, pioneered and patented the first all-digital colorization technology in the 1980s and reinvented the process in the 1990s by patenting the most advanced colorization technology that largely automates the process (Image sequence enhancement system and method – US Patent 7181081 ). Dr. Sandrew started Legend Films, Inc., in 2001 to commercially utilize the newly created colorization technology and subsequently colorized more than 135 titles in from 2001 to 2009. Some of the works colorized by Legend are films that have fallen into the public domain and are now copyrighted by Legend Films only in their colorized form, while their original copyright on the black-and-white version is still in force. Other movies in the Legend Films library are titles color produced in revenue sharing partnerships with the original copyright holder. Legend has colorized films owned by 20th Century Fox
, Sony Pictures Entertainment
, Universal Pictures
and Paramount Home Entertainment
.
In 2005, Dr. Sandrew began development of an adaptation of the fundamental colorization technology that would result in the ability to create very high quality images that are converted from their native 2D format to a 3D format.
In 2006, comedian and former Mystery Science Theater 3000
host Michael J. Nelson
was appointed Chief Content Producer and established the RiffTrax
business, which offers humorous downloadable audio commentaries designed to be played back in synch with movies as they are played from DVDs.
In 2008 and 2009, Legend Films performed a number of 3D conversion projects for commercials, television, special event and theatrical films.
In December, 2009, the great success of the release of the 3D version of the movie Avatar, as well as the large presence of 3D televisions and DVD players and 3D video channels announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, 2010, sparked a rapidly growing need for high-quality 3D programming for both theatrical and video presentations. Dozens of new feature films are slated for release in 3D format between 2010 and 2012. Many of these new 3D films will be produced with some or all of the visual content being converted from a 2D-native format, rather than being captured using 3D-native methods. Legend3D is the largest company in the business of performing this 2D-to-3D conversion and its proprietary technology results in efficient and flexible methods for this conversion process.
In July 2010, Legend recognized its central focus on the 3D conversion business by renaming the company officially to Legend3D, Inc.
During the period from August 2009 to August 2010, Legend3D’s employee count grew from approximately 40 employees to nearly 300. In addition, Legend3D co-ordinates with an exclusive arrangement with a company in Patna, India, which employs more than 700 3D converson artists. In August, 2010, Legend3D opened a client relations office in the Los Angeles area. The company also added well-known production supervisors from the Hollywood VFX industry, including Toni Pace Carstensen, and Scott Squires
.
In the first half of 2010, Legend3D completed conversion of large portions of the feature film [Disney's Alice in Wonderland (2010 film)]. During the third quarter of 2010, Legend3D completed the conversion of [Shrek], [Shrek 2] and [Shrek the Third] for Dreamworks Animation
. In the forth quarter of 2010, Legend3D completed the conversion of 30 minutes of [Green Hornet] for Columbia Pictures.
In November, 2010, Rob Hummel, a well-known and highly regarded industry executive, joined Legend3D as President.
Through out 2011 Legend3D has struggled to attain work additional and after hiring staff in March 2011 increasing the staff to almost 400. Just 2 months after in May Legend3D began downsizing once every 2-3 months. By the end of October Legend3Ds work staff has been reduced by 40%.
Shrek, Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third - Blu-Ray 3D release
The Green Hornet (2011) - Theatrical Release
Priest (2011) - Theatrical Release
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) - Theatrical Release
The Smurfs (2011) - Theatrical Release
tour.
Legend Films
Legend Films, a San Diego-based company, was founded in August 2001. The company specializes in the conversion of feature films, both new release and catalog titles, and commercials from their native 2D format into 3-D film format utilizing proprietary technology and software...
, Inc. The company specializes in the conversion of feature films, both new-release and catalog titles, television programs and commercials from their native 2D format into 3-D film
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
and video format utilizing proprietary technology and software. The company started business providing restoration and film colorization
Film colorization
Film colorization is any process that adds color to black-and-white, sepia or monochrome moving-picture images. It may be done as a special effect, or to modernize black-and-white films, or to restore color films...
services for classic black-and-white films for DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, HDTV and theatrical release and the sale of many of these restored, colorized films in DVD format. The company was officially renamed Legend3D, Inc., in 2010 in recognition of the change of its primary business to 3D conversion services.
Legend3D has performed 3D conversion on a number of high-profile projects, including feature film work for Disney, Dreamworks Animation
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
, Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
, and Sony Imageworks, as well as commercial work for Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
, Fanta
Fanta
Fanta is a global brand of fruit-flavored carbonated soft drinks from the Coca-Cola Company. There are over 90 flavors worldwide. The drink debuted in Germany in 1941 and originally sold only in Europe.-History:...
, New Balance
New Balance
New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. , best known as simply New Balance, is a footwear manufacturer based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America. It was founded in 1906 as the New Balance Arch Support Company...
, and M&M Mars, television work on the Chuck TV Series and for MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and special feature work for the Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
"This is it" tour.
Legend3D also continues to support its two legacy businesses. The first, Legend Films
Legend Films
Legend Films, a San Diego-based company, was founded in August 2001. The company specializes in the conversion of feature films, both new release and catalog titles, and commercials from their native 2D format into 3-D film format utilizing proprietary technology and software...
