MIPCOM GLOBAL 3D SPOTLIGHT

OCTOBER 2011

mipcom

®

www.mipcom.com An official MIPCOM magazine

global 3d spotlight Sony corporation

Akira Shimazu on the development of the 3D market See page 4

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Tennis in 3d?

You cannot be serious !

See page 6

Also inside:

• The 3net 3D channel • Events filmed in 3D • Is Dr Who going 3D? • RealD’s 3D glasses for Disney’s Lion King • And more ...

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4K is just the beginning While others claim to be 4K ready, Sony is already there. We continue to drive the industry with thousands of projection systems installed worldwide, delivering stunning 4K imagery and captivating, lifelike 3D. But that is just the beginning. Sony is also a leader in the deployment of turnkey international VPF programs with flexible financing.

Added to which, we provide digital signage solutions for concessions, box office and lobbies, plus exciting alternative content, digital surveillance and a sophisticated NOC to monitor your systems. All of which is backed with global support.

When it comes to investing in the future of exhibition, all eyes are on Sony 4K. www.pro.sony.eu/dcinema

OCTOBER 2011

contents mipcom

®

www.mipcom.com An official MIPCOM magazine

global 3d spotlight Sony corporation

Akira Shimazu on the development of the 3D market See page 4

tenniS in 3d?

You cannot be serious !

See page 6

Also inside:

• The 3net 3D channel • Events filmed in 3D • Is Dr Who going 3D? • RealD’s 3D glasses for Disney’s Lion King • And more ...

i intervieWs

Akira Shimazu, head of the 3D & BD project management division Sony Corporation, on the growth of 3D 4 David Bush Sony Professional Europe marketing director on Wimbledon, and other sports transmissions in 3D 6

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i invision Storm Surfers 3D

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mipcom global 3d spotlight ®

The official MIPCOM magazine October 2011 Director of Publications Paul Zilk EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor in Chief Julian Newby Deputy Editor Debbie Lincoln Sub Editor Clive Bull Technical Editor in Chief Herve Traisnel Deputy Technical Editor in Chief Frederic Beauseigneur Graphic Designer Carole Peres Proof Reader Debbie Lincoln Contributing Editor Chris Forrester Editorial Management Boutique Editions PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT Content Director Jean-Marc Andre Publications Production and Development Manager Martin Screpel Publishing Product Manager Chealsy Choquette Publishing Co-ordinators Emilie Lambert, Amrane Lamiri, David Le Chapelain Productions Assistant Veronica Pirim Production Assistant, Cannes Office Eric Laurent Printer Riccobono Imprimeurs, Le Muy (France) Management, Marketing & Sales Team Director of the Entertainment Division Anne de Kerckhove Director of the Television Division Laurine Garaude Director of Digital Media Ted Baracos Sales Director Sabine Chemaly Marketing Director Stephane Gambetta Programme Director Tania Dugaro Managing Director (UK / Australia / New Zealand) Peter Rhodes OBE Sales Manager Elizabeth Delaney Vice President Sales and Business Development, Americas Robert Marking Vice President Business Development, North America JP Bommel Executive Sales Director, North America MJ Sorenson Sales Executive Panayiota Pagoulatos Sales Managers Paul Barbaro, Nathalie Gastone International Sales Manager Fabienne Germond Sales Executives Liliane Dacruz, Cyril Szczerbakow Sales Manager Samira Haddi Digital Media Sales Manager Nancy Denole Australia and New Zealand Representative Natalie Apostolou China Representative Anke Redl CIS Representative Alexandra Modestova English Speaking Africa Representative Arnaud de Nanteuil India Representative Anil Wanvari Israel Representative Guy Martinovsky Japan Representative Lily Ono Latin America Representative Elisa Aquino Middle-East Representative Bassil Hajjar Poland Representative Monika Bednarek South Korea Representative Sunny Kim Taiwan Representative Irene Liu Germany Representative (Digital Media Sector) Renate Radke Adam Published by Reed MIDEM, BP 572, 11 rue du Colonel Pierre Avia, 75726 Paris Cedex 15, France. Contents © 2011, Reed MIDEM Market Publications.

Publication registered 3rd quarter 2011. ISSN 2104-2179. Printed on 100% recycled paper

i focus

“We just want good 3D” For 3DTV to become mass-market, 3DTV channels are a must, and 3net is a pioneer in the field

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“We’re positive about 3D” 14 While parts of the industry, the public, and the creative community are still working out whether or not 3D is for them, BSkyB’s John Cassy says his mind is made up is Dr Who moving into the third dimension?

16 The pace is picking up in the rush to mass-market 3DTV — and now even time traveller Dr Who is putting the pressure on Making an event of 3D 18 A 3D presentation can make a big event into an even bigger one, as Sony’s David Mcintosh explains Feel the love tonight, in 3D One of RealD’s latest 3D partnerships is with Disney, is provide of glasses for the 3D presentation of The Lion King

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3D has come a long way 22 Where has 3D technology got to? And how much further does it have to go before filming in 3D becomes second nature?

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i intervieW SONY CORPORATIOn

Turning 3D into a viable business Akira Shimazu is head of the 3D & BD project management division, Sony Corporation, Japan. He spoke to Julian Newby about the ongoing development of the 3D market

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HAT has been standing in the way of consumer uptake of 3DTV? The short answer is the prohibitive price of 3DTV sets, and a lack of content to watch on them. But all that is changing.

Sony’s Akira Shimazu says that with most large-screen TVs today, 3D capability is becoming a mandatory feature and prices are coming down. And there are other ways to watch 3D, for example head-mounted displays — small monitors for personal 3D viewing or gaming — and high-quality 3D projectors for home theatre. “Our figures show that of all TVs sold this year, 10% were 3DTV sets, and that figure will be up to 20% next year. In the case of large screen TVs, the figure is already 50%.”

