1. V2
White Paper
3-D for Cinema
and Television
TelevisiON
Document created under the sponsorship of
Document created under the sponsorship of
Ficam, the CST, UP3D, the HD-Forum and the AFC
and the AFC
Editorial Coordination ::Marc Bourhis (Ficam) and Olivier Amato (Smartjog)
Editorial Coordination Marc Bourhis (Ficam)
© 2012 Ficam

2. Partners for this white paper :
The Ficam (Fédération des Industries du Cinéma, de l’Audiovisuel
et du Multimédia), presided over by Thierry de Segonzac, is a
professional organization bringing together 180 enterprises whose
activity covers all the professions and technical know-how dealing
with image and sound. Always proposing strong measures, the Ficam
represents, promotes and defends the national and international
interests of technical industries dealing with audiovisual creation.
THE 3D CONSORTIUM
The Commission Supérieure Technique de l’Image et du Son (CST),
presided over by Pierre-William Glenn is an association grouping
professionals in cinema and the audiovisual and multimedia fields, launches
3D rendez -vous
as well as technicians and technical artists. The CST brings together
today close to 700 members. Its goals are to defend the quality
of the production and distribution of images and sound, defend
creativity and technological and artistic innovation in cinema and
the audiovisual fields, as well as to defend the independence and
freedom of action and expression in our professional activities.
A UNIQUE MARKET PLACE
UP3D (Union des professionnels de la 3Ds) is an association whose
objectives are: to bring together and animate the 3-D professional
ONE TO ONE MEETING - BUSINESS NETWORKING
community, inform and communicate on the professions, know-
how and equipment specific to the 3-D world, and to promote and WORKSHOPS - BOARD DEMO PRESENTATION
develop 3-D in Europe.
Originally composed of 17 members, the HD Forum, presided over
6 ZONES
by Jean-Pierre Lacotte, now has 51 members, all professionals
as stated in the statutes. The diversity of the questions to resolve
around HD has led the HD Forum to create two commissions: the
MIDDLE EAST - BRASIL - NORTH AMERICA
“technical commission” and the “communication and marketing
commission”, which are themselves divided into work groups that
RUSSIA - INDIA - CHINA
regularly collaborate with the work of the Ficam and the CST.
FOUNDED BY :
The AFC (Association Française des Directeurs de la Photographie
Cinématographique), co-presided over by Matthieu Poirot-Delpech,
Michel Abramowicz and Remy Chevrin, brings together most of the SPONSORED BY :
directors of French cinematic photography at the highest artistic
and technical level of French and foreign productions. The AFC
promotes the existence of quality cinematic images, tests new
techniques and affirms the competence of photography directors
as creative collaborators of film directors, in the best tradition of
French cultural and artistic discourse.
contact@3dconsortium.biz

3. Special thanks :
To Pascal Buron (associate president of Ficam in charge of
the Research and Innovation technical commission, and to Olivier
Amato (Smartjog) for all the coordination work they did on this
project as they have done on so many others.
A big thank you to Yves Pupulin (Bincole) for his contribution
TOMORROW
to all the chapters of this white paper. Thank you also to Olivier
Cahen (Stéréo-Club Français) for having shared with us his
encyclopedic knowledge of 3-D and for his editorial contribution to
starts here.
the visual comfort chapter, as well as to Philippe Gérard (3DLized),
who, through his commitment to research on 3-D visual comfort,
permitted us to be at the forefront of ideas on this question.
A big thank you, too, to Marc Léger (INA Sup) for the writing
of the chapter on the main principles of 3-D and the updating of the
chapter on codecs and modes of TV distribution.
Many thanks to the late Alain Derobe (stereographer and
photography director) who passed away on 11 March 2012, for having
accepted in due course the taking up again of his contribution
made to the CST concerning the adapting of 3-D to the size of the
broadcast screen, as well as to the members of the CST for their
contribution to the part on 3-D projection for cinema.
