News Stories

3D Summit: B.O. swings no different than 2D pics

9.21.2011

[Variety]

Research indicates international markets, homevid will drive revenue from format

 

The conventional wisdom may be that 3D is struggling mightily at the B.O., but research presented at Tuesday’s 3D Entertainment Summit suggests that pics in the format are simply performing with the same sort of varying results as 2D releases.

“We’re seeing a larger difference in the box office 3D ratio,” Charlotte Jones, senior analyst, cinema, for IHS Screen Digest told Variety. “We’re seeing some impressive results and some not-so-impressive results. It really is depending on how individual titles perform, and how well those titles are marketed in 3D, how well those titles are produced in 3D, and

how well audiences respond to them in 3D. The end result is that 3D has reached a maturity. It no longer has its novelty value, and each title therefore needs to be judged on its own merits.”  …

 

During her onstage presentation at the Hollywood and Highland Center, Jones predicted the format will be an important part of a fast-changing entertainment landscape over the next few years.

With the number of digital cinema screens world set to reach 46,500 by year’s end, up by about a third from the end of 2010, “We are now approaching the tipping point for digital cinema,” Jones said. “Over the next month or two, the majority of the world’s installations will be digital.”  …

 

Jones and IHS Screen Digest head of video Helen Davis Jayalath also discussed the fast-growing 3D TV space. There are some 30 dedicated 3D TV channels worldwide, five in France alone. Gallic 3D channels are on the IPTV platform and all include adult content. Jones said next year’s Olympics coverage “could be a watershed for live 3D broadcast, on the order of ‘Avatar.'”

Jayalath, looking at the question of whether anyone is watching that 3D content, said that while total homevideo revenue is likely to decline by 20% through 2015, Blu-ray in general and 3D Blu-ray will make up a bigger and bigger part of the homevideo stream.

Read the full story here: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118043125?refCatId=13

New Book Explores Future of 3D for Consumers

9.20.2011

[Press Release]

What happens when consumer electronics companies push glasses-based 3D on consumers who want nothing to do with 3D glasses in a world of social media and disruptive innovation?

Breakthrough author Keith Fredericks answers these questions and more in “The Future of 3D Media: Bringing Stereoscopic 3D to Consumers” (ISBN 1466239182), an examination of the evolving industry of stereoscopic 3D.

“The Future of 3D Media” covers a range of topics from “Introduction to Stereoscopic 3D,” to “Usability and 3DTV.” Against a backdrop of today’s social media, “The Democratization of 3D,” contrasts emerging products of stereoscopic 3D with personal computers in the 1980s.

Noted 3D researcher and author Héctor Olmedo Rodriguez, says, “This book gives the reader a simple but exact knowledge of the state-of-the-art of stereoscopic 3D technology from its beginnings to its future while anchored in the here-and-now of consumers, social networks, and business.”

Acclaimed 3D photographer Andrew Payne, says, “…comprehensive and informative. Especially good for newcomers to 3D with an interesting reference to it’s history”

About the Author:

Keith Fredericks has been developing and producing stereoscopic 3D systems for 25 years. His work includes the first glasses-free 3D video conferencing system using commodity hardware and the first live stereoscopic 3D daily Webcast. His company, General 3D operates a Website at http://3DF33D.tv where you can view stereoscopic video, photos and applications.

Contact the author keith@General3D.com to arrange interviews, speaking or consulting.

Available at Amazon in paperback http://amzn.to/qhPsfA or ebook (Kindle) at http://amzn.to/mUxelp.

Contact:

Keith Fredericks

keith@General3D.com

646-206-0863

http://General3D.com

See the original press release here: http://www.mmdnewswire.com/book-explores-future-of-3d-keith-fredericks-67573.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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