So why are people buying? According to a Sony customer survey, 3D capability is the second-most desired feature after picture quality. “Which means people are serious about wanting 3D functionality and aren’t just concerned with having a future-proof television.”

The rapid digitisation of cinemas around the world and the huge popularity of a number of 3D releases — from Avatar to Transformers 3 — has also been a factor.

“People have had good 3D experiences in the cinema and so they want that at home too,” Shimazu says. “The number of Blu-ray 3D titles on the market is another reason why customers are thinking seriously about buying 3D-enabled televisions.”

And then there’s the content: what’s available and what are people looking for? “We can identify four content categories that are in demand and play well in 3D: sports, movies, 3D games, and nature and documentary,” Shimazu says. “Next year the Olympics will be broadcast in 3D; last year we worked on the 3D broadcasts of the FIFA World Cup followed by the UEFA Champions League; we are sponsoring ESPN 3D which regularly broadcasts American football in 3D; and we have established the 3net 3D channel with Discovery and IMAX. Sport in 3D is already popular with people who have access to 3D. We expect many broadcasters worldwide to pick up on this — that is a trend we predict for the near future.”

The Global 3D Spotlight initiative in Cannes is a 4I

Sony’s Akira Shimazu

“People have had good 3D experiences in the cinema and so they want that at home too” Akira Shimazu follow-on from Sony’s efforts to establish a forum on the subject at MIPTV in April of this year. And this time around at MIPCOM, Shimazu says there will be more content on show. “We will be showing content that has already been successfully broadcast around the world; and, through a line-up of excellent speakers we will start to discuss how to turn 3D broadcasting into a business,” he says. “So we will show how production costs can be reduced, and we will also be talking about 3D advertising. The aim is to help 3D broadcasters to speed up the process of making 3DTV a viable business proposition.”

And this time, Shimazu says, it won’t be all talk as at MIPCOM Sony will also be able to show delegates the best 3D images — this courtesy of a massive 4K 3D projector that has been specially installed in the Palais for the occasion. MIPCOM delegates may never again want to return to the second dimension.

3D BY NUMBERS By 2014, 18% of all computer tablets will be 3D-capable, while almost 30% of all handheld games consoles will be in 3D by 2015, according to In-Stat • In-Stat also predicts more than 100 3D channels worldwide available in 300 million-plus households by 2015 • 3D-capable flat-panel TV sets will account for 50% of the world’s total revenues from TV devices by 2014, representing 100 million units globally, according to a study

by DisplaySearch • PricewaterhouseCoopers forecasts that 28% of European homes and 29% of US household will have 3D-ready TV sets by 2015

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Shooting the 2010 FIFA World Cup in 3D

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i intervieW wimbledon

© AELTC/Pro Sport

3D tennis? You The Nadal vs Djokovic Wimbledon final was shown in 3D in 200 cinemas around the world

“I think possibly the hype around 3D has calmed down a lot” David Bush, Sony Professional

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cannot be serious!

Sony, the BBC and the Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis Club collaborated on the first live broadcast of the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final, July 8, 2011. Sony Professional Europe marketing director David Bush told Julian Newby to expect more next year

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hat was the extent of the 3D broadcasts of Wimbledon this year?

We ended our full production trials in May, and that included a four-day trial on centre court. Then of course we did the tournament itself, at the end of June and the beginning of July. In the end we did three full days of coverage from centre court and that went live to 10 broadcasters globally, including the BBC. It was their first-ever live 3D transmission, and it went into nearly 200 cinemas in 22 countries as well, also live. So that’s where we got to in year one. Now we’re talking about what we do next year — what we do in cinema, what we do over broadcast. It seems there’s an even bigger broadcast appetite for next year having seen the results of year one and.

What was the feedback like?

We’re still gathering information from all territories — but the biggest uptake by some distance was for the Men’s Final on Sunday which probably won’t surprise you. So we think to quite a large extent, that it’s all about the big events. But I think most importantly, the best result for us was really not so much about the numbers, but the qualitative feedback we got from people who saw the result.

Did it really add anything being in 3D? Was it a different experience that they would tell their friends about and come back for more? In those terms the feedback was really strong, so that’s given us — and more importantly the cinema chains — the confidence to go for it again in year two, and to put some marketing in place earlier than we did this year to drive audiences. We’re not sure yet, but we may focus it just around the men’s final for year two but that’s an ongoing consideration. www.mipcom.com I Global 3D Spotlight I October 2011 I 7

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i intervieW

3D tennis? You cannot be serious!

What are the factors that can affect the cinema attendance?

We had a clash with the launch of the Transformers: Dark Of The Moon 3D film. Now you might think there’s not a shared audience between 3D transformers and the tennis, but of course it’s just about getting the screen space on a weekend when the cinemas are launching a big Hollywood blockbuster. The players that make the final obviously make an impact as well. Part of the feedback we got was that by going across more days, we would probably split an audience to some extent — that is, a lot of the people that did come had kind of made their mind up to come to one of the events and they’re unlikely to come back and watch it every day. But in choosing one event, most of them chose the men’s final, partly because of who was in it (Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic) but also it being Sunday afternoon seems to have been more convenient for a lot of cinemagoers.

Who are the partners?

Sony actually led on the production so we took all the responsibility to provide all the 3D production. We didn’t deliver that alone, we did that with some key production partners which included [HD and 3D sports production company] Can Communicate who we’d worked with on a number of other projects; the BBC was the host broadcaster for the HD transmission; and Visions provided the OB truck facilities. So there were some key partners, but we actually took overall responsibility for that production, and delivered that to Wimbledon. They delivered that to their broadcast rights holders, those that were interested to take the 3D feed — which turned out to be 10 companies. As a part of the partnership, Sony had the rights to cinema distribution, so we completely managed the cinema distribution as well.