Thanks as well to Laurent Verduci (stereographer) for his
educational aids on 3-D which we used as a common theme and ©2012 Cisco Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved
for his active participation in our work groups. Thanks also to Alain
Today, it s easy to marvel at how ar we ve come.
Chaptal (Sonovision), Franck Montagné (Imagie), Michel Chabrol Our phones talk to our TVs to record our avorite shows. Doctors in Estonia diagnose
(Eutelsat), Thierry Gruszka (NDS/CISCO), Eric Martin (Technicolor), patients in Denmark. Social networks help companies improve customer service.
Charles de Cayeux (France Télévisions), Pascal Charpentier And yet, up to now, more than 99% o our world is not connected to the Internet.
(UP3D) and Benoit Michel (stereoscopynews.com) for their active But we re working on it.
And tomorrow, we ll wake up pretty much everything else you can imagine.
participation.
Trees will talk to networks will talk to scientists about climate change.
Finally, we wish to thank all those who attentively reread
Stoplights will talk to cars will talk to road sensors about increasing tra ic e iciency.
the final document. Thanks also to David Steiner and Cédric- Ambulances will talk to patient records will talk to doctors about saving lives.
Alexandre Saudinos (Parallell Cinéma) for their contribution on the It s a phenomenon we call the Internet o Everything an unprecedented opportunity
techniques of preproduction and filming, as well as to Philippe Ros or today s businesses.
(photo AFC director).. Tomorrow?
We re going to wake the world up. And watch, with eyes wide, as it gets to work.
#tomorrowstartshere

4. 1
SOMMAIRE 0
0
FÉDÉRER ET PROMOUVOIR LES INDUSTRIES TECHNIQUES
DU CINÉMA, DE L’AUDIOVISUEL ET DU MULTIMÉDIA
1
Why a White Paper on Stereoscopic 3-D* (3Ds)?? PAGE 8 1
ma
0
Technical industries iné
Fundamental Principles of Stereoscopy PAGE 10
0
c
of creation audiovisuel
RIGS AND STEREOSCOPIC CAMERAS PAGE 20 1
LIVE MULTI-CAMERA 3DS CAPTURING PAGE 24
0
00
1
3Ds POSTPRODUCTION: CORRECTIONS AND WORKFLOW 1
PAGE 25
00
1
1
1
2-D/3Ds CONVERSION: THE NEED FOR KNOW-HOW PAGE 30
1
0
0
0
VISUAL COMFORT WITH 3Ds PAGE 32
0
1 00
1 0 1
0
3Ds PROJECTION FOR FILMS PAGE 34
mult
imédi
3-D TV DISPLAY PAGE 36 a
0
ADAPTING 3-D TO THE SIZE OF THE BROADCAST SCREEN PAGE 40
3Ds GLOSSARY PAGE 45
0 With over 180 member companies,
APPENDIX 1: DEFINITION OF 3Ds PROFESSIONS PAGE 47
the Ficam represents and promotes
the technical industries of Cinema,
APPENDIX 2: 3-D FILMING TECHNIQUES PAGE 49 Audiovisual and Multimedia.
APPENDIX 3: CODECS AND DISTRIBUTION MODES PAGE 54
www.ficam.fr
FICAM (Fédération des Industries du Cinéma, de l’Audiovisuel et du Multimédia)
11/17, rue de l'Amiral Hamelin-75783 Paris Cedex 16-Tel : + 33 (0)1 45 05 72 55-Fax : + 33 (0)1 45 05 72 50

5. 8 9
Why a White Paper on Stereoscopic 3-D* (3Ds) ?
