News Stories

Kenny Chesney Summer in 3D’ is great (review)

4.30.2011

[by Jeff DeDekker, Regina Leader-Post, Canada]

Kenny Chesney Summer In 3D

(2D version of the 3D theatrical release)

Image Entertainment

Rating 4 (out of five)

Before heading out on his Sun City Carnival tour in 2009, country music superstar Kenny Chesney had already decided not to tour in 2010. So to fill the void for his legion of fans, Chesney chose to film his Sun City Carnival tour for a theatrical release in 3D. While the DVD doesn’t quite pack the same punch as the 3D movie, it’s still an impressive look the big-stadium circus, with Chesney as the ringleader.

Filmed in Seattle, Foxboro, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Philadelphia, Summer In 3D presents the full spectacle of a live Chesney show -the huge video screens, the massive staging and the amazing lighting. The disc includes 20 songs, along with four bonus tracks, featuring such hits as “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy,” “Living In Fast Forward,” “Anything But Mine,” “Out Last Night,” “Beer In Mexico” and “I Go Back.”

Filmed from a wide array of camera angles, Summer In 3D has a striking look, which does well to capture Chesney’s passion and love for what he does for a living.

If you’ve seen Chesney perform, this disc won’t show you anything new, but it will provide you with a personal glimpse of Chesney through a series of voice overs that serve as segues between songs.

Chesney speaks of chasing his dream, the unfolding of life and the impact of his fans and, yes, he seems genuinely grateful for his success.

He speaks often about his fans and claims they are fully entwined in his life. At one point, Chesney explains, “These songs are a part of the fibre of who (the fans) are . This isn’t just music or a party. It’s their lives.”

That may sound a little pompous but I’m sure many Chesney fans would agree wholeheartedly with the statement.

See the original post here:  http://www.leaderpost.com/entertainment/movie-guide/Summer+great/4703361/story.html

The marriage of 3D audio and 3D movies

4.30.2011

[by , CNET]

The Studio 360 radio show will broadcast an interview this weekend with Edgar Choueiri, a professor of applied physics at Princeton University. Professor Choueiri is the director of Princeton’s Program in Engineering Physics and the chief scientist of the university’s laboratory for advanced spacecraft propulsion. Right, he’s a rocket scientist, but he’s also an audiophile.

Professor Choueiri told Studio 360 host Kurt Andersen that stereo playback over loudspeakers is a deeply flawed concept because crosstalk corrupts the natural transmission to the brain of 3D cues that exist in all stereo recordings. Crosstalk occurs in normal stereo listening when your ears hear both the left and right channels. Once the crosstalk is eliminated, stereo recordings take on a 3D quality; the soundstage is wider, deeper, and significantly more solid and realistic-sounding. Choueiri’s 3D sound doesn’t work over headphones, but can be heard over conventional stereo speakers. Right now, it only works with stereo speakers; surround systems are not part of his working model. The 3D effect is improved when the speakers are close to each other.

During the interview with Andersen, professor Choueiri mentioned that he recently talked with Sony Pictures and ESPN, and they’re both interested in shooting 3D sound and picture demos. The marriage of 3D movies and 3D sound may be closer than we thought.

The Studio 360 Web site has a bunch of 3D audio samples and a video that covers the details of 3D audio in greater detail.

See the original post here:  http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-20058602-47.html

Also see this alternative report on the story:  http://www.ifc.com/news/2011/05/rocket-scientist-makes-breakth.php

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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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