The BBC, as the host broadcaster, was very helpful in providing commentators for the 3D programming. And we used some of the 2D camera positions from the 2D production, and converted those to 3D. So there was quite a lot of cross-pollination between the 2D and the 3D production.

to some recommended standards. But to an extent it’s still work in progress, although there are more and more guideline documents that are being created as a result of things like the World Cup. Sky has produced guidelines for it’s own use, but there is a lot of collaboration going on to share those guidelines and I think as an industry everybody is still learning about how to film the best 3D. Organisations like the EBU and SMPTE (Society Of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) which are really in the business of producing industry standards documents are now formally taking those guidelines that have emerged from real-life projects and are creating from them, actual industry standards that can be complied with.

Sony Professional Europe marketing director David Bush

What are your views now on uptake and consumer acceptance of 3D? I think possibly the hype around 3D has calmed down a lot, that’s sensed not only in the consumer world but the professional world as well. I think people have got much more realistic understanding of how fast 3D is going to develop, where we feel it’s going is that wherever 3D is done, in a good quality way, it really is adding something, and audiences are feeding back that it adds something, I think it’s going to be a slower burn than was being projected a year ago. But it is a momentum that is still really strong and broadcasters and production houses are investing more and more in developing better skills and better technologies to produce 3D in a different way. I think the appetite among consumers for 3D is for good 3D, where it feels gratuitous and it doesn’t enhance the experience I don’t think it has much of a shelf life. But the best 3D isn’t about that; it does add something to the storytelling and to the experience. So we still have a lot of belief that it will have a long-term benefit for the viewer.

Rafael Nadal in 3D action

You converted from 2D to 3D live?

Yes. Part of the challenge of Wimbledon is that it’s not as big a Wembley so there’s quite a restricted opportunity for additional cameras. We ended up with six key full-3D positions, but then we also did take a number of 2D shots and convert those — things like the beauty shot from the top of the stadium, the players coming out, the trophy presentations — not the core production or game shots, they were all pretty much using native 3D positions.

Where is 3D as far as accepted industry standards are concerned?

In terms of formalised standards it’s still early days, but there has been a paper published by the EBU, that points 8I

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GOLF IN 3D “A BALL in the air, whether in 2D or 3D is not a particularly rich shot, so 3D was not adding a lot to that particular shot. Where it really added something was either the close-up of the player on the tee — there’s certainly something a bit richer about seeing a close-up swing in 3D — but the really big standout benefit was the contours of the course itself, particularly the putting green. So it’s interesting, with every new sport there are different elements where 3D is really an advantage to the viewer. And it is not always the obvious action shots, it can sometimes be something quite surprising.”

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invision Storm Surfers 3D follows the story of veteran big-wave surfers Ross ClarkeJones and two-time surfing world champion Tom Carroll as they work with surf forecaster Ben Matson to track massive weather systems and surf some of the biggest waves on the planet

Storm Surfers 3D

LĂŠgende photo picture caption

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the perfect storm THE STORM Surfers 3D feature film has involved a number of key 3D equipment manufacturers, including Sony. The film’s financiers include a number of sponsors from the surfing world, who are connected via the sponsorship deals with the professional surfers featured. Other supporters and investors include ScreenNSW, post-production facility Deluxe Australia, the NSW Digital Media Initiative, which is providing a lot of the new-media funding, surfer clothing firm Quiksilver, and Sky3D.

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i feature 3net

“We just want good 3D” For 3DTV to become mass-market, 3DTV channels are a must, and 3net is a pioneer in the field. Chris Forrester tracks its development

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NET is a unique 3D channel broadcasting to cameras then extra time has to be allowed for in post propotentially millions of homes across the US. duction. But as skills grow we are finding that Episode Backed by Sony, Discovery and IMAX, the 2 of a shoot is a much easier task than Episode 1, and channel showcases of 3D material drawn from its Episode 3 is easier again. I am very bullish on the future.”

To date the channel has tended to three backers, and increasingly focus on the material that its three commissioned by the channel. backers are best known for, includ3net launched on Februar y 13 ing travelogues and natural history. this year and president/CEO Tom “We are at the But it is also now showing plenty of Cosgrove says he is delighted with same point we sport. On September 25 it launched the progress being made for the 24/7 were a few years its first kids 3D programming block channel. “We’re carrying an increasback when HDTV with the world premiere of the alling number of brand new shows, new new animated 3D series Bolts & Blip to US audiences as well as to the chanlaunched” and Dream Defenders in a primenel,“ he says. Shows like Bullproof, a Tom Cosgrove, time special presentation. More masportumentary which takes viewers 3Net terial arrived for kids in the shape of into the crazy world of rodeo and exits 3net Three Dee Kids segment on treme man-vs-beast encounters, all shot in native 3D and which, says Cosgrove, “gives a sense Saturdays and Sundays. “It further underscores 3net’s onof immersion in the action that’s simply not possible with going commitment to building on our leadership position in the dynamic and ever-growing in-home 3D entertainany other video medium”.

Cosgrove says that 3D production costs are higher than ment space,” adds Cosgrove. 3net has also announced 2D, and programme makers recognise that fact. “But the Skeleton, inc., a show about a family-run business where costs are falling. The new professional 3D camcorders the object is to turn animals and human bodies into skelmake life much easier. Mirror rigs are still being used etal artworks. Cosgrove says the concept stood out as for close-up work, and simply because there are then two readily lending itself to a 3D treatment.

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Bullproof, a 3D sportumentary

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i feature A look at some of the 3D programming to be seen on 3net HIGH OCTANE THE MEN and women featured in High Octane are pushing themselves higher, faster and further just for the feeling of connecting to their sport and their environment. High Octane travels the world in search of some of the most beautiful locations and most accomplished athletes — from ice climbers in the mountains of Switzerland to the surfers on the beaches of California.