E
ver since movie theaters have been equipped with digital 3-D pro- production. In fact, stereoscopic 3-D, if it adds new possibilities on the
jectors, a number of 3-D feature-length films have been shown narrative level, also includes new obligations on the technical level tied
with often disparate processing quality. The television market has to the cerebral acceptance of cinema and television viewers. This is why,
also decided to respond rapidly to the desire of the public for 3-D films. in this 3Ds white paper, our objective is not to constrain the creativity
The television manufacturers, quick to participate in this technological of directors, who should remain free in their artistic content, but to set
craze, now make flat television screens on a grand scale equipped with a framework for their being better able to get around in the additional
display systems “in 3-D”, allowing the viewer to watch 3Ds TV programs production possibilities specific to stereoscopic 3-D.
in conditions of quite acceptable visual comfort. Moreover, some smart- It is also important to specify that the study of stereoscopy,
phones have recently appeared in the mass market which are capable already quite old, has allowed the visual comfort zones–inside which a
of generating autostereoscopic 3-D. viewer will have no discomfort or, not to say headaches–to be empiri-
However, the market for mobile, TV and cinema broadcast cally defined. Scientific studies are now taking place to refine these pa-
hardware is much in advance, chronologically speaking, of the produc- rameters.
tion capacity of stereoscopic 3-D content by the audiovisual and cinema We say also that the art of 3Ds is only at its beginnings. There will no
industry. Up to now, there does not exist enough natively produced 3Ds doubt be the possibility for directors of films or television broadcasts to
content to furnish all the ad hoc broadcast media. The barrier is mainly go beyond this technical framework, at least from time to time, in order
economic and technological, but it is also a result of a lack of informa- to provoke quite new emotions in the viewer.
tion on the practical conditions in which it is possible today to create Finally, it should be noted that the perception of the depth of an
film in 3-D for television and cinema. object in a 3Ds scene is modified according to the size of the display of
Due to the current deficiency in 3Ds content, it should be noted the images (movie theater screens or televisions). This white paper thus
that many 3-D films and programs broadcast in movie theaters, or on describes the different display technologies and defines the technical
the first 3Ds television channels, use procedures that create 3-D from contours of future 3Ds programs to be provided for television and the
cinema.
2-D automated images. These do not sufficiently take into account the
In fact, in order to summarize the main objective of this white
main principles of visual comfort for the viewer and put into question
paper, we would say that it consists of sufficiently informing audiovi-
the notion of respect for the original work.
sual and cinema professionals on the possibilities of 3Ds so that they
Given this enthusiasm for 3-D, it seemed necessary for diffe-
can appropriate this new language as much as possible, and that public
rent professional organizations of the cinematographic and television
disappointment can be avoided for this new artistic and technical field,
industries (Ficam, CST, UP3D, AFC, HD-Forum, etc.) to produce a white
as might have been the case during the first wave of infatuation for 3-D
paper laying out the current state of stereoscopic 3-D. The goal of this films in the 1950’s.
white paper is to point out the different technical and narrative issues
tied to the filming, postproduction, visual comfort, 2-D/3Ds conversion This white paper on 3-D refers to the state of the art in May 2012. It is the
and display on a cinema and/or television screen. second version of the document that takes into account the remarks of
Stereoscopic 3-D is an artistic and technical mechanism requi- French professionals and updates the generic ideas on the subject.
ring a mental reconstruction of images, which is chosen by the director
and limited by the physiological laws specific to most viewers.
As such, it is crucial to put in place, at every step in the manu- * Rather than use the terms “relief” or “3-D”, quite imprecise for the
facturing chain, 3-D monitoring and quality procedures supervised by former and source of confusion with computer generated images for the
qualified personnel and trained in this new mode of creation and post- latter, we recommend using the term “3Ds” for stereoscopic 3-D.

6. 10 11
Fundamental Principles of
Stereoscopy
How do we perceive 3-D ?
