U2 3D
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''U2 3D'' is a 2008 American-produced 3D concert film featuring
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band U2 performing during the Vertigo Tour in 2006. The film contains performances of 14 songs, including tracks from '' How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' (2004), the album supported by the tour. The concert footage includes political and social statements made during the shows. It is the band's second feature film, following their 1988
rockumentary A concert film, or concert movie, is a film that showcases a live performance from the perspective of a concert goer, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by either a musician or a stand-up comedian. Early history The ...
'' Rattle and Hum''. Among several cinematic firsts, ''U2 3D'' was the first live-action digital 3D film. The project was created to experiment with a new type of 3D film technology pioneered by producer Steve Schklair. After considering shooting American football games in 3D, Schklair's company
3ality Digital 3ality Technica, formerly 3ality Digital, was a Burbank, California based company that specialized in high-definition, live-action stereoscopic digital 3-D film, 3D. The company developed production systems, image processing software and other ...
decided to create a concert film with U2. The band was hesitant to participate, but agreed to the project mainly as a technological experiment rather than a profit-making venture. Although set in Buenos Aires, ''U2 3D'' was shot at seven concerts across Latin America, and two in Australia. The film's complex setup involved shooting with up to 18 3D cameras simultaneously and capturing the footage digitally. After a preview screening at the
2007 Cannes Film Festival The 60th Cannes Film Festival ran from 16 to 27 May 2007. The President of the Jury was British director Stephen Frears. Twenty two films from twelve countries were selected to compete for the Palme d'Or. The awards were announced on 26 May. ''4 M ...
, ''U2 3D'' premiered at the
2008 Sundance Film Festival The 2008 Sundance Film Festival ran from January 17, 2008 to January 27 in Park City, Utah. It was the 24th iteration of the Sundance Film Festival. The opening night film was ''In Bruges'' and the closing night film was '' CSNY Déjà Vu''. Films ...
and had its limited theatrical release in late January 2008, followed by its wide release the following month. The film was distributed by National Geographic Entertainment and was only released in
IMAX 3D IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating. Graeme F ...
and digital 3D theaters. It peaked at number 19 at the United States box office, and earned over $26 million worldwide, ranking as one of the highest-grossing concert films. It received widely positive reviews, with critics praising the 3D technology and innovation. ''U2 3D'' won several awards, and its reception convinced some of the creators that the project marked a
paradigm shift A paradigm shift, a concept brought into the common lexicon by the American physicist and philosopher Thomas Kuhn, is a fundamental change in the basic concepts and experimental practices of a scientific discipline. Even though Kuhn restricted t ...
in filmmaking.


Synopsis

''U2 3D'' depicts a U2 concert in Buenos Aires during the band's Vertigo Tour. In the beginning of the film, a voice is heard chanting "everyone" in a crowd-filled stadium, followed by fans running through the venue. U2 begin the concert with " Vertigo", followed by ten more songs in the main set. Images are shown throughout the concert on the stage's LED display. Political and social statements are made during some songs, including " Sunday Bloody Sunday", during which the word " coexista" is spelled out on-screen through various religious symbols, and " Miss Sarajevo", where an excerpt from the
U.N. Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings. Drafted by a UN committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, i ...
is read aloud by a narrator. The main set ends with "
One 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
", after which the group leave the stage. They return for an
encore An encore is an additional performance given by performers after the planned show has ended, usually in response to extended applause from the audience.Lalange Cochrane, in ''Oxford Companion to Music'', Alison Latham, ed., Oxford University Pres ...
and perform " The Fly", during which a succession of words and phrases appear on the stage's LED display and are superimposed into the film. U2 end the show with " With or Without You" and leave the stage for the final time. As the closing credits begin, a live performance of " Yahweh" is heard as animations from the stage's LED display are shown. U2 reappear on stage in a mid-credits scene performing the end of the song.


