DreamWorks Animation chief proclaims "new era" with 3-D.

Las Vegas, NV -- Is 3-D really the next big thing? DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg says it will create a "new era" in moviegoing.

He's talking about the increased effort by Hollywood studios to produce 3-D movies for theaters, many of which are installing digital technology.

Speaking at the Las Vegas conference ShoWest, Katzenberg said the transition is the biggest deal for the movie business "since the advent of color 70 years ago".

His presentation came after the announcement of a deal calling for the conversion of 10,000 more theater screens for the digital technology needed to accommodate 3-D. One estimate puts the cost of the conversion at as much as $700 million.