Extreme sports have come a long way since they began in the backyards and alleys of my childhood. They are a huge business and ESPN’s X Games is the home to catch the best of the best do what they do best. This summer if you can’t make it to the the games, at least you might catch the film in 3D.
Press Release
ESPN and Disney will release the first sports-themed 3D film this summer with a special, limited one-week theatrical run starting August 21. ESPN Films will produce and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures will distribute X Games 3D the Movie nationwide into digital 3D theaters around the country. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Steve Lawrence (Down the Barrel), the film will use groundbreaking digital 3D techniques to immerse sports fans into the world of action sports and its top stars. Iconic action sports personalities chronicled in the film are: Shaun White, Travis Pastrana, Danny Way, Ricky Carmichael and Bob Burnquist.
“ESPN is extremely proud to join Disney in bringing the 3D experience to action sports fans,” said Ron Semiao, senior vice president, ESPN Films. “The proximity of the cameras to the action combined with the amazing performances by the athletes provides a jaw-dropping, storytelling encounter for fans of all ages.”
Mark Zoradi, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group, said, “There is absolutely no sporting event better suited for the Digital 3D medium than X Games. ESPN continues to break boundaries by using digital 3D to put sports fans literally in the center of the action: preparing to launch down the big air ramp with Danny Way, racing downhill on Shaun White’s snowboard and flying through the air in Travis Pastrana’s Rally car. And Disney is proud to add X Games 3D the Movie to its robust, industry-leading slate of 17 other upcoming Disney Digital 3D™ releases.”
The full-length feature film will capture the drama and spectacle that play out every year at the X Games events and will also tell the stories of the featured athletes showing the sacrifices they make in pursuit of glory and progressing their sport on the industry’s biggest stage.
“I’m excited to be involved with ESPN and Disney on this project,” said Shaun White, X Games and Olympic gold medalist. “I think the style of filming will bring something new to viewers.”
Featured athletes:
Shaun White (Skateboard, Snowboard) – Defending X Games Skateboard Vert gold medalist; seven-time Winter X Games Snowboard gold medalist; 2006 Winter Olympic gold medalist
Travis Pastrana (Moto X, Rally Car Racing) – Fourteen-time X Games medalist, nine of which are gold, for Moto X and Rally Car Racing; X Games 14 Rally Car Racing gold medalist
Danny Way (Skateboard) – Four-time X Games Skateboard Big Air gold medalist and pioneer of the Big Air ramp
Ricky Carmichael (Moto X) – X Games 13 Moto X Racing gold medalist; 10-time AMA Motocross Champion; five-time AMA Supercross Champion; 102 AMA Motocross/Lites Wins
Bob Burnquist (Skateboard) – Four-time X Games Skateboard Vert gold medalist; X Games 13 Big Air gold medalist
(Press release appears originally on ESPN MediaZone’s website)
Wrapping it up
If you can’t make it to the games, this is probably the next best thing to seeing all the action. This is the first 3D sports features so it will be interesting to see how it is received, although with how popular the X Games are I am betting it will be a hit.
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