The official blog for U2 3D, the movie
And what better place to see the film many fans and critics are calling "better than the real thing?!" Admission to the film is free with your Hall of Fame Museum admission, and it is being screened in the HOF's magnificent new Foster Theater. Go to: http://www.rockhall.com/u23d for details on screening times.
Better, cheaper, more comfortable seats, and Bono up close and personal...you gotta see this film!
Hey, all you die hard U2 fans! In "honor" of the new U2 CD release, U2 3D is coming back to selected cities in the U.S. and abroad...Sandy, UT; Austin, TX; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Raleigh, NC; Myrtle Beach, SC, Monterey, CA; Washington, D.C.; and Boston, MA. Also coming to Quebec and Vancouver, and playing now in Paris, The Phillipines, Turkey, and Romania, with upcoming encore screenings in London. Click on "Find a Theater" on the U23D home pageto link to theater sites and get screening times. Keep checking back as we find out more theaters.
I just saw it again recently, and it STILL thrills...love the music, love the emotion, love being able to reach out and touch Bono and Edge...it may well be better than the real thing, as some of the critics said.
See U23D's Facebook page, too, for updates.
Hello International U2 Fans!
Have you had a chance to check out U23D yet?! To date, the 3D rockumentary has been released internationally in France, Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Austria, Greece, Argentina, Hungary, Philippines, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Belgium, New Zealand, Australia, and Taiwan.
U23D is coming soon to a theatre near you in the following countries:
Montreal Science Center, Montreal, Canada (4/23/08)
Imax des Galeries de la Capitale, Quebec City, Canada (4/29/08)
Cinemark Alto Las Condes, Santiago, Chile (5/15/08)
CINEMARK REFORMA, Mexico (8/29/08)
Cinemark Lindavista, Mexico, (8/29/08)
Cinemark Avenida Das Americas, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (10/2008)
National Amusements / UCI Kinoplex Norte Shopping, Salao S Cachambi, Brazil (10/2008)
Cinemark, Santa Catarina, Brazil (10/2008)
Cinemark, Sao Paulo, Brazil (10/2008)
Please check your local listings so you don’t miss out on what everybody’s talking about!
We couldn’t think of a better way to welcome Spring than to participate in the second annual Sunday Source Peeps Diorama Contest.
Members of National Geographic’s communication team, Ann Barrett, Kate Baylor, Heather Cabral, Ethan Fried, and Stephanie Montgomery set out to create an eye-catching “U2 3D“-themed diorama. They ended up creating a rainbow-colored marshmallow wonderland complete with U2 band peeps and a packed movie theater with rabid peep fans. No details were spared; band members were carefully crafted including a Bono peep with trademark sunglasses and an Edge peep rocking a knit, or in this case, felt hat.
The diorama was nominated as a finalist and that’s pretty peepin’ sweet! Congrats to all!
Hey everybody! Are you ready to rock some specially made U2 3D wares? Exclusive to U2.com, the t-shirts are 100% cotton designed with the U2 3D logo on the front and the four silhouette images of the band on the back. This is for all the fans who have reached out to let us know how much you've enjoyed the film... now you can wear your support!!
As seen in U2 3D and on U2’s 2005 Vertigo tour, the beating heart animation by director, artist, and designer Juan Delcan (with original programming by Digital: CC) is now available as a screen saver in the downloads section for both the PC and Mac. Feel free to download it and pass it on!
