The film development council of Hong Kong said it would expand promotional efforts this year to cover the making of three-dimensional movies, also known as 3D movie, local media reported Friday.

This is because the 3D movie has great potential in offering a new audio-visual experience and serving as a new means to combat piracy, local newspaper Ta Kung Pao reported, quoting the Hong Kong Film Development Council (HKFDC).

The council said it would set up a promotional booth on the making of 3D movies, a conference on the emerging digital movie making in Asia and a seminar on 3D movie technology at the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market in March this year.

The latest 3D movie "Avatar" has been a hit in Hong Kong over the past months as movie fans rushed to have an experience of the world's most advanced 3D technologies.

Cinemas in Hong Kong have been adapting to the 3D trend. Terry Lai, chairperson of the Kadokawa Intercontinental group, said she expected 80 percent of the silver screens in Hong Kong to be 3D- compliant by the end of 2010, compared with 30 percent at present.