L
et’s look at a close object: for example Now, while continuing to look at the tip of our
the index finger of our hand. Naturally, finger, let us consider the objects situated
the optic axes of our eyes convergent behind our finger (Figure 2). On which side
towards the object being looked at. We thus to they seem to be placed when we close one
become slightly cross-eyed. The more the ob- eye and then the other? We notice that they
ject is close to us, the more we become cross- are more to the left seen from the left eye and
eyed: the angle of convergence increases. The more to the right seem from the right eye.
more the object moves away, the more the It is what is called parallax. It is said that for
angle of convergence decreases. The angle objects situated behind the plane of conver-
of convergence is a very important indication gence, the parallax is positive. Let us observe
for our brain: knowing the distance between again our finger and now consider the objects
figure 1 figure 2 figure 3
the two eyes, that are closer
it can deduce (Figure 3). The
the distance of phenomenon
the object, like is inversed: the
a range-finder. object is more to
The brain allows the right seem
us to perceive from the left
the depth of the eye and more
scene by way to the left seem
of the differen- from the right
ces between eye. For objects
the angles of situated in front
convergence of of the plane of
the different ob- convergence, the
jects being observed. Now let us examine the parallax is negative. In sum, the parallax is
images formed by our two eyes: as the optic zero for all the objects situated in the plane
axes of our eyes converge towards our finger, of convergence, positive for all the objects si-
the image of our finger is formed at the same tuated behind the plane of convergence and
place on our two retinas (Figure 1). We call the negative for all the objects situated in front of figure 4
same points of the objects in the left and right the plane of convergence.
are then practically parallel and the angle of object can hardly be perceived. Happily, other
images “homologous points”. It is said in this The more an object is distant, the more the
convergence becomes too small to inform us indications inform us of the depth: occultation,
case that the homologous points are fused perception of its distance is imprecise. When
sufficiently as to the distance of the object. Be- relative size of the objects, perspective, the ef-
and that our finger is in the “plane of conver- the distance of the object goes beyond several
ginning from a 100 meters, the distance of an fect of mist, etc.
gence” of our eyes. dozen meters, the two optic axes of our eyes

7. 12 13
consequently the placing of the plane of
How is 3-D reconstructed? 3Ds applied to cinema Stereography : a new production language convergence as well as the amplitude of
the “scenic box” (see Appendix 2).
W
and television Creating for the cinema or for television is
It should be noted that the size of the 3Ds
T
e now take two cameras in pla- not tied only to the techniques of produc-
he fundamental difference between tion or broadcasting, but also to the emo- monitoring screen during filming does not
ce of our two eyes along with a attempts in the past and the present necessarily correspond to that of the fi-
tional connection that these images foster
3-D screen system whose role growth of 3Ds comes from the tech- nal broadcast. The stereographer should
in the human brain. From this standpoint,
is to make each eye see only the image nical mastery of 3-D in the entire chain of 3Ds requires that this connection be re- clearly inform the production team of the
that is intended for it. In Figure 4, the left the manufacturing and image broadcasting considered so as to adapt the conditions differences in the sense of depth according
and right homologous points are repre- process. The use of computer tools during of creating a cinematographic or televi- to the dimensions of the film’s intended
sented respectively in red and cyan. If the shooting and the possibilities of modifying sion project to this question. 3Ds induces screen and to justify his “not visual” but
homologous points are superimposed du- images pixel by pixel up to broadcasting a rupture with the practices of production “provisional” adjustments.
ring projection, the view will converge on are steps that from now on are indispensa- and which modifies the interpretation of The parameters of “depth” can be in-
ble and in constant evolution. They guaran- the space as imagined by the director. One creasingly modified in postproduction. Gi-
the screen and the object will be seen on
tee the quality of the 3Ds image necessary should also note that, in studying certain ven this fact, just as the color calibration
the plane of the screen. That is how one for the visual comfort of the viewer. gives the tone of the scenes in a film, the
filming parameters such as lighting and
sees films in 2-D. Digital tools take part in the mastery of “3Ds calibration” becomes an important
framing, if there is a rupture between 2-D
If the parallax is positive, the view will stereoscopic production. Being more and 3Ds, it is situated more on the side of step after the film has been edited. It al-
converge towards a point situated behind knowledgeable from this experience, we acceptance by the viewer’s brain than that lows for the perception of reality in 3-D to
the screen: the viewer will thus have the wish today to support the emergence of a of artistic practice. be given a general tonality and to provide
impression that the object is situated new cinematographic and television lan- In 2-D as in 3Ds, the director remains the 3Ds continuity between shots according to
behind the screen (as if seen through a guage tied to the usage of 3Ds. main judge of the use of 3-D in order to the final intention of the director.
