We have a long-standing saying in the technology industry. “The state of the art today soon becomes the boat anchor of tomorrow”. Meaning that no matter how advanced things seem now, something newer, faster and usually smaller will replace it in the not- too-distant future.
3D rigs are certainly on that list. In some ways the evolutionary process is well underway. This monster 3D rig used by Alfred Hitchcock in “Dial M for Murder” could have been a small apartment. The sleek 3D rigs of today are substantially smaller but still offer their share of challenges. Reflective mirrors, gamma and hue shift as well as a host of lens alignment and two camera sync issues make these rigs ripe for improvement and evolutionary changes.
The changes may come sooner than expected. A dream team of Arri, the Fraunhofer Institute and Walt Disney Studios have joined forces to create the next, “state of the art”. Already in the second phase of testing, the trio have created a ‘trifocal camera system’. It is made up from one single Arri camera that is paired with one micro HD cameras flanking each side. Dubbed ‘witness caneras’ these micro HD cameras capture depth information and other data. It is then analyzed by a Fraunhofer Stereo Analyzer to create 3D content in post production.
This would effectively replace the mirrored 3D rig with a much more streamlined system. At the International 3D Society conference at CES, Kathleen Schroeter, Executive Manager of 3D Innovation Centre, Berlin Fraunhofer Institute, stated that, “If successful we will go into a third test in April this year and if that is successful it will be used on a film production.” It is currently planned to be a 20-minute short film or a 20-minute sequence within a longer Hollywood feature, both produced by Disney.
“The current system is for post production but the next step is to make this work in real time so that we can produce live broadcast programming without rigs,” Ms. Schroeter stated.
If all goes well you might want to get your boats ready, a slew of new anchors may be coming your way soon.
By: Al Caudullo
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Indeed, technology these days are having a fast track. Every now and then there is something new. Even phones and gadgets of the lates models change every year. There is always better coming and it is coming very fast because of the competition between brands.