Production


Background

In 2001, producers Jon and Peter Shapiro created a 2D
IMAX IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating. Graeme F ...
concert film titled ''All Access'', which featured live performances of several musicians. Due to the difficulty of using conventional IMAX
film stock Film stock is an analog medium that is used for recording motion pictures or animation. It is recorded on by a movie camera, developed, edited, and projected onto a screen using a movie projector. It is a strip or sheet of transparent p ...
that had to be replaced every three minutes of shooting, the Shapiros wanted to use digital technology for their next project, which could easily be upscaled to the IMAX format without loss of quality. Noting how
3D film 3D films are motion pictures made to give an illusion of three-dimensional solidity, usually with the help of special glasses worn by viewers. They have existed in some form since 1915, but had been largely relegated to a niche in the motion pict ...
s out-performed 2D films, they also wanted their next project to be in the
IMAX 3D IMAX is a proprietary system of high-resolution cameras, film formats, film projectors, and theaters known for having very large screens with a tall aspect ratio (approximately either 1.43:1 or 1.90:1) and steep stadium seating. Graeme F ...
format. While looking for a new digital 3D technology medium, the Shapiros met producer Steve Schklair, founder of Cobalt Entertainment in 2000. Schklair had recently developed a digital 3D filming technique known as "active depth cut", which allowed for smooth cuts between shots that would normally not line up when filmed in 3D. This was done using
motion control photography Motion control photography is a technique used in Photograph, still and motion photography that enables precise control of, and optionally also allows repetition of, camera movements. It can be used to facilitate special effects photography. Th ...
and real-time
image processing An image is a visual representation of something. It can be two-dimensional, three-dimensional, or somehow otherwise feed into the visual system to convey information. An image can be an artifact, such as a photograph or other two-dimensiona ...
to create a realistic 3D experience without subjecting the viewer to excessive motion sickness or
eye strain Eye strain, also known as asthenopia (from Greek ''a-sthen-opia'', grc, ἀσθενωπία, ), is a common eye condition that manifests through non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, pain in or around the eyes, blurred vision, headache, and ...
. It was intended to be an inexpensive and effective way to shoot live events such as concerts or sports. With the help of John and
David Modell David Modell (born David Orrick McDearmon, Jr.; August 16, 1960 – January 13, 2017) was an American business executive and sports team owner who served as president and COO of the National Football League's Baltimore Ravens. Early years Mode ...
, former owners of the Baltimore Ravens American football team, the digital 3D technology was tested at several National Football League (NFL) games in the
2003 season 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...
, including
Super Bowl XXXVIII Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Carolina Panthers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) c ...
. Cobalt showed the footage to the NFL, hoping to create an NFL-based 3D IMAX film. While waiting for a response, the Shapiros proposed the idea of creating a 3D concert film for IMAX theaters. Although ''All Access'' had showcased several artists, the Shapiros now wanted to focus on a single act, and being U2 fans, suggested the band as a potential subject. Schklair felt U2 would be a good choice for the film due to their large concert setups and their constant movement while performing, both of which would provide good
depth of field The depth of field (DOF) is the distance between the nearest and the furthest objects that are in acceptably sharp focus in an image captured with a camera. Factors affecting depth of field For cameras that can only focus on one object dist ...
for 3D effects. The Modells' collaboration with U2 for the film was facilitated by their involvement with the band in researching LED display technology in 1997 for use at
Ravens Stadium at Camden Yards M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the ...
. At the time, the only giant LED display in existence was being used by U2 on their PopMart Tour. To learn about the technology, John Modell toured with U2 on-and-off for a period of six months. During that time, he befriended Catherine Owens, who served as the group's art director since their 1992 Zoo TV Tour. Unable to contact U2 manager Paul McGuinness, Peter Shapiro instead proposed the idea to Owens. The latter was researching art content for the upcoming Vertigo Tour and thought the concept could be used to show 3D video as part of U2's concerts. Shapiro explained that the technology was not that developed and simply wanted to document the tour itself in 3D, but Owens was not interested in making a film of the band, fearing it would interfere with the tour, so she declined the offer. After Shapiro showed Owens the 3D footage of the NFL games, Owens expressed interest in directing the proposed film, despite having no previous experience. According to bassist Adam Clayton, U2 were not interested in making another concert film, but Owens "pushed it down
heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...
throats". Once the band viewed the test shots, frontman
Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...
expressed interest in the project and convinced his bandmates to commit. Since U2 had already experimented with video technology in the past, they were interested in the project as a technological experiment rather than a means to make profit, and as a means to share the live experience with fans who could not afford concert tickets. Pre-production for ''U2 3D'' officially started in early 2004, and the production was handled by
3ality Digital 3ality Technica, formerly 3ality Digital, was a Burbank, California based company that specialized in high-definition, live-action stereoscopic digital 3-D film, 3D. The company developed production systems, image processing software and other ...
, a company formed from Schklair's Colbalt Entertainment and his partnership with the Modells and the Shapiros. Midway through the year, Bono agreed to let the 3ality Digital crew record test footage, which was accomplished using a single 3D camera at one of U2's Vertigo Tour concerts in Anaheim, California in March 2005. U2 were dissatisfied with their 1988
rockumentary A concert film, or concert movie, is a film that showcases a live performance from the perspective of a concert goer, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by either a musician or a stand-up comedian. Early history The ...
feature film, '' Rattle and Hum'', which mixed backstage footage and interviews with concert performances. The filmmakers decided that ''U2 3D'' would only have concert footage. The producers originally wanted to shoot in Los Angeles where all the filming equipment was located, but Owens and the band decided they needed a more enthusiastic audience. U2 ultimately chose to film in five cities in Latin America from February to March 2006, believing their absence from the region for eight years would foster an energetic atmosphere. The only one of the eight Latin American shows that was not shot was the first in Monterrey, Mexico. The project enabled U2 to share the outdoor stadium concerts with audiences in the US, where the band only performed at indoor arenas on the Vertigo Tour.