AFRICAN WILD

Animated 3D series Bolts & Blip Asked whether original 3D content for TV service (“more about money than demand” says was now beginning to flow, he says: “We are at Cosgrove) he remains extremely bullish about the same point we were a few years back when 3DTV’s prospects. “Jumping forward 20 years HDTV launched. There was a shortage of from now, there will of course be many more high-quality high-def material, and most peo- HD channels than 3D channels. I think we’re ple complained about the higher cost of pro- going to see distinct 3D channels. Whereas in duction. Nobody makes that claim now, and many ways HD started to replace SD, I don’t in my view the arguments in favour of 3D are think 3D is necessarily a replacement for HD. moving the same way. Our audience is growing I think it’s a different experience.”

3net, says Cosgrove, is all all the time. We are signabout quality, and with ing new distributors in the Discover y and IM A X US, and actively selling “We are open to as its content partners our content outside the most suggestions that thrust will continue.

US.” where the project “Everything we do is orig3net is currently availinal. Any commissions or able to all HDTV submakes sense” co-productions that we’re scribers of DirecTV with Mark Ringwald, a part of are all shot in naa 3D-enabled set, and 3Net tive 3D.” He says that poliCosgrove says this equates cy will continue in order to to a significant potential market, and he is hopeful of adding other dis- get the very highest quality on the screen. tribution outlets before year end. As to 3net’s Mark Ringwald is 3net’s director of scheduling audience, Cosgrove says that currently the and acquisitions, and is at MIPCOM to identichannel skews slightly male, but a larger ros- fy new 3D projects as well as meet a few potenter of kids programming will help that balance. tial buyers. He explains that 3net is just like any The channel is much more family-focused than other channel. “We are open to most suggestions where the project makes sense. We commost, he adds.

Despite a recent set-back to the 3D sec- mission, we co-produce and we partner with tor when AT&T decided to drop ESPN’s 3D the usual mix of rights. We just want good 3D.”

THIS show takes a journey into the secret world of Africa’s largest and most dangerous animals. In African Wild the viewer can travel with a herd of elephants, go on a guided Big 5 Safari, visit Africa’s largest aquarium to learn about sharks, or camp out on a beach to investigate growing up in a seal colony.

EXPERIENCE 3D THIS fast-paced, hour-long, 3D thrill-ride takes viewers on a journey across the US — from the Hudson River, over the New Mexico desert, along the golden coast of Southern California, to the rainforests of Hawaii — in acrobatic small planes and hot air balloons, on vintage clipper ships, surfing Hawaiian waves, riding race cars and scaling sheer rock faces.

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i feature Bskyb

“We’re positive about 3D” While parts of the industry, the public, and the creative community, are still working out whether or not 3D is for them, BSkyB’s John Cassy tells Chris Forrester that his mind is made up

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OHN Cassy, BSkyB’s director of 3D, says that there’s far too much pessimism about 3D, especially on the movie side of the business — but Sky remains firmly committed to investing in more 3D content.

Cassy was speaking having come direct from London Zoo where Sky’s latest documentary — 3D Meerkats, a coproduction with National Geographic and produced with the help of Oxford Scientific Films — was being screened.

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“3D Meerkats is absolutely the sort of show we are backing,” he says. “It is an incredibly innovative piece of television for which much of the techniques used have been especially constructed with the programme in mind.

We track the meerkats through three seasons — it looks beautiful and resonates with everyone, because we all love meerkats!”

“It is a perfect example of the top-quality 3D

English National Ballet’s Dance Dance Dance, filming in 3D

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i feature programming we want to make,” Cassy adds. “Our view We will continue to invest in this genre ourselves, and the is that this year hasn’t been the best for Hollywood 3D brands like Discovery as well as National Geographic are natural partners for us. They are the real output, and no matter how many they experts in these productions.” make, the end result is that a bad film is a “We are happy to talk to anyone who is inbad film, even in 3D. Our first rule of 3D “The UK’s terested in making high-quality 3D prois to forget all about the technology and gramming. As for drama, we are helped by ask whether it is a good programme. We main interest the movie output. Sky is investing in new dralook at the story, the narrative, the cast, is soccer and ma projects but from the 3D perspective, and the location, and once all those elements that’s where with us being less than one year old, it is a little are good and we think we have a backable we focus early, but we would hope to get to a suitable project, only then do we think very hard project before too long. It is expensive, and about 3D, because it will impact how the much of our needs a different philosophy to shooting.” show is made and financed.”

3D attention” Cassy says that in the last few months BSkyB 3D will have just celebrated its first John Cassy, BSkyB BSkyB has been receiving excellent 3D year on air as MIPCOM opens, and durideas from independent producers. “We ing the year has produced around 150 live are now in the position where we have more sports events in 3D including the Ryder Cup, the US Open Golf, and the Champions League good ideas than money to spend, so this means that only the BSkyB’s John Cassy soccer final — which went to 19 different countries live. very best of ideas goes forward. It means there’s good com“There’s absolutely an appetite for 3D out there,” Cassy petition, and the viewer will benefit. Viewers will see some says. One of Sky’s very first 3D commissions — Flying great one-off 3D shows over the next year.”

3D, NATURALLY Monsters’ narrated by Sir David Attenborough — was the He says that one area that he’s especially excited about is live first-ever 3D programme to win a BAFTA. The ground- music. “We have turned some of Sky Arts’ existing shows NATURAL history continues to be an important genre for Sky 3D. breaking programme has since been licensed to IMAX into 3D — the Songbook series, for example, and with Sky Coming soon to the channel will be One we did an amazing Kylie Minogue show from the 02 for screening in the US from October 7. big budget 3D productions Cassy says sport works extremely well in 3D, and over Arena, which in my view could have been designed for 3D. including Bachelor King 3D (Atlantic Productions), The Secret It looked just wonderful. We have also partnered with MTV the course of the year they have screened nine different Life Of The Rainforest 3D (Electric types of sport. “Tennis, rugby, golf, are the ones that eve- to capture some of their live music output. It is also another Sky), Safari 3D (Can ryone talks about and where 3D makes a huge difference. way for the music industry to promote their artists.”

