News Stories

Twofour54 Intaj launches MENA region's first stereoscopic 3D lab

[Philip Lelyveld comment: this is a story about a regional resource]

[Excerpt]

Twofour54 Intaj launched the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s first stereoscopic 3D lab, making it the only facility of its kind in the Middle East to offer dedicated facilities, equipment and expert support across the third dimension.

The new lab has been designed to become a hub for all stereoscopic 3D activities in the region; providing end-to-end production solutions in stereoscopic 3D – from cameras, rigs, specialist AVID edit suites, Baselight colour grading – through to finished productions and a specialised Research & Development Centre. 

In addition to the state-of-the-art facilities and services, the new lab will provide a range of training solutions in conjunction with media training academy Twofour54 Tadreeb. The programmes on offer have been designed to comprehensively train both students and production professionals in the latest 3D techniques using the very latest in high-tech equipment and will be delivered by Twofour54 Tadreeb’s highly trained instructors.

Read the full story here: http://www.ameinfo.com/271107.html

Sony 3D Technology Center Expands Professional Training

[Press Release]

DGA and Editors Guild Join the International Cinematographers Guild and Sony in Effort to Spread the Creation of High-Quality 3D

Sony 3D Technology Center today announced that it is expanding its 3D Master Class, which offers professional training in the tools and techniques for making 3D content, in collaboration with the Directors Guild of America and the Motion Pictures Editors Guild. The two guilds join the International Cinematographers Guild in offering member training opportunities at the Sony Pictures Studios facility, which is run by Sony Corporation of America.

The new courses run in two tracks: one designed for directors of feature films and editors of feature films and television shows and one with a continuing focus on cinematographers, camera operators, stereographers and convergence assistants. Courses are taught by noted 3D professionals Grant Anderson and Matthew Blute (stereographic supervisors) and Buzz Hays (3D producer) and feature in-classroom and “hands on” training elements for both tracks. Working guild members who match program parameters are invited to take the course.

“We appreciate Sony’s efforts to provide special training for DGA members who are working in 3D,” said Jay D. Roth, National Executive Director of the Directors Guild of America. “The course being offered by the Sony 3D Technology Center has been specifically tailored to the needs of directors – providing a firm background in all the technical details of working in 3D while still orienting the course to meet the creative needs of directors.”

“Sony’s 3D class has been a gift for us as we learn the language of stereo pictures. We’re looking forward to working side-by-side with our fellow guild members in the new session,” said Steven Poster, ASC, National President, International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600. “The cameras are evolving, the rigs are evolving, and what I’m seeing now is a move away from the idea of relying on 3D, for 3D’s sake, and on the use of 3D to tell a story, which is very exciting.”

“We are extremely pleased to offer this opportunity to train our members who will be working in 3D as this exciting format takes hold in our industry,” said Daniel T. Cahn, A.C.E., President of the Motion Picture Editors Guild. “Editors play an integral role in fulfilling the vision of any production, and it is imperative that they remain at the forefront of state-of-the-art post-production technology, including stereographic filmmaking.”

“It is our privilege to work with this industry’s respected guilds to offer this comprehensive professional 3D training program,” said Chris Cookson, President of Technologies, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Chief Officer, Sony 3D Technology Center. “Despite the skeptics, we have seen incredible stories told in 3D and firmly believe there are endless more yet to come. We are honored to see the artists and craftsmen in our classes embrace this new medium with passion, dignity and creative force more and more each day.”

Sony Pictures has been at the forefront of the modern 3D revolution and continues to lead in 3D content development and delivery across its business. Sony Pictures’ visual effects and digital productions group, Imageworks, has worked in modern 3D longer than anyone else in Hollywood. Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation and Screen Gems have all produced films in 3D release by Sony Pictures Releasing International. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the first Blu-ray 3D™ available at retail.

See the original story here: http://www.shootonline.com/go/index.php?name=Release&op=view&id=rs-web3-1047543-1309372796-2

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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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