Filming

''U2 3D'' production featured the first 3D multiple-camera setup and was shot using every
digital Digital usually refers to something using discrete digits, often binary digits. Technology and computing Hardware *Digital electronics, electronic circuits which operate using digital signals **Digital camera, which captures and stores digital i ...
3D camera and recording deck in existence. The crew had two days to set up the filming equipment before each concert, which required running fiber-optic cables and hooking up an electrical generator to supply power at each venue. The filming equipment consisted of nine custom-built
3D rig 3-D, 3D, or 3d may refer to: Science, technology, and mathematics Relating to three-dimensionality * Three-dimensional space ** 3D computer graphics, computer graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data ** 3D film, a ...
s. The project's large scale prompted 3ality Digital to work with director
James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...
—their chief competitor at the time. 3ality used their own 3flex TS1 camera rigs for filming, in addition to five Fusion 3D rigs, designed by Cameron and
camera operator A camera operator, or depending on the context cameraman or camerawoman, is a professional operator of a film camera or video camera as part of a film crew. The term "cameraman" does not imply that a male is performing the task. In filmmaking ...
Vincent Pace. A total of 18 Sony CineAlta HDC-F950 cameras were used for filming, with two cameras on each rig. The cameras were fitted with
Zeiss Zeiss or Zeiß may refer to: People *Carl Zeiss (1816–1888), German optician and entrepreneur *Emil Zeiß (1833–1910), German Protestant minister and painter Companies *Carl Zeiss AG, German manufacturer of optics, industrial measurem ...
digital
zoom lens A zoom lens is a mechanical assembly of lens elements for which the focal length (and thus angle of view) can be varied, as opposed to a fixed-focal-length (FFL) lens (see prime lens). A true zoom lens, also called a parfocal lens, is one ...
es, making ''U2 3D'' the first 3D film shot using a zoom lens. One of the Fusion 3D camera rigs was used as a
Spydercam ''Spydercam'' is a cable-suspended camera system, and rigging system used in making motion pictures, television and at athletic stadiums. Using computer controlled winches to drive synthetic lines connected to a crane, truss or buildings to achie ...
and became the first 3D aerial camera. The cameras on each rig were spaced eye-distance apart to create a 3D effect in post-production. Using a
beam splitter A beam splitter or ''beamsplitter'' is an optical device that splits a beam of light into a transmitted and a reflected beam. It is a crucial part of many optical experimental and measurement systems, such as interferometers, also finding wide ...
mounted to the camera rig, one camera shot through a 50/50 mirror, while the other shot the image reflected from that mirror. Each rig weighed an average of . All of the concert footage was shot with twin-camera rigs, except for the two Melbourne shoots, where a single CineAlta camera with a Steadicam was also used to capture close-ups. The cameras captured
high-definition video High-definition video (HD video) is video of higher resolution and quality than standard-definition. While there is no standardized meaning for ''high-definition'', generally any video image with considerably more than 480 vertical scan lines (No ...
onto HDCAM SR recording decks, which enabled the crew to capture an entire concert. Five crew members were required to work on each rig simultaneously to ensure that the focus on both cameras were synchronized. After one camera was destroyed when a concert security guard tossed buckets of water onto the audience, the crew waterproofed the remaining cameras. Due to Owens' limited directing experience prior to production, some of the filming in South America was directed by
Mark Pellington Mark Pellington (born March 17, 1962) is an American film director, writer, and producer. Life and career Pellington was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Bill Pellington, an All-Pro linebacker who played football with the Baltimore Colts ...
, who previously worked with U2 on the "One" music video. Pellington was not involved in post-production, leaving Owens responsible for the remaining aspects of the project, including creative direction and editing. The concerts were filmed in a style which Owens described as "very unorthodox"; no
storyboard A storyboard is a graphic organizer that consists of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence. The storyboarding process, i ...
s or
shooting script A shooting script is the version of a screenplay used during the production of a motion picture. Shooting scripts are distinct from spec scripts in that they make use of scene numbers (along with certain other formatting conventions described belo ...
s were used to ensure footage of U2's performances was improvised. Instead of being directed, U2 performed each of their concerts as usual, with the filming crew capturing footage in
real time Real-time or real time describes various operations in computing or other processes that must guarantee response times within a specified time (deadline), usually a relatively short time. A real-time process is generally one that happens in defined ...
for the full -hour concerts. The shoots were planned such that the band's performance and the audience's view was uninterrupted. To avoid capturing other camera rigs in the footage, the crew would either film from the back of the stage, or alternate each night between shooting left-to-right and right-to-left. Several shows were edited together to create one performance; therefore, U2 were required to wear the same clothes every night to maintain continuity. Additional spotlights were focused on the audience during filming, and the lighting was dimmed on the stage's LED display. 110 microphones were used to record the concert audio, which included microphones placed on the main stage and around the two B-stages to record the band, and microphones placed throughout the venue to record the audience. Principal photography began in February 2006, under the supervision of the 3D cinematographer
Peter Anderson Peter Anderson may refer to: Sportspeople *Peter Anderson (cricketer, born 1933) Peter Anderson (born 4 October 1933) is an Australian cricketer. He played eight first-class matches for New South Wales in 1966/67. See also * List of New Sou ...
; two shows were filmed in Mexico City with two camera rigs to capture medium shots during a practice run for the crew to learn the choreography of U2's performances. The crew captured additional medium shots using one camera rig at the two São Paulo concerts, and captured overhead footage of drummer Larry Mullen Jr. using one camera rig at the show in Santiago. During preparations for the Buenos Aires concerts, U2 performed a 10-song set without an audience, so that the crew could capture
close-up A close-up or closeup in filmmaking, television production, still photography, and the comic strip medium is a type of shot that tightly frames a person or object. Close-ups are one of the standard shots used regularly with medium and long s ...
footage using a wide-angle lens; doing so in-concert would have interfered with the show. Owens dubbed the session the "phantom shoot". During the Buenos Aires shows, all nine camera rigs were used, capturing medium and long shots of U2 and their audience from the B-stages. The Buenos Aires shoot was the largest of the project, requiring a crew of 140 people. In March 2006, the remaining Vertigo Tour concerts were postponed when the daughter of guitarist The Edge fell ill. During the interim, footage from the seven filmed shows was edited together, prompting the crew to request additional wide shots from the back of the stadium and close-ups of the band members. When the tour was on its fifth leg in November 2006, an additional two shows were filmed in Melbourne to capture pick-up footage. At the time, the songs appearing in the final cut of the film had already been selected and therefore only specific songs from the concerts were filmed.


