You need test patterns to align your 3D rig ? Check Beale Corner Production’s test patterns. Belaer Corner in based in Mountain View, CA, USA and is specialised in wedding videos. They use their own test patterns to align the RED cameras.
The “High Resolution Test Patterns for testing imaging systems” page is here on Beale Corner Production’s web site. You will find the ISO1223 Chart, the EIA-1956 chart, and several others in very high resolution.
[Philip Lelyveld comment: 3D image is constructed that feeds into a 3D printer!]
[by Max Eddy, www.geekosystem.com]
Georgia Tech researcher Grant Schindler has come up with a pretty clever use for the iPhone 4: Use it to create 3D models. It’s a simple process that proves that while there are over 350,000 apps, there’s still plenty of new ideas for the iPhone platform.
Schindler’s app, called Trimensional, works by shining light on a person’s face from four directions, and recording the results. These are compiled into a single image that users of the advanced version of the software can export to a 3D printer and create a model of their face, or whatever they scanned. Cleverly, Trimensional does not require any additional equipment to perform the scan, such as a light kit. Instead, it uses the iPhone’s screen as a light source, and records the images with the front-facing camera.
Schindler describes the scanning process as answering a series of questions. From the Georgia Tech Digital Lounge:
If I take a scan of my face, the app asks ‘what does the image look like if I shine the light from the left side, what does it look like from the right side,’ and so on. There’s one three-dimensional answer per pixel, and combining all those answers results in the full 3-D model[.]
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.
