48 frames per second

Peter Jackson Stands by His 48-Frame 3-D Format for The Hobbit

SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 22: Director/producer Peter Jackson, director/producer Steven Spielberg and actor Andy Serkis attend
SAN DIEGO, CA - JULY 22: Director/producer Peter Jackson, director/producer Steven Spielberg and actor Andy Serkis attend “The Adventures of Tintin†during Comic-Con 2011 at San Diego Convention Center on July 22, 2011 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images) Photo: Michael Buckner/2011 Getty Images

Earlier this week, Warner Bros. previewed a ten-minute sneak peek of Jackson’s Hobbit to theater owners and received very mixed reviews. Specifically, people were unhappy with the new 48-frames-per-second format, which is twice as many as normal. Critics said it made for a far too glossy Middle Earth, not the stone and ash and gnarled trees of Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. “This technology is going to keep evolving,†the director assured Entertainment Weekly, adding “there can only ever be a real reaction, a truthful reaction, when people actually have a chance to see a complete narrative.†So, at least for the moment, Hollywood’s first 48-frame film is still a go. But if you’re not convinced (or just patently annoyed by the 3-D-ification of film) there’ll be a plain old 24-frame 2-D version available, as well.

Peter Jackson Stands by 48-Frame Hobbit Format