U2 3D Nominated for VES Award

National Geographic has announced that U2 3D has received a nomination for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project from the Visual Effects Society of America's 7th Annual VES Awards. In 2008 National Geographic received the award in this same category for its production Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure.

U2 3D, which was produced by 3ality Digital and distributed by National Geographic Entertainment, premiered in January 2008 as the first-ever live-action digital 3D film. Marrying innovative digital 3D imagery and multi-channel surround sound with the excitement of a live U2 concert – shot in South America during the final leg of their Vertigo tour – it creates an immersive theatrical experience unlike any 3D or concert film that has come before.

With what became the largest collection of 3D camera technology ever used on a single project, the film’s production crew joined up with U2’s globe-trotting caravan for a month and shot the huge outdoor stadium shows (not seen in North America) at cities in four countries including Mexico City, Mexico; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In addition to this nomination, U2 3D was recognized as Best Musical Film at the Los Premios MTV Latin America Video Music Awards; received the Pioneer Award (film and television) from the 2008 3D Film and Interactive Film Festival; and Best Film Produced Non-Exclusively for Giant Screen Theaters from the Giant Screen Cinema Association. The film was the best-reviewed concert film of 2008 and the fourth best reviewed film overall according to RottenTomatoes.com annual review round up.