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Legend3D, a San Diego-based company, was founded in August 2001 and was previously known as Legend Films. The company specializes in the 2D-to-3D conversion of motion pictures, television programming, advertisements and similar content utilizing proprietary technology and software tools. Legend3D has converted more minutes of content to 3D than any other company and specializes in providing the highest quality possible. Legend3D has converted material for several blockbuster motion pictures, including both new release and catalog titles. These include live action films as well as animated and computer-generated motion pictures, as well as several television programs and commercials.

The company also operates two additional business units: RiffTrax (www.RiffTrax.com) and Legend Films/Home Entertainment Distribution (www.LegendFilms.com). RiffTrax TBD and Legend Films TBD.

Company history
Early History as Legend Films

In the 1980's, Legend3D's founder, Barry Sandrew, pioneered and patented the first all-digital colorization technology for motion pictures and other motion visual content and later reinvented the process by patenting the most advanced colorization technology that largely automates the process (Image sequence enhancement system and method – US Patent 7181081 [12]). In 2001, Dr. Sandrew started Legend Films, Inc., to commercialize the advanced colorization technology. From 2001 to 2009, Legend Films colorized more than 130 titles in variety of genres. Some of this work was for films that have fallen into the public domain and are now copyrighted by Legend Films only in their colorized form in the United States, while their original copyright on the black and white version is still in force. Other movies in the Legend Films library are titles color produced in revenue sharing partnerships with the original copyright holder. Legend has colorized films owned by 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures and Paramount Home Entertainment. Legend Filmes also worked with partners, including Shirley Temple TBD...

Formation of RiffTrax

In 2006, comedian and former Mystery Science Theater 3000 host Michael J. Nelson was appointed Chief Content Producer for a new business group known as RiffTrax, a website offering the purchase of downloadable audio commentaries. The first commentary made available through the service was for Road House.

Company Refocus to 3D conversion services

In 2005, Dr. Sandrew began the modification of Legend Films' proprietary colorization technology to a uniquely efficient process for highest-quality depth conversion of 2D film/video material to 3D. Several demonstrations were performed for a variety of potential clients to show the effectiveness and quality of converted content. In 2009, Legend Films performed conversion for the season opening episode of Chuck for TBD, the first television show to be broadcast in 3D. Legend also created 3D converted footage in support of the planned Michael Jackson tour.

With the notable success of the 3D release of James Cameron's film, Avatar, in December of 2009, the 3D industry for motion pictures became a mainstream business for major Hollywood releases and Legend Films was contracted to convert several major motion pictures to 3D for theatrical release, 3D blu-ray DVD release, and possible future broadcast on 3D television channels. This led to rapid growth of the company, which grew revenues more than 700% between the summer of 2009 and the same time in 2010. While Legend still maintains its Home Entertainment Distribution and RiffTrax businesses, the vast majority of the company's business now involves 3D conversion services. The company's name change to Legend3D from Legend Films in 2010 reflects this re-focus of the company's efforts to the 3D conversion business.

Notable releases
3D Conversion

Chuck Michael Jackson Alice Shrek 1 Shrek 2 Shrek 3

Colorization

Legend Films has collaborated with Shirley Temple, Jane Russell, Terry Moore and Ray Harryhausen on independent releases. A colorized version of Holiday Inn was met by positive response from the family of Bing Crosby.

On April 20, 2004, Legend Films released a colorized version of Reefer Madness featuring intentionally unrealistic color schemes, playing up on the film's camp appreciation. A colorized version of Plan 9 from Outer Space was screened at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco.

With the cooperation of director Richard Elfman, Legend released a colorized version of Forbidden Zone on July 29, 2008. This version was also made available online at Rifftrax, however without any commentary as Rifftrax creative felt the film was weird enough.

In December 2008, it was announced that Legend will release a colorized 3-D version of Night of the Living Dead coproduced by PassmoreLab. The 3-D version will receive a full theatrical release in Europe, and a limited theatrical release in the United States before being released on DVD and as a digital download through RiffTrax, which will feature commentary by Mike Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy. The 3-D version is slated for an April 1, 2009 release. A Blu-ray release has not been announced. According to Barry Sandrew, the film was the first entirely live action 2-D film to be converted to 3-D.

In late 2008, Legend colourised part 3 of the Doctor Who story Planet of the Daleks; the remaining episodes exist in colour, but part 3 was wiped and only a black and white film version remained. The resultant colourised footage was combined with colour information that was recovered from the Chroma Crawl colour recovery process, and was released on DVD in November 2009.

According to founder Barry Sandrew, Legend Films does not plan to colorize titles that were shot in black-and-white for artistic purposes, unless the original creators of the works participated in the color design.