Exclusive Interview: James Cameron & Vince Pace On New Business: Cameron - Pace Group. Details On ARRI Collaboration!

Hey guys - have a special treat for you! I had the opportunity to interview James Cameron and Vince Pace via phone from their NAB appearance to announce their new business, the Cameron - Pace Group (CPG).

I shared the discussion with two other reporters but their audio was so low that I had to unfortunately cut out their questions entirely. They asked questions about 3D sports and high definition so I included the relevant answer portions from Cameron and Pace which was loud and clear. Of course my questions came through with no issue at all.

The biggest thing I got out of the discussion was that the Cameron - Pace Group will be stepping up to the plate to push a "gold standard" for the 3D industry to aim to match going forward. They are not the only ones. I will have more on that in a new post coming soon.

It's always a pleasure to speak with these guys who clearly have an ample finger on the pulse of S3D and are driving forces of the modern S3D changeover. I have also included several clips from their NAB presentation that I'm sure you will find enjoyable!

Here is what transpired during the interview - feel free to skip to the parts of your interest, but I invite you to listen to the whole thing:

1:20 - "Gold Standard" 3D: Ensuring the public gets the best 3D possible. Probably the single most important aspect of this announcement for me.

6:40 - Higher Frame Rate Discussion

10:35 - Higher Resolution: Essentially it should be listed as a second tier priority after higher frame rates and for very elegant reasons as outlined by Cameron.

12:18 - New Technologies In Play For Upcoming Projects: Cameron talks about their new system utilizing the ARRI ALEXA M camera, which is a 5.5 lb sensor block that is designed for S3D use. Pace talks about their new automation software suite that helps automate many aspects of shooting in 3D, thus reducing production time, costs at both set and bringing experts in.

14:52 - 3D Sports Discussion

Have a listen:




Further, I invite you to watch some clips provided to me highlighting Cameron and Pace at the NAB Show in Las Vegas that is happening right now. ENJOY!












Stay tuned for more on the Hollywood "Gold Standard" for S3D!!

3ality Digital Realigns Economics Of 3D Broadcasting With New Automation Technologies

I am really enjoying the ever improving 3D technologies that we are seeing of late! Keep it coming guys. Well done!!

Here's the official press release (emphasis is mine):

IntelleCal™ and IntelleCam™ Enable S3D Production without Doubling the Crew Requirements

Burbank, CA. – April 5, 2011 – 3ality Digital, world leader in advanced technologies to empower creative digital stereoscopic 3D (S3D) acquisition, has today unveiled new software tools to make acquiring compelling S3D easier and more efficient than ever before. The IntelleCal™ and IntelleCam™ solutions, part of the 3space™ suite of products, will be launched by 3ality Digital at NAB in Las Vegas.

IntelleCal™ automatically aligns the two cameras on a rig at the push of a button, which enables a super fast and precise set up without the intervention of a technician. It does this by profiling and matching lenses and performing alignment on five axes through the entire zoom range.

IntelleCam™ automatically controls the convergence and the interaxial spacing of the cameras, without the need for a separate convergence puller at each rig, cutting the number of personnel needed by half or more – dramatically reducing costs.

Both solutions are integrated software solutions, used in conjunction with 3ality Digital’s processing units and 3flex S3D camera rigs. IntelleCal uses the SIP and an additional processing unit, which is yet to be named.

“With the introduction of the 3space products, 3ality Digital has vastly reduced the amount of crew and the cost involved in creating compelling S3D;since we started in this business IntelleCam is the one tool that every broadcaster has asked us to develop,” said Steve Schklair, CEO and Founder of 3ality Digital. “IntelleCal speeds up the alignment process, which traditionally takes up to an hour to set, to five minutes and it does it automatically. These new products represent a quantum leap in how broadcasters and filmmakers are going to be able to capture S3D.”

“One of the biggest challenges for S3D has been the amount of technical equipment and expertise required to make it work and ensure it does not induce headaches and detract from the story. With IntelleCal and IntelleCam that is no longer the case. All the tests of the last few years have proven that there are no technical barriers to live 3D television. The issue is now much more of a business case, and these two new technologies will dramatically reduce and revolutionize the economics of 3D broadcasting.”

3ality Digital’s technology is already being used on feature films such as THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and THE HOBBIT, currently in production. 3ality Digital has a history of capturing live 3D sports broadcasts, including the first live college football S3D BCS Championship — January 8th, 2009, the first live S3D NHL broadcast – Islanders vs. Rangers, March 24, 2010, and the first live NFL S3D broadcast to homes – FiOS, Patriots vs. Giants, Sept. 2nd, 2010.