Communicate), Kew 3D (Atlantic Productions) and Beautiful Freaks But we have also tried rugby league, and speedway, which Asked what is needed to push 3DTV towards a wid3D (Tigress Productions). looked brilliant. Shortly we’ll be showing the UK’s Horse er audience, Cassy says it is all about chicken and eggs!

Of The Year Show in 3D, and we look at every propos- “People need 3D sets, and the prices for good TV sets al that comes our way. But the UK’s main interest is soc- are now tumbling down. Those viewers then need percer and that’s where we focus much of our 3D attention.” suading to sit down and tune into good programming.

And if there’s good programming, surBSkyB has confirmed a much greatprise, surprise, they’ll watch it. It has er investment in original UK proalways been this way in TV. For us as gramming for the future, and part of “I don’t want to broadcasters the job is to provide a rethat investment will be in 3D. “Jeremy watch paint dry. ally rich selection of 3DTV. I want to Darroch, our CEO, has spoken about Even in 3D!” see more of this, and at MIPCOM I’ll a much wider investment plan, and it is be looking for more high-quality maa three-year plan, so some of it is goJohn Cassy, terial. I don’t want to watch paint dry. ing to take a while to percolate through BSkyB Even in 3D!” the system, especially some of the original 3D material,” Cassy says. “They will see this Christmas the second of Sky Italia’s 3D plans our David Attenborough films, Bachelor King, which ITALY’s first all-3D channel is now on air. Launched on September 6 it is carrying a 24-7 transmission of is simply phenomenal and tracks the life of a King penlive 3D sports (60%), 3D movies (20%) and general entertainment (20%). guin in the Antarctic.” The production is in the final edit Cosetta Lagani is head of 3D at Sky Italia, and she says that this winter season will see more than 250 now, and Cassy says he has high hopes that it will do even hours of live 3D shown, including Italian participation in soccer’s all-important UEFA Champions better than Flying Monsters. “Kew 3D takes us into the League. Sports fans are well catered for with the English Premier League, Spain’s Liga and Germany’s Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew (in west London), and Bundesliga games covered each week. The channel also showcases tennis, rugby, golf and dips into again with Sir David involved, which will be ready in the ESPN’s American sports 3D telecasts.

Spring of 2012.”

Sky Italia has contracted with Disney for the company’s 3D catalogue, and is adding four new movie Cassy says that while sport and movies take up the bulk of titles a month to the transmission grid. Sky Italia has signed up Fox International and Sony’s AXN for Sky’s 3D output, natural history and travelogue are also a other material. Lagani is also flagging up Sky’s 10-hours a day coverage of next year’s London Olympic focus. “They run a close third, for us, and we have struck Games in 3D. The general entertainment segments are drawn from spectacular factual footage, music major deals with Discovery for their 3D output which is a and concerts and other special events, all captured in 3D. primetime slot for us on Saturday and Sunday evenings. www.mipcom.com I Global 3D Spotlight I October 2011 I 15

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i feature bbc in 3d

Is Dr Who moving into the third dimension?

The pace is picking up in the rush to mass-market 3DTV — and now even time traveller Dr Who is putting the pressure on. Chris Forrester reports

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BC Worldwide (BBCWW) is firmly backing 3DTV. Jo Sermon, director of content strategy, BBC Worldwide, and a speaker at MIPCOM’s 3DTV conference sessions, says natural history, some science and music form the main thrusts of 3D activity at BBC Worldwide. “We are looking for drama projects, and we are exploring our top franchises,” she added.

Her comment might have referred to Doctor Who star Matt Smith’s very public wish, made in August, that he’d love his top-rated show to be made in 3D. Doctor Who, in its assorted TV re-incarnations, celebrates its 50th birthday in 2013. Few would doubt that the BBC’s core audience has a huge emotional connection with the show which

remains one of BBCWW’s top five best export properties.

Sermon said BBCWW recognised that drama was something the BBC itself would have to tackle as part of its overall learning curve. “The interesting thing for me was how straightforward it was to put a 3D business case forward for our first 3D natural history projects. I was expecting it to be complex, and a real tough sell. It wasn’t. But the financials for a drama project are more complicated, largely because of the channels we deal with internationally, and the related production challenges for the genre.”

Sermon admitted that the argument for natural history in 3D was much clearer. “Our customers are prepared to pay for it, and we can cover the budgets. In drama that’s not

“James Cameron speaks very eloquently on the good 3D vs bad 3D debate” Jo Sermon, BBC Worldwide

Doctor Who star Matt Smith, and fellow time travellers

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i feature Dinosaur (Spring 2012), Earthflight (Spring 2012) and the music projects (available now) are 3DTV concepts,” says Sermon. “We are also looking closely at six or seven other projects as follow-up opportunities so we are very much looking to increase the 3D slate at Worldwide”.

3DTV is also encouraging BBC Worldwide to think creatively as to how best to exploit the new technology. “3D is expensive, everyone knows that. But our strategy is to look at three or six-part shows and make a one-hour 3D special from them. This seems to us to be an interesting way of getting the 3D element off the ground. We take the best bits — which particularly lend themselves to 3D. It seems to be a business model that works. You can then have a fantastic 3D special that runs alongside the longer 2D series. Generally we have invested in the 2D content, and then further invested in the 3D special. By and large we are able to make this work, and achieve some economies of scale. If we were to set off making six episodes of 50 minutes in 3D, that would be a challenge.”

