Mark Stroud president of HOLLYWOODFORUM was our host and moderator for the evening’s program held in Santa Monica California. Some real answers came out of this meeting and to many attending the question of the real value of the 2D-to-3D conversion process. I for one have been skeptical of the process for some time now. And then there is the cost factor that would scare most producers and studio execs away! Numbers like $50,000-to-$100,000 plus per running minute, were just thrown out for starters. The evenings panelist consisted of: Rob Hummel, CEO Post Prod, Prime Focus with their new View-D, a proprietary 2D-to-3D conversion process; Todd Cogan Stereoscopic Producer Venture 3D Michael Jackson’s This Is It: David Keighley Sr. Vice President Imax Corp; Bernie Laramie Producer Air Racers 3D (2010) Rob Hammel opened up the subject of 2D vs 3D are neither being reality but both are objects thrown onto a physical plane that real life is interlinked to.
David at IMAX shared a couple of IMAX shows, SPACE STATION with a number of the elements being 2D acquisition were converted from NASA’s space missions. These worked well when converted to 3D. WINDS OF COURAGE used some 17-to-18 shots in 2D that when converted were intermixed with great results. He stated “havingcomplete control over the elements when edited in …they looked as good or better than original the 3D footage”. David then stated we need a new word for Reality when talking about 2D and 3D in the market place. His reasoning is that 3D is so subjective that to express the result for one person is usually different from another person.
Todd then brought up the differences between Good conversions Bad conversions. To Todd any 3D product is very subjective. Todd answered that the person who writes the check makes the rules. Someone from the audience then asked about the use auto-conversion that some of 3D-TV’s now offer on their sets? The panel was quick to note that these don’t work and as a gimmick may find some people using them
David from IMAX stated Avatar was ground breaking event in Film Making. It was not only one of the first longest running 3D products ever, but ran some 240 minutes without complaints. One of the reason it went that length was the zero convergence throughout the film as James Cameron the Director knew and used his lead talent well. This technique is a gentle way to present 3D without making problems for the audience and keeping the storyline the first priority. Rob mentioned then CLASH OF THE TITANS, which was converted to 3D with mixed results. I personally had associates that viewed the CLASH OF THE TITANS conversion to 3D and liked the results.
The conversion was done in a record time and most everyone is saying they should have not have rushed the process. Todd @ Venture 3D made the point about the process, that some people, are not aware. 2D-to-3D conversions are not done in multiple frames but frame by frame. He employees 130 people per project to take each frame apart and convert to finished 3D. Each of these frames start out by being graded A thru F. A being the easiest and F being the worst or hardest to convert. Each frame is taken and masked out for an object and background scene plate to recreate the side by frame to create 3D.
One has to understand this is a labor intense process and it takes trained personnel. The grading will tell you the amount of time and cost to do the film conversion. Rob @ Prime Focus has multiple projects going on at the same time. His company has work done in India and they assign some 200 hundred people per project.
Presently with some 800 people involved. Their work consists of rotoscoping, depth mapping, masking and edge detection.
Television became the next question to the panel. They felt there is an endless need for the immense archives of material that could be converted. David made it clear there is no simple answer and present technology and you can’t automatically make 2D to 3D conversion either. Television is a different process because the screen size for TV’s and their quality differences.
So when you convert you have to master for the poorest quality TV’s to optimize your conversion. The Classic 2D blockbuster movie re-issues are looking for funding to go 3D. There is lots of talk and all the panelist agreed the newer the 2D release the better the chance the converted 3D version will fair in the market place.
As for the Television market and the 2D to 3D conversion process …the call is still out. Todd @ Venture 3D had recently finished doing a conversion test for Direct-TV and is still waiting for their feedback …and so are we. Will television with its mountains of fresh product and millions of hours of archived shows start to be converted? Who’s to know? We can only HOPE! The quality and capabilities of conversions are clamming equal billing when it’s done right.
Yes the studios are investing more day-by-day but it has been awhile since like of George Lucas announced back in 2005 the possibility of STAR WAR’ s being re-released in 3D. Lucas Film even confirmed some years later of planning to take all six films and turn them into 3D? We are seeing new companies from around the globe that are offering solutions. It’s still in the future but now it’s just a matter of time and the affordability problem will be solved and will start seeing a full slate of 2d-to-3D programs. Most of us know two recent films that were shot in 2D and then converted to 3D –ALICE IN WORDERLAND and the CLASH OF THE TITANS and attracted sizable audiences: “Alice” has collected more than $730 million worldwide to date, and TITANS cashed in at $61.4 million domestically and another $44 million overseas.
With audiences flocking to movies that are converted to 3D as part of the post production process, 3D conversions are fast becoming an accepted option for both studios and filmmakers. As for Warner Bros.’ “Titans” it was shot as an anamorphic film for 2D release. But the studio later opted for 3D, and the film was converted in roughly 10 weeks and received some bad press. Even with a cost around $4.5 million the benefits paid off royally. Now they have the option of two products in the same market place …Didn’t hurt either? The future now is less questionable and looks good …but still is mixed…
By Brian Zink, Sept. 2, 2010
link to original post at http://www.hollywoodtoday.net/2010/09/02/the-future-of-2d-to-3d-conversions/