3D Not an Absolute Science

The IBC master class "A production language for 3D" highlighted numerous tutorial elements, but at its heart was producer Phil Streather's assertion: "3D is an art, not an absolute science." Pointing out that there have only been nine digital 3D movies released thus far, he cited the increasing revenues as the sign that 3D is a fast track market.

Streather fronted the session, working to a script involving Pablo Post owner Ralston Humble and independent filmmaker Celine Tricart, and summarised what he had wanted to achieve: "In order to make comfortable 3D when filming closer than eight feet, you need to use a mirror rig.

"It is important to look at what 3ality is up to for the way it is selling its IP, and the way the rig companies in general are working on the scalability of rigs," he added. "And the real things that cause fatigue are mis-alignment and if the backgrounds are too far apart."

Quoting RealD's technical guru Lenny Lipton he said: "Good 3D is not just about setting a good background. You need to pay good attention to the seven monocular cues - aerial perspective, inter position, light and shade, relative size, texture gradients, perspective and motion parallax. Artists have used the first five of those cues for centuries.

"The final stage is depth balancing," he added. "But once you have done that you may end up with objects breaking the frame." Along with dozens of others, this problem was resolved, in this case by the use of an opaque mask.

Asked what he saw as important, Humble said: "With all the toolsets for post and the new rigs for sale, the cost of entry into 3D has been reduced. At the moment it is a collaborative movement with everyone working together in order to go forward, but it is up to the big post houses now. If they make it expensive or a pain to finish, no-one is going to do it."

By George Jarrett, IBC Daily