Gold Standard Native 3D Has Competition! Why It's Good For Everybody...

Lately we have seen a massive push towards a "Gold Standard" for native stereoscopic 3D content and not just idle chat. A real movement is taking place and it will play a huge part in the coming years in ensuring the movie going public gets what they are paying for in theaters.

And it's more than that. It's about the best transportative immersion possible! Sure we want to get our money's worth at the movies, but it is about being entertained more than anything else. Movies remain a recession proof escape from reality that in the big picture is very affordable.

The Gold Standard movement is focusing on delivering quality 3D content that audiences will know intuitively as being worth their time and money. That the content will not be hindered by 3D. No more CLASH OF THE TITANS debacles. By following the productions associated with the companies listed in this post, YOU will have confidence that what they produce in the end will be of the highest caliber.

Think Pixar. Everything they touch is of the highest caliber and the box office shows it. I also think about a huge corporation that bet the bank on 3D - Sony. Do you realize they have true end-to-end 3D offerings? Pro and consumer 3D cameras, 3D TVs, 3D theatrical projectors, 3D focused movie studios, 3D blu-ray technology, 3D gaming on Playstations - you name a division and it probably has 3D in it's mandate!

Now think 3ality Digital. And Cameron - Pace Group. The first wave of Gold Standard, uncompromising companies have stepped up to the plate and declared: Watch us. We will deliver the best in S3D.

There is sure to be more come along - I was thinking as early as last year that perhaps a presentation company like IMAX might be the company to step forward and tackle this issue by saying whenever you see our brand, you can have confidence in the 3D being screened. But it is more than just movies! S3D content is everywhere today: 3D theatrical movies, 3D home videos, 3D theatrical alternative content (like gaming), 3D home gaming, 3D phones, 3D portable devices, 3D computer applications, and of course 3D content to power these devices! It is the content that needs to drive everything. 3D movies, sports, live events, concerts, etc. Really, the answer needed to be 3D production companies and they have stepped forward.

3ality Digital is pushing this goal (here and here) and with the Cameron - Pace Group announcement (here) hot on the heels of 3ality Digital's news this week, the stage is set for rapid and real improvement in 3D content for audiences across the spectrum of native 3D entertainment. Competition is always needed and let me tell you that the professionals at both companies are simply the best at what they do. PERIOD. I can assure you of that.

Let's drill into the news a bit. There seems to be a slight polarization regarding camera hardware for the 3D rigs with Cameron - Pace Group (CPG) using the ARRI cameras (Martin Scorsese is using them on HUGO CABRET) - of course they still have their FUSION cameras too; and 3ality Digital is using the REDs (Peter Jackson has them on THE HOBBIT). Hardware is a matter of preference for directors and DPs, either choice will look amazing especially in tandem with the superior 3D services provided by these companies. And these platforms offered by 3ality Digital and CPG are flexible by design - other camera vendors should be able to work with them going forward as well.

Aside from the hardware and content that is required to deliver top 3D standards, we need professionals to drive them! Both of these companies are mandating education for existing cinematographers to be concurrent priorities for them - topping up the pros already impressive credentials with S3D knowledge - to become top drawer stereographers.

What these companies and the Gold Standard all boil down to is that the future is happening right now and it is all about the audience. What a privilege I've had over the past 5 and a half years to report on history in the making - a Hollywood 3D revolution. We are witnessing a renaissance right now with technology rapidly advancing and expertise catching up. Welcome to modern S3D, generation 2!

What do I want to see next? I want to see a Gold Standard for 3D conversion. I want to see a company step up and guarantee the best quality possible every time. Audiences NEED to know that when they see any movie, it is not 3D that will let them down. Just as they know Dolby sound won't let them down. Just as they know Pixar won't let them down. We now see that native 3D has it's heroes, let's expand that to conversion.

A giant tip of the hat to 3ality Digital and CPG! It's a pleasure to know and work with you everyday.

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 Takes The Headache Out Of Live S3D With New Production Technologies

New 3space™ Line of Products Dramatically Enhances Capabilities for S3D Broadcasts

Las Vegas, NV – April 11, 2011 –3ality Digital, world leader in advanced technologies to empower creative digital stereoscopic 3D (S3D) acquisition and workflow, announced today that they are introducing new technologies at NAB that will dramatically change the landscape for S3D live production. These innovative new solutions will bring S3D production crews an unparalleled level of automation and flexibility, ultimately providing broadcasters better, faster, and less expensive solutions for successful S3D production.

3ality Digital has developed three new products ideally suited to the demanding requirements of live, S3D broadcast environments. All new additions to the 3space™ line of technologies, 3ality Digital will take the wraps off IntelleScene™, IntelleMatte™ and IntelleMotion™ systems at their NAB booth #OE1275 from April 11-14 in Las Vegas.

