NAB: New Disney Short Signals Potential for 3D, High Dynamic Range, High Frame Rates

[dfergie]

Signaling a step toward the potential for "computational cinematography," Disney is producing an inventive short titled Make Believe that will debut in an unfinished form at the NAB Show, which begins April 5 in Las Vegas.
The short—lensed last summer in Berlin—was a test for a concept “trifocal” camera system that Germany’s research organization Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute is developing in association with Walt Disney Animation Studios Research and camera maker ARRI.


hollywoodreporter.com

 

[navychop]

I can't really see what, or how, 3 cameras bring to the table.

 

[mike123abc]

I can't really see what, or how, 3 cameras bring to the table.

I believe the theory is that the scenes are really shot in 2D using the main camera. The other 2 cameras are offset so a computer can compare the images and calculate all the distances for post processing 3D. 3D is simulated by computer. The advantage is that when they want to put in CGI and other elements it is a lot simpler since they can add them to the 2D image then the computer can make it 3D without having to worry about getting all the elements lined up properly if shooting in 3D to start with.

 

[TheForce]

That is correct. In normal 2D to 3D conversion the depth map is manually set by an artist / editor based on his understanding of the scene. It is a long and painstaking process. Having the two additional small cameras can set all the data for the depth map that will be used to position all the larger high res image elements ion 3D space automatically streamlining the process of creating the dependent right eye view. The main arri camera is the master view. The main advantage of this is to make the FILM rig smaller so it can be put into more and tighter spaces. While RED 3D rigs are smaller and getting even smaller, many film makers continue to want to shoot on film which is a bulky camera rig. Besides, using 2D to 3D also gives more control over the 3D problems the illusion of stereo in post as opposed to errors in the shoot those of us who shoot 3D often discover later such as scenes that are a struggle for some people to watch.