Editing

Post-production Post-production is part of the process of filmmaking, video production, audio production, and photography. Post-production includes all stages of production occurring after principal photography or recording individual program segments. The ...
on ''U2 3D'' was led by
editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...
Olivier Wicki who worked closely with Owens throughout the process; the two had previously collaborated on the "Original of the Species" music video. Editing began in May 2006 and was completed in January 2008. Over 100 hours of footage were filmed, featuring performances of 26 different songs. U2 were very involved in post-production, and helped with the final approval of each shot and performance used in the final cut. To appeal to a mainstream audience, 14 tracks were chosen for the film, including 12 of U2's singles and two non-singles from '' How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'', the album that the Vertigo Tour supported. When selecting songs for the project, the crew had to ensure that the performances of each track fit with one another. U2 wanted to include "
Mysterious Ways Mysterious Ways may refer to: * "Mysterious Ways" (song), a song by U2 from the 1991 album ''Achtung Baby'' * ''Mysterious Ways'' (TV series), science-fiction television series which ran from 2000 to 2002 *''Mysterious Ways'', a 1990 album by Steve ...
" and " Until the End of the World", but they were left out since Owens felt that those songs were out of place with the rest of the film; other songs were left out of the film because the band was unsatisfied with their own performance. Owens stated that the main focus of the film was based upon U2's relationship with one another and with their audience, and the challenge of selecting the songs was to create a narrative within the band's performance. Although "
City of Blinding Lights "City of Blinding Lights" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the fifth track on their eleventh studio album, ''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' (2004), and was released as the album's fourth single on 6 June 2005. It was produced by Flo ...
" opened most shows on the tour, "Vertigo" was selected as the opening song of ''U2 3D''. Other tracks that were performed at most of the filmed concerts that did not make the final cut include " Elevation", " I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", "Original of the Species", and " Zoo Station". "With or Without You" was chosen as the last song before the closing credits, although it closed only one concert on the tour. After the songs were selected, the footage was edited in 2D for eight months in New York City. Video post-production continued in Burbank, California at 3ality Digital's 3D production facility, which opened prior to the completion of shooting. Wicki worked with 3ality Digital to create the 3D and computer-generated effects. Footage from the nine filmed concerts, mostly from the Buenos Aires shows, was edited together with the footage from the "phantom shoot". Although the Mexico City shows were practice runs, footage from those concerts was used, including a scene where Bono reaches out to the camera during "Sunday Bloody Sunday". Because the crew felt the Melbourne audience lacked the energy of the Latin America crowds, most of the footage from the Melbourne concerts was not used except for some close-ups of Mullen. Creating the 3D effect involved taking the edited 2D footage for the right eye and matching it up with footage for the left eye. Editing the Melbourne footage that used only a single camera involved a separate process to create 3D effects, known as "virtual second eye perspective". Several software programs were used to convert footage from 2D to 3D. The primary editing software, 3action, was developed at 3ality Digital during principal photography. It allowed the post-production team to change convergence points in each shot, and to create multiple convergence points. Left-eye and right-eye footage was assembled on separate layers, then edited together with
color grading Color grading is a post-production process common to filmmaking and video editing of altering the appearance of an image for presentation in different environments on different devices. Various attributes of an image such as contrast, color, s ...
added, and eventually output in a 3D
stereoscopic Stereoscopy (also called stereoscopics, or stereo imaging) is a technique for creating or enhancing the depth perception, illusion of depth in an image by means of stereopsis for binocular vision. The word ''stereoscopy'' derives . Any stere ...
format for review. U2 developed a style of editing in their previous concert films that involved fast cutting between shots, which Owens wanted to retain in ''U2 3D''. Because fast cutting in 3D would lead to motion sickness or eye strain, the film was edited to incorporate dissolves of at least four frames between shots. Many of the transitions were created by layering several frames of footage on top of one another into composite images. Each of the layered frames featured a different depth of field to enhance the 3D effects, and up to five images were layered together in a single shot. This made ''U2 3D'' the first 3D film to feature composite images with more than two layers, and the first to be edited specifically to prevent the viewer from experiencing motion sickness or eye strain. Software did not exist at the time to layer the 3D images, so new software had to be developed. Because the project was captured in high-definition video, each frame used nearly 20
megabyte The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Its recommended unit symbol is MB. The unit prefix ''mega'' is a multiplier of (106) in the International System of Units (SI). Therefore, one megabyte is one million bytes o ...
s of data on 3ality Digital's servers, and the entire film used almost a petabyte (1015 bytes). The 3D editing process took longer than Owens expected, and consequently, the project went over budget, costing $15 million to produce. Editing was completed only "a couple weeks" before the premiere, and the final film was cut to a length of 85 minutes—seven shorter than originally announced. Audio editor Carl Glanville worked on the soundtrack, mixing the audio into a
5.1 surround sound 5.1 surround sound ("five-point one") is the common name for surround sound audio systems. 5.1 is the most commonly used layout in home theatres. It uses five full bandwidth channels and one low-frequency effects channel (the "point one"). Dolb ...
mix with
audio engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduction, ...
Robbie Adams in New York City. Video footage was compiled into files by Wicki, which were given to Glanville for compiling the soundtrack. Glanville and Adams said the audio editing was difficult mainly because the selection of video footage was limited, as only one to two cameras angles were captured at most of the shows. Further, the lyrics and music from the song performances differed slightly each night. To avoid lip sync and instrumental sync issues, the editors had to use the exact audio that was recorded during each shot. Mixing the vocals required that Glanville layer the audio recorded from the stage microphones with that from the audience microphones and to add a short
delay Delay (from Latin: dilatio) may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Delay 1968'', a 1981 album by German experimental rock band Can * ''The Delay'', a 2012 Uruguayan film People * B. H. DeLay (1891–1923), American aviator and acto ...
between the two to compensate for any echos or delay that occurred in the venue. The sound from the subwoofer channel was mixed inside two IMAX theaters in Los Angeles to ensure the volume of low-end frequencies was consistent with the rest of the soundtrack. The edited video footage featured 10- to 20-second-long shots, in contrast to the shorter shots usually found in concert films. Extended gaps were added between songs to slightly slow down the pace of the film. All audio and video footage used was recorded live in concert, with no added overdubs. Following post-production, ''U2 3D'' became the first live-action film to be shot, posted, and exhibited entirely in 3D, the first live-action digital 3D film, and the first 3D concert film.


