CineForm Unveils Industry's First 3D Editorial Workflow for Final Cut Pro

CineForm, creators of high-fidelity compression-based workflow solutions for the post production marketplace, announced it will unveil the industry's first 3D editorial workflow solution for Apple Final Cut Pro users. CineForm's Neo3D, a significant development in 3D post production workflows, enables Final Cut Pro users to edit 3D projects in real time with full frame rate playback to an external 3D monitor.

Traditionally, 3D projects are edited in 2D as independent Left and Right eyes, with a final 3D conform after the entire editorial process is complete. CineForm Neo3D simplifies this costly, time-intensive process by enabling the editorial team to experience the 3D story-telling process by viewing in full 3D while editing. This technique allows many projects to eliminate 3D conform entirely and print directly from the Final Cut Pro timeline to electronic 3D distribution or projection files.

The enabling technology for Neo3D is a CineForm stereo MOV file that contains temporally synchronized Left and Right eyes, each at full quality 1920x1080 HD spatial resolution. CineForm stereo files are created such that all QuickTime applications, including Final Cut Pro, interpret the stereo files as if they were traditional 2D HD files, yet Neo3D includes dynamic controls to define playback of the file as left channel, right channel or full 3D presentation. In 3D presentation mode, both left and right eyes are blended into a single 1920x1080 HD frame size supported by Final Cut Pro. The resulting HD frame is presented to a 3D monitor as side-by-side, over-under, or interlaced per the format necessary for the display; this technique allows the use of inexpensive 3D gaming or consumer 3D TVs during post.

A further workflow enhancement is the ability to adjust convergence -- horizontal, vertical, or rotational -- dynamically during editorial using 3D Active Metadata controls in CineForm's First Light 3D, a technique which simplifies and reduces costs associated with a 3D conform. CineForm's 3D Active Metadata also allows for real-time color correction on both eyes simultaneously, or on individual eyes to adjust for color variations that may be caused during the recording process.

For those without 3D monitors, or for those viewing dailies on a laptop or traditional 2D LCD panel, Neo3D can present anaglyph, which it will generate in real time. Anaglyph is a presentation technique to display 3D information on a 2D monitor using inexpensive anaglyph glasses.

For Final Cut Pro users, CineForm recommends using an AJA Kona card with Neo3D for real-time playback and 3D monitoring.

Source: Marketwire