Home Entertainment Distribution, produces and distributes DVDs of films and video content that have been colorized from their original black-and-white format. The second, RiffTrax
RiffTrax
RiffTrax are downloadable audio commentaries featuring comedians Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett heckling films in the style of Mystery Science Theater 3000, a TV show in which Nelson was the head writer, and later the host. The RiffTrax are sold online and delivered by digital...
, is a creative business from the stars of Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
. RiffTrax offers humorous downloadable audio commentaries designed to be played back in synch with movies played from DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s.
Company History=
Legend3D's founder, Barry Sandrew, pioneered and patented the first all-digital colorization technology in the 1980s and reinvented the process in the 1990s by patenting the most advanced colorization technology that largely automates the process (Image sequence enhancement system and method – US Patent 7181081 ). Dr. Sandrew started Legend Films, Inc., in 2001 to commercially utilize the newly created colorization technology and subsequently colorized more than 135 titles in from 2001 to 2009. Some of the works colorized by Legend are films that have fallen into the public domain and are now copyrighted by Legend Films only in their colorized form, while their original copyright on the black-and-white version is still in force. Other movies in the Legend Films library are titles color produced in revenue sharing partnerships with the original copyright holder. Legend has colorized films owned by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
, Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
and Paramount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment is the division of Paramount Pictures dealing with home video founded in late 1975.-History:...
.
In 2005, Dr. Sandrew began development of an adaptation of the fundamental colorization technology that would result in the ability to create very high quality images that are converted from their native 2D format to a 3D format.
In 2006, comedian and former Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
host Michael J. Nelson
Michael J. Nelson
Michael John Nelson is a U.S. comedian and writer, most famous for his work on the cult television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 . Nelson was the head writer of the series for most of the show's 11-year run, and spent half of that time playing the on-air host, also named Mike Nelson...
was appointed Chief Content Producer and established the RiffTrax
RiffTrax
RiffTrax are downloadable audio commentaries featuring comedians Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett heckling films in the style of Mystery Science Theater 3000, a TV show in which Nelson was the head writer, and later the host. The RiffTrax are sold online and delivered by digital...
business, which offers humorous downloadable audio commentaries designed to be played back in synch with movies as they are played from DVDs.
In 2008 and 2009, Legend Films performed a number of 3D conversion projects for commercials, television, special event and theatrical films.
In December, 2009, the great success of the release of the 3D version of the movie Avatar, as well as the large presence of 3D televisions and DVD players and 3D video channels announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, 2010, sparked a rapidly growing need for high-quality 3D programming for both theatrical and video presentations. Dozens of new feature films are slated for release in 3D format between 2010 and 2012. Many of these new 3D films will be produced with some or all of the visual content being converted from a 2D-native format, rather than being captured using 3D-native methods. Legend3D is the largest company in the business of performing this 2D-to-3D conversion and its proprietary technology results in efficient and flexible methods for this conversion process.
In July 2010, Legend recognized its central focus on the 3D conversion business by renaming the company officially to Legend3D, Inc.
During the period from August 2009 to August 2010, Legend3D’s employee count grew from approximately 40 employees to nearly 300. In addition, Legend3D co-ordinates with an exclusive arrangement with a company in Patna, India, which employs more than 700 3D converson artists. In August, 2010, Legend3D opened a client relations office in the Los Angeles area. The company also added well-known production supervisors from the Hollywood VFX industry, including Toni Pace Carstensen, and Scott Squires
Scott Squires
Scott Squires is a Visual Effects Supervisor and Director.His first film project was Close Encounters where he developed the Cloud Tank Effect....
.
In the first half of 2010, Legend3D completed conversion of large portions of the feature film [Disney's Alice in Wonderland (2010 film)]. During the third quarter of 2010, Legend3D completed the conversion of [Shrek], [Shrek 2] and [Shrek the Third] for Dreamworks Animation
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
. In the forth quarter of 2010, Legend3D completed the conversion of 30 minutes of [Green Hornet] for Columbia Pictures.
In November, 2010, Rob Hummel, a well-known and highly regarded industry executive, joined Legend3D as President.
Through out 2011 Legend3D has struggled to attain work additional and after hiring staff in March 2011 increasing the staff to almost 400. Just 2 months after in May Legend3D began downsizing once every 2-3 months. By the end of October Legend3Ds work staff has been reduced by 40%.
Films
Alice in Wonderland (2010) - Theatrical ReleaseShrek, Shrek 2 and Shrek the Third - Blu-Ray 3D release
The Green Hornet (2011) - Theatrical Release
Priest (2011) - Theatrical Release
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) - Theatrical Release
The Smurfs (2011) - Theatrical Release
Television
In 2008, Legend3D performed 3D conversion for the opening credits for the world’s first broadcast 3D television show, Chuck.Commercials
In 2008, Legend3D converted a commercial for Skittles candy for the M&M/Mars Company, the world’s first 3D theatrically presented commercial. Subsequently, Legend3D converted commercials for HP, New Balance, and Fanta.Special Events
Legend3D performed 3D conversion of large-screen video material for the This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)
This Is It was a planned series of fifty concerts by Michael Jackson to be held at The O2 Arena in London. They were scheduled to begin in July 2009 and continue through to March 2010. However, with all concerts sold out, Jackson died less than three weeks before the first concert date...
tour.