News
Stereo 3d comes of age
There’s been endless talk about stereo 3d so far this year, whether it’s the phenomenal success of Avatar, how Sky is going to fill its 3d channel or the impending arrival of the first batch of 3d TV sets in high street stores. Most in the industry now expect all things 3d to be embraced by consumers, with Sony announcing ambitious plans to sell 2.5m 3d TV sets worldwide by March next year. When it comes to what’s available to watch at home in 3d, the first 3d Blu-ray discs will soon be in the shops and there’s an increasing list of top-end content on Sky’s 3d channel. For the full low-down on Sky’s 3d plans, see page 7 for an interview with Sky’s director of product design and TV product development, Brian Lenz, who reveals the full details of its 3d channel and how it is opening up many new possibilities for producers. Elsewhere, we go behind the scenes on Avatar
to uncover how Sony’s cameras were at the heart of the record-breaking 3d production. Back in a world not requiring 3d specs, we showcase another batch of ‘best of breed’ HD productions that have been shot with Sony cameras, including the BBC’s Tropic of Cancer, filmed in the remote jungles of Asia, The Ski Club of Great Britain’s Skiing Skills, coming to you fresh from the slopes, and the documentary Gaucho; the first project captured on Sony’s newly launched NXCAM format. The focus for Sony now is NAB, where it’s once
more showcasing its extensive range of cameras and production kit and announcing a batch of new product launches. If you’re planning a trip, be sure to drop by the Sony stand in Hall 5, Booth C11001.
Jake Bickerton
the editor
NEWS IN BRIEF
Visual Impact’s specialist drama rentals division 24-7 Drama has taken on five of Sony’s HDCAM SR-based
digital cinematography cameras, the SWR-9000 (pictured) for use on high-end film and drama. The company has made plans to migrate three of the cameras to the 35mm size sensor –due out next year.
Sony has made two senior promotions to its UK sales team. Chris Nairn becomes direct sales manager for Sony UK, while strategic account manager Dave Cheesman (pictured) becomes channel sales manager for Sony UK. Cheesman was formerly sales manager at Sony Italy.
Sony will be unveiling some of the latest advances in professional broadcast kit and camera technology – from the
latest 3d acquisition to advances in HD and digital cinematography – at this year’s NAB exhibition on 12- 15 April in Las Vegas. Sony Professional will be exhibiting in Hall 5, Booth C11001.
Spring 2010 theproducer 5
DIGITAL CINEMA
Sony previews 3d on 4K at film screening
Last month Sony showcased the benefits of its state-of-the-art 3d on 4K cinema technology at an exclusive preview of DreamWorks latest 3d animated movie How To Train Your Dragon held at the Apollo Cinema in London’s Piccadilly. The aim of the screening, to an audience of 88 invited journalists and opinion formers (and their children) on the 24 March, was to gauge reaction to the benefits of higher quality 3d on 4K digital cinema projection. Currently Sony is the only digital cinema manufacturer in the UK that offers 4K technology for stereoscopic projection to create a 3d image. Many viewers find the 3d on 4K experience preferable to standard 2K projection, because with 4K, two images are projected simultaneously – one for the right eye and one for the left eye – onto the screen at exactly the same time. In 2K projection, ‘triple flash’ technology is used to create 3d by projecting only one image on the screen any given time, alternating between left and right eye images, a process which takes place 144 times per second throughout the duration of the film. To see for yourself people’s reactions to the event, Sony Professional has posted a video on its facebook fan page and its YouTube channel, and is inviting feedback on its 3d on 4K cinema innovations.
OUTSIDE BROADCAST
Sony delivers its first stereo 3d OB truck
Sony Professional Services Europe delivers its first 3d OB vehicle to Telegenic this month (pictured) as Sky ramps up its 3d sports broadcasting. Made at Sony’s Basingstoke-based truck building division, the scanner is capable of live 3d production and is based around kit such as HDC-1500R cameras with the T-block option for working with 3d camera rigs, and an MVS-8000G vision mixer. During trials with Sky and Telegenic, Sony designed a 3d processor box which reduces the complexity of monitoring and correcting live signals. It will be launched later this year. In a separate development, Sony Electronics and New York-based OB supplier All Mobile Video is building a new 3d-capable truck to hit the road this summer.
Copyright © 2009 by Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved.
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