MUMBAI: A library of 3D titles will hold a greater value than one that is in 2D, according to Titanic and Avatar producer Jon Landau.

Talking at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show, Landau said that 2D to 3D conversion isn‘t "a technical process, it‘s a creative process that uses technology."

For Titanic, the conversion was a detailed process that took 14 months and cost $18 million. The Titanic producer said that getting it right means "finding a library title that justifies [3D conversion] and a filmmaker who can be involved. The creative team needs to be a part of the process."

The project began with remastering the film in 4K (which was accomplished at Reliance MediaWorks) and then Stereo 3D took it into the 3D realm with a team of about 450 people.

Landau confirmed that director James Cameron‘s "imprint is on every shot." "He used what he remembered from the set," explained Landau, citing the dinner table scene as among the most challenging. "The detail was so complex, and Jim was able to look at a shot and recall that the table was ‘this big‘ and really place it and make it feel comfortable."

"We used our learning experience from Avatar on this film," Landau continued. "Action is not necessary where you want to emphasize the 3D. At the end day, movies are about the close up. People go back because of the narrative story.
"The subtleties in the performances -- to me 3D is about enhancing those types of moments," he added.

The idea to realize Titanic in 3D was not a recent one. Landau related that he and Cameron first started to think about it in around 2000. Then, in the following four years ago,both the director and producer gave one minute of Titanic to roughly 15 different companies as test material. "We felt the potential was there," Landau averred.