IntelleScene™ promises automated management of transitions and scenes for S3D comfort. By managing realtime depth-specific metadata, IntelleScene prevents painful-to-the-eye transitions between shots, increasing viewer comfort and helping broadcasters avoid potential safety issues that arise with poorly managed S3D geometry

IntelleMatte™, the S3D graphics application that everyone has been waiting for, provides S3D production crews the ability to insert a graphic between objects in the foreground and background for true S3D compositing via automated composite scene depth management.

IntelleMotion™ provides real time S3D motion stabilization which enables broadcasters to use powerful long lenses to capture motion from great distances without causing unnecessary viewer discomfort. Since IntelleMotion can compensate for IS/VR tracking, special lenses are no longer required, which opens up the “standard” long lenses that outside broadcasting (OB) clients demand.

IntelleMatte and IntelleMotion are standalone systems that can be used with any S3D Left Eye/Right Eye program feed, and are not dependent on a 3ality Digital acquisition system for usage.

“Viewer experience is a primary concern among broadcasters seeking to deliver 3D content. We’ve tailored these solutions to address some of the core challenges in capturing live events in S3D while reducing the complexity and costs associated with its production,” said Steve Schklair, CEO and Founder of 3ality Digital. “Whether applied to sports, concerts or episodic television, our 3space technologies make it possible to visually capture things that have never been done before in S3D.”

3ality Digital’s technology is already being used on feature films such as THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and THE HOBBIT, which are 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.

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), and the first network hockey telecast ever produced in S3D (New York Rangers vs. Islanders, March 24th 2010 on MSG); the first S3D Super Bowl commercial broadcast on television (Sobe “Lizard Lake”); the first full episode of a scripted prime-time television series shot in live-action S3D (Chuck vs. The Third Dimension, aired on NBC on February 2nd, 2009); and first RED EPIC S3D Movie, 'The Amazing Spider-Man’.

For more information, please visit www.3alitydigital.com

3ality Digital is a sponsor of MarketSaw.

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.

###

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.

Next3D & Turner Broadcasting Expand Alliance to Include S3D Production & Delivery of Live Events

Very excited to hear about this news! I have been working with Next3D for a while now and once I saw this I had to pass it on to you.

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

ATLANTA, (April 5, 2011) — Next3D and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) have expanded their collaborative alliance to include efforts to deploy 3D technology for the real-time production and streaming delivery of Live events to the emerging home 3D audience. The relationship leverages Next3D’s proprietary stereoscopic encoding technology and content delivery service to implement industry leading tools and techniques for end-to-end stereoscopic content acquisition and delivery.

“Our approach is to partner with advantaged technology companies, such as Next3D, to deliver high-quality 3D content over existing digital infrastructure,” said Jim McCaffrey, Executive Vice President, Operations & Strategy Chief Strategy Officer Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. “Next3D has demonstrated to us that its compression technology addresses some of the major challenges to delivering 3D content.”

“Next3D technology preserves and enhances image quality, producing a theater-like experience, the way 3D in the home should be,” said Steve Heyer, Chairman of Next3D. “Partnering with Turner to deliver Live events in vibrant High-Definition 3D is an important vote of confidence for us.”

Unlike current 3DTV broadcasting methods, which squeeze the 3D image into a single 2D image frame, Next3D’s patent-pending technology enables stereoscopic 3D video encoding and delivery in full high-definition 1080p. Reducing the amount of data to deliver a high definition 3D image by up to 75%, Next3D encoding reduces the bandwidth needed for home-delivery without sacrificing image quality. The ground-breaking technology also retains and enhances image details, critical to pristine 3D HD.

Next3D will demonstrate its advances in 3D technology at NAB 2011 in Las Vegas. To schedule a meeting or request an interview with company executives, visit next3d.com or contact Pedro Chen (pedrochen@maxborgesagency.com).

About TBS, Inc.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

About Next3D
Next3D, Inc. is a leader in stereoscopic 3D technology with more than 65 years of combined experience in media, content production, and stereoscopic delivery and display. With expertise and intellectual property spanning back to the first digital stereoscopic video distribution technology in the mid 1990s, Next3D has one of the most comprehensive and mature technology platforms in the stereoscopic industry. Next3D's proprietary, patent-pending video compression technology delivers a crisp, clear, and comfortable 3D experience over cable, satellite or broadband.

For more information about Next3D, please visit http://next3d.com. For a downloadable PDF detailing Next3D’s quality advantage, visit here.

More when I get it!

Next3D is a sponsor of MarketSaw.