News Stories

Just Who Are the Real Hollywood Stars?

12.30.2011

[TV Technology]

It was one of the most riveting keynote speeches I had ever heard. 

“Who are the real Hollywood stars?” Scott Ross asked the packed crowd filling Salon 1 of the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel during October’s annual SMPTE Technical Conference.

Then he put a list of the top 20 highest-grossing box office films of all time on the screen in front of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers audience.

“Notice that, in this whole list, only one franchise featured an established star,” Ross said. “But all of them, without exception, were powered either by massive digital visual effects or computer-generated animation.”

…

The demand for visual effects will not go away, of course. So Ross envisions a future VFX industry built around a hub-and-spoke paradigm, which is being accelerated by broadband Internet connections.

…

“We need a major change in the industry,” Ross finished up. “The people who own and operate visual effects facilities have to understand that they are not the tail that wags the dog. They are the dog!”

After all, as Ross told the SMPTE audience, “It don’t mean a thing if it can’t go ka-ching!”

Read the full article here: http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/just-who-are-the-real-hollywood-stars/211050

Panasonic Announces Pricing on Handheld 3D Camcorder

12.30.2011

[TV Technology]

Panasonic recently announced pricing and availability for its latest professional 3D camcorder, the HDC-Z10000, delivering in December at a suggested list price of $3500. 

The Z1000 achieves the industry’s nearest close-up of approximately 17.7 inches (45cm) for a twin-lens 3D camcorder, while maintaining an equivalent 32mm wide angle of view. It records close-up images that would be conventionally difficult to capture in crisp detail. 

The Z10000 is Panasonic’s first integrated twin-lens 2D/3D camcorder that is fully compatible with the AVCHD 3D/Progressive standard. Based on the AVCHD format, this new standard has been upgraded to AVCHD 3D, which uses Multiview Video Coding to record and play 3D images via the Frame Sequential Method (each frame is full resolution). AVCHD 3D/Progressive is the latest format in the 3D domain and assures frame-by-frame results. 

Its imaging system combines two large-diameter F1.5 lenses featuring a special Nano Surface Coating; two independent, high-sensitivity 3MOS sensors and a newly developed Crystal Engine Pro II for high-speed processing and noise reduction.

Read the original post here: http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/panasonic-announces-pricing-on-handheld-d-camcorder/211115

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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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