Earthflight (BBCWW)

happening — yet. We love travelogues at BBC Worldwide, but not yet in 3D. We deal with a lot of indies and there’s absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t have 3D conversations.

However, we have focused on natural history because it’s where our strength lies. Science output also lends itself to 3D, and so it’s the next one on the curve for us.”

BBC Worldwide is also backing music in 3D. “We have picked up rights in a number of concert productions from the likes of Elbow, Alice Cooper and Britney Spears. In my view 3D is best for event content. But I believe that natural history, science and music all qualify as event content. I cannot speak to 3D without glasses, I haven’t seen enough of the end results, and perhaps that will make a difference. But I absolutely believe that 3D is excellent for event content, and not just for sport and movies.”

She says that 3DTV has been a huge learning curve for everyone involved. “There’s good 3D and bad 3D. Some of our Earthflight 3D has prompted the audience to reach out to touch what’s in front of them, it is that good. BBCWW is working with James Cameron on the Walking With Dinosaurs 3D movie, and he speaks very eloquently on the good 3D vs bad 3D debate. It is good that standards are high, and that everyone is really passionate about making everything look superb.”

BBC Worldwide is all about earning cash to help fund programme making at the BBC, and to date the 3D investments are paying off. “3net have come into Earthflight with us, and we are hoping they’ll take Planet Dinosaur.

There are a number of French and Spanish broadcasters participating in our 3D projects. Germany seems not to be so far ahead on 3DTV, and they’re usually so far ahead of the curve.”

However, BBCWW is also investing in theatrical releases of 3D content. “BBCWW have a couple of 3D theatrical releases under our belts in the shape of Walking With Dinosaurs and Enchanted Kingdom, but Planet

“3D is expensive, everyone knows that”

Strictly Come Dancing: exciting experiment

Jo Sermon, BBC Worldwide

STRICTLY IN 3D KIM SHILLINGSHAW is the BBC’s new head of 3D, and is firmly behind the dance format sensation Strictly Come Dancing. “The BBC’s capture of Strictly Come Dancing in 3D is an exciting experiment for us — partly because it’s taking one of the BBC’s key programme brands on to the next stage, but also because it allows us to test the integration of 2D- and 3D-shooting systems embedded into a big live event, and also possibly some new distribution options. Technology companies like Sony are helping to make the best use of the licence fee for the BBC because of the way we are working in partnership to explore free-to-air 3D experiences — Wimbledon is one example. Over the next year we’ll be planning a range of very focused 3D experiments, including around natural history, music and drama, and events that unite the whole nation, such as the Olympics.”

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i feature sony professional

Making an event of 3D © Photo: Yann Coatsaliou

A 3D presentation can make a big event into an even bigger one, as Sony’s David Mcintosh tells Chris Forrester

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ONY’s Professional Solutions division is helping create special 3DTV event-led experience into cinemas and theatres. “But it is a steep learning curve,” says Sony’s senior vice-president, digital cinema, David McIntosh — a key speaker at MIPCOM’s 3D event Creating New 3D Entertainment Experiences, on October 3. Sony, with help from RealD — also participating in the MIPCOM event — has helped put on live 3D telecasts of Carmen in 3D, in conjunction with the Royal Opera House; Kylie Minogue live; and many other presentations.

“It is a new industry — almost a cottage industry at the moment,” McIntosh says. “We take it very seriously at 18 I

Sony because there are some really good opportunities for widening access to these events, and increasing the number of events available. As an example, a recent Take That concert in the UK sold out in less than an hour, so clearly there’s pent-up demand for music events in 3D, and perhaps even in 2D. It is the same with live opera.

The audience feedback is simply fantastic. Not only are you providing access to these events, you are also creating an opportunity for that audience to move perhaps from a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience high in the back circle at the Royal Opera House, to suddenly the very best seats in the theatre, and at a very affordable price.”

McIntosh says that the cinema and theatrical showing of

“It is a new industry — almost a cottage industry at the moment” David McIntosh, Sony

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i feature an event in 3D creates a new level of accessibility. “People between shots, and creates the finished product. There’s no longer have to live near a capital city. We have cinemas still a lot of learning to be done in that area.”

McIntosh says that music, at least from Sony’s point of in quite distant parts of the UK, which are now getting view, remains a strong interest. “We really feel it ticks all these services images via a Sony 4K projector.”

He continues: “The key issues for us are to try and tap the boxes, both in terms of customer enjoyment at the into those events where 3D really makes a difference. cinema and general accessibility. We have done a little The critical part is finding the content and events that re- work in this area, and the outcome seems to confirm exally benefit from the 3D experience, and not simply 3D actly what we hoped. The audience in the cinema is getfor its own sake. Indeed, we know that some productions ting the full stadium or venue experience because of 3D. are totally transformed by 3D, and as an example I can They are in the crowd. It isn’t the gimmick of anything mention the Wimbledon tennis coverage a few months jumping out of the screen at you, but a complete, rounded experience of good camerawork ago. One shot, for me, summed up all and a huge sense of ‘being there’. It is the true benefits of 3D. It gave us one an area that we see Sony focusing on in of the most powerful pieces of feed- “The critical part the next few months.” back from a viewer, ever — who wrote is how the But it is more than just the core craft to us after the [final between Rafael director cuts skills that need training: “The othNadal and Novak Djokovic]. Nadal er area that needs education is the had fallen during the game and as he between shots, event producer. There are venues all fell he whacked his feet onto the very and creates the over the planet where big name stars dry grass, and a cloud of dust came up, finished product” are performing, such as London’s giin front of the cameras, in full 3D. It David Mcintosh, ant 02 Arena, where night after night was a spectacular moment, and the 3D Sony the venue is sold out. But we have to made a huge difference with viewers. It remember that we are seeing the start is the same with rugby, where 3D seems of an embryonic industry, and where to make the whole viewing experience much more intimate somehow. The key issue is finding the artists themselves, plus their management, also need to be part of the journey.” these transformational experiences for 3D. “The big challenge is cost, and the biggest cost is the McIntosh says he remains hugely optimistic. “We will satellite transmission and distribution,” McIntosh says. play our part, but there is still a huge number of peoFinancially everyone concerned has to ensure the cover- ple who have yet to see good 3D and are perhaps a little age is worthwhile. “Getting the accessibility to these sig- nervous about the technology. We are all working hard to nals, and mounting events across Europe is a major chal- make this business happen — and from Sony’s point of lenge. We also need to make them more regular, building view making sure that our close cousins at Sony Pictures up an audience that has grown used to seeing a major 3D are also kept up to speed, because they’re the experts in marketing and distributing of an asset. We are in weekevent every month, or every week.”

