3D Technology News

The return of the third dimension

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:40

3D as a format for motion picture is not new – it has existed since the 1950s and enjoyed a resurgence in the 1980s and 1990s, driven by the large format IMAX theatres and Disney themed venues. In 2010 the world began to experience the new wave of stereoscopic 3D, largely kick-started by James Cameron’s Avatar.

Last year the format also started to infiltrate the American and European television market, driven initially by sports coverage and wildlife programming. South Africa is yet to have 3DTV but 3D films screen regularly at our cinemas and we are seeing 3D commercials on the circuit. South African suppliers, as shown on the next three pages, are fully geared up to service 3D shoots.

Covering the Olympics in 3D

Panasonic Broadcast recently entered into a deal to broadcast the 2012 Olympic Games, which commence in London in July next year, live in stereoscopic 3D. Although Panasonic unveiled its HDC-Z10000 3D video camera with image stabilisation at a news conference ahead of the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) trade show in Berlin recently, the camera to be used for the Olympics is the AG-3DP1.

“Panasonic has agreed to supply Olympic Broadcast Services with cameras, screens and production teams to help a pool of TV companies broadcast the 2012 games live,” says Johannesburg-based Sean Loeve of Panasonic Broadcast Systems. The AG-3DP1 is equipped with dual lenses and two full 1920 x 1080 two megapixel 3-MOS imagers to record 1080/60i, 50i, 30p, 25p and 24p (native) and 720/60p and 50p in AVC-Intra 10 Bit 4:2:2 full pixel 1920x1080.

“Left and right eye channel signals are separately recorded onto P2 cards. Focus, zoom and iris adjustments are synchronised accurately for the left and right lenses. The AG-3DP1 is equipped with Genlock and TC In/Out for synchronisation of multiple cameras,” explains Loeve.

Panasonic also released its new AV-HS410 Live Switcher at IBC this year with substantially improved user interface and excellent expandability such as stereo 3D support 177.8 mm colour LCD panel, new memory preview function and improved multi-view display to provide enhanced ease-of-use.

This all-in-one 1ME switcher features excellent expandability for 3D and SDK applications.

Panasonic Corporation is an Official Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Audio and Visual Equipment category for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS). It will provide comprehensive support for the first 3D broadcast of the Games, enabling viewers to experience the full excitement of 3D in their living rooms with a new level of immediacy.

Seriously 3D

While 3D television broadcasts may not be a reality in South Africa in the immediate future, leading provider of digital and HD broadcast solutions in Africa, Visual Impact, is extremely active in the 3D rental market. It has several local and international projects either completed, current or on the cards.

Visual Impact’s Marius van Straaten elaborates: “Some of the 3D projects we have serviced thus far include Earth Flight, a JDP Bristol documentary. This wildlife documentary is produced by award winning JDP Productions (UK). We also did the recent world first – the Parlotones live 3D concert – as well as a shoot for South African Tourism with production company Wild Africa for the French market. “At the moment we are currently testing for several 3D commercials for release on the local cinema circuit, the first one being Mercedes for Frieze Films. We are also conducting tests for a live show entitled Mixed Martial Arts.”

Visual Impact provides extensive training in the 3D medium. “We trained at the recent Mediatech Africa exhibition in Johannesburg and did a 3D workshop that was fully booked. Visual Impact Academy ran a one-day 3D course in September and we have a THX colour science course coming up on 18 and 19 October 2011, where we will host Bob Cadwell and Michael Chinnery from THX Cine Space. These guys are colour scientists and famous in their fields,” explains Van Straaten.

In addition Visual Impact provides support and post-production tools to facilitate 3D shoots. Van Straaten continues: “We use the Pro Ultra 3D rig with various different cameras and finishing tools, including Da Vinci Resolve and Assimilate Scratch Lab, as well as the Visual Impact FCPO plug in (used on set to line up shots).”

As to the future of 3D in South Africa, Van Straaten is bullish: “I believe it will increase alongside international trends. South Africa has many 3D cinemas and 3DTV sets are in the market already so 3D TV broadcasts will follow soon, I am certain. The recent IBC broadcast technology show in Amsterdam had a proliferation of 3D kit on display.”

3D all the way

Sony provides multiple solutions for 3D origination ranging from consumer products to high-end production. Most of Sony’s professional cameras are sold as individual units and are configured according to the production requirement, so while they may not have been sold as 3D specific products they are used in many 3D applications.

“The products may be defined under various separate headings,” explains senior brand manager Andrew Fraser. “On the consumer front there is a small web video 3D camera, the MHS-FS3K, which is aptly called ‘Bloggie’. There is also a consumer Handycam – the HDR-TD10E.”

On the professional 3D acquisition front Sony offers the electronic news gathering (ENG) all-in-one camcorder, the HXR-NX3D1, which uses AVC-HD codec. Recently announced and available in November will be the PMW-TD300 – a shoulder mount camera using EX codec.

“For high end production purposes the most common methodology is to integrate two cameras into a single 3D rig which is constructed and supplied by third parties such as Pace and 3ality. Almost all of Sony’s cameras have been used in this type of two camera set-up, from the CineAlta models down to the PMW-EX3.”

Sony cameras have been used extensively for events filmed in 3D such as the Wimbledon Tennis Championship, UEFA Champion’s League football final, the recent U2 3D movie, the 2010 FIFA World Cup and multiple Discovery Channel natural history series.

ESPN are partners with Sony and a significant amount of their 3D sports content in the USA is acquired on Sony equipment.

“From a local perspective there is no real technical hurdle for pay-TV operator MultiChoice to broadcast a SxS (Side by Side) 3D signal on the DStv platform,” concludes Fraser, “but to date I am not aware of any such plans.”

SCREENAFRICA Print Magazine – October 2011 (view here)

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