# Obscure 3D Technology Idea From the Early 1980s?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-3d-technology-idea-from-the-early-1980s/966080>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [June 12, 2022, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-3d-technology-idea-from-the-early-1980s/966080 "2022-06-12T20:36:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2022, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-3d-technology-idea-from-the-early-1980s/966080/21 "2022-06-13T14:45:02Z")

</div>

> [@Bonum\_Legatum](#):
>
> This sounds like they found a way to use the “multiplane camera” for live-action films:

> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> Sorry, didn’t pick up a reference in the link to live-action film. Did I miss something?

I think “This” refers to the invention described by the OP. The link just explains what a multiplane camera is (which is a fancy form of the cel animation I mentioned in the first reply).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2022, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-3d-technology-idea-from-the-early-1980s/966080/22 "2022-06-13T17:12:43Z")

</div>

> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#):
>
> It wasn’t invented in the 1980s. It’s basically using multiple layers of images and a bit of parallax to simulate 3d.
> 
> As for his “invention”, I have seen it used on a lot of historical shows to bring a bit of life to old photographs, which makes them a bit more interesting visually. There are also apps for cell phones to make an animated 3d background using the same effect.

Yeah, I think he is talking about something like this:

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/DkDnFL-07Ts/maxresdefault.jpg "Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Event's End Credits (2004)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkDnFL-07Ts)

[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/SIF5BLyh3Mk/hqdefault.jpg "narutaru op") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIF5BLyh3Mk)

(I know that I’ve seen more illustrative examples, but those are the only two titles that came to mind at the moment.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2022, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-3d-technology-idea-from-the-early-1980s/966080/23 "2022-06-13T18:00:30Z")

</div>

Re: The Pulfrich effect.

The 1989 Super Bowl [halftime show](https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1989-01-23-2680354-story.html) used this. You got the glasses at various stores. But a single lens from sunglasses worked as well.

Obviously it went over really big and we can no longer remember a time when we didn’t watch TV without the glasses. 🙂

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obscure-3d-technology-idea-from-the-early-1980s/966080.md?page=1)