The Brief
Leading extreme sports television producer Boomerang Film approached Inition to produce a high octane 3D promotional video to support Nissan’s sponsorship of the 2011 FreeRide World Tour after a successful collaboration shooting Tony Hawk on his European skateboard tour in Berlin and Brighton for Canal +
Solution
Inition provided stereoscopic consultancy, two portable 3D camera systems, a stereographer and camera assistant for two shooting days as well as 3D post production services including 3D fixing, depth grading and mastering.
Inition were commissioned with the ambitious task of delivering a 3D online post, short promo film and 30 second trailer on a Blu-ray disc within 48 hours of the final shoot. Inition’s team edited approximately 4 – 5 hours of footage into a 2.5 minute compelling promo film in time for the opening of the Nissan FreeRide World Tour.
The offline edit was undertaken by the client in Avid and the final post stages were completed at Inition. We were provided with a graded DPX sequence (Digital Picture Exchange) for the left and right channels which were ingested into our Speedgrade XR suite, where 3D geometry correction and a depth grade were performed. The final piece was then mastered in the side-by-side format for Blu-ray.
The Right Tool for the Job- The client required a stereoscopic video capture system which was as lightweight as possible, able to take POV shots and portable enough to be taken to challenging locations such as mountain faces. Always keen to embrace a challenge, Inition developed a custom built helmet with a mounted 3D rig based around two Toshiba Minicams recording to Nano Flash recorders on Compact Flash cards.
Small enough to achieve an interaxial separation of just 4mm, the custom built rig was highly versatile and could be controlled and genlocked with a camera control unit up to 30 metres away. The recorders were synced (in terms of being triggered for recording) via a breakout cable joined to a single trigger.
Alignment of the cameras was performed before mounting to the helmet with wedges to fix roll and vertical offset. Being a fixed interaxial, calculations were made to allow for the best 3D in the given environment with locked off cameras. The professional athletes were prepped before shooting, so that they were aware of the 3D limits i.e. how close to get to objects.
Results
With its production partner Boomerang Films, Inition delivered an attention holding 3D promotional film to Nissan on schedule, which was taken on tour around major European ski destinations in a Nissan branded truck complete with 4D alpine mountain breeze effects.
3D Roller Coaster Advert for Extreme Game Show
Inition worked with Red Bee Media to produce a 3D advert for the new celebrity game show ‘
3D Skate Tricks From Tony Hawk
Inition has been in Berlin and Brighton, shooting skateboarding vet
Inition and Rankin collaborate on Kelis 3D Music Video - Scream
Inition Partners With Framestore to Shoot 3D LG 3DTV Advert
As part of LG’s multi million pound 3DTV campaign, Inition helped Framestore shoot a 3D cinema a
Inition Shoot 3D Skiing Promo for Nissan Free Ride
Mercedes Supercar goes 3D (With Making of Video)
Inition Takes Nanotechnology into the Diamond Age
The Brief
The NanoPhysics group at the University of Bristol led by Professor Mervyn Miles approached Inition to supply them with a wireless CyberGlove II with CyberGrasp and CyberForce Arm system. Initition were asked to advise on and install this advanced setup to allow the University to engage in groundbreaking research in the emerging field of nanomanipulation. They required the haptics system to enable researchers to detect and control particles of interest using force feedback.
Solution
Inition provided consultancy and supplied The University of Bristol with the Cyberglove systems.
This enabled the NanoPhysics group to develop a haptics system which magnified the forces exerted by microscopic objects and fed them back to the operator via the CyberGlove. Using their dynamic holographic assembler (DHA) scientists were able to squeeze a biological cell and, by mapping the resulting force changes to larger numbers, enable the glove-wearer to feel the cell deform as they applied pressure to it.
Results
Inition is delighted to have been involved with such groundbreaking research.
The manipulation of molecules and atoms is the extension of predictions by visionaries Eric Drexler and Ralph Merkle, who asserted that atoms could be manipulated to produce materials with diamond like strength.
Learn more about how this technology is being used by Bristol University here.
Keane 3D Live: A Milestone in 3D Broadcasting
The Brief
The live 3D transmission of a performance by Keane at Abbey Road Studios to a domestic 3D television marked a major milestone in the history of 3D broadcasting and pioneered many of the 3D transmission techniques to follow.
Solution
Inition conceived the idea in 2008 and was the primary technical partner behind the project which was backed by BSkyB, Island Records and Nineteen Fifteen Productions.