window). Finally, if the parallax is nega- A purely technical conception of 3Ds is serve his narrative, whether it is a question
a risky bet. It is preferable to rely on the of a film, a telefilm or a televised program. Think about 3Ds before filming
tive, the view will converge towards a point
savoir-faire, both technical and artistic, of In the same way that he decides a produc- If you want to have a quality 3-D effect, it
situated in front of the screen, and the the stereographers and technical service tion in 2-D, he formulates a particular re- would be useful to verify beforehand the
object will thus seem to be in front of the companies, which have both a solid theo- quest to the stereographer who will see to pertinence of the choice of 3Ds for this or
screen (as if popping out). retical knowledge and experience in 3Ds. its completion. The working together of the that film or television program from the
In sum: The production of a sequence in 3Ds can- director and the stereographer thus aims beginning of the synopsis or scenario. In
• Objects situated on the plane of conver- not be summed up in an automatic algo- to establish “3-D behavior” (modulation of this way, a story unfolding in an aerial or
gence during filming will be reconstructed rithm for creating 3-D effects, however the stereoscopic range), done through a aquatic universe lends itself totally to a
on the plane of the screen (parallax zero). sophisticated it may be, or do without the graphic image or annotations on the script popping-out effect, for the objects can be
• Objects situated behind the plane of onsite experience of specialized professio- or storyboard, which then serves as a guide “unglued” from any support, like levita-
nals who know how to adapt to particular for the team doing the shooting. 3-D that ting in a fluid or a vacuum. Furthermore,
convergence during filming will be re-
filming conditions, very often full of unfo- is too strong can lead to visual discomfort longer shots and/or rather slow and fluid
constructed behind the screen: window reseen events. The creation of a 3Ds scene over time, while 3-D that is too weak risks movements of the cameras also favor the
effect (positive parallax). requires a perfectly regulated production frustrating the viewer. It is mainly within perception of a more comfortable 3-D ef-
• Objects situated in front of the plane of with the camera angles completely maste- these limits that the director can choose fect. They leave time for the public to dis-
convergence during filming will be recons- red. If the production teams are not sup- the depths he wants. The streographer cover and enter into the depth of the ima-
tructed in front of the screen: popping-out ported by competent people in this way, translates these choices using the tools ge. In the same way, wide compositions
effect (negative parallax). they risk having their possibilities limited at his disposal, tools which he will super- with framing using high-angle or low-an-
as to the creation of emotions in the viewer vise in their practical use. Given this, he gle shots favor 3-D effects and intensify
specifically tied to 3-D effects of depth or is responsible for the adjustment of the sensations of dizziness. Geometric forms,
of popping out, or even in certain cases, to angulation and the inter-axial distance buildings for example, are more quic-
provoke visual discomfort in the public. between the center of the camera lenses kly identified by our brain and contribute
according to the chosen focal length, and to the quick immersion into 3-D. As for

8. 14 15
Creating a 3-D Scene streaming programs, among the first ex- ted cases:
periments taking place today using 3Ds in - The shot itself, as in a classic film. Ideal-
retransmission of sporting events, football ly, the storyboard creator should create a
From the beginning of writing the scenario, 3-D can be taken into account and used as a is looked on as the favorite due to the high storyboard that is optically correct.
