Maui Time Publishes 3D Issue

MauiTime has published an issue featuring more than 100 3D photos. The 80-page issue–the annual Best of Maui readers poll, which highlights the island’s top people, places and businesses in a number of categories–hit stands July 22.

“We believe we’ve created the world’s largest 3D newspaper; we haven’t found any other publication that’s done it on this scale,” said Publisher Tommy Russo. “In that sense it was a leap of faith, but I’m proud of our team for pulling it off.”

Click here for a flip through book of the issue.

To achieve the 3D effect, MauiTime’s sales and production departments utilized Fuji’s Finepix Real 3D W1 3D camera, which allowed the production department to produce red-blue anaglyph images. Without Fuji’s amazing 3D camera this successful publishing gimmick would not have been possible. “It was a lot of work, definitely much more than a normal issue,” said Art Director Chris Skiles. “We were learning this process as we went.”

Due to the unique, unprecedented nature of the undertaking and limitations with the island’s only printing press, prior to distribution, 3D glasses were hand-inserted into all 18,000 copies of the paper to allow readers to view the 3D images.

“Usually the layout and images in the paper support the words, but for this issue it was really the other way around,” said Editor Jacob Shafer. “Of course we hope people will read what we wrote, but we know the main focus will be on the visuals.”

On the sales side, Russo said it was exciting to bring something different to his clients. “We’ve seen a few national magazines sell 3D to major brands,” said Russo. “But we were selling 3D to local mom and pops–yogurt stands and Mexican restaurants.”

Click here for a flip through book of the ads.

The 3D issue marks another step forward for MauiTime, which in the last year has launched a comprehensive redesign and earned local and national awards. Earlier this month, the paper earned second place at the 2010 AltWeekly Awards, for excellence in cover design.

“We’re a small company with limited resources, but we strive to be an innovative content company for news and entertainment on Maui,” said Russo. “We want to keep giving our readers things they’ve never seen before.”

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