Distribution


Marketing

The trailer for the film was released and first screened at the ShoWest trade show in March 2007, along with footage of "Sunday Bloody Sunday". Clips from the "Vertigo" and "The Fly" performances were featured in the trailer, which was edited by creative director John Leamy, who also designed the logo and title sequence for ''U2 3D''. The film poster, which features a collage of images from the film, won Leamy an award for best poster art at the Giant Screen Cinema Association's annual international conference in 2008. The trailer was shown in 3D theaters before '' Meet the Robinsons'', the only 3D film released in theaters in early 2007. In October 2007, National Geographic Cinema Ventures (NGCV), the entertainment division of the National Geographic Society, announced that ''U2 3D'' would be the division's first major international release. Two days after the announcement, NGCV was combined into the newly created National Geographic Entertainment, a new unit within the society featuring various entertainment divisions. National Geographic CEO
John M. Fahey Jr. John M. Fahey is chairman emeritus of the National Geographic Society. He was chief executive officer of the National Geographic Society from March 1998 to December 2013 and president of the organization from March 1998 to December 2010. ''Nation ...
stated that ''U2 3D'' was chosen as the new unit's first release because they felt that U2 is "a band of the world" and "world music is something the Geographic as an institution is really interested in". National Geographic chose
Best Buy Best Buy Co. Inc. is an American multinational consumer electronics retailer headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Originally founded by Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966 as an audio specialty store called Sound of Music, it was rebra ...
as the film's American sponsor, and offered passes to select members of the retailer's loyalty program to view ''U2 3D'' before its wide release. ''U2 3D'' was promoted through the internet, print, radio, television, on a JumboTron in Times Square, and as a sponsor on NASCAR's #19 Best Buy Dodge stock car driven by Elliott Sadler.


