News Stories

Horror 3D Movie Ad Censored due to small child’s complaint

1.13.2011

TV advertising watchdog has censured the trailer for Saw 3D because of a lodged complaint by a 10-year-old child, the Guardian reported.

The Advertising Standards Authority claimed that the ad should not have been broadcasted on TV before 9 p.m., which was when the child saw it and complained about it.

Before appearing on TV, the trailer had already been approved as suitable for earlier screenings by Clearcast, another regulator of broadcasted ads.

Scenes shown in the ad include deadly metal restraints falling on cinema viewers with 3D glasses on, as well as the horrified faces of men and women who were probably being tortured.

The child was apparently watching the Gadget Show on Channel 4 when it saw the trailer and called the ad watchdog around 8.30 p.m., saying that the ad was “inappropriately scheduled and distressing”.

What Clearcast argued in its defence was that the viewers watching the commercial after 7.30 p.m. were most likely old enough to “make the distinction that the ad was for a film and therefore clearly based on fantasy”.

However, the ASA disagreed, saying that many scenes in the trailer portrayed people who were afraid of being physically hurt and that the shot in which the metal restraints trapped the unsuspecting cinema audience could be easily linked to “a recognisably real situation”.

The ad watchdog’s final statement on the matter was:

“We concluded that a post-9 p.m. restriction ought to have been applied, to minimise the possibility of young children seeing the ad.”

Whether the 3D effects in the trailer increased the distressing viewing experience for the child was not made clear.

Original story here: http://www.3dtvwatcher.co.uk/horror-3d-movie-ad-censured-due-to-small-childs-complaint-1301/

Will WrestleMania Be The Next ‘Big’ Event To Go 3D?

1.13.2011

Word on the street (“the street” being this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, which is behind a paywall, sorry) is that WWE is looking to film WrestleMania in 3D this year. The event, which takes place on April 3 in Atlanta, would be the first WWE event (and first North American wrestling or MMA event) to be filmed in 3D.

Keep in mind that this would be in-theater 3D, not 3D viewable on your 3DTV. The company WWE is working with, Fathom Events, is best known for promoting in-theater concerts and other special events. (It’s also the same company that put on those three UFC events in theaters around the country last year.)

But don’t get too excited because the Observer says WWE and Fathom Events are still working out the money split—WWE wants 60-70 percent of the 3D revenue, while Fathom Events would like to see WWE take a smaller cut.

So if it all works out, and that’s a big if, you’ll be able to see, maybe, CM Punk vs. John Cena and Undertaker vs. Wade Barrett (maybe!) at your local movie theater in 3D.

Source story here: http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/01/13/will-wrestlemania-be-the-next-‘big’-event-to-go-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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