ENTERTAINMENTENGINEERING TE C H N OLOG Y | C R E AT I V IT Y | F U N
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AUDIO CONSOLE Matrix2 provides production flexibility
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PRINT YOUR OWN BATTLESHIP Customize and print battleship replicas
Publishers/Editors:
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MICROPHONES FOR THEATER Miniature microphones enhance audience experience
Volume 10 Issue 11
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MOTION CAPTURE SYSTEMS Exclusive interview with animation experts
Editorial Board:
Terry Persun | 360-379-6885 E: terry@entertainmentengineering.com Bruce Wiebusch | 440-503-3013 E: bruce@entertainmentengineering.com
Greg Hale, VP Advanced Technology Disney Parks and Resorts Kevin Russelburg, Sr. Project Engineer, ITW Pancon John Lewis, Sr. Writer, Cognex Corp.
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Vice President, Media Solutions & Sales markw@entertainmentengineering.com
Verv Creative | www.vervcreative.com Dan Cook, Ph.D.,
Program Coordinator, Entertainment Engineering and Design, UNLV
Joe Gillard, Gerald Braude, S. Korobeinik Richard Mandel, Mark Persun
Mark Wiebusch | 440-835-9733
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MATRIX AUDIO CONSOLE 2
The Solid State Logic (SSL) Matrix console is a hybrid production platform. Its combination of SSL analogue summing, streamlined integration of boutique analogue outboard mic pre’s, and processing (via its software controlled analog patch system) and advanced DAW control surface, Matrix provides production power and flexibility to its users.
One of the key features of Matrix is its integrated software controlled patching of analog channel inserts, which has been upgraded in Matrix2. Hardware device inserts can now be loaded directly from the console hardware controls. Previously this was done only via the remote browser software, with an intuitive new interface that facilitates loading individual processors, A/B comparison of different processors, and building processor chains. The Matrix remote browser software has also been re-designed to provide a new ‘drag and drop’ style interface for loading processors and building chains. 4
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Powerful features are added to the latest version of the Matrix2 Audio Console.
A powerful ‘Fader Linking’ system has been added to the console, which allows two or more faders to be grouped, to facilitate stereo or 5.1 channel control or subgroup style mixing. The A-FADA (Analog Fader Accesses DAW Automation) summing system used in Duality, AWS and the new SSL Sigma rack has been introduced to enable the analog faders of Matrix2 to be driven by automation data from a user’s DAW. A-FADA enables channel automation to be performed entirely in the analog signal path but with the advantages of DAW automation data editing. The addition of A-FADA to Matrix2 facilitates project portability between different SSL products. The previously optional 5.1 output card will now be included as standard pre-fitted in all units. A collection of other features have also been added including ‘partial TR setup save and import,’ which allows selected parts of the console setup to be saved and imported as setup templates; new Preset insert matrix ‘scenes’; Preset insert naming tools; “automatic dB readout” for Pro Tools users, allowing the scribble strip to automatically display fader values upon touch; modifier key ‘press and hold’ functionality for Cubase/Nuendo users; and new DAW templates for Presonus Studio One and Ableton Live!
For More Information Click Below: Solid State Logic Home > Solid State Logic Audio >
The best broadcast quality mini converters now in both regular and heavy duty models! 3 Gb/s SDI Technology
The world’s most popular converters are now available in two families, for the studio or heavy duty for live outside broadcast! The new heavy duty models are machined from solid aluminum so they look beautiful and are super tough! There are 14 models including HDMI, analog, optical fiber, audio embedding/de-embedding and up, down, cross conversion. Mini Converters are even available as OpenGear cards for when you need a rack mount solution.
Mini Converters include the latest 3 Gb/s SDI technology, so you’re always future proofed! 3 Gb/s SDI is also fully compatible with all your existing standard definition and high definition SDI equipment. Broadcast Quality Mini Converters are built to the highest quality standards with low SDI jitter, so you get the longest SDI cable lengths combined with ultra low noise broadcast quality analog video and audio.
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Redundant SDI Input Mini Converters feature a redundant input and loop through SDI output. Connect a redundant SDI cable to the second input, and if the main SDI input is lost, Mini Converters will automatically switch over in an instant. That’s great for mission critical tasks such as live events. Pro Analog and AES/EBU Audio Standard 1/4 inch jacks are included for professional balanced audio that switches between AES/EBU or analog. Unlike other converters you don’t need expensive custom audio cables so you’ll save thousands of dollars!
