3D / LARGE FORMAT FILM
(Above) Marvel Superheroes 4D – a dome show, produced by Threshold, playing at Madame Tussauds, London
JOSHUA WEXLER president, Threshold Animation Studios
FRANK KALFF commercial director, Cruden
“R “P
artial domes are better than fl at screens for racing simula- tion applications. Anything that increases the immersive-
ness of the experience is a plus, so we’re always looking to include as many inputs as possible, including a good audio system and features such as seat harness loaders. Current peripheral technology avail-
able around 3D isn’t advanced enough to allow 3D to be used in a commercial racing simulation application. We’re undertaking an R&D project with academic and tech- nology partners, which could overcome the drawback of 3D’s requirement for a fi xed focal point. For example, we’re look- ing at how eye-tracking technology could measure exactly where the guest’s eyes are focused, so this can be fed into the software and the image generation altered accordingly. The issue is whether the band- width of the equipment (the hardware) and data processing (the software) are high enough to ensure a timely change of focal point in the graphics. Our Racer Pro software has integrated
various features to handle fl at and curved screens or domes through features such as warping and edge blending.”
66
egardless of the medium used, it’s the story that should drive the experience. It’s easy to say, ‘Hey, I want
to do a dome theatre,’ or ‘I’d like to put in a 4D cinema’, but what are you going to put on the screen? If the operator’s goal is to create an immersive experience, then they need to work with great storytellers who will help them determine the best solution. Supplying 3D fi lms for a fulldome is a
challenge because the extreme curvature of the dome has discernible effects on
how well 3D works, so it’s important to get your maths right. Poorly produced dome content can have a very bad effect – in the worst instances it can make people sick and uncomfortable. If you’re producing a dome-only show, it’s important to think about everything, from how you frame your shots to the timing of edits and transitions. It is possible to adapt fl at screen presen-
tations to suit a dome, and vice versa, and it’s done regularly in museums. Typically, people produce large format fi lms (70mm) and use them interchangeably with giant screens (such as Imax) and dome screens. There are also technologies that can con-
vert a regular 2D cinema into a 4D theatre. Technology moves too fast to make
predictions about the future, but a good immersive experience, regardless of the technology, has the ability to play for years.”
DANIEL JAMELE vice president/CTO, MediaMation Inc
“T
he question of whether full- dome or fl at screen is better depends upon the presenta- tion, the fi lm shown and the
goal. If budget and space allow, curved and dome screens add another dimen- sion and pull the viewer into the action. It’s usually a budget issue, as the projectors, movies and screens are a premium, so it depends on what the client wants to spend. Although we’re not a fi lm production
company (we supply 4D chairs to add to the immersive experience), we recognise that the biggest challenge is the basic
Read Attractions Management online
attractionsmanagement.com/digital
warping of the image to make it geometri- cally correct. A really good movie that works very well on a dome and covers the entire dome, should be produced with a dome in mind and rendered properly in post-production. However, unless it’s a mission based movie for a particular venue, this is typically not practical if the produc- ers want to license the movie to as many venues as possible. In this case, the typi- cal application is to do the best to warp the standard movie across as much of the dome as possible. Depending on the dome and the projection system, this can be very effective even though it may not cover the entire dome or be perfect geometrically. These days, 3D is practically a require-
ment for domes. Add in the 4D effects, as well as the full motion seats (5D in mar- keting parlance) and it becomes a great attraction rather than just a nice movie.” ●
AM 2 2011 ©cybertrek 2011
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