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LG and Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy Show Student 3D Shorts at Tribeca

[by  Rachel Cericola, Big Picture Sound . com]

The filmmakers of our future have been out in full force during the 10th Annual Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, which is wrapping up this Sunday, May 1. You can check out our resident cinema snob, David Kempler’s reviews of many of this year’s films in our movie reviews section. However, at a little side party, thrown by festival sponsor LG last night, these future film-makers weren’t just representing the future of film, but also showing off their chops with 3D technology.

At LG’s exclusive soiree, 3D short films from students at Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy were showcased on LG Cinema 3D TVs. The idea behind the presentation was to show how future filmmakers can make an impact using 3D.  According to school officials and the students themselves, LG’s sponsorship has proven to be invaluable for these budding young film-makers to experiement and hone their 3D skills.

“Our students and faculty are very pleased to have the rare opportunity to work with the latest in digital film and 3D technology,” said Howard Tullman, CEO of Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy. “This experience will give them an edge as they begin their careers outside of the classroom.”

One of the films shown was The Flying Wallendas Highwire Family, which used 3D to display the excitement and tension of a live high-wire performance. Another one, The Universe of 3D, transformed the LG logo into an animated, 3D experience.

“For those of us in the film industry, it’s exciting to see young filmmakers break ground with emerging media like 3D,” says Jon Patricof, Tribeca Enterprises COO. “LG’s relationship with Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy has given these students an opportunity to learn more about a rapidly growing technology in their field, and we’re very happy with their work that is being shared with the broader film community at the Tribeca Film Festival.”

Not only did the experience inspire the Tribeca Flashpoint students; LG says it will pave the way for more 3D content that can be viewed at home. LG also used the opportunity to show off its Cinema 3D HDTVs, which use 3D  technology that’s similar to what’s going on at your local cineplex. Boasting better horizontal viewing angles and brighter screens than active 3D sets (according to LG), the new sets also use inexpensive, passive 3D glasses instead of the more expensive active shutter glasses used by some competitors.

“We hope that our alliance with Tribeca and the Tribeca Flashpoint Academy will inspire more young filmmakers to create 3D content for consumers to enjoy,” said John Weinstock, LG’s VP of marketing. “The 3D films created by these students capture the exciting possibilities of the 3D experience, so it’s only fitting that their debut is on the next-generation 3D TV, LG Cinema 3D.”

LG plans to demo its Cinema 3D HDTVs at other upcoming festivals, as well as various theater venues, including the Chelsea Clearview Cinemas and AMC Lowes Village 7.

See the original post here: http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/LG-and-Tribeca-Flashpoint-Media-Arts-Academy-Show-Student-3D-Shorts-at-Tribeca.shtml

SMPTE PDA Now Educational Webcast: Autostereoscopic Displays: State of the Art and the Way Forward

[Philip Lelyveld comment: this podcast is a deep dive into autostereo.  It is free to SMPTE members.]

The “glasses versus no glasses” debate is on-going, especially when it comes to 3D in the home. A solid understanding of autostereoscopic displays can help understand the challenges associated with 3D without glasses. During this SMPTE PDA Now educational webcast, Gregg Favalora, of Optics for Hire, will discuss autostereoscopic displays including theory of operation for various types (including spatially-multiplexed, volumetric, holographic / quasi-holographic displays, and more recent varieties). Mr. Favalora will also share his opinions on the fundamental requirements of a good autostereo display and what technologies might enable an engineer to develop display systems that meet those requirements.

The podcast and pdf of the presentation is here: http://www.smpte.org/education/SMPTE_PDA_On-demand/

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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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