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Mini Converter Optical Fiber
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Mini Converter UpDownCross
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Learn more today at www.blackmagicdesign.com/miniconverters
PRINT YOUR OWN
3D BATTLESHIP REPLICAS Fans Customize and Print 3D replicas from Summit Entertainment’s ENDER’S GAME with App from Sandboxr Sandboxr (Salt Lake City, Utah) developed a 3D print creation app for Summit Entertainment’s ENDER’S GAME. Fans can create and bring home exclusive replica battleships from the recently released film generated by cutting-edge three-dimensional printing technology. Fans will be able to check out the ENDER’S GAME 3D printing experience at Sandboxr’s website. Nancy Kirkpatrick, Summit’s President of Worldwide Marketing, said, “This is the first 3D experience of this type to coincide with a major cinematic movie release, and Summit is excited to work with Sandboxr to offer this amazing experience and great new technology to our ENDER’S GAME fans.” At Sandboxr.com, fans of ENDER’S GAME will be able to enjoy an interactive product experience that extends their engagement with the film and that they can access from their computer. Fans can choose from a selection of CG images from the movie studio file archives and bring home their own ENDER’S
GAME 3D printed spacecraft and accessories. “With an experience as sophisticated as Sandboxr’s, the challenge is to make it easy to use by the average guy or girl. 3D experiences are typically exclusive to tech savvy makers and designers. However, we’ve worked hard to make a 3D printing experience that is accessible in a meaningful way to everyone. Bringing 3D design and print technology into the hands of the ENDER’S GAME fans is a thrilling opportunity for us at Sandboxr,” says Berkley Frei, Sandboxr CEO.
About ENDER’S GAME
Directed by Gavin Hood, ENDER’S GAME takes place in the near future, when a hostile alien race called the Formics have attacked Earth. If not for the legendary heroics of International Fleet Commander Mazer Rackham (Ben Kingsley), all would have been lost. In preparation for the next attack, the highly esteemed Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) and the International Military are training only the best young minds to find the future Mazer. Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a shy but strategically brilliant boy, is recruited to join the elite. Arriving at Battle School, Ender quickly and easily masters increasingly difficult challenges and simulations, distinguishing himself and winning respect amongst his peers. Ender is soon ordained by Graff as the military’s next great hope, resulting in his promotion to Command School. Once there, he’s trained by Mazer Rackham himself to lead his fellow soldiers into an epic battle that will determine the future of Earth and save the human race. ENDER’S GAME opened in theaters and IMAX October 31, 2013.
For More Information Click Below: Sandboxr >
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Lionsgate >
DPA MICROPHONES IN CINDERELLA’S FAIRY GODMOTHER Miniature Microphones Worn By Performers Enhance Audience Experience The best Broadway musicals transport audience members into the world of the show, making it as real to them as the neon lights and towering buildings of nearby Times Square. To achieve this, staffers of the new Broadway production of Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella need very small microphones, worn by the cast to eliminate the distraction caused by bulky equipment. After com-
the original show with a modern take on classic theatrical elements, such as impromptu costume changes directly on set. Maintaining this unique atmosphere is critical to the overall impression of the show, which is why Cinderella Sound Designer Nevin Steinberg chose to outfit the cast with 30 DPA 4061 Omnidirectional Miniature wireless microphones.
paring options, the production team decided on DPA Microphones’ Miniature for the most effective solution. The miniature microphones provide a transparent sound for the show’s cast and orchestra; their compact size keeps them hidden from the audience, allowing spectators to enjoy the show without being distracted. This latest production of Cinderella, now playing at the Broadway Theatre, is based on a new book, written by Douglas Carter Beane. It incorporates the music of
Steinberg felt the small, but effective microphones would help him create the intimate sound he sought for Cinderella, even in a large theatrical venue like the Broadway Theatre. Their discreet, unobtrusive packaging allows them to be hidden within the actors’ hair, wigs, or hats, providing excellent sound reproduction without being seen. “In live theater, you want the audience to feel immersed in the production and not have them focused on the quality of the audio or where the amplification is www.entertainmentengineering.com
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coming from,” explains Steinberg. “The miniature, wireless microphones can be hidden within the costumes and hair, as close to the source as possible.” In the production, the transformation of Cinderella, played by Laura Osnes, from servant to belle of the ball, is performed directly on stage. As audiences are regaled with the literal change of rags to riches, Steinberg is assured that Osnes’ lapel microphone will stay where it belongs. “I can put them where they need to go, they remain in place, and will sound the way I want them to sound.” In addition to using the 4061s for the cast, Steinberg has equipped the orchestra with a variety of DPA’s 4021 Compact Cardioid, 4011 Cardioid and 4006 Omnidirectional microphones. As with the cast, Steinberg’s goal for the orchestra was to keep the amplification as transparent as possible, creating the illusion that the sound from the instruments is all encompass-
ing. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella was originally written for television, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Based on the classic Cinderella fairytale, the plot follows the original “ragsto-riches” story. But this latest adaptation draws a parallel between the fairytale and modern political and social issues. Steinberg has been in the audio industry for nearly 20 years, and has been nominated for six Tony Awards, including for his most recent work with Cinderella. He began his career as a front-of-house engineer, later founding a sound design company with colleagues. He is also a consultant for Carnegie Hall.
