News Stories

Horse of the Year Show Gallops Into 3D for the First Time

[Press Release]

Sky Sports will give show jumping its world 3D debut this October when Horse of the Year Show 2011 is broadcast exclusively live on Sky 3D TV.

The two nights of coverage on the Sky 3D channel will feature highlights of the internationally recognised National Show Jumping Championships, along with traditional Horse of the Year favourites including Dressage competitions and the renowned Puissance, all from the weekend finale of the Show.

John Cassy, Director of Sky 3D commented: “‘Horse of the Year Show in 3D will give audiences a totally fresh perspective on the art of show jumping. It will give viewers a greater sense of the incredible skill and control the riders need to win this event than ever before.”

To mark this transmission debut, Sky has worked with event organisers to develop a bespoke new jump that will maximise the viewing experience in 3D. Taking advantage of the depth of field which 3D provides, the jump features colour and design detail which will transport viewers to the heart of the action.

Chief Executive of British Show jumping, Iain Graham, is delighted to see Horse of the Year Show showcased as the first show jumping event in the world to be shown live in 3D. “Screening the event in 3D is a wonderful occasion for the sport and a fantastic opportunity for viewers to witness this prestigious event.”

Horse of the Year Show started in 1949 and was initially staged in Harringay. In 1959 it moved to Wembley Arena where it remained for 43 years, before moving to its current location in 2001 – Birmingham’s NEC Arena. Hosted by British Showjumping and event organisers Grandstand Media, over its 62 years Horse of the Year Show has made household names of the likes of David Broome, Nick Skelton, Michael Whitaker and Harvey Smith and continues to attract record attendances to a sold-out arena year after year.

The event finale will be aired live on the Sky 3D channel on Saturday October 8 at 20.30 and Sunday October 9 at 20.00. It will also be simulcast in high definition on Sky Sports HD4. For more information visit http://www.sky.com/shop/ .

See the original press release here: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/horse-of-the-year-show-gallops-into-3d-for-the-first-time-2011-09-27

Royal Opera House and Royal Ballet to offer 3D broadcasts for cinema fans

[Metro]

Cinema-goers can now munch on their popcorn while watching 3D broadcasts of shows such as Faust and The Sleeping Beauty on the big screen.

With tickets at about £13 – compared with £208 for some operas or £117 at the ballet – it is hoped it will bring the arts to a new audience.

‘People should go along and try it,’ said Simon Magill, of Royal Opera House. ‘In the cinema, they can experience something as close to the real thing as possible.’

Dozens of independent cinemas have signed up to show the films, along with major chains including Odeon, Vue and Picturehouse.

The ten shows initially being screened include the ROH’s Tosca, Rigoletto and Faust and the Royal Ballet’s Romeo And Juliet.

Five performances will be pre-recorded and five will be broadcast live, between this month and next May. For details, visit cinema.roh.org.uk/

Read the full story here: http://www.metro.co.uk/lifestyle/876342-royal-opera-house-and-royal-ballet-to-offer-3d-broadcasts-for-cinema-fans

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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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