McIntosh says that he’s unsure whether anyone is making ly contact with them to help take this business forward.” serious money just yet. “But it has moved out of the experimental stage. We know it works, and producers know it works, but it is still very early days — although plenty of people are beginning to realise the concept has a future, because demand is there. It has to be great content, and there must be accessibility. If we can get those two elements into the minds of the public then there’s no doubt cinema-based special events have a great future.”

He admits that training and improving craft skills remains an issue. “One of the other things we are doing, both at Basingstoke in the UK and at Culver City in Los Angeles, is to set up 3D training centres where the 3D craft skills can be demonstrated. Producers, directors and camera operators can come and learn, fast-track, how to make really good 3D. The new technologies, such as our camcorders, are helping — but it is also fundamentally important to recognise that 3D produced for smallscreen TV is very different to that produced for a 3D cinema screen. Then there’s the whole dynamic of directing for the large screen, whether it is a pop concert or a grand opera. They are different, and the techniques would be very different. The critical part is how the director cuts

David Mcintosh: “We know it works”

SELLING IN 3D THE GROWTH of 3D on TV and in the cinemas will spur growth in 3D advertising. Cheryl Wannell, general manager of the Screen Advertising World Association (SAWA) says: “There has been such an explosion in 3D in the cinema over the past two years that all of a sudden there’s this opportunity to do 3D advertising for cinema screens — and the technology is changing so fast that education is an important part of the effort to keep up with those changes. Two years ago I scratched around to find half a dozen 3D commercials throughout the world… this year there are hundreds to choose from. It’s really grown. The digital deployment around the world has been driven by 3D movies since 2010 so the opportunity for 3D ads has exploded as well.”

Kylie Minogue, live in 3D

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Feel the love tonight, in 3D One of RealD’s latest 3D partnerships is with Disney, as provider of glasses for the 3D presentation of the Lion King, Chris Forrester reports

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OLLYWOOD produces the 3D movies; the giant consumer electronics companies produce the 3D sets that everyone is tempted to buy; the sports producers currently provide the bulk of 3D entertainment coming into homes. And while broadcasters themselves are beginning to ‘think 3D’ for their own productions, the final link in the 3D chain is RealD, a multi-faceted company that has a very broad approach to the business of 3D, both in the cinema and at home.

Some of its technology has been utilised by many of the world’s leading consumer electronics companies, component manufacturers and broadcasters to take today’s digital 3D entertainment experience out of the theatre and deliver it to TVs, computers, home theatres and other consumer electronics devices.

The company’s stereoscopic RealD Format is a patented version of a side-by-side 3D formatting technology. It utilises a unique set of filters and other technologies to multiplex left-eye- and right-eye-3D image streams into a single channel for delivery of high-definition progressive or interlaced 3D video to a 3D-enabled display using today’s HD infrastructure, including existing HD set-top boxes and DVRs. Support for the RealD Format is integrated into 3D TVs from many major consumer electronics manufacturers and has been used for the broadcast of 3D programming including concerts, sporting events and other content. The sideby-side format

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has been named in HDMI Specifications as a mandatory format for the transmission of 3D content between devices.

RealD Cinema Systems are also licensed to motion picture exhibitors that show 3D motion pictures and alternative 3D content. The company also provides RealD Format active and passive eyewear, and display technologies to consumer electronics manufacturers and content producers and distributors to enable the delivery and viewing of 3D content on high-definition televisions, laptops and other displays. RealD’s 3D technologies have been used for applications such as piloting the Mars Rover, military jets displays, and robotic medical procedures.

RealD’s 3D eyewear forms the backbone of many home 3DTV systems, from most major consumer electronics brands, and supports image sync via infrared and RF solutions like RF4CE and Bluetooth. Its System on a Chip (SoC) approach, the company says, offers manufacturers lower cost materials as well as lighter-weight and thinner eyewear due to smaller size electronics. “We work with manufacturers to design 3D eyewear that suits a specific brand identit y, technical

THE LION KING IN 3D THE LION King grossed more than $783m worldwide following its initial 1994 release.

Disney reports that the DVD is the best-selling home entertainment release of all time, even though it has been off the market since 2004. So the “special two-week theatrical extravaganza”, as Disney describe it, will serve as a launch pad for the October 4 release of the movie in high-definition Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D.

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parameters and cost objectives, or offer existing RealD brand active 3D eyewear,” the company says. It is also a provider of circularly polarised passive 3D eyewear.

Created with proprietary processes, RealD passive eyewear is compatible with many 3D-enabled home theatre projectors and 3D HDTV displays.

RealD recently struck a deal with Disney for this autumn’s release of The Lion King in glorious 3D. What RealD is doing is to make sure that every youngster who visits a cinema receives a specially designed pair of RealD 3D glasses, colored to match the movie and decorated with a picture of the lovable lion cub Simba.

Joseph Peixoto, president, worldwide cinema at RealD, said that the theatre experience of The Lion King would be new to an entire generation, and the 3D theatre experience is new for everyone. He added that the glasses, which are designed to fit those who are eight-yearsold and younger, would be a fun souvenir to take home.