U2 3D is now in wide release. Please check your local listings for theater showtimes. We think you’ll love this film but we’ll let the experts tell you in their own words:
If you’re a fan of the band U2, you’ll probably be seeing “U23D” regardless of my opinion. The good news is that not only is this a must-see for devotees of the acclaimed Irish rock group, but it’s also a fantastic movie-going experience for people only remotely familiar with the group’s work. - Keil Shults, TheV247.com, February 29, 2008
Here the shots from the crowd - with a thousand arms flung skyward ahead of you - are incredible. You have to resist the urge to tap the shoulder of the person in the seat in front. - Noel McAdam, Belfast Telegraph, February 29, 2008
After seeing U2 3D, you might decide to skip future live-concert films and wait for the 3-D movie of your favorite artist’s show instead. The experience is that good. - Bob Grimm, Tucson Weekly, February 28, 2008
U2’s greatest hits have never looked or sounded so good. - David J. Sanders, World Magazine, February 28, 2008
…for anyone who hasn’t been fortunate enough to experience the splendor and majesty of U2 in concert, this flick is a pretty good indicator of what you’ve been missing. - James McGee, 411mania, February 27, 2008
…U2 3D is more real than any reality. - Shayla Carlson, The Independent Weekly, February 26, 2008
No matter how good they are, concert films always seem like films of concerts. U2 3D puts viewers at the concert. - Betsy Pickle, The Columbus Dispatch, February 26, 2008
I had the distinct pleasure of being invited to the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California yesterday to join the Best Buy team in a little car racing revelry! We weren’t the only ones excited to watch the NASCAR Sprint Cup Auto Club 500 as thousands of dedicated fans turned up in the rain.
Members of our team were given a private tour of the grounds, even getting to watch the #19 Best Buy Dodge go through a series of serious inspections. What a process! It was fascinating to follow and observe the pit crew working together, completely unaffected by the pouring rain. The inspection provided an opportune time for taking photos of the car’s new “skin”, with the hood, sides, and decklid covered in U2 3D!
On the “as far as the eyes can see” two-mile oval at the track formerly known as California Speedway, Elliott Sadler was ready to debut the U2 3D-wrapped race car but it was not to be. After hours of waiting and several attempts to dry the track, the race finally commenced only to be delayed again due to inclement weather. Late into the evening, NASCAR finally called it quits and rescheduled the conclusion of the race for today. Although I did not get to enjoy the thunderous roar of the vehicles, it was an incredible experience to see our film be a part of American popular culture!
Join the crowd! U2 3D opens nationwide today! Please support our film and spread the word to your friends and family. This film is for everyone, not just the hardcore U2 fans, so come out and be a part of the 3D revolution!
More U2 3D footage available here. More Dublin premiere footage available here.
As part of the 2008 Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, U2 3D had its European Premiere at Dublin’s Cineworld on Parnell Street last night. The air was especially electrifying as the large crowds cheered on the hometown heroes.
Irish rock band U2, Co-Director and Producer Catherine Owens, Producers John Modell, Jon Shapiro, and Peter Shapiro, Executive Producers David Modell and Sandy Climan, and Visual Effects Supervisor Dave Franks were all in attendance with friends and family, including American sports legend Art Modell and his wife Pat. Celebrity guests included Gavin Friday, Alison Doody, Jodie Kidd, Slane Castle owner Lord Henry Mountcharles, Stephen Rea, and U2’s band manager, Paul McGuinness and his daughter Alexandra.
With an overflowing audience, U2 3D was shown on two screens with the band introducing the team behind the film. Early in the evening, Bono anecdotally recounted a humorous incident that occurred on his seventeenth birthday with long time friend and U2 collaborator Catherine Owens. Donning customized polarized glasses specially designed for the band for the 3D cinema premiere, the band was ready to once again attend a U2 concert with a full house. Maybe for the band, attending the a screening of U2 3D is in fact, sometimes better than the real thing!
