A 3D Exploratory Seminar Held at the Emily Carr University of Art + Design By Karl Herrmann csc
A
s the chair of new technology training for IATSE 669, I was recently offered the opportunity to create and present a 3D training event that was specifically tailored for DOP members. The training was co-hosted by Emily Carr University of Art + Design, who graciously offered its digital studio facility and new Kerner 3D camera rig. Paramount Production Services in Vancouver supported the training by donating all the lighting and grip equipment. A working set was designed to accommodate the issues to be covered. It was about function and not beauty. Several flats were brought in, along with a bookcase as background. I then created varying degrees of depth and contrast by using 8-inch styro balls, painted black on one side, mounted on C-stands. These were moved around during the day to accommodate the different 3D effects under discussion. The Kerner 3D rig, as outfitted at Emily Carr, is an over/under front-surface mirror design utilizing two Sony HDC-P1 cameras, each mounted with matching Fujinon 18x7.6 C-series zooms. All the functions of the cameras, such as focus, zoom, iris, etc., are electronically tied together and operated by superb 1st AC Dave Roman. When the variables changing in the shot simultaneously exceeded Dave’s number of hands, Sean Arden from Emily Carr handled 3D considerations such as interocular and convergence.
12 • Canadian Cinematographer - March 2011
Maria Lantin, director of all things digital at Emily Carr, orchestrated our viewing requests such that we could view live in 3D on a 40-inch monitor and then shortly thereafter review the images, if desired, projected in 3D on the big screen in the same studio where we were shooting. This provided a wonderful opportunity, as it demonstrated the concept that, with 3D, less effect is often more effective. It also demonstrated the absolute importance of having a large screening environment available to any 3D production for dailies. Viewing on the big screen, after composing and adjusting our 3D effect on the monitor, also emphasized how important lighting choices were in 3D. As an example, if we lit the styro balls with their white side deep in the set and facing camera, making them the brightest points in the scene and at the same time decided to converge our shot much closer to camera – say on the white balls in the foreground – it put a strain on the eyes and was very difficult to look at. We were essentially telling our brain to focus in two places at the same time. By simply rotating the brightly lit high-key styro balls in the background around so the black side was facing the camera, the image became much more pleasing and easier to view. Lighting became a hot topic of discussion when Maria showed the group a newly released Sony product called the Stereo Image
