3D, desensitization, and new expectations

The new 3D graphic technology allows you to experience more sensation compared to 2D movies. With the depth perception, you get a sense of presence and recognize more details in the "environment". Moreover as this technology is relatively new, it makes you cheer for its inventor, while you are enjoying the adrenaline rush... for a little while. Then it blends into the movie, becomes part of it. What you are left with though, is an overall heightened threshold for a new set of sensations (we also call that arousal, but usually to refer to violence in media effects studies)

The more you get sensation from media, the more you get desensitized overall. Conventional thrilling techniques become limited as you are now introduced to different sets of feelings with 3D: Those you can not experience even in real life. (I am pretty sure that you would not ever see a nail flying towards you in glowing colors/slow motion in real life. Even if you did so, you would not think "cool!" but something else). You get this weird luxury of enjoying a made-believe danger.

The audiences' increased expectation of heightened sensation will have implications on the future of the media technologies. It will be like Disneyland in the neighborhood movie theater. Today the "soaring ride" in Disneyland is an amazing experience. You do not have the 3D glasses, though. You only feel, see and smell. Tomorrow, we will be seeking the "all in one" experience any time we go to a movie.

I am looking forward to witnessing where the next available technology will take us.