Keane 3D was broadcast simultaneously to three very different mediums – The Vue’s flagship Leicester Square RealD cinema; a dedicated website where Keane fans could watch the performance in anaglyph (red/cyan) mode and over the BSkyB transmission infrastructure becoming the first ever live 3D transmission on their network.
Sky Transmission- The Keane broadcast was the first ever 3D transmission to be broadcast over the BSkyB transmission infrastructure to a domestic display. The 3D feed was transmitted as a side-by-side frame compatible signal over a high definition satellite transponder using SENSIO encoding which was linked to two Hyundai 46 inch high definition 3D TV screens. A VIP audience in Abbey Road's world-famous Studio 2 were able to watch the full live Sky transmission nearby.
3D Webcast- A separate 3D webcast was streamed over the Internet in anaglyph (red/cyan) mode. This was the world’s first ever live webcast in 3D which Keane fans around the globe could watch in 3D by wearing a pair of anaglyph glasses. The webcast later went on to become nominated for The Innovation Award at the UK Music Video Awards 2009.
Vue Cinema Showing- A live broadcast via a satellite uplink to the 3D-enabled Vue cinema in Leicester Square, using SENSIO's 3D Cinema Encoder.
The Set Up- Inition supplied five 3D rigs for the historic event – three mirror/beamsplitter rigs, and two side-by-side rigs and one MiniCam rig. Each left and right camera recorded the Keane 3D broadcast in full HD for archiving purposes.
On set was a Jib cam, PoleCam, a dolly, a 45 degree angle shot and a wide angle shot. The Inition crew monitored the live and preview feeds via several StereoBrain Processors which can output a left and right signal in a variety of 3D modes.
As access to Abbey Road Studios were very limited, Inition’s production team pre-planned every single shot using stereo pre-viz animations. This allowed the team to determine the best focal lengths, rig positions and stereoscopic effects weeks in advance.
Results
All the planning paid off and each individual transmission was a technical and creative success which was later praised by the national media.
Watch an interview with the band about their 3D performance here
Click here to read an article about the event in TVB Europe Magazine
Kelis: 3D Pop Promo: 'Scream'. Directed by Rankin.
The Brief
After collaborating with Inition on several test shoots, world famous fashion photographer Rankin chose Inition to supply the stereoscopic crew, expertise and equipment for a new pop music promo from Kelis called ‘Scream’.
It was essential that the 3D aspect did not add time to the one day/2D schedule.
Watch 'Scream' by Kelis below (anaglyph 3D glasses required):
Solution
Inition used an Element Technica Quasar rig and SI-2K 3D camera system. Element Technica's motorised alignment, excellent rigidity and precise alignment, meant less correction was required on set and in post production, ideal when time was of the essence as it was with the Kelis 'Scream' production schedule.
Brett Turnbull, DP on the shoot said: "We shot 'Scream' in 2D and 3D simultaneously using the same camera system. The whole set-up was very flexible and mobile, allowing us to experiment and see instant 3D playback on set. With an ambitious storyboard and limited shooting time, it was a real bonus that shooting in 3D actually had very little impact on the day's schedule.”
On the day of shooting, Inition supplemented the regular crew with a stereographer, rig technician and camera assistant, and supervised the post production which was completed at OnSight, ensuring that Rankin’s trademark photographic style was not comprised and actually enhanced by the stereography.
Results
- You Tube Hit- ‘Scream’ 3D by Kelis was launched as an anaglyph 3D video exclusively on video sharing website YouTube, generating over half a million hits and counting. It features an exciting combination of negative and postive parallax shots, perfectly suited for the genre of a music video.
- Inition's crew and equipment ensured the production schedule was adhered too and the director was able to fully concentrate on the creative process.
LG 3D: Europe's Largest 3D Glasses-Free In-Store Promo
The Brief
LG approached us to produce a 3D promo to showcase their new 3D smartphone’s multimedia capabilities in a way that would grab attention via LG branded in-store point-of-sale 3D displays.
Solution
Inition developed a treatment based around a 24" glasses-free 3D display and the concepts of shooting, sharing and gaming in 3D. The treatment involved parkour and acrobatic skills to demonstrate the filming capabilities of the screen in an eye-catching way. 3D graphics were developed for pop-out moments detailing the unique specifications of the phone. The production was completed entirely in-house thanks to our specialist 3D filming and post production teams. Inition also supplied 200 top-spec glasses free 'Alioscopy' displays for installation in mobile retailer outlets across Europe.
