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Spaceships hurtling toward you. Touchdown receptions an arm’s length away. Front-row seats at big concerts. These experiences — or at least the illusion of these experiences — are increasingly common in movie theaters and living rooms thanks to the fast-moving 3-D technology.

And now UT radio-television-film students will have access to the nation’s first comprehensive 3-D production curriculum.

Through a $2.17 million grant from the Moody Foundation to create “UT3D,” students will produce a range of 3-D content — including plays, sports, documentaries and narrative pieces — and explore recent 3-D innovations, such as “glasses-free” 3-D for television, tablets, cellphones and small display devices.

“3-D content and technology are headed for a revolution across all platforms. It’s imperative to share this new tool kit with future filmmakers so they have the training and experience for the jobs of the future,” says RTF grad Wayne Miller, B.A. ’77 and executive producer at Los Angeles-based SD Entertainment, who helped envision the program. “By providing students an understanding of 3-D technology and hands-on experience with state-of-the-art equipment, The University of Texas at Austin is bound to become the leader in 3-D education.”

Don Howard, associate professor and production area head in the Department of Radio-Television-Film, will serve as director of the program, which will begin offering classes to undergraduates in fall 2013.

“We’re delighted to support UT3D,” says Ross Moody, trustee of the Moody Foundation. “The Moody Foundation’s focus on educating the youth of Texas is consistent with funding the establishment of the UT3D curriculum. Students will also gain firsthand experience in 3-D production at the Moody Theater to start their real-world training. And when they graduate, they’ll be ahead in the growing medium of 3-D.”

The Moody Foundation grant will be given over a five-year period. Classes will be taught at the Belo Center for New Media and the ACL Live at the Moody Theater in downtown Austin — the recording studio for the PBS television show “Austin City Limits” — where students will use the studio’s 3-D production and performance facility.

UT3D was also made possible by Tim McClure, GSD&M Advertising co-founder and College of Communication advisory council member, who provided guidance on the creation of the program and will continue to connect the college with industry partners.

Related story:

Radio-Television-Film Receives $2 Million to Create Nation’s First 3-D Production Program