U2 3D opens in wide release this weekend! Thanks everybody for your continuing support. If you haven't heard much about our little film, here's the latest on what the media has to say:
The technology also makes members of the movie audience feel as though they are part of the live concert audience. - Matt Wastradowski, The Columbian, February 20, 2008
"U2 3D" is a groundbreaking work that translates the live concert experience to the cinema like no other film that has come before. It's such a thoroughly enthralling production, one that totally encompasses the viewer, that, in some ways, attending an actual U2 concert pales in comparison to watching this film. - Jim Harrington, Mercury News, February 14, 2008
The effect will make it feel like you are in the front row of a U2 gig. - Rick Fulton, DailyRecord.co.uk, February 14, 2008
"U2 3D" is the future of film. By coupling the amazing visual effects of 3-D, as well as impeccable sound, the film is technically flawless. - Kyle Johnson, TheReporter.com, February 15, 2008
This is a must-see for everyone, from the most fanatic of U2 connoisseurs to the average rock fan, looking for something a little different in a music video. - Lena Putzer, Aced Magazine, February 14, 2008But this film shows the exciting opportunities for the medium. It can create "space" in front of your eyes. - Martin Shankleman, BBC News, February 7, 2008
W00t! Check out our new U2 3D 30-second spot! This commercial will be airing on television for the next couple of weeks starting February 16th. Keep both eyes open so you don't miss it!
In the interactive entertainment world, an Easter egg is an intentional hidden feature left by programmers for gamers (participants) to stumble upon. In U2 3D's case, an Easter egg is a sweet surprise embedded into the movie widget. For the past couple of weeks, fanatic U2 fans have been lucky enough to have discovered our hidden treasures and we thought it was time to share this gift with all of you. Follow the directions below to unlock a handful of exclusive U2 3D media:
What epic rock band is lighting up New York City?! U2 for U2 3D! If you find yourself in Manhattan, take a trip to the iconic world landmark, Times Square and check out our electronic billboard spectacle! We're screening an eye-catching 30-second 2D trailer with rotating snapshots of band and crowd shots to the right of the monitor. And it's big. Real big! U2 3D's jumbotron presence will be up until February 24, 2008.We’re on the telly again! U2 3D at Sundance 2008 will be featured on REELZ CHANNEL “Dailies” twice! Air times include Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM (PST) and will air again on January 31, 2008 at 4:00 AM, 7:00 AM, 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM (PST).
Please check your local listings or visit: http://www.reelzchannel.com for more information.
Watch this clip for an insider's view of the U2 3D premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Enjoy the band and crew interviews!
For those of you who missed us at the Sundance Film Festival but heard about our presence, tune in to VH1 at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. EST this Friday, January 25th for premiere footage and interview clips.
Also tune in to the Reelz Channel at the following times for more Sundance highlights:
Friday - 3:00 p.m./6:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m./9:00 p.m., 9:00 p.m./12:00 a.m. PST/EST
Saturday - 9:00 a.m./12:00 p.m., 12:30pm/3:30 p.m., 4pm/7pm, 7:30 p.m./10:30 p.m. PST/EST
Sunday - 10:00 a.m./1:00 p.m., 2:00 pm/5:00 p.m., 5:00 pm/8:00 p.m., 8:30 p.m./11:30 PST/EST
Monday - 4:00 a.m./7:00 p.m., 7:00 a.m./10:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m./1:00 p.m. PST/EST
Catch a glimpse of the all star attendees and see for yourself what all the excitement was about.
Can't get enough content? Visit our U2 3D multimedia page for the latest photo, audio, and video updates! Exclusive Sundance Film Festival media clips and photos are now up. We'll be releasing new materials on a regular basis so remember to check back often. You can also subscribe to U2 3D Live's feed to get all the latest updates.