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About 3ality Digital
3ality Digital is a pioneer and leading authority in stereoscopic 3D (S3D). 3ality Digital provides the film and television industry with camera platforms, stereo image processing systems and S3D image scaling technologies that are considered the “gold standard” for the production of compelling and immersive S3D entertainment. Whether for a feature film or live sporting event, its innovative technology empowers customers to stay in control of creativity when working with S3D.

Founded in 2000 by CEO Steve Schklair, 3ality Digital has a reputation as an innovator in S3D, with its technology powering multiple live-action firsts. This includes: U2 3D, the first movie shot completely in live-action S3D; the first live S3D broadcast of an NFL game (Raiders vs. Chargers, December 4th, 2008, broadcasted to a select audience); the first live S3D sports broadcast available to consumers, including the 2009 BCS Championship Game, BSkyB's landmark Manchester United vs. Arsenal soccer broadcast (January 31st, 2010); the first network hockey telecast ever produced in S3D (New York Rangers vs. Islanders, March 24th , 2010 on MSG); the first S3D commercial broadcast during a Super Bowl (Sobe “Lizard Lake”); the first full episode of a scripted television series shot in live-action S3D (Chuck vs. The Third Dimension, aired on NBC on February 2nd, 2009); and the first RED EPIC S3D Movie, 'The Amazing Spider-Man.’

Stay tuned for more from NAB 2011!

3ality Digital is a sponsor of MarketSaw.

NHL To Broadcast Hockey Games In 3D! First Up: Toronto vs. Montreal, Dec 11

Well this is very interesting news for all you hockey fans out there! The CBC has announced that it will be showing some 3D hockey games this season and the first slated game is the Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Montreal Canadiens on December 11. You will need a 3D TV and glasses which will allow you to watch the stunning 3D detail.

No one beats the hockey coverage on CBC. It's not even close. So warm up those satellite dishes.

Panasonic is stepping up by sponsoring the events. I have seen hockey clips in 3D on Panasonic's S3DHD TVs at The 3D Experience and it is stunning. This is a no-brainer really - all sports should continue to expand their 3D broadcasts for that "It's just like I was there" immersion factor.
The second 3D game scheduled is the Heritage Classic when the Calgary Flames host the Montreal Canadiens in an outdoor game at McMahon Stadium on February 20, 2011.

From the CBC: "We are very pleased to partner with Panasonic on this unique and ground-breaking initiative," Scott Moore, executive director for CBC Sports, said in a statement. "Together, we will be bringing an experience to Canadian hockey fans that has never been done before. This is a Canadian first and a very exciting time for television and hockey in Canada."

"Panasonic is at the forefront of 3D innovation, leading the charge on developing technology for both industry professionals and everyday Canadians," said Ian Kilvert, general manager, corporate brand management for Panasonic Canada Inc. "With our expertise and cutting-edge products, it makes sense to partner with the CBC to help bring the first-ever 3D hockey viewing experience into Canadian living rooms."

Gotta love it! That completes the sweep of major sporting leagues in North America into the fold with the NHL, NBA, MLB, NFL, NCAA, PGA and NASCAR all having presented events in 3D. Even the World Cup has been shown in three dimensions. Now to even out the quality to the highest standards and increase the number of games shown. Live 3D sports is upon us!!

Yankees - Mariners Games And All Star Game To Be Aired In 3D This Year!

Jim here. If you are in the New York (DirecTV) or Seattle (FSN Northwest) areas, have a new S3DHD TV and love baseball, mark July 10 and 11 on your calendar! The YES Network is producing back to back MLB games in 3D between the Yankees and the Mariners.

Further, Fox Sports and DirecTV will be carrying the MLB All-Star Game in 3D with ESPN covering the home run derby in 3D.

Ed Delaney, YES’s vice president for operations, agreed that 3-D had worked best so far when the cameras were lowest and closest to the action. But, he said, he was pleased that the Anaheim rehearsal showed that the distant center-field camera “showed the depth of the guy on second, the pitcher and the batter.” He said the traditional high home-plate camera would have to shoot through netting, which he did not think would be a serious distraction.

Great news for you new S3DHD TV owners! The more 3D sporting events the better and after having The Masters and an NHL hockey game broadcast in 3D recently, it is great to see it being applied to multiple sports.

Source: NYTimes

Live Action THE DOG SQUAD 3D Shooting This Summer

Jim here. ContentFilm International has secured rights to a new family project. The director of FLUBBER, Les Mayfield, will be shooting THE DOG SQUAD 3D this summer in Canada. Refreshingly, it is a live action 3D family movie (plenty of animation going on lately). Steve Carpenter wrote with Rick Bennatar producing.

Starring an overweight and lazy Bulldog (Donut), a disgraced former Police Dog (Clint), a sassy Lady Mutt (Samantha), an overly timid Guide-Dog (Bert) and a shameless womanizing Chihuahua (Hector), comes a hilarious and outrageously entertaining live-action adventure that’s fun for all the family.

