Tuesday, April 10, 2007

DreamWorks goes Extra Dimensional

Yesterday I heard on the radio that DreamWorks plans on producing all its films from 2009 on using stereographic 3D. And indeed, a quick check on their website confirms this:

Glendale, CA— March 13, 2007 – DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (NYSE:DWA) announced today its intention to produce all of its films in stereoscopic 3D technology starting in 2009. To best take advantage of the technology, the company will now be creating films utilizing stereoscopic 3D from the beginning of its creative process.
“I believe that this is the greatest opportunity for movies and for the theatrical exhibition business that has come along in 30 years,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, Chief Executive Officer of DreamWorks Animation.


The first time I saw a movie in 3D was in DisneyWorld Florida, some time in the last century. I vividly recall the movie had an underwater scene with a shock-moment where a large shark came in from the right, and the guy left to me hit me in the face trying to hold off the shark.

The principle with the stereographic 3D is essentially the same as with the red-green glasses. To get a three dimensional image, our eyes need two pictures from slightly different angles, one for each eye. If printed or projected on a screen, these two images can be overlaid, but they have to be separated afterwards.

In the red-green (or sometimes red-blue) version one of the image is displayed in red and the other in green. The filters on the glasses allow only one image to enter each eye. Unfortunately, you cannot really have a color movie when color is used to provide the separation.




A better method is to project the two views onto the screen with a different polarization of the light, and to use glasses that filter out one polarization for each eye.



[Picture Credits]

I have to admit I never really liked these 3D movies, they hardly had any plot and the scenes were never really convincing. It will be interesting to see what DreamWorks Animations makes out of this technology.

And don't miss the trailer for the Bee Movie (In Theaters November 2, 2007).

16 comments:

  1. Hi Bee, I never thought much about the 3D glasses either - who wants to see reds and greens.

    But what I really don't understand is this simulated 3D business.

    When I look at TV or computer monitor, my brain sees adds depth, and I see a 3D image
    Doesn't everybody else?

    And when I look in the mirror, I perveive depth
    Doesn't everybody else?
    Is it just me? or is it simply that people think they are seeing 2D - even some 2D photos I look at are more realistically three dimensional, than 3D postcards where I know it is an illusion.

    Mind you I can't put my hand into a tv or computer screen, nor can I wearing those silly glasses.

    Of course the advantage of 3D in games and simulations (or other computer generated images) is that we can see around in a room ...

    but hey the camera can create the same feel for me in a film 4 me.

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  2. PS - Just been watching Horizon on British tv

    And seems helium 3 could be the answer to colonising the moon, the gold rush of the moon.

    Seems the $15billion costs of the Alaskan pipeline is what it would cost to set up a commercial mining operation on the Moon - of course double or treble the costs before it becomes - you always underestimate the costs when trying to sell an idea.

    But the best news is that we can produce water from 'moon dust' and ergo we can produce oxygen, a biosphere, plant life, hydrogen and nitrogen to sustain life - to mine helium three.

    The Race to be the first to land on the Moon is over
    The Cold War is over
    The landgrab for the Moon is on. Russia, the EU, China, Japan and the US - whoever controls the Moon's resources could control the future energy resource par excellance for the next hundred years - or instead of competing - we could cooperate and learn to share, instead of always wanting to 'control'

    But hey that's just my rant for today!

    So Bee, have you got any ideas on anti-gravity for me yet

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  3. Just read the synopsis to the Bee movie
    Someone been pinching your honey?
    Detecting Poisons In Nectar Is An Odorous Task For Honeybees

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  4. Hi Bee, this is interesting, I had an idea for a spectral filter_type glasses, that was made from sections of polarizing slits. Instead of two filter slits in each eyeglass (left and right), I wondered if it was possible to create lenses that were impregnated with a very large number of angled polarizarion filters.

    Hard to explain in detail, as it was some years ago, but sort of like a liquid_crystal lens, but made from pixel_size like polarization filters, instead of the basic two cloured filters used in general 3-D spex, this "many_filtered" lens would fool the eye in a very extreme way?

    I even had a basic drawing of the design, it had the filters in the lens fashioned like an actual "eye", where the filters are not horizontal or vertical, but tended to the origin, like thus:

    http://groups.msn.com/RelativityandtheMind/dynamictriangularaxions.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=36

    or specifically cone_like !
    great to know that there are some interesting aspects to enhance our movie viewing!

    best, paul.

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  5. Hi Quasar,

    you said that much better than I could. I too am not a big fan of these 3D movies, as long as one can't move around in it, what's the point anyhow? Plus I don't like these glasses. I have to admit though it never really works for me. I don't know why but with the red-green glasses I just see two images. The polarization trick worked better, but still only sometimes and in places.

    Now we can't only see Angelina Jolie's lips 3 feet high on the screen but also in 3D. That's progress.

    Hi Paul,

    how are you? You haven't been around for a while? This is interesting with the glasses. How did you come up with that and what were you trying to do with it?

    Can someone come up with glasses that help me put a ten dimensional image together?

    Hi Klaus,

    Thanks :-) This is a scene from that movie 'what the bleep do we know'. Did you see that?

    Best,

    B.

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  6. hi All,

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=BWyTxCsIXE4&mode=related&search=

    best

    Klaus

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  7. I think somebody stole the script?

    Naw! I'd just be happy if they added Plato to the future development of any new "Bee grade" series, in these animation movies.

    You may get a inkling of the dynamics in space travel that the Bee people employ. And not just the "wing rotations" used in hovering?

    See Bee Movie and Science Today I am currently developing the post so it will change over the next few days to address the 5d perspective of the 2d screen.

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  8. Linear polarization today, circular polarization tomorrow... who knows what will be happening by the sabbath! Shouldn't priests and social advocates be involved? It does not exist if it cannot be stomped under a mob's bloody boots.

    John Holmes, you died before your time.

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  9. I've had to endure some 3-D movies with the kids, the last one was Spy Kids in 3-D or something like that. They hurt my eyes and give me a headache. ;-)

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  10. I already produce 3 D movies - but one dimension is compactified.

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  11. Arun, that was a good one :-) Can you derive that from a variation principle of the action?

    Best,

    B.

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  12. Hi Bee,

    How did you do that? answering my posting BEFORE I send it..?

    Quantum behaviour I guess..

    Great tip abt "what the bleep.." I will see it on youtube.
    By the way; Who is that Bette Middler-lookalike talking about God and erections? (in the movie)

    Best

    Klaus

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  13. Hi Klaus,

    in case you haven't yet noticed, I'm a seer ;-)

    Don't waste your time with what the bleep - it's not a scientifically serious movie (read the wiki entry). But it's entertaining - gives you something to get upset about. Best,

    B.

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  14. Has anyone seen the interesting relevant article about Hybrid Images in New Scientist 31st march 07:

    http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/mg19325971.600-hybrid-images-now-you-see-them.html

    well if anyone has not, try and get a copy and do the practical experiment contained.

    I dont want to spoil it for anyone, but if like me you read the magazine from the begining, then when one comes to the page about Hybrid Imaging, the effect would be of interest.

    P.S I have been offline for a number of weeks (6), I sustained an injury to my eye, which actually caused my everyday experience regarding vision/sight, to be quite useful, I used this period to experiment on a number of different aspects of spacial awareness, and frame referencing, reality..I am fully recovered, and more the wiser!

    Best wishes to all, paul.

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  15. Hi Paul,

    *ouch* doesn't sound like fun. Glad to hear you are better and nice you are back :-) All the best,

    B.

    ReplyDelete

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