Turns out, seeing really is believing.

At the most recent CFTPA conference in Ottawa, I had the opportunity to deliver a keynote on the history – and future – of 3D production. More than one participant told me afterwards that, up until that presentation, they still considered 3D a gimmick or a passing fad at best. (Though I don’t credit my talk for changing minds – more the immersive power of the 3D content I screened and the overwhelming audience response to movies like Avatar.)

Still, it’s a scene I’ve seen played out since I first started presenting at 3D industry gatherings four years ago, though these days, the questions I get asked have less to do with the viability of 3D and more to do with the nuts and bolts of working with the medium. The top three questions: How do we do it? What does it cost? When will it be on my iPhone?

My glib answers are: Easier than you think. Less expensive than you think. Sooner than you think.

Here’s the long-winded version.

How we do it

To begin with, we live in a 3D world. As ‘binocular’ beings, we see everything with two eyes. Each eye sees a slightly different angle, creating depth perception in the brain.

Live-action 3D recreates this effect by filming with two cameras -each camera replicating the view of one eye. Looking deeper, human eyes are 2.5 inches apart and that’s the starting distance for the placement of each camera. By moving the cameras closer together or farther apart, or by pointing them slightly inwards it’s possible to create all kinds of effects – from making objects appear to jump off the screen to scenes of incredible depth.

The workflow is also entirely digital: Digital acquisition. Digital post-production. Digital projection. All of which means that anything and everything can be captured, with little opportunity for the technical challenges that have plagued 3D in the past.

And the state of the technology, especially on the projection end, eases the eyes into seeing and perceiving images as ‘hyper-crisp.’ Polarized lenses have now replaced the traditional cardboard colored glasses. Each lens has a different degree of polarization, allowing only the correct image to enter each eye. The brain fuses them – as it does everything we see – creating depth. No more headaches. No more eyestrain. No more seizures. Industry advances will soon do away entirely with the need for 3D glasses altogether.

What it costs

For live-action 3D – I’ll leave the issue of 2D to 3D conversion out for now – my rule of thumb is it costs 10% to 25% more than shooting digital.

It is a wide range, and where a particular project falls on that continuum depends on the size of the initial budget. If you are producing a project with a substantial budget, the move to 3D will be less because you are already investing in higher production value – more comprehensive storyboarding, more shooting days, better lighting, etc.

If you are dealing with a small budget, then the move to 3D is going to be that much more – and possibly prohibitive.

Just don’t kid yourself into thinking this is only for Avatar-sized budgets. Right now, music videos, independent films, TV series, documentaries, concerts, sporting events, and commercials are being shot in digital 3D on budgets both large and small. My company, Geneva Film Co., has produced commercials, the stop-motion film Foxed!, the live-action 3D portions of ‘Ontario 4D’ at the Olympics and music events, and we have daily discussions about fashion, sports, music, science and educational 3D content.

Conversion from 2D to 3D, on the other hand, is the holy grail of Hollywood – what better way to reinvent and repurpose the film libraries than creating a whole new medium? 3D conversion is expensive and time-consuming but highly effective.

For some projects (like commercials and Hollywood movies) it is an effective way to get into 3D for a relatively low cost. The rule of thumb is $20,000 to $60,000 per minute, but can go as high as $100,000.

The process involves separating out all the objects in the frame, giving them depth, then creating a second eye view on the content – not a light undertaking, especially for the big screen, but highly effective. Look for a rush of Hollywood films – Titanic, Beauty and the Beast, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings – to be re-released in this format. Also, some current hits like Alice in Wonderland and Clash of the Titans are, in fact, conversions. Done so, with huge impact.

Coming to an iPhone near you

Technology waits for no one. And as far as 3D is concerned, it is game on. In six short months, 3D has gone from ‘theory’ to reality.

Led by the cinema explosion (read: Avatar), 3D TV sales were launched at Best Buy on March 10 and 3D gaming already has over 300 titles waiting to immerse you. Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, JVC, LG are all rolling out their 3D TVs as you read this.

And the iPhone? In fact, 3D is already available on your iPhone. I’ve had the 3Dee Shell on my iPhone for two years. Today, you can download the app for 99 cents – it’s made by Canadian company Spatial View – and play 3D content or 3D games anytime, anywhere.

Equally exciting are the commitments by several major television networks to get on board. Both ESPN and Discovery have announced that they’re launching all-3D channels. ESPN will go to air this June with the FIFA World Cup. Discovery’s 3D effort, in a joint venture with IMAX, goes live in 2011. Across the pond, Sky television in the U.K. is broadcasting 3D soccer matches into pubs and living rooms, and the BBC has announced its coverage of the 2012 Olympics will be in 3D.

On a different, but related note, there are also recent studies indicating that 3D simulations used in a classroom setting improve student retention.

The long and short of it is 3D is here to stay. Embrace it. Explore it. Revel in it. 3D opens up a whole new dimension in which to be creative. With proper planning, knowledge of the process, and the right team, it doesn’t have to be overly expensive to bring your production to the 3D screen.

Next up: Directing the 3D film: immersive experience or in your face?

James Stewart is one of a handful of directors worldwide working in 3D and is founder of Geneva Film Co. In June, he will be a keynote speaker at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in France.