When a motley crew of stray dogs are thrown into the dog pound, they have to hatch an escape plan fast. Catching an advert for a K9 Police Dog recruitment scheme on the TV, it’s not long before the wild bunch are out of jail and being trained by the bullish Drill Sergeant Pike, where they have just 42 days to be whipped into shape or it’s all over…

Putting their deep rooted trouble making instincts to the test on a daily basis, hilarity ensues at every corner. Donut can’t help but chase all things edible, Hector reminisces about his cross-dressing past and then there’s the small matter of Bert leading a blind man into a manhole. But, working together, the dogs manage to push their lingering insecurities aside, whilst warding off two determined dogcatchers along the way.

The movie will be laden with CG effects.

I am hoping they have Clint Eastwood lined up for the voice of Clint - too much to ask for I am guessing! More when we get it.

RealD To Bring 3D Alternative Entertainment Broadcasts To Theaters

New Product Will Add Live Event Display Technology to World’s Largest 3D Platform

RealD, the world’s leading outfitter of 3D theatres, announced RealD LIVE, a new product that works with the company’s Cinema Systems enabling RealD equipped theatres to display live event broadcasts from anywhere in the world in crisp, clear, fully immersive RealD 3D. With 3D films driving today’s record box office, RealD LIVE promises to open new 3D entertainment opportunities to the over 8,700 screens contracted to RealD with live alternative content broadcast capabilities for concerts, sporting events, theatre and more.

“Films presented in RealD 3D are driving today’s box office showing moviegoers overwhelmingly prefer the true-to-life entertainment experience of RealD 3D,” said Joe Peixoto, RealD president of worldwide cinema. “RealD LIVE is the next step in 3D entertainment, offering our thousands of exhibition partners around the world the ability to show spectacular live events on their big screens.”

Another technology leap from the world’s leading 3D entertainment company, RealD LIVE is a separate product that when connected to RealD Cinema Systems receives a broadcast signal and converts the stream to a format compatible with digital cinema projectors. RealD LIVE works with the company’s DLP® 3D solutions, the Cinema System and XL Cinema System, which is capable of reaching screens up to 80 feet in width, and with the Sony 4K compatible XLS Cinema System. With standard RealD cinema eyewear, audiences will experience the high quality, stunningly lifelike viewing experience RealD 3D is known for.

RealD LIVE will bring worldwide distribution to technology recently used for live broadcasts of sporting events to RealD equipped theatres in the U.S. RealD LIVE is expected to be available in the fourth quarter of 2009.

About RealD
RealD is the global leader in 3D, bringing the most advanced and realistic 3D experience to cinemas worldwide. RealD’s new generation technology, deployed across the world’s largest 3D platform with over 8,700 screens under contract and over 3,200 screens installed in more than 45 countries with over 200 exhibition partners, provides a high quality, stunningly lifelike viewing experience. Beyond cinema, RealD is the worldwide inventor and provider of key stereoscopic technologies used in science, manufacturing, marketing, and other industries, with thirty years of scientific development behind its systems. RealD’s mission-critical 3D visualization technologies are used by organizations such as NASA, Pfizer, BMW, Boeing and more. www.realD.com

RealD is a sponsor of MarketSaw.

PerfCap + Real Time Live Action = Robert Zemeckis' ROGER RABBIT 2... in 3D?

**SAME DAY UPDATE: Check out this new affordable motion capture technology from MIT - Second Skin!

Jim here. Just a quick note to make sure you guys know that Robert Zemeckis hinted at going back to ROGER RABBIT with a second movie using today's tech - which he is undoubtedly referring to 3D perfcap.

Here is his quote to MTV: "I’ll tell you what is buzzing around in my head now that we have the ability—the digital tools, performance capture—I’m starting to think about ROGER RABBIT."

Moreover, the fine investigators over at MTV went further and contacted Michael Lantieri, the special effects supervisor on the original ROGER RABBIT. What Michael told them had my eyes wide open with anticipation: "He talked about how very soon filmmakers will be able to combine performance capture with outdoor, real-time photography."

Hello. I had been hoping for some time now that this eventuality would take place sooner rather than later and here we go! This means numerous things, but for ROGER RABBIT it most likely means being able to introduce real-time, live action backgrounds, actors and objects into a performance capture 'Volume' feed to the director for shooting AND final processing.

Imagine a perfcap Volume scene with say Bob Hoskins as Eddie Valiant riding a motorcycle with an actor in a perfcap suit playing Roger Rabbit - Zemeckis can see this happening on his monitors WITH a real time, live action bar fight taking place on another set IN HIS BACKGROUND. He can order his real time actors and set design around to suit his perfcap action needs. As he adjusts his virtual camera throughout the Volume, it is coordinated with the live action set cameras in real time!

You can bet that Michael Lantieri would return for any ROGER RABBIT sequel.

