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3net and Partners Discovery, Sony and IMAX Release Definitive Guide to 3D Television Production

2.19.2012

[Press Release]

Manual Spans Stereoscopic Pre-Production, Workflows, 3D Post and Deliverables, Offering Comprehensive Tool For Producing Top-Quality 3D Television

 

3net, the 24/7 3D network and 3D television production studio, along with joint venture partners Discovery, Sony and IMAX, today announced the release of the most complete guide to 3D television production ever assembled.  Featuring stereoscopic expertise from the top producers and technical advisors of the company and its corporate ownership, The 3D Production Guide has now been made freely available to the public today via multiple websites, it was announced today on behalf of 3net and its corporate partners by Tom Cosgrove, President & CEO of 3net.

“One of the core missions of 3net and our parent companies is to shepherd the emergence and proliferation of 3D television by combining our resources, expertise and experience to provide the most extensive tools and resources available today to the world’s 3D production community,” said Cosgrove.  “The hands-on knowledge garnered by our collective companies provides an unprecedented resource – not only our current production partners – but for all of those involved in this dynamic medium.”

The 50-page illustrated manual includes detailed information garnered from the combined 50 years of experience in the area of 3D from those who contributed to its creation.  The guide outlines in detail all of the facets involved in creating top-quality 3D content for television, from initial workflow planning, to production, post production, stereographic correction and final delivery.

The 3D Production Guide is a living document outlining current best practices in the area of 3D production for television. It is the result of extensive contributions from the 3D experts of 3net’s partner companies Discovery Communications, Sony Corporation and IMAX Corporation.  The guide was authored by Bert Collins, Josh Derby, Bruce Dobrin, Don Ecklund, Buzz Hays, Jim Houston, George Joblove and Spencer Stephens, with Bert Collins and Josh Derby serving as editors.  It will be constantly updated and amended as the dynamics of 3D television production continue to evolve.

The 3D Production Guide is available for download via the News section of 3net.com.

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The Ship of Fools (Roger Ebert Floats First Review Of 'Titanic 3D')

2.19.2012

[Chicago SunTimes]

I have seen the new 3D version of “Titanic” and, as with the original 1997 version, I found it a magnificent motion picture. The hour or more after the ship hits the iceberg remains spellbinding. The material leading up to that point is a combination of documentary footage from the ocean floor, romantic melodrama, and narration by a centenarian named Rose. The production brings to life the opulence of the great iron ship. Its passengers are a cross section of way of life that would be ended forever by the First World War. In a way, the iceberg represented the 20th century.  …

Now for the final flaw. It is, of course, the 3D process. Cameron has justly been praised for being one of the few directors to use 3D usefully, in “Avatar.” But “Titanic” was not shot for 3D, and just as you cannot gild a pig, you cannot make 2D into 3D. What you can do, and he tries to do it well, is find certain scenes that you can present as having planes of focus in foreground, middle and distance. So what? Did you miss any dimensions the first time you saw “Titanic?” No matter how long Cameron took to do it, no matter how much he spent, this is retrofitted 2D. Case closed.

But not quite. There’s more to it than that. 3D causes a noticeable loss in the brightness coming from the screen. Some say as much as 20 percent. If you saw an ordinary film dimmed that much, you might complain to the management. Here you’re supposed to be grateful you had the opportunity to pay a surcharge for this defacement. If you’re alert to it, you’ll notice that many shots and sequences in this version are not in 3D at all, but remain in 2D. If you take off your glasses, they’ll pop off the screen with dramatically improved brightness. I know why the film is in 3D. It’s to justify the extra charge. That’s a shabby way to treat a masterpiece.

See the full review here: http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2012/02/going_down_with_the_ship.html


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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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