Initial screenings

U2 were committed to preserving the film's 3D format and decided to only release it in digital 3D. To help promote this film format, ''U2 3D'' was first screened at the
2007 Cannes Film Festival The 60th Cannes Film Festival ran from 16 to 27 May 2007. The President of the Jury was British director Stephen Frears. Twenty two films from twelve countries were selected to compete for the Palme d'Or. The awards were announced on 26 May. ''4 M ...
on May 19, 2007. It was one of nine films to be screened out-of-competition at the 2007 festival, and was the first live-action 3D film shown at Cannes. Following a brief song performance by U2 at the festival, the film was screened at midnight inside the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. At the time, the 3D post-production process was incomplete; therefore, a shortened, 56-minute version of the title was screened, featuring nine of the completed version's 14 songs. Originally scheduled for the third quarter of 2007, the completed version premiered at the
2008 Sundance Film Festival The 2008 Sundance Film Festival ran from January 17, 2008 to January 27 in Park City, Utah. It was the 24th iteration of the Sundance Film Festival. The opening night film was ''In Bruges'' and the closing night film was '' CSNY Déjà Vu''. Films ...
on January 19, 2008 at the
Ellen Eccles Theatre The Ellen Eccles Theatre is an entertainment venue located in Logan, Utah. The theatre, which seats approximately 1100, is used for concerts, community theatre, ballet performances, and film showings. It has also become a stop for many national ...
. The theater incorporated a customized sound system designed especially for the premiere with new
Dolby 3D Dolby 3D (formerly known as Dolby 3D Digital Cinema) is a marketing name for a system from Dolby Laboratories, Inc. to show three-dimensional motion pictures in a digital cinema. Technology Dolby 3D uses a Dolby Digital Cinema projector that ...
technology, which John Modell referred to as "the most high tech film screening that's ever been done in history."


Releases and box office

''U2 3D'' was slated to be screened only in IMAX theaters, but the large increase in the number of digital 3D theaters following post-production prompted the filmmakers to expand the release to include those cinemas. Two different types of polarized 3D glasses were used for the IMAX 3D and digital 3D showings. The IMAX 3D version of the film used glasses with one lens polarized horizontally and one polarized vertically, while the digital 3D version used glasses with two circularly polarized lenses. John Modell described the IMAX version as a "more immersive experience", and stated that the digital 3D version features more vivid colors. On January 23, 2008, ''U2 3D'' was released into IMAX theaters in the United States and Canada for its initial
limited release __FORCETOC__ Limited theatrical release is a film distribution strategy of releasing a new film in a few theaters across a country, typically art house theaters in major metropolitan markets. Since 1994, a limited theatrical release in the Unite ...
. It grossed $964,315 in the US during its opening weekend after playing in 61 theaters, and ranked at number 20 at the box office. The IMAX release took place much earlier than the film's wide release, as many IMAX theaters had booked ''
The Spiderwick Chronicles ''The Spiderwick Chronicles'' is a series of children's fantasy books by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. They chronicle the adventures of the Grace children, twins Simon and Jared and their older sister Mallory, after they move into the Spid ...
'', which was released on February 15. ''U2 3D'' was U2's second feature film, following 1988's ''Rattle and Hum'', and the third concert film from the Vertigo Tour, following the direct-to-video concert films '' Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago'' and '' Vertigo 2005: Live from Milan''. The wide release was originally scheduled for February 15, 2008, but the date was pushed back one week when theater owners decided to extend the release of the 3D concert film '' Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert'', which was initially scheduled to be in theaters for only one week. Instead, on February 15, ''U2 3D'' had a second limited release in select theaters in the US with
RealD 3D RealD 3D is a digital stereoscopy, stereoscopic projection technology made and sold by RealD. It is currently the most widely used technology for watching 3D films in theaters. Worldwide, RealD 3D is installed in more than 26,500 auditoriums by app ...
technology. The film's European premiere took place on February 20 at the
Jameson Dublin International Film Festival The Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF; ) is an annual film festival held in Dublin, Ireland, since 2003. History Dublin International Film Festival was established in 2003. It was revived by Michael Dwyer, international film critic and ' ...
, followed by its international wide release on February 22. The first week of the wide release was the highest-grossing week of its theatrical run, grossing over $1 million at 686 theaters in the US and ranking at number 19 at the box office. However, comparing the box office performance of ''Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus'', '' The Spokesman-Review''s online magazine ''Spokane7'' said ''U2 3D'' was "failing miserably". Three weeks into its wide release, ''U2 3D'' was playing in less than 100 theaters throughout the US. At the time, it had grossed less than $6.6 million, while ''Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus''—still playing in many theaters since its February 1 release—had brought in over $60 million. The BFI IMAX in London was reported as ''U2 3D'' highest grossing cinema, generating $442,127 () from over 19,000 ticket sales in the first seven weeks. Prior to its Japan premiere in February 2009, ''U2 3D'' grossed $20 million in box office revenue. A re-release in the US took place in 2009 to coincide with the release of U2's studio album, '' No Line on the Horizon'', followed by re-releases in Brazil and Spain in 2011 and 2015, respectively, prior to U2's concert tours in those countries. In addition to re-releases, the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
celebrated the opening of its new theater in October 2009 by featuring screenings of ''U2 3D'' at its museum. The film's box office run in the US ended August 26, 2010, bringing its total domestic gross to $10,363,341, after showing for 947 days. The film's distributors stated there was no predetermined limit to the length of the title's run, and the overall length would be determined by box office sales. Due to an open-ended theatrical run, total worldwide box office gross sources vary; website Box Office Mojo reported a worldwide gross of $22.7 million in December 2010, while magazine '' Boxoffice Pro'' and website The Numbers list grosses of $23.4 million and $26.2 million, respectively. For its genre, ''U2 3D'' was successful and set several box office records. The film became the highest grossing documentary to be eligible for an Oscar nomination at the 81st Academy Awards. ''U2 3D'' set a record in Ireland for the highest screen average of any film playing during its opening weekend, and it took in from eight cinema screens during its first three days. In February 2011, '' Forbes'' ranked ''U2 3D'' as the fifth highest-grossing concert film, earning $14 million more than ''Rattle and Hum'', which ranked at number seven. The press release for the 2015 Spain re-release states that ''U2 3D'' has been licensed exclusively for theatrical release, and will not be distributed in television, internet, or other home video formats. Owens said in a 2007 interview that there are plans to release the film to a 3D home video format; however, U2 control the ancillary rights to ''U2 3D'' along with their record label Universal Music Group, and they have stated that additional rights such as those for a home video release will not be optioned until home video technology can meet the same digital 3D standards as cinema.