For More Information Click Below: Cinderella on Broadway home > DPA Microphones home >
MOTION CAPTURE SYSTEMS DEVELOPED OVER MANY MOVIES
Dejan Momcilovic, Motion Capture Supervisor, and David Clayton Animation Supervisor at Weta Digital, discuss LEDs, cameras, software, and motion-capture systems used for Hobbit, Return of the Planet of the Apes, Avatar, King Kong, and other movies. Following is an exclusive interview with Motion Capture Supervisor Dejan Momcilovic and Animation Supervisor David Clayton from Weta Digital who worked on The Hobbit movies. They provide a differ-
ent perspective on how the captured data is used by animators. EE: The portable camera rig from Rise of the Planet of the Apes (ROPA) brings performance- and motion-capture to outdoor environments and live action. Did going mobile involve changes in the camera system? WD: Weta Digital has developed an active marker system for a big-scale outdoor capture. A big obstacle
in developing this system was dealing with set lights, sunlight and its reflections on the cars and environment. We experimented with a few approaches, but settled on high-powered LED markers that could punch through the competing light sources. The markers were placed on the actor’s body and synchronized with the camera shutter to maximize the marker contrast. In order to get proper coverage we used
cameras that were carefully hidden on set and complemented them with cameras that were mounted to mobile towers. The cameras were paired and each pair was able to calibrate and reconstruct the markers in 3D. A number www.entertainmentengineering.com
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“AN OUTDOOR SHOOT OF THIS SCALE WAS NEVER ATTEMPTED BEFORE SO THIS TECHNOLOGY WAS PURPOSEBUILT FOR RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES.” of tools were developed to clean up the data and support the grouped calibrations. We also developed a new software that allowed us to more easily adjust for the movement of each pair quickly as we were often having to rush quickly from one setup to the other and calibrate before the next take or setup. The reconstruction of the data capture is an optimization problem where rays are bundled and the intersection is calculated such that the re-projection error of the marker in 3D is minimized on each camera. EE: What supporting software did Weta Digital develop? What does it do? How does it fit into the new production pipeline? Can it be used elsewhere? WD: The focus of Weta Digital’s software development for this type of motion capture is focused mainly on optimizing and processing the data that is captured. Our emphasis has been on clean-up tools to remove the noise created by the very strong ambient lighting and various calibration tools. Most of the hardware was developed specially for these new requirements, so there isn’t a lot of time spend developing software on the capture side. We have a pretty good idea what we need from the hardware at this stage and we work with great partners to design and test the gear. An outdoor shoot of this scale was never attempted before so this technology was purpose-built for Rise of the Planet of the Apes. This is the case for many of the research and development projects at Weta; the script tends to tell us where we need to go. However, we do focus on understanding the fundamental nature of the problem we are trying to solve so that new developments build on each other with each subsequent film. Could the developments on this system be useful on other projects, perhaps like underwater motion capture? We’ll have to see when we get there. 10
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EE: LEDs are used on actors’ faces. Do LEDs each have their own power supply? How does the camera distinguish light from motion-capture LEDs with other light sources? WD: The LED markers were only required for the body motion capture. For the facial capture, the actors were wearing helmet-mounted cameras that were controlled and monitored wirelessly. Instead of LED light, the camera tracks a series of dots that are placed directly on the actor’s face. The dots were painted with either white or green depending on the environment and lighting situation. The dots are carefully applied in the same location each day through the use of a plastic mask that fits over the actor’s face with pre-cut holes for the location of the dots. The dots are applied to key tracking locations on the face that can be used to monitor the movement of core muscle groups and processed using our FACS solver. EE: Was basically the same camera system used for shooting The Hobbit? WD: Onset work on The Hobbit was performed in a very similar way to how we handled Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The onset setup and the majority of the hardware and basic systems were the same. The difference was in how we processed the data. For The Hobbit we were able to process the data coming through the system in realtime and were able to visualize this data directly over the film camera. In this way, Peter Jackson was able to get a fairly accurate view of where the CG character would sit in the shot and he could make framing decisions in the moment. This workflow was helpful with the Gollum sequence, but really paid off when we were motion capturing the Trollshaw sequence. Being able to provide the director with a proper sense of scale for the trolls was a huge advantage. The massive size of the trolls could have proven quite difficult to frame without this ability to properly represent the size in camera.
For More Information Click Below: Movie Trailer on YouTube > Weta Digital > Video 1 > Video 2 >