The Latest Gear Behind 3D Movie Making

DLP recently teamed up with former LucasFilms effects studios Kerner Optical and Tippett Studios to work on a stereoscopic 3D Trailer for their cinema projectors. Pushing this style of filmmaking forward was something they were all excited about and they took me around Kerner Optical's facility and showed me the latest camera gear they used to make the 3D trailer.

Seeing the camera setup in person is pretty awesome. It consists of two cameras -- one facing straight forward in a horizontal orientation, and one facing straight down, in a vertical position. Between them sits a mirror, angled at roughly 45 degrees, that acts as a beam splitter, directing the image to the vertically facing camera and helping to create the 3D effect. While the vertical camera remains stationary, the horizontal camera slides from left to right. In doing so, the intensity of the 3D effect varies according to position as the pictures from the two cameras phase in and out. Once the camera has done its job, its up to the viewing apparatus to carry out the rest of the magic.

Kerner Optical uses special LCD monitors with the ability to display 3D images with the help of polarized glasses. Many rear-projection DLP televisions actually do the same thing, but a lack of content support has kept the technology obscured from most owners.

By Adrian Covert, Gizmodo