News Stories

London 2012: 3D Olympics? Look to the Sky.

3.11.2009

We were delighted to work with Sky Sports last year to create some spectacular 3D footage of boxing matches.  (According to those who run televised sports, it was time well-spent:  “I think it [3D] is going to save the sport of boxing,” said David Hill, Chairman of Fox Sports, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal last November.)   We were even more delighted that Sky went the extra step and tested delivery of 3D HD content to more than 600,000 customers in the UK last fall.    Now we’re just tickled pink — or maybe Sky blue? — that Chris John’s, Sky’s Chief Engineer, has indicated that Sky is working to roll out a commercial 3D HD service through their set-top boxes, and that the broadcaster is actively seeking to build a content library in advance of the launch.  Indeed, Mr. Johns reinforces our point of view when it comes to the art of the possible, stating that there is now “the capability for homes to see 3D by year-end.”

At 3ality Digital, we’ve long maintained that once you view sports in 3D, it’s hard to go back to 2D, which is why we’ve worked to perfect our live digital 3D image-capture and transmission systems.  We’ve also ensured that this technology can be implemented in a modular fashion, so that it’s easily integrated into the standard broadcast trucks that are used at virtually every live event.  So, choose your favorite Olympic sport — or perhaps a favorite footie club — and get ready to enjoy the action in 3D from the comfort of that living room sofa.  Couch potatoes never had it so good.

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Specification for Naming VFX Image Sequences Released

ETC’s VFX Working Group has published a specification for best practices naming image sequences such as plates and comps. File naming is an essential tool for organizing the multitude of frames that are inputs and outputs from the VFX process. Prior to the publication of this specification, each organization had its own naming scheme, requiring custom processes for each partner, which often resulted in confusion and miscommunication.

The new ETC@USC specification focuses primarily on sequences of individual images. The initial use case was VFX plates, typically delivered as OpenEXR or DPX files. However, the team soon realized that the same naming conventions can apply to virtually any image sequence. Consequently, the specification was written to handle a wide array of assets and use cases.

To ensure all requirements are represented, the working group included over 2 dozen participants representing studios, VFX houses, tool creators, creatives and others.  The ETC@USC also worked closely with MovieLabs to ensure that the specification could be integrated as part of their 2030 Vision.

A key design criteria for this specification is compatibility with existing practices.  Chair of the VFX working group, Horst Sarubin of Universal Pictures, said: “Our studio is committed to being at the forefront of designing best industry practices to modernize and simplify workflows, and we believe this white paper succeeded in building a new foundation for tools to transfer files in the most efficient manner.”

This specification is compatible with other initiatives such as the Visual Effects Society (VES) Transfer Specifications. “We wanted to make it as seamless as possible for everyone to adopt this specification,” said working group co-chair and ETC@USC’s Erik Weaver. “To ensure all perspectives were represented we created a team of industry experts familiar with the handling of these materials and collaborated with a number of industry groups.”

“Collaboration between MovieLabs and important industry groups like the ETC is critical to implementing the 2030 Vision,” said Craig Seidel, SVP of MovieLabs. “This specification is a key step in defining the foundations for better software-defined workflows. We look forward to continued partnership with the ETC on implementing other critical elements of the 2030 Vision.”

The specification is available online for anyone to use.

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