U2 3D opens in select cities across America in IMAX theaters today, January 23, 2008! Visit the U2 3D movie website and click ‘Find a Theater’ to find movie showtimes and tickets near you. If you’re still looking for a reason to go, check out our latest reviews:
“The musical documentary “U2 3D,” which stitches together three performances by this Irish rock band during a recent tour of South America, is not merely a technical landmark — shot entirely in digital 3D — but also an aesthetic one… [it] deserves to be called a work of art.” - Matt Zoller Seitz, NY Times, January 23, 2008
“”U2 3D” is the next step toward engaging the “iGeneration” (as Bono and others have called it) by proving that what happens in the flesh can feel as potent in a virtual context.” - Ann Powers, LA Times, January 23, 2008
“U2 3D (* * * * out of four) in many ways delivers an experience that’s even better than the real thing.” - Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY, January 22, 2008
“”U2 3D,” a showcase of the Irish band in digital 3-D that is so technologically advanced and totally exhilarating in every way that it may just make all the other ‘08 concert films obsolete.” - William Arnold, Seattle Post Intelligencer, January 22, 2008
“…the film still resonates as a stunning cinematic experience, and the best rock show I’ve never attended.” - Eliot Van Buskirk, Wired, January 21, 2008
“I don’t use this term lightly, but I really felt like I was witnessing something “revolutionary” in filmmaking.” - Michelle Meyers, cNet News, January 20, 2008
Catherine Owens is a New York-based Irish artist known for creating U2's last four world tour video installations. She has also directed their music video for "Original of the Species" and recently premiered her feature film directorial debut, "U2 3D" at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Having garnered well-earned praise for the 3D concert experience, in between panels and press conferences, I caught up with the glowing director to wax poetic about life in Manhattan and her early influences.
Did you always know you wanted to be an artist?
Always... well I mean I was drawing, I was scribbling, I was a major scribbler when I was a kid. I suppose when I was 14, I finally took some good classes. I think I took art classes for the exams I was doing.
My father was quite a brilliant advertising man and great ideas person and great thinker and a lovely draftsman so I would take after him in my drawings and he would encourage me. We grew up in a house full of artwork. Every inch of every wall was covered in art.
Is your mother creative?
She wasn't visually creative but she was a very clever woman and would make sure we were all immersed in the arts.
What brought you to the States?
I got an Arts Council Grant after college to come here, to come to New York. It was a travel grant. I received it upon graduation and at that time, New York was the place for artists. It was post punk but during the East Village art boom. It was a very active arts group including Andy Warhol, Jean Michel Basquiat, and [Keith] Haring. You know, a very, very active group.
That was when fine art crossed over with street art and was also heavily influenced by music.
Yes, the former Talking Heads.
Deborah Harry. Madonna.
Danceteria! I clubbed for a whole year out there. Just clubbed. Area, Danceteria...
How long have you been in New York?
20 years.
So you're a New Yorker, is that the longest you've lived anywhere?
It's true but I have a house in Ireland so I come back [home].
Immediately following the exclusive dinner, Team U2 3D transported the whole crew to the Eccles Theatre. Once there, producers, directors, and members of U2 walked the Sundance red carpet. Flashes were popping off like fireworks inside. Director Catherine Owens looked radiant and the producers stood proud. It was electrifying! 
The undisputed highlight of the evening immediately followed the red carpet. The crowd roared as Robert Redford and then U2 entered the theatre. As the lights faded, the excitement quickly grew. Many attendees moved to the music while participating as though they were attending a live concert -- waving hands in the air, shining mobile phones in lieu of lighters, and clapping passionately at the end of each song. Invited guest, Jeffrey Hopkins, Program Manager for Waterfront Film Festival was awed to see the theatre audience merge with the film audience, "It made the point that we experienced what the concert goers experienced during the show." 
So what exactly happens before a movie screening? I’ve never been to a film festival of this caliber before nor have I ever attended as staff. The Sundance film festival is a new experience to me. And everywhere I go, do, and see excites me to no end!
I attended the film’s audio and visual tech check at the Eccles Theater today where the staff tuned and tested the systems. Present were U2 3D Producer and Executive Audio Producer, John Modell as well as U2’s long-time sound team, Carl Glanville and Robbie Adams, Audio Director, Joe O’Herlihy, VFX Supervisor, Dave Franks, Dolby’s Technical Director Russell Allen, Production Manager Jenny Sireci, and Supervising Producer, Ted Kenney.
When asked why such an elite army of technicians was needed for set up, John Modell stated, “It’s the premiere of the film with U2, the greatest band in the world. We brought all the guys who have worked with the band a long time and Clair Bros who brought a customized sound system to the theater. We also worked with Dolby who delivered their newest 3D system, which is amazing looking.” Modell, who is also a musician, felt that this was, “the most high tech film screening that’s ever been done in history.”
