News Stories

Brava 3D launches on Astra (3D classical music, opera, ballet)

11.22.2010

Dutch cultural channel Brava has launched the Brava 3D channel on the 23.5 degrees East position. The channel broadcasts a mix of classical music, opera and ballet.

The launch of the first pan-European 3D channel from The Netherlands was announced at the 3D Days at the Cinemex cinema complex in Ede, Holland. For the moment, Brava 3D will be availlable free-tor air alongside the Astra 3D Demo channel. Brava 3D has already signed distribution agreements with Free (France) and CAIW (Holland) and negotiations are going on with four more European operators.

Jur Bron, CEO of Brava3D, said: “Launching Brava3D is a logical next step following the international success of BravaHD. The Astra satellite distribution allows us to provide Brava3D in a cost-effective and high quality manner to TV platforms across Europe. Brava3D offers a unique experience and we are confident that a substantial market lies ahead of us.”

Bill Wijdeveld, MD of Astra Benelux, also announced the 3D live broadcast of the football game Ajax-Feyenoord on December 19 on the Astra 3D Demo channel on 23.5 degrees East. The event is an initiative of the live football channel Eredivisie Live in partnership with SES-Astra, Endemol and Panasonic.

The game will be shown on a number of specially selected retail locations on Pansonic 3D screens. The broadcast wil be free-to-air.

Ground-breaking Humpback Whales Documentary Goes 3D

11.22.2010

“Ocean Voyagers” Producers Team with PassmoreLab to Bring 3D Version to Life

Ocean Voyagers in 3D! will be released internationally in 2011.

Award-winning Humpback whales documentary, Ocean Voyagers will soon be seen in full 3D, it was announced today in a statement by San Diego-based 3D Production studio PassmoreLab, Feodor Pitcairn Productions and Off the Fence Productions.

The 72-minute documentary, narrated by two-time Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep, explores the familiar themes of motherhood and parenting in a world as unfamiliar as it is breathtaking. Featuring a precocious newborn humpback calf and his enormous 40 ton mother, viewers are taken on a 7,000 mile journey of discovery into their world. The story begins in the tropical seas of the South Pacific and witnesses the dangers of animal and human predation – shark attacks, fishing gear entanglement, and perhaps worst of all, commercial whaling.

PassmoreLab produced all 3D aspects of the film out of San Diego, utilizing the company’s proprietary technology.

“This film is beautiful,” said Greg Passmore, president of PassmoreLab. “I think it will translate wonderfully into 3D, giving new audiences a more immersive and personal experience of life in the oceans.”

Previously broadcast in 2D, Ocean Voyagers was produced by Feodor Pitcairn Productions and Off the Fence Productions for Animal Planet International. The five-year excursion was shot entirely in High Definition on location in French Polynesia, Hawaii, Alaska, Newfoundland, The Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of Maine.

“Ocean Voyagers was one of those special projects that just seems to have a little magic associated with it, there were so many serendipitous events that resulted in truly amazing footage,” said Feodor Pitcairn, cinematographer of the film. “The bond that was created between the cameramen and the whales really shows up on screen and it will be even more amazing in 3D.”

Surprisingly little is known about the lives of Humpback whales. Still hunted and on the verge of extinction, Ocean Voyagers in 3D! provides a startlingly intimate portrait of Humpback life through the eyes of a mother whale as she teaches her baby all he will need to know to survive the dangers of the sea.

Ocean Voyagers in 3D! will be released internationally in 2011.

Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/11/prweb4814524.htm

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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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