I’ve been getting allot of positive feedback and press on my article on the evaluation of “Fly Me to the Moon”.   From my fellow blogger Sean Gleeson here: Swell3d, getting the attention of a NPR writer,  to a 3D newsletter publication from www.veritasetvisus.com this article has made an impact around the 3D community and it continues to spread. Thanks for all the positive press out there. What I was trying to do with that article is show how “FMTTM” didn’t have to be made that way.  You can do some simple things to vastly improve your 3D.  I got a few negative feedbacks too.  They are in the comments section. While I do not agree, its great to have a healthy debate, so keep the comments coming!

In other 3D news, I have been a beta tester for the Foundry’s newest 3D stereoscopic plug-in called Ocula.  I can’t say too much about it yet, but there will be a training course in its use over at The3Dfool.com   This plug-in  blows me away. It will redefine the work flow for stereoscopic effects work. Mark my words. FX guide has a nice whitepaper about its work flow, check it out here: Ocula Whitepaper

AutoDesk will be releasing Maya 2009 in October.  The biggest news here is Maya 2009 will be able to display 3D view ports right inside of openGL.  Now I have had some melscripts that let me do this for years (mainly using cross eye method)  but now you can see anaglyphic, checkerboard, and interlaced methods as you work. You can now model, animate, texture, playblast in stereo.  Kudos to Autodesk for implementing this feature. Check out the movie here.  Stereo Maya

-3dfool

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So its Friday again, and this morning I was on National Public Radio debating the use of 3D in films with Jeffery Katzenberg.  Wow that’s quite a statement.  To be included in that piece was a great honor, but I just want to clarify a few things about what I said on NPR.  FIrst off, I am not just a blogger.  Check out my full site, I am a professional VFX supervisor and stereographer. I have done many 3D productions and my opinions come from years of practical experience and film making.

3D is the natural way we see the world and its a great way to get people into theaters to see movies in a way they can’t see them at home.  This is true but it’s very misleading.  You can see 3D at home right now, with consumer level DLP televisions and equipment. In fact its just as good as DIGTAL 3D as touted by the big boys.  I have the same Field of View with my 63 inch DLP sitting 6 feet away as you would on a 40 foot theater screen sitting in the middle front of most theaters.  The images are clear and rock solid.  The 3D pops off the screen.  Its fantastic.  What I do not have is the content. I can watch the two films that Robert Rodriguez made, SpyKids 3D (in which I was Stereoscopic supervisor for),   Shark Boy and Lava Girl 3D plus a bunch of other films made for IMAX and special venues.  These films are in High Quality Field Sequential (HQFS) format and look great on my system. There are no other mainstream films being offered.  Where is the Polar Express? Beowulf? Open Season?  Nightmare Before Christmas 3D?  Meet the Robinsons?  Monster House? The Ant Bully? Superman Returns? Harry Potter?   All these films came out in 3D and the only one to try releasing in 3D was the lame release of the anaglyphic Hannah Montana disc.

Now, what about 3D replacing 2D movies?  Well this is a possibility, but with the way 3D movies are being made right now, being heavy on gimmicks and adding surcharges for plastic glasses, at some point the fickle public will grow tired of this trend and shy away from it.  Its too bad really as 3D presents such a strong visual statement for a film that utilizes it for its storytelling and immersive potential.  I can’t wait to see AVATAR as I feel this will be a truly astonishing film, not only because James Cameron has always taken us to amazing visual worlds, but the 3D will truly fit into the the story and the world of Avatar’s almost beg for this motif. I’m also excited to hear that Cameron wants to prove that 3D can be used for a smaller picture that is more drama and character based.  I agree that it can be used for that, but its all depends on the implementation i of the technique to supplement and not take over the narrative.

Now, I love 3D.  I am very passionate about stereo.  I want it to succeeded, but I am very pragmatic.  I want it to be used effectively, and without being gimmicky. I want stereographers to pay attention to the rules of good 3D,  and realize that only 20% of the audience will be able to resolve their 180 cm convergent parallax.  Good 3D is amazing, transcending, and will take your breath away.   Miss your mark and you’ve just made your audience hate you for making their eyes bleed.  Story be damned.

-3Dfool

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UPDATED! 9/19/08

The interview will air Friday morning at the end of the 8-9 am hour. Thats Friday 9/19/08 on the “Morning Edition” show.   Click to listen to the piece.

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Well its Friday and I haven’t updated in a week or two.  I’ve been fairly busy with work, but this weekend I’m going to try to update the rest of the site and open up my stereo forums on the 3Dfool site.  Many of you know me and many more do not. In addition to Visual Effects and Stereography, I have been a filmmaker and time lapse cinematographer.   I started a page on Vimeo, and I have some videos there.  Check them out.  I had allot of fun making these. The best thing about Vimeo, is that you can see any of these videos in full 1280×720p HD rez, streaming to your computer.  Great service and community.

RE/Lapse from Daniel Smith on Vimeo.

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