ETC

News Stories

The making of a stereo 3-D lens

7.26.2011

Innovations in 3-D stereoscopic lens design, such as automation, lead broadcasters into the future.

[Excerpt (the Intro)]

Despite the impressive number of movies and TV sports events produced in stereo 3-D, stereoscopic 3-D production remains a specialized, niche application. All of the 3-D stereo lenses are handcrafted and custom made. The glass must meet strict technical and quality control standards. Telephoto lenses for stereo 3-D need to perform according to precise tolerances at every focal length.

During the manufacturing process, the best HD lenses are selected and further modified for stereo 3-D. Many stereo 3-D cinematographers have been using custom-modified versions of Premier HD lenses on such live stereo 3-D productions as the 2010 World Series, the 2010 U.S. Open tennis tournament and the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Performance standards and characteristics have been developed in collaboration with directors of photography on the cutting edge of stereo 3-D, such as James Cameron, as well as with stereo 3-D camera rig manufacturers, such as Vince Pace.

As part of the manufacturing process, user feedback is carefully considered from those who have used stereo 3-D lenses in the field to further perfect the lenses or modify them for specialized applications. For example, lenses have been modified for stereo 3-D aerial camera rigs, such as “cable-cams” that fly over a stadium during a sporting event. HD ENG long-barrel lenses are typically modified for use in conventional stereo 3-D camera rigs. And specialized camera rigs intended for aerial or underwater use require much smaller lenses due to space constraints. …

(section headers)

FIRST AND FOREMOST — LENS DESIGN

MADE TO ORDER

MANY TECHNICAL CHALLENGES

INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS

…

Read the full article here: http://broadcastengineering.com/production/making_stereo_lens/

EON Reality Announces the Grand Opening of the Interactive Digital Center in Italy

7.26.2011

[Philip Lelyveld comment: this is about stereo 3D virtual reality resources and skilled developers for hire]

[Excerpts]

EON Reality, the world’s leading interactive 3D software provider, today announced newly opened Virtual Reality Center for development of virtual reality at the COMONExT Science and Technology Park in Lomazzo (Como) in Italy. The main purpose of the center is to allow companies to view and interact instantly with something that is not there physically but that appears in three dimensions thanks to Virtual Reality. …

… On top of the EON software development platform, CSRV-IDC Italy is equipped with several large-size immersive display systems, including a 3m x 2m curved holographic screen with stereoscopic projection system, a 9m wide EON Concave screen with 2 full HD 3D projectors that enables high-quality immersion for large audience and an EON Icube system which is a cubic room about 3x3m, with three walls and one floor. On top of the stereoscopic effect, the immersion feeling is increased by tracking cameras that are following the user’s movement to adapt the virtual environment in real-time. …

Read the full press release here: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/eon-reality-announces-the-grand-opening-of-the-interactive-digital-center-in-italy-2011-07-26?reflink=MW_news_stmp

Watch a brief video of the facility here: http://www.laprovinciadicomo.it/videos/Video/12331/

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.