narrative tool. It is possible to imagine scenes whose dramatic intensity will be amplified if number of viewers and a public potentially - A view “from the side”. Starting from the
one plays with the depth, the popping-out effect and the effects of gigantic size and minia- interested by the fact of viewing matches principle that the 3Ds window is projec-
turization. The scriptwriters can think about 3-D effects in advance, sometimes integrating in 3-D. Nevertheless, the current produc- ted onto the plane of the screen, this side
their ideas directly into the scenario. These can be indicated in capital letters (in the Anglo- tions of this sport on television, centered view will mark the location of the plane of
Saxon world, they are sometimes preceded by the term “3DFX”). Nevertheless, the logical on lateral panoramas and a depth of field the screen so as to distinguish the objects
process of creating a film lends to entrusting the control of stereoscopic effects to the director often difficult to master, is not necessarily that should be in front of the plane of the
and/or stereographer. For example, in Océanosaures (Sea Rex), a 3-D IMAX© film written the best adapted to retransmission in 3D, screen (popping out) and those that should
and directed by the Frenchmen Pascal Vuong and Ronan Chapalain, the stereoscopic filming unless the camera angles and the pano- be behind it (in depth).
proposals appear right from the storyboard. ramas are comple- - In the most
tely rethought out complex cases, a
OcéanoSaures - Voyage au Temps des Dinosaures © 2010 - N3D LAND Productions
with respect to view from above,
It should be noted in the case of this film a 2-D retrans- with the location
that Pascal Vuong created the storyboard mission. A fur- of the plane of the
himself and Ronan Chapalain supervised ther constraint screen, could also
the stereography, thus allowing each shot comes from the be useful.
to be conceived very early in all its depth fact that the ac- Beyond these
and not as a 2-D image. In this storyboard tion takes place general rules,
© Convergence3D.net
extract, the colored markings added to the most of the time it could also be
initial drawing permit one to quickly loca- far from the ca- advisable to use
te the elements to be popping out and the meras, thus re- previsualization
position of individuals in relation to the quiring the use software that si-
plane of the screen. This stereoscopic pro- of a long focal mulates what the
duction information, added to the framing length on the basis shot or perspec-
and cropping choices, allows the director of wide 3-D shots Screen capture of 3Ds previsualization software tive will be in or-
and film crew to better prepare the shoo- that could create a der to define the
ting and postproduction of the images and “maquette” effect. camera angles
prevent certain pitfalls of stereography en- On the other hand, certain inside sports, and movements in 3Ds. Such software al-
visaged too late in the process. such as basketball, where one can be clo- lows computer-generated images to preci-
ser to the action, offers 3-D that reinforces sely reconstitute each filming location and
the viewer’s emotions. the camera position (whatever the type of
rig). It allows the frame, the inter-axial dis-
Preproduction tance, and the angles to be calculated and
Preparation is essential in order for fil- previsualized during filming and in post-
ming in 3Ds to be successful. Researching production. All the parameters, such as
particularly meticulous points (measuring the focal length, the diaphragm, the depth
distances, verification of distant objects, of field, the movements, etc., can also be
taking into account the size of the 3Ds rig) predetermined.
permits many problems to be avoided in
advance. Creating a 3Ds storyboard is ad- The importance of checking volumes
vised. Without help from software, this sto- During the work of identifying certain para-
ryboard could show, for each shot, at least meters and of preparing a film in 3Ds, it is
two or more views for the most complica- necessary for the director and the head of

9. 16 17
photography to check the frames by taking lengths, the establishing of the position of one of the fundamental parameters. It is when there is a blurred background with
into account the development and distri- the massive forms of the film set becomes what happens within the shot or out of it backlit foliage.
bution of volumes relating to depth. They even more decisive in determining the po- that justifies the movement of the camera
rely on the stereographer who helps them sition of the actors and the viewpoint of according to the director’s decision. In
in looking for homogeneity in the choice the camera in terms of the depth and the
Using visual indications of depth for 3Ds
streaming programs, the frame is deter-
of angles and focal length in relation to edge of the frame. The sensation of 3-D, productions
mined much more by following the action,
3Ds. This step should allow the position even if it appears realistic or admissible Creating a shot in 3-D does not only mean
which in sports for example, is generally
of the objects to be determined within the for a single shot, might no longer be so adjusting the stereoscopy, but also to use
centered.
