How a Bear, a Shark and a Nintendo 3DS Helped Launch an Indie 3D Conversion Studio
- Admin
- Jul 7
- 4 min read
When clients choose a 2D-to-3D conversion studio, experience matters. It is not simply about creating depth in an image; it is about understanding how stereoscopic storytelling works across different formats, audiences, platforms and production requirements.
For EYEPOP-3D founder Andrew Murchie, that commercial experience reaches back well over a decade. In 2011, Andrew worked on the 2D-to-3D conversion of BearShark, an animated comedy series produced for the Nintendo 3DS and its glasses-free stereoscopic display.
WATCH BEARSHARK 3D THE PILOT EPISODE (2011)
At the time, the Nintendo 3DS represented one of the most ambitious attempts to bring 3D entertainment directly to a mass consumer audience. Its autostereoscopic screen allowed viewers to watch three dimensional content without glasses, creating a portable 3D experience unlike anything else widely available at the time.
Andrew recalls: "One of the aims was to create a unique, stylised flat-toons-in-3D-space look for the series on the Nintendo 3DS, as opposed to trying to create accurate volumetric objects and characters. We felt this retained more of the cartoon feel and had a certain different kind of charm, much like the characters it was presenting."
BearShark was part of the Nintendo 3D Video line-up, bringing its surreal animated world of Bear, Shark and the permanently unlucky Steve to the 3DS in stereoscopic 3D. The project demonstrated that 2D-to-3D conversion was already being used commercially not only for feature films, but for original animated entertainment created for major consumer platforms.
Commercial 3D Conversion Experience Since 2011
Working on BearShark in 2011 required more than simply separating a flat image into foreground and background layers. The conversion had to work on a small, handheld, glasses-free display, where depth needed to be clear, comfortable and immediately readable yet still strong enough to warrant being in 3D.
Every shot had to be considered in terms of stereo composition. Characters needed convincing separation from their surroundings, backgrounds had to feel spatially coherent, and the fast-paced comic action had to remain easy to follow. The result needed to preserve the visual energy of the original animation while giving the Nintendo 3DS audience a genuine sense of dimensional space.
This type of work helped build the practical, production-level expertise that continues to underpin EYEPOP-3D today. From early commercial projects such as Nintendo 3D's BearShark through to contemporary 3D VR films, alongside classic feature film titles, music content and independent productions, Andrew Murchie has spent years developing 3D imagery for real audiences and real distribution platforms.
3D Built for the Screen It Will Be Seen On
One of the key lessons of the Nintendo 3DS era was that stereoscopic conversion cannot be approached as a one-size-fits-all process. As per our previous blog post examining how screen size played an important part in the overall strength of stereoscopic imagery in cinema, creating for a tiny handheld, autostereoscopic screen came with its own challenges.
The 3D created for a cinema screen requires different decisions from the 3D created for a television, headset, mobile device or autostereoscopic display. On the Nintendo 3DS, the depth budget had to be carefully controlled. Strong stereo effects could be effective, but they also had to remain comfortable within the limitations of a small handheld autostereoscopic screen.
For BearShark, this meant using depth as part of the visual storytelling. Spatial separation helped distinguish characters from their environments, foreground and background layers added scale to each setting, and carefully judged moments of dimensional emphasis supported the comedy without overwhelming it.
Those same principles remain central to EYEPOP-3D’s work today. Good 3D conversion is not about applying a fixed amount of depth to every frame. It is about understanding the intended display, the style of the material and the way an audience will experience each shot.
From Early Portable 3D to Modern Spatial Content
The Nintendo 3DS was a landmark device in the history of consumer stereoscopic entertainment. It showed that 3D could be personal, portable and accessible without glasses with content designed specifically for its screen.
Looking back at BearShark now, the project is a reminder of how long Andrew has been working professionally with stereoscopic media from natively shot through to 2D-to-3D conversion. Produced in 2011, BearShark forms part of a commercial track record that spans more than 15 years of stereoscopic production experience.
Andrew says of the project: "Well it's definitely not perfect, but considering the intense schedule and low budget, as well as the rudimentary stereoscopic tools when BearShark was produced, it came out pretty well & looked fantastic on the little 3.5" Nintendo screen. Of course looking at it now on a huge 4K monitor, it's really, really strong 3D and what would have be nearly invisible little issues on a tiny screen really jump out when I see it now! It's still an entertaining and funny series to watch, the guys at CollegeHumor and Mike at Lowbrow Studios came up with such a crazy concept I would have loved to have seen more of them."
Having access to that level of experience is especially valuable for filmmakers, distributors and rights holders looking to explore 3D versions of new or existing content. Whether the project is a feature film, a short, animation, archive title, promotional piece or immersive media, successful conversion depends on an understanding of both creative intent and technical delivery.
Experience That Brings Confidence to Every Conversion
EYEPOP-3D combines the cost effectiveness & flexibility of a specialist independent studio with the depth of experience built through many years of commercial stereoscopic production.
Projects are approached individually, with attention given to the material, the intended audience and the final viewing format. The aim is always the same: to create natural, engaging and technically reliable 3D that adds value to the original production.
From BearShark on the Nintendo 3DS in 2011 to today’s growing range of 3D cinema, home entertainment and spatial-media opportunities, Andrew & the teams work reflects a long-standing commitment to making great quality 3D content, including making 2D content feel genuinely dimensional.
For producers, directors, distributors and rights holders, that experience represents far more than an impressive list of credits. It means potentially collaborating with a team led by a stereoscopic specialist and 3D evangelist who has been producing commercial 3D content since the modern revival of the format.
If you are a rights holder and have a project you'd like to discuss, EYEPOP-3D would love to hear from you.