Inition provided the 3D expertise for TIGI Bed Head's Global Launch Event in Las Vegas, supervising the 3D shoot, providing 3D filming equipment and overseeing the projection and playback at the event.
The project was produced by 16oz, a London-based production company and consisted of over 30 minutes of high-definition 3D. Inition worked closely with 16oz on all aspects of the 3D and produced 5 minutes of computer generated content as part of the film.3D Rugby wins MAA Best Award 2011
The O2 3D Rugby broadcast produced by Inition has won the Marketing Agencies Association award fo
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Ford C-MAX Campaign: AR with Gestural Interface
The Ford C-MAX augmented reality campaign ran for two weeks across ten shopping malls with over 125,000 curious shoppers interacting with Ford’s Grand C-MAX vehicle. A selection of on-screen icons allowed participants to explore various features of the car including 'Door Slide', 'Seating', 'Power Tail' and 'Spin' with a 'Minority Report' style gesture-controlled interface.
The Brief
The brief from Ford demanded us to track users in the most natural way possible to allow them to 'play' with an interactive product advert. No markers or other symbols could be relied on. It also had to ignore people walking past while allowing precise control and selection from the interface.
FORD C-max DOOH AR campaign from Inition on Vimeo.
Solution
Inition were approached by digital production company Grand Visual who asked if this was possible and thanks to our recent distribution agreement for the Panasonic D-Imager (a Microsoft Kinect-like depth or Z camera) we provided a simple proof-of-concept demo within one day which secured the project.
Over the next few weeks, our in house team of C++ developers developed an application based on OpenFrameWorks and OpenCV SDKs to code the real-time sensing and video display engine. A sophisticated blob tracking and depth thresholding algorithm sensed the participant's hands allowing the car to follow the user's movements. A flocking algorithm gave a fluid, graceful movement around the screen with the optimum amount of 'bounce'. Full HD resolution, portrait graphics, webcam capture, depth and video camera aspect matching and alignment, gestural user interface, interaction logging for usage analysis and hardware fault tolerance were added before going live.
Fine Tuning and Feedback at Every Stage- An important part of the project was the ability to "fine tune" and "play" with all the control parameters via an on-screen interface. On-screen debugging and depth camera modes allowed us to optimise every aspect of the interaction experience. Our development team provided regular “work in progress” videos and executable versions for the client allowing feedback to be incorporated at every stage.
Inition were present for repeated on-site testing with JCDecaux prior to deployment to ensure the software could cope with the rigours of the real-world environment. Issues included reflection scatter from glass shop windows which were tackled with temporal and contrast filtering of the depth image.
Results
- Across ten shopping malls 125,000 customers interacted with Ford's Grand C-MAX vehicle.
- Check out the video to see the installation in action!
Keane 'Spiralling' Promo: Moving 3D Scan of Tom Chaplin
Inition provided rock band Keane with depth information of front man Tom Chaplin singing to add a new dimension to their new music video, Spiralling.
The Brief
We were approached by Andras Ketzer, the video's director, with a request to record a singing head, extract Z-depth and colour information and provide 3D data giving him the ability to manipulate the head in a 3D modelling program.
Solution and Results
Keane's lead singer Tom Chaplin was filmed using our 2K stereoscopic filming system, based on Silicon Imaging cameras (3DVidRig-SI), with a pattern projected on the singer to help with the depth-extraction algorithms. We then used Inition's 3D conversion facility, to generate a Z-depth image at 25 frames per second and After smoothing, the z-depth images were used as a displacement map to create 3D geometry.
We provided 3D data as a sequence of greyscale heightmap images (z-depth). This gave the director the ability to render his animated head from any angle at any point in time making a very unique memorable music video.
Check out the render of the depth map video that we delivered to the post-production house.
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