Ted Kenney echoed Modell’s eagerness to make everything perfect explaining that today was the last day to make all final touches on the visuals and audio, “Every venue is different so it’s a priority for us to make every seat in the house have the same quality of sound. It’s important to us, the director, and the music producer to replicate a live concert experience.”
I’m not an AV expert. But I have seen a lot of movies in the theater and I can confidently say, I’ve never seen or heard anything like this!
It’s freezing outside but we’re still feeling warm and fuzzy from all the recent rave reviews. Our team’s arrived in Park City, Utah for Sundance 2008 and we’re excited! Can’t stand the sub zero weather? No patience to wait hours in line for next year’s surprise box-office hit? Don’t worry. That’s what I’m here for — to report to you all the cool behind-the-scenes action that will happen at this indie cinema showcase. Watch everything unfold as we roll out the red carpet for U2 3D’s world premiere on Saturday, January 19, 2008. Sundance is going to rock!
"U23D is possibly the best entertainment experience I've ever witnessed." - Alx Klive, WorldTV, January 10, 2008
"Beautifully shot in crystal-clear high-definition, it's genuinely easy to forget you are watching a concert on screen rather than being there in person." - Rebecca Armstrong, The Independent, January 9, 2008
"9.5/10" - Alex Billington, First Showing, January 9, 2008
"U2's new 3D concert film has been given a unanimous thumbs-up by American critics, who claim it will appeal to both music fans and lovers of all things high-tech." - Richie Taylor, Independent.ie, January 8, 2008
"U23D is the first movie I've seen where the 3D perspectives become an organic part of the experience." - Bryant Frazer, Studio Daily, January 7, 2008
"The documentary serves up prime U2 in a startlingly rendered, state-of-the-art arena that truly raises the bar for headache-free 3-D technology." - Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter, January 6, 2008
"Breathtaking when performance, technology and cinematography click at the same moment." - Phil Gallo, Variety, January 6, 2008
Live from Las Vegas, amidst the tech-crazed audience of CES 2008,
we screened U2 3D twice today for the media and a few friends. Each
time the audience was released, I heard exclamations of "wow"! Everyone
was buzzing with wide-eyed enthusiasm.
Thanks to the Luxor Theatre's 7-story IMAX screen and 30,000 watts of impeccable sound, Claudio Sennhauser, SanDisk's Technology Evangelist declared at the post-screening reception that U2 3D was "the most amazing experience [he'd] ever had in the theater. It's amazing how close you are. The perspective, the depth. Wow!"
His sentiment was reiterated over and over again by our media attendees. After nearly an hour and a half of adrenalin-pumping music immersion, Anh Tran, CEO of Greencine, claimed screening the film was "an experience rivaled by none." We agree and hope that you'll confirm this feeling for yourself when the film opens January 23, 2008 in select cities.
Hello, hello! My name is Souris and I want to personally welcome all of you to U2 3D LIVE, the official blog for U2 3D, the movie. This unique cinematic experience is the first digital 3D, multi-camera, real-time production, brought to you by the tech wizards from 3ality Digital, our favorite legendary rock band, U2, and National Geographic.This is where technology and entertainment intersect, marrying innovative digital 3D imagery and state-of-the-art sound to the pulsing experience of a live U2 concert. Have you ever seen someone pull out his or her mobile phone and wave it at a movie screen? How about seeing someone in the theater aisle moving to the music? I know this may sound funny, but I've witnessed this and it's incredibly exciting! Who knew movies could be so fun?!
U2 3D LIVE is your go-to blog for finding out the latest buzz on what's going on in our world. Can't wait? Then add us to your Facebook account or add our widget to your own personal web space. We're about to kick off our theater tour and we hope you'll join us. We at National Geographic look forward to taking this journey with you. We promise it's something you won't soon forget! Look for us at CES 2008 and at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. In the meantime, check out what everybody's buzzing about here:
One love, Souris