I don't know about you, but I personally love seeing this technology being born in our generation. We are witnessing the beginning of a cinematic revolution; nothing short of the introduction of sound and color. Take part in it. Relish in all these movies and don't let the naysayers ruin the experience for you - in 10 years it is they who will say: " I should have stopped and watched." Watched guys like Cameron, Spielberg, Jackson, Burton, Scott and Zemeckis play in a brand new sandbox.

I welcome your comments on how this new technology could be used for upcoming movies. Do you think Cameron has already done something like this with AVATAR?

"Cane Toads 2" Invading In 3D

Jim here. I had an exclusive talk with Director Mark Lewis and he said that he has a new 3D project coming out soon that is close to his heart...

CANE TOADS 2 is a live action 3D film that is a follow up to the successful film CANE TOADS: AN UNNATURAL HISTORY. Mark is directing as he did the original, released in 1988.

The original was a 47 minute documentary (at times humorous) reviewing the introduction of Cane Toads in Australia to help control a sugar cane pest. Seems after being brought to down under, they refused to eat the sugar cane grubs and instead multiplied like rabbits. To make things worse, they have no natural enemies in Australia, partly because of their poisonous skin. CANE TOADS is used in schools and colleges to assist with biology and environmental science classes. It was also nominated for a BAFTA as Best Short Film and Roger Ebert calls the original "One of my favorite films".

Says Mark: "The film follows the journey of the cane toad in Australia and features a disparate cast of characters commenting on the impact of the toad since their introduction. From the lush rain forests of Puerto Rico, to the vibrant cane farms of far North Queensland then traveling through the mangroves of the Gulf Country into the harsh and arid landscape of the Northern Territory. The journey ends in Western Australia as thousands of toads are now poised only a few miles from the border and with the coming wet season the flood waters will spread them further West into thousands of square miles of the Kimberly region."

Mark adds, "Whether the story is a tragedy, a comedy of error or a tale of success - depends on your perspective."

The anticipated delivery is in December of this year. It is being distributed in Australia by Madman Entertainment and the US through Participant Media. The film is a co-production with Participant Media, Discovery Studios, Screen Australia and Radio Pictures.

I have not seen the original, but I suspect that the sequel will echo the outstanding research (that obviously WASN'T done when the toad was introduced!) and interject humor to bring out the best again of what seems to be a very entertaining news story. 544 votes on IMDb have the original pegged at 8 stars out of 10. Not bad!

I will give fair warning though: a little flick by the name of AVATAR will be clearing a fairly large swath of 3D screens in December of this year, including IMAX. I do hope their release goes well - just make it early December!

UPDATE March 17: Just heard again from Mark - they will be delivering the project in December but distribution will occur later! :-)

If You Haven't Heard: 3D Is Now The Standard Format For Feature Animation - And Live Action Isn't Far Behind

I have not seen this officially stated anywhere else so I will say it: 3D is now the standard format for feature animation.

We have reached the pivot point for animation in Hollywood and that is: All future animation tentpoles from the top three majors will be shot in 3D. That is not said lightly! It is a wonderful year for animation and the 3D industry. And there is not much more that needs to be said for animation: They've got it right.

2009 may very well hold the key to the pivot point for Live Action as well with James Cameron's (JC) "Avatar". Few people know what they are to expect from the movie and to be honest that is truly playing into the hands of JC. Imagine having never seen a modern 3D movie before and walking in for the first time to see "Avatar" - the 'cream of the crop' shall we say. People are just going to be overwhelmed. I saw this happen already for a concert film: "U2 3D" - folks just didn't know what they were in for and they couldn't stop looking at each other and pointing - I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face! This was a concert movie. A very good one mind you, but still no storyline, no suspense, no shocking turn of events. People were turning around and buying another ticket for the next showing solely based on their experience of 'sight and sound'.

What does this mean for "Avatar"? Take that concert film (James Horner's score will make "Avatar" feel like a concert anyway trust me) and literally add immersive adventure on a grand scale - you are part of the movie! You think "U2 3D" was good? "Beowulf"? You have seen nothing yet. To say that this movie is anticipated is an understatement in my opinion. "Avatar" is a delivery from the mundane to the sublime. As JC puts it: It fires more synapses.

Now I don't expect to have all of the majors lining up and saying "3D from now on", but I will tell you that it is close. VERY close and JC was right to point this out in his recent interview with Variety: He thinks 3D could be applied as easily to "300" as it could be to "Atonement". He is RIGHT. I am still reading posts from other bloggers who think he is crazy for saying that - a drama in 3D? I think you know where I stand, but in case you don't...

We LIVE in 3D - it is time to wake up and butter your toast bloggers. The times are changing and for the better. I couldn't be in a better place either. I can't wait for that second pivot point. Bring on Live Action 3D!