Reception


Critical response

Based on 88 reviews by critics, Rotten Tomatoes gave ''U2 3D'' a 92% approval rating, and ranked it the fourth-best reviewed film in wide release from 2008. The website assigned it an average score of 7.5 out of 10, with a consensus that ''U2 3D'' was "an exhilarating musical experience at the price of a movie ticket". At Metacritic—which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics—the film received an average score of 83, based on 19 reviews, which translates to "universal acclaim" on the website's rating scale. The film received positive reviews from ''
Toronto Star The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...
'' and '' Variety'' following its 56-minute premiere at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival when the final 85-minute cut was months away from completion. Critics from publications such as the ''
Irish Independent The ''Irish Independent'' is an Irish daily newspaper and online publication which is owned by Independent News & Media (INM), a subsidiary of Mediahuis. The newspaper version often includes glossy magazines. Traditionally a broadsheet new ...
'', '' The New Zealand Herald'', ''
Reno News & Review The ''News & Review'' is a group of free alternative weekly newspapers published by Chico Community Publishing, Inc. of Chico, California. The company publishes the ''Chico News & Review'' in Chico, California, the ''Sacramento News & Review'' i ...
'', ''Toronto Star'', and '' USA Today'' said that the film's 3D experience was "even better than the real thing"—a reference to U2's song of the same name. Reviews by '' Rolling Stone'' and '' Total Film'' stated the film seemed to appeal to fans and non-fans of U2 alike, just as the filmmakers had intended. ''U2 3D'' was praised by ''Variety'' for its straightforward concert footage, compared to the interviews and behind-the-scenes footage included in ''Rattle and Hum''. In an episode of the TV series '' At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper'', Michael Phillips called the film "a genuine eye-fill" and Richard Roeper described it as "spectacular". '' The New York Times'' designated ''U2 3D'' as a "Critics' Pick" and stated in the review that the film was "the first IMAX movie that deserves to be called a work of art". ''U2 3D'' appeared on many critics' lists of the top 10 films released in 2008 including '' The Austin Chronicle'', '' OhmyNews International'', '' Seattle Post-Intelligencer'', '' The Sydney Morning Herald'', and ''
River Cities' Reader The ''River Cities' Reader'' is an independently owned alternative newspaper based in Davenport, Iowa. The newspaper was founded in 1993 and is circulated throughout the Quad-Cities metropolitan area and outlying communities. ''The Readers format ...
''. IndieWire,
MusicRadar MusicRadar is a music website that offers information pertaining to artists and their music. The site features music gear news and reviews, artist interviews and online music and production tutorials. It is owned by British media company Future ...
, and ''USA Today'' ranked it among the top 10 concert films, and '' Complex'' and '' Empire'' featured it on their lists of the best 3D films. As the film has only been released theatrically, Den of Geek included ''U2 3D'' in a list of "15 movies that aren't on DVD but should be", stating that "no concert film ..has ever come close to capturing the exact experience so accurately". Bono was satisfied with the outcome of the film and said his favorite sequence was the performance of "Miss Sarajevo". When interviewed about the PopMart Tour in 2009, Bono said that the '' PopMart: Live from Mexico City'' video was the best project U2 had done from an audio and visual perspective, and was "eclipsed only by ''U2 3D''". The Edge was pleased that the footage did not show any of the distress he felt from his daughter's illness during filming. However, the film received more critical reviews. '' The A.V. Club'' graded it a B− and stated that U2's performance was less thrilling than the 3D effects. Online magazine ''FilmSlash'' criticized ''The New York Times'' statement about ''U2 3D'' being the first IMAX art film, stating that some of the first IMAX titles were "experimental works of art". Music critic
Joel Selvin Joel Selvin (born February 14, 1950) is an American San Francisco-based music critic and author known for his weekly column in the ''San Francisco Chronicle'', which ran from 1972 to 2009. Selvin has written books covering various aspects of p ...
wrote in the '' San Francisco Chronicle'' that seeing U2 on the big screen was "more distracting than illuminating", and ''
Time Out London ''Time Out'' is a global magazine published by Time Out Group. ''Time Out'' started as a London-only publication in 1968 and has expanded its editorial recommendations to 328 cities in 58 countries worldwide. In 2012, the London edition becam ...
'' criticized Bono's political statements, stating he "should refrain from ramming his preachy political meanderings down our throats and let the music do the talking". '' The Daily Telegraph'' favored ''Rattle and Hum'' over ''U2 3D'' and called U2's performance "unexciting", criticizing how "the cameras, not the band, are doing all the work". '' The Guardian'', which gave a rating of one out of five stars, claimed that U2 appeared to be "four conceited billionaires who are further up themselves than ever".


