News Stories

UFC on Versus 3 Card to Be Broadcast in 3-D

2.28.2011

If Diego Sanchez busts out a “Yes” cartwheel during the UFC on Versus 3 show, it’s going to look like he’s coming straight into your living room with it.

The UFC announced along with Versus on Monday that the broadcast of the show slated for this Thursday from Louisville’s KFC Yum! Arena will be shown in 3D, the first ever of its kind for the promotion.

The 3D cameras will be in addition to the normal HD shots that fans normally expect, and will be available to those with 3D capable TV’s.

“We’re really excited to start broadcasting UFC events in 3D,” UFC President Dana White said. “UFC is ahead of the curve when it comes to introducing new technology and we think UFC fans will really enjoy seeing fights in 3D.”

The other change to the upcoming UFC on Versus 3 show will be the broadcast team which for this card will feature former WEC play-by-play man Todd Harris alongside UFC featherweight Kenny Florian who will take up color commentary duties.

The broadcast kicks off on Versus this Thursday night at 9pm ET/6pm PT.

Posted on February 28, 2011 by MMAWeekly.com Staff

See the original story here: http://mmaweekly.com/ufc-on-versus-3-card-to-be-broadcast-in-3-d

‘Inception’ cinematographer on 3-D DVD: ‘It’s just not something I’m that interested in’

2.28.2011

While some filmmakers accept 3-D as the inevitable next step — heck, even old-school Martin Scorsese is dabbling in the technology with Hugo Cabret — some of today’s top directors are still holding out. Take Christopher Nolan, whose Inception would seem tailor-made for three dimensions. (Just imagine that Paris cityscape folding on top of you.) Yet Nolan, who still insists on shooting on film rather than video, has complained about the limitations of shooting 3-D, and he has no wish to turn The Dark Knight Rises into a 3-D spectacle. Though Nolan was silent over the weekend, his Oscar-winning cinematographer, Wally Pfister, addressed the subject backstage at the Academy Awards. “I’m personally not a big 3-D fan. It doesn’t really work for me. I don’t like the glasses, I don’t like the dark image, you know, through there. And it’s it feels a little gimmicky to me. That’s my own personal preference, I’m not a big fan of that,” said Pfister, who’s shot all six of Nolan’s films. “In terms of the immersion for the audience, we like to do things like film things in IMAX and put it on a much larger canvas and higher resolution rather than three dimensional. So in terms of what’s happening with Inception, you know, Chris and I are like-minded in that way. I don’t know whether they’re going release a DVD version in 3-D or not, but that’s definitely [going to release]. It’s just not something I’m that interested in as a filmmaker.”

Film buffs might applaud the duo’s commitment to the highest-quality 2-D, but studio bean-counters must be impatiently strumming their fingers against their desks. Would you still like to see Inception in 3-D, as rumored, and will you be disappointed if The Dark Knight Risesdoesn’t show in 3-D?

by Jeff Labrecque

See the original story here: http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/02/28/inception-wally-pfister-3d/

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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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