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YouTube, Nvidia aim to bring 3D video beyond gamer crowd

5.27.2011

[By Dan Mitchell, Fortune]

Nvidia aims for 40 million 3D PCs by 2015, but will non-gamers don glasses to watch movie trailers and viral videos?

 

There have been attempts to force 3D onto the Web since the Web was born. Remember Virtual Reality Modeling Language? VRML — a standard for creating 3D graphics, mainly with gaming and “Web experiences” in mind — was the laughingstock of certain parts of the then-smallish Web community in the mid-90s, mainly because hardware hadn’t caught up.

Well, stop laughing. Or anyway, keep it to a low chortle, because it seems like 3D on the Web is actually starting to become a thing. It might be a silly thing, but it’s still a thing. In the latest move, graphics chipmaker Nvidia announced that Google’s YouTube (GOOG) and Firefox would support its 3D Vision platform (now used mainly by gamers)  for videos.

Caveats abound. It works only on Firefox 4. Also, 3D Vision, a software/hardware package that costs about $150, must be installed on a compatible PC. And of course, users must wear 3D glasses, which come with the kit.

So, it’s only for people who really, really want it. And aren’t on a Mac. That doesn’t mean it won’t succeed — indeed, it most likely means that Nvidia (NVDA) will be able to keep its price points high for some time to come.

The company forecasts that there will be 40 million PCs with 3D Vision installed by 2015.

Movie studios in recent years have tried to push 3D films with some success. But that increasingly appears to be a fading fad. Nvidia though, says that what’s driving demand online is homemade 3D video and pictures. Sales of 3D cameras and camcorders are up.

There are only a few thousand 3D videos now on YouTube. But with amateur auteurs piling on to the technology, that number is “set to explode,” declares The Inquirer’s Lawrence Latif.

See the original post here: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/?p=60704&preview=true&section=magazines_fortune

‘Harry Potter’ producer defends use of 3D in ‘Deathly Hallows: Part 2’

5.27.2011

[by NME.com]
Harry Potter producer David Heyman has defended the conversion of final movieDeathly Hallows: Part 2 to 3D.

The first half of the story was originally planned to be released in the format, plans that were ultimately shelved.

But now he has reassured fans that the film will use 3D only in ways that benefit the story.

He told SFX: “The way [director] David Yates is approaching 3D is he’s trying to approach it from a character and story point of view. Trying to use the sense of isolation, of separation that sometimes 3D gives you, to heighten that at appropriate amounts. So we’re approaching it in a storytelling way.”

He continued: “In terms of Deathly Hallows: Part 1, we just ran out of time and in discussion with the studio, we told them that we couldn’t preserve the quality and make the movie the way we wanted to deliver it if we made it in 3D. And they understood, and they were supportive.

“Funnily enough I think that this last film will benefit more from the 3D than the first one would have. It’s more epic and operatic.”

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is released in the UK on July 15.

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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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