Another deal was that struck earlier this year between RealD and the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, for a collaboration on the filming of Madama Butterfly in 3D for release exclusively in RealD 3D-equipped theatres worldwide. A follow-up to the company’s recent co-production of Carmen in 3D, the first-ever opera filmed and distributed to theatres in 3D, Madama Butterfly is a co-production with RealD and the Royal Opera House, filmed during live performances at Covent Garden in July and released in RealD 3D-equipped theatres in 2012.

“We are committed to leveraging the immersive power of our 3D technology to give audiences a truly differentiated entertainment experience while providing our theatre partners with exclusive added value content,” Peixoto says. “Madama Butterfly will build on our successful production of Carmen in 3D by giving 3D fans a unique perspective on the arts and expanding the 3D cinema opportunity by introducing new audiences around the world to the RealD 3D experience. Madama Butterfly in RealD 3D will allow audiences to go beyond simply watching the performance and feel as if they’ve literally stepped into Covent Garden and on stage alongside the performers.”

On the professional side of its business RealD announced in August that a further 1,000 AMC screens in the US and Canada would be taking RealD’s equipment

— bringing to about 2,500 the total AMC portfolio — and helping to take RealD’s total cinema technology distribution to more than 15,000 screens.

Overseas business is also growing for RealD. At the end of August the company licensed its cinema technology to 100 Saga-branded theatres in China, meaning that there will shortly be about 1,000 screens in China licensed with RealD’s technology.

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i feature filming in 3d

3D has come a long way How has 3D technology developed in recent months? And how much further does it have to go before filming in 3D becomes second nature? Chris Forrester reports

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T WAS back in 1838 that the first stereoscopic still camera was invented, and as early as 1915 the technology had translated to film. Hollywood silent movie star Harold Lloyd was an early fan, way ahead in thinking, and experimenting with photographic 3D as well as film. Indeed, a clip from his famous 1923 black & white masterpiece Safety Last has been updated and rejuvenated in 3D thanks to today’s technology, and is being shown as part of MIPCOM’s 3D conference.

Lloyd’s granddaughter, Suzanne Lloyd, approached Legend 3D last year to attempt a 2D-to-3D conversion of the scene to honour her famous grandfather’s work and to be showcased during the International 3D Society’s 2nd Annual Creative Arts Awards on February 9, 2011, where the clip won a standing ovation.

Dr Barry Sandrew, founder of Legend 3D, says the sequence was relatively easy to convert from 2D to 3D: “Although they are separate processes, the colourisation and conversion were worked on simultaneously and the whole project took just a week to complete.” In one of the most famous images from the silent film era, the audience watched Harold Lloyd clutch the hands of a skyscraper clock with traffic rushing below him in glorious 3D, and the conversion has given the movie a new lease of life.

The difference today is that rotoscoping technologies for these conversion projects are increasingly commonplace, and the workflow processes for such tasks have, to a certain extent, been automated.

As cinematographers know only too well, the core problem is electronically locking the camera’s twin data feeds together (genlocking). Indeed, even getting two cameras on to one rig led to some sharp lessons being needed.

One early 3D broadcast experiment had expensive sideby-side rigs built and in a now infamous example forgot to allow for the camera lens hoods to be accommodated.

They speedily got around their problem by placing one camera slightly ahead of the other, and red-faces subsided. But such are the lessons of experimentation.

David Bush, Sony Professional’s marketing director, says that technically it is not a huge challenge these days to shoot in 3D. “But to shoot a programme and to cut a programme that feels comfortable and compelling is very different,” he says. We can all look for a couple of minutes and quite enjoy stuff that’s flying out in our face, but if you sit for half an hour, an hour or movie-length in front 22 I

of 3D material and then come away from that feeling like it’s been really comfortable, that takes a lot of craft.”

Sony’s training teams0 in Culver City, Los Angeles and Basingstoke, UK, say the same questions reoccur: ‘How can I edit my film?’, ‘Who can tell me about DCP [the Digital Cinema Package standard]?’, ‘How can I make sure the cameras sync?’, ‘Compressed or native 3D?’, ‘Is Final Cut Pro best for 3D editing?’. Sony’s answer is simply to invite questioners to attend one of its training workshops, where they can also get their hands on a very wide range of equipment to make every one of these workflow questions easily solvable.

Avatar director James Cameron, speaking at IBC in September, said bluntly that if he had his time over again he would have shot everything he’s ever done in 3D. He was showing an 18-minute 4K 2D-to-3D conversion clip of Titanic to IBC delegates. “It is a highly subjective process and mind-numbingly tedious,” he said. “It literally is as simple as asking yourself ‘Is that character in the foreground or background of another character?’ and making them bigger or smaller accordingly. You have to take depth cues from every part of the frame.”

However, his final message to delegates was blunt: “3D will dominate broadcasting. You don’t have to believe crazy advocates like us,” he said. “We are here to make partnerships with major broadcasters to enable them to deliver 3D.”

SAFETY LAST HAROLD Lloyd’s 1923 film Safety Last earned the comic performer his nickname The King Of Daredevil Comedy. The film is most remembered for its thrilling, hair-raising climax — a stunt on the side of a twelve-story skyscraper above busy city streets.

The most-remembered incident is when he has to get past a clock face.

For moments he grasps the minute-hand of the large clock, hanging dangerously above the street as the clock-face pulls away from the wall — while still wearing his glasses and straw hat.

It is one of cinema’s most famous scenes. He finally reaches the top of the building, lands in the girl’s arms on the roof, and they go off arm in arm. Our hero has earned the $1,000 prize money, and won the girl.

Overcome with success, he walks through fresh tar on the roof of the building, leaving — in four steps — his shoes and socks behind.

Harold Lloyd in Safety Last

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