Recognition and legacy

''U2 3D'' was recognized favorably after its release, earning several awards. In 2008, it earned three awards, including "Best Film Produced Non-Exclusively for the Giant Screen" at the Giant Screen Cinema Association's 2008 Achievement Awards, "Best Musical Film" at
Los Premios MTV Latinoamérica 2008 The seventh annual Premios MTV Latinoamérica 2008 took place on October 16, 2008 in Guadalajara, Mexico at the Auditorio Telmex for the first time. Jose Tillan was the Executive Producer of the event. Nominations Winners are in bold text Ar ...
, and the Pioneer Award (Film & Television) at the 2008 3D Film and Interactive Film Festival. In February 2009, the film received the award for "Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project" from the
Visual Effects Society The Visual Effects Society (VES) is an entertainment industry organization representing visual effects practitioners including artists, animators, technologists, model makers, educators, studio leaders, supervisors, PR/marketing specialists and pr ...
(VES) at the 7th Annual VES Awards. The extensive use of technology during production was featured as the cover story in the December 2007 issue of the high-definition video magazine ''HDVideoPro'', a month before the premiere of ''U2 3D''. Its usage of evolutionary technology led to Catherine Owens being selected as a featured guest speaker at the
SIGGRAPH SIGGRAPH (Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques) is an annual conference on computer graphics (CG) organized by the ACM SIGGRAPH, starting in 1974. The main conference is held in North America; SIGGRAPH Asia ...
2008 conference, which took place several months after the film's release. After ''U2 3D'' received praise from fans, critics, and the film industry, several of the filmmakers stated that they felt it helped create a
paradigm shift A paradigm shift, a concept brought into the common lexicon by the American physicist and philosopher Thomas Kuhn, is a fundamental change in the basic concepts and experimental practices of a scientific discipline. Even though Kuhn restricted t ...
in cinema history, due to the technological advancements used in the production. Director
Wim Wenders Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders (; born 14 August 1945) is a German filmmaker, playwright, author, and photographer. He is a major figure in New German Cinema. Among many honors, he has received three nominations for the Academy Award for Best Docum ...
was inspired to create the 2011 3D dance documentary '' Pina'' after the attending the ''U2 3D'' screening at Cannes. The film's use of new technology inspired rock band Muse to increase the production values for their 2013 release ''
Live at Rome Olympic Stadium ''Live at Rome Olympic Stadium'' is a live album and video by English rock band Muse, which was released on 29 November 2013 in CD/DVD formats. On 5 November 2013, the film received theatrical screenings in 20 cities worldwide, and the next day ...
'', which became the first concert film shot in
4K resolution 4K resolution refers to a horizontal display resolution of approximately 4,000 pixels. Digital television and digital cinematography commonly use several different 4K resolutions. In television and consumer media, 38402160 (4K Ultra-high-definitio ...
. Following the success of ''U2 3D'', 3ality Digital continued to pioneer 3D projects. After previously experimenting with filming American football games in 3D, 3ality Digital successfully broadcast the first live 3D NFL game in December 2008. In 2009, 3ality Digital aired the first live 3D sports broadcast available to consumers, the first 3D television advertisement, and the first 3D episode of a scripted television program. U2 show director Willie Williams recruited ''U2 3D'' director of photography Tom Krueger to design the photography and video coverage for the band's 2009–2011 U2 360° Tour. Krueger directed their subsequent concert film, ''
U2 360° at the Rose Bowl U or u, is the twenty-first and sixth-to-last letter and fifth vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''u'' (pro ...
'', which was released in 2010.


Setlist

All titles written by U2, except "Miss Sarajevo" (co-written with
Brian Eno Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno (; born Brian Peter George Eno, 15 May 1948) is a British musician, composer, record producer and visual artist best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop an ...
). # " Vertigo" # " Beautiful Day" # "
New Year's Day New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Wh ...
" # "
Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their eleventh studio album, ''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' (2004), and was released as the album's second single worldwide except in Nort ...
" # "Love and Peace or Else" # " Sunday Bloody Sunday" # " Bullet the Blue Sky" # " Miss Sarajevo" /
U.N. Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings. Drafted by a UN committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, i ...
# " Pride (In the Name of Love)" # " Where the Streets Have No Name" # "
One 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
" ;Encore
  1. " The Fly"
  2. " With or Without You"
;Closing credits
  1. " Yahweh"


References


External links


News – ''U2 3D''
at U2.com * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:U2 3d 2008 3D films 2008 films 3D concert films American 3D films Films directed by Mark Pellington Films set in Buenos Aires Films shot in Buenos Aires Films shot in Chile Films shot in Melbourne Films shot in Mexico City Films shot in São Paulo IMAX films National Geographic Society films U2 films 2000s English-language films 2000s American films