Tag: Panasonic

Formula DRIFT and DIRECTV Go For Round Two With 2011 Season Opener in 3D

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Formula DRIFT and DIRECTV Go For Round Two With 2011 Season Opener in 3D

First-Ever Drifting Street Event to be Produced in 3D, Available Exclusively on n3D, Powered by Panasonic

Long Beach, Calif. – April 6, 2011 – Following last year’s successful 3D broadcast of Formula DRIFT’s “Round 7, Title Fight” event, DIRECTV and Formula DRIFT take another spin around the track with the production of Formula DRIFT’s 2011 season opener, Round 1: Streets of Long Beach. The race will be the first-ever drifting street race to be produced in 3D and will be available exclusively on n3D, powered by Panasonic, this summer.

The season opener will be held in Long Beach, Calif., on April 8-9 and is the only drifting event on the circuit to legally utilize real city streets. The race will debut a new suite of cars and drivers to the Formula DRIFT series and will be co-hosted by DIRECTV Red Zone Channel host, Andrew Siciliano, actress and TV host, Mayleen Ramey, and co-founder of Formula DRIFT, Ryan Sage.

DIRECTV will also test new production techniques for this event, including new camera angles of the course and in-car cameras that will give viewers the driver’s perspective of the track. Last year’s final round in Irwindale, Calif., was rated the most watched original 3D program on DIRECTV and continues to be re-aired in 3D on the n3D channel, as well as in 2D on The 101 Network.

“The 2010 Final Fight 3D event was a great success for our n3D channel and we are excited to continue our partnership with Formula DRIFT, as well as our support for the sport of drifting,” said Chris Long, senior vice president, DIRECTV Entertainment. “Filming on the streets in Long Beach versus on a track will give the broadcast a completely different feel and we are looking forward to testing new production techniques that will truly make 3D fans feel like they are in the driver’s seat.”

“DIRECTV captured the excitement on the high banks during the 2010 season finale at the birthplace of American professional drifting at the Toyota Speedway at Irwindale,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder, Formula DRIFT. “Now, DIRECTV will be able to capture the unique and intense setting that is the season opener, through the only legal professional drift competition on city streets.”

DIRECTV offers more 3D programming than any other television provider in the country. n3D, powered by Panasonic (Ch. 103), the nation’s first 24/7 3D network, is available at no additional cost to millions of DIRECTV HD customers. In addition to exclusive 3D coverage of special events such as the 2010 MLB All-Star Game and the 2010 U.S. Open Tennis Championship, the n3D channel also gives customers access to exclusive, original 3D programming such as DIRECTV’s award-winning series Guitar Center Sessions and Guy’s Big Bite in 3D. The 3D programming available both on n3D and DIRECTV CINEMA are all powered by Panasonic. DIRECTV also offers 3net and ESPN 3D as part of its 3D programming platform.

DIRECTV HD customers, who received a free software upgrade that enabled them to access 3D channels on DIRECTV, will need a 3D television set and 3D glasses to view the programming on DIRECTV. For more information on n3D, powered by Panasonic, please visit www.DIRECTV.com/3D.

For more information contact:
John Pangilinan
The ID Agency for Formula DRIFT
213.802.0863
[email protected]

Robert Mercer
DIRECTV
310.964.4683
[email protected]

DIRECTV To Debut First Formula DRIFT Program in 3D

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Long Beach, Calif. – Jan. 27, 2011 – DIRECTV is bringing the race track into the living room with the exclusive 3D broadcast of Formula DRIFT’s “Round 7: Title Fight Event” on DIRECTV’s 3D channel, n3D, powered by Panasonic, channel 103. Beginning Friday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, DIRECTV customers will have access to two, one-hour specials, which will offer extensive race coverage, behind the scenes footage and exclusive interviews, all in 3D.

Produced by DIRECTV and Formula DRIFT, the 3D special will follow the heated action surrounding the final event of Formula DRIFT’s 2010 season, which was held at the Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, Calif., last October. The footage will include:

• Complete coverage of the “Title Fight” season finale, including the final battle between two-time Formula DRIFT champion Tanner Foust and Vaughn Gittin.
• Exclusive interviews with Formula DRIFT pro drivers.
• Drifting tips by pro drivers, including Tanner Foust
• Behind the scenes with Formula DRIFT owners Jim Liaw and Ryan Sage.
• Coverage of off-the-track action including fans, vendors, import models and more.

“Watching Formula DRIFT’s championship series at home in 3D will make every counter steer, plume of smoke and wreck feel like it is happening in the middle of your living room,” said Chris Long, senior vice president, Entertainment, DIRECTV. “Our 3D technology enables us to take what is already an exciting event and make it even more compelling for viewers to experience at home.”

“This was a very ambitious project given that it is the first of its kind for the sport of drifting and also taking into consideration the sheer nature of 3D filming and the nature and physics of the sport,” said Ryan Sage, vice-president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “DIRECTV came in and really nailed it. Viewing Formula DRIFT in 3D is probably one of the most visceral and exciting things to view in the 3D genre right now.”

Formula DRIFT and DIRECTV Team Up to Produce the World’s First Drifting Event in 3D

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Formula DRIFT and DIRECTV Team Up to Produce the World’s First Drifting Event in 3D

Long Beach, Calif. – Oct. 5, 2010 – Drift fans will want to buckle up for the DIRECTV broadcast of the world’s first drifting event in 3D. Produced by Formula DRIFT and DIRECTV, the program will focus on a series of battles from Formula DRIFT’s “Round 7, Title Fight” and will be aired exclusively on DIRECTV’s 3D channel, n3D™, Powered by Panasonic, later this year.

“Formula DRIFT has always been on the forefront of technology,” said Ryan Sage, vice-president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “We were the first drifting series to provide HD television programming, live streaming event content via the DriftStream, and now we are adding 3D technology for our tech savvy audience.”

“3D is the perfect way to showcase what a Formula DRIFT event is all about,” said Jim Liaw, president and co-founder of Formula DRIFT. “Drifting is a very visual motorsport with high-horsepower vehicles sliding sideways with precision, often inches from the wall and each other in dramatic fashion. 3D technology will capture all of the action and excitement and bring it directly into the living rooms of the fans.”

“DIRECTV customers may need bucket seats and a good harness when they sit down to watch the Formula DRIFT event in 3D, because it will be an exhilarating viewing experience,” said Chris Long, senior vice president, Entertainment, DIRECTV. “The drifting race event is a great opportunity to engage viewers with our exclusive n3D™ channel and show them why we’re so committed to 3D TV, and whet their appetite for more.”

DIRECTV’s exclusive 3D channel ,n3D™ powered by Panasonic, is available at no additional cost to millions of DIRECTV HD customers. In addition to the 2010 MLB All-Star Game, the NASCAR Coke Zero 400, and ESPN’s 3D coverage of the Summer X Games 16, n3D customers also have access to exclusive, original 3D programming such as “Guitar Center Sessions” with Peter Gabriel and Jane’s Addiction.

DIRECTV HD customers received a free software upgrade that enables them to have access to the 3D channels on DIRECTV. DIRECTV HD customers will need a 3D television set and 3D glasses to view 3D programming on DIRECTV.