Production challanges- Inition’s production team shot the three-minute sequence with our stereoscopic Red-based 3D camera system. The Red cameras recorded the stunts at 100 frames per second, allowing the post production team to include slow motion sequences and time-manipulated Matrix-style moves.
Traditional stereoscopic films require left and a right viewpoints but as this film was to be displayed on glasses free lenticular screens, 8 unique viewpoints were required due to the way these displays work.
Watch this video about the production processs:
Results
Filming with 8 individual cameras wasn't practical (!) so Inition’s developed a novel workflow using a combination of high-end post production tools such as Nuke, Ocula, SpeedGrade and 3D Studio Max. The end result was a film that featured 8 virtual viewpoints as if it were shot with 8 unique cameras. Inition were delighted to work on the project which drew on our full range of 3D expertise from technical consultancy and hardware supply, to live-action stereoscopic production, CGI and post.
Live 3D Transmissions : Six Nations Rugby Live in 3D for O2
The Brief
40 cinemas across the country screened England’s home RBS Six Nations games live in 3-D. Archibald Ingall Stretton commissioned 3D specialists Inition to produce the matches which became the largest ever UK sports event to be broadcast live in 3D.
Solution
Using the latest 3D camera technology, the matches were captured from seven camera positions providing a comprehensive view of the game which included replays, match statistics and on-screen graphics. Inition worked with outside broadcast experts SIS Live and used 3D 'Quasar' rigs from Element Technica for the shoot. Broadcast graphics specialists Wurmsers creating bespoke stereoscopic graphics for the game.
The BBC is the UK TV rights holder for the 6 Nations – played between England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy – and assisted Inition in the broadcast. Inition has worked on a number of 3D productions from football and ice hockey to track and music events. Inition were also the 3D experts behind the 3D transmissions of England’s clash with Scotland at Murrayfield, in 2008, as part of a 3D test for the BBC.
Results
Forty Odeon and Cineworld cinemas screened the matches, beginning with England’s official centenary game, against Wales on February 6, as part of a deal with O2, the England sponsor. The match against Ireland on February 27 was also screened live in 3-D.
Read TVB Europe's inside story on the project here
Remote Avatar: Gadget Show Virtual Pesenter Challenge
The Brief
The producers of North One Television approached 3D creative services company Inition, asking us to provide the technical expertise for an ambitious 'virtual presenter' challenge.
Solution
Inition helped presenter Suzi Perry to win the ‘virtual presenter’ challenge (Season 15, Episode 4) in which she and Jon were invited to find the best way to present the show without actually being in the studio. Whilst Jon commissioned an android version of himself and placed it in the studio to take his place, Suzi came to Inition to make use of our motion capture technology.
Based on real-time 3D animation software Autodest MotionBuilder, LILA is Inition’s markerless motion capture solution which can provide show stopping interactive installations for brands, exhibitions, tours and marketing agencies.
Using LILA, Inition were able to capture the motion of Suzi in London and transmit this data to Birmingham to drive an avatar which was composited in the Gadget Show studio, all in real time.
Without any calibration required, Suzi stepped into the holo-deck style cube at Inition’s London studios where her silhouette was tracked by 14 x2D cameras. No markers or any special clothing were required. The vision processor software calculated a 3D mesh of her body from these views and a digital skeleton was applied using the Organic Motion plugin.
The frame-by-frame motion co-ordinates from the data were transmitted to the MotionBuilder system at North One TV studios via a special driver which then applied Suzi’s features- including clothes, hair, skin tones etc. The avatar of Suzi was composited into the studios of The Gadget Show next to the real co-presenter Otis and the android version of Jason Bradbury.
Suzi’s avatar character included full face expressions and mouth shapes driven by her voice, fed through LILA’s voice recognition software. The composited footage was sent back to Inition’s Shoreditch studios via Skype which Suzi could monitor on a screen, seeing exactly what the public would see.
Results
This project posed several challenges, not least because of the processing power required to deliver the avatar in real time. This was the first time a motion capture system had been used to drive another avatar over the Internet. By chosing to approach Inition for help, Suzi beat Jason's android by 16 points to just 12.
Based on the success of this project, North One Television decided to invite Inition to help create fun and innovative crowd games to be played at Gadget Show Live, a consumer event based on the television show. Read more about this here.
The LILA motion capture is a complete attention grabbing solution which is available for events, promotions and exhibitions. As well as hire of the LILA system itself, Inition also provide a complete production service with the hardware, software, and creative design of the characters, environments and interactions.