“scenic box” containing the volumes of the during the editing of several shots one af- information that is going to ease the un-
scene in three dimensions. This checking ter another. For example, during filming in derstanding of the depth of the image.
is of major im- 2-D, it is normal to
A camera in movement It is thus necessary to know how to use
Moving shots reinforce the perception of both stereoscopic and non-stereoscopic
portance. “cheat” in the po-
the succession of volumes within the sce- information.
At this step, a sitioning of the
ne. This emphasis of volumes is obtained, Painting and photography remind us that
warning is neces- actors (to make a
of course, by the movement of the actors in 2-D numerous factors allow the brain
sary to point out shot or perspective
in relation to the objects in the frame. It is to analyze and understand the depth of an
that, as opposed easier). This prac-
equally increased by the camera’s view- image. This faculty is conserved, moreo-
to 2-D images, tice should arouse
point, which reinforces the presence of the ver, when one eye is closed. The utiliza-
stereoscopic the greatest vigi-
actors. Perhaps this could be a new type of tion of this non-stereoscopic information
viewing provides lance when using
space between cinema and theater? makes the understanding of space, and
the viewer with 3Ds.
the perception the participation of the sensation of 3-D,
of the position Framing Lighting in 3Ds easier to experience. Among these fac-
in depth of each If, in 2-D cinematography, light and its tors, we can cite the following:
The precision of
object, and thus contrast are only limited by the projection -An object up close masks an object far
the cinematogra-
their sizes. The standards and, in this context, the power away. This effect, which can be obtained by
phic frame is one
choice therefore of the projector, it is quite otherwise in the movement of the actors or the objects
of the essential
of the 3Ds fil- stereoscopy. Strong contrasts, in particu- in the depth of the scene, is reinforced by
parameters of 2-D
ming parameters lar at the edges of the shot, through fo- the movement of the camera’s viewpoint.
filming. Yet, with
can lead to a si- liage against the sunlight or between dif- The dollies, the movements of the cra-
stereoscopy, whe-
tuation in which ferent parts of the subject, can lead to real nes or steadicams, or the movements of
re we are nearer
a person can be cerebral discomfort for the viewer. a shoulder-held camera, emphasize the
to low and/or high
perceived as a The lowering of contrast is often advised, relative position of objects in relation to
3-D effects, the
giant (magnifi- without us knowing how to precisely each other.
frame shows a
cation) or like a Visualization of the benchmark visual comfort slight uncertainty quantify it today. This being so, shots for -The size of objects decreases with distan-
drawing on card- zone as regards 3Ds. which the lighting and contrast levels are ce. This can be used to “cheat” in certain
in relation to the
board (flattening), not controllable require sensors covering shots, provided that a likeness is preser-
two shots being
or like its opposite a large range in order to obtain images ved with the effects of reduction in size, if
filmed, which only overlap completely on
(a maquette or stretching effect). capable of conserving 3-D in high and low a realistic image is to be conserved.
the plane of convergence or the plane of
Finally, it is useful to note that, as a ge- the screen. Furthermore, the notion of the lighting. This also allows a better adjust- -The gradation of textures: bricks, gras-
neral rule, 3-D is best appreciated when immersion of the viewer for certain ste- ment of contrast during the calibration ses, pavements, etc., become less defined
the scene is in movement, close to the ob- reoscopic productions is often emphasi- of stereoscopic films and TV programs. with distance.
ject and with a rather short focal length. zed even before the notion of framing, in Likewise, it is advised to pay attention to -The “atmospheric dispersion” (mist ef-
Nevertheless, it is difficult to produce a IMAX© for example. But for most cinema- clipping of strong lighting, for such lighting fect): it is due to the pollution of the mi-
whole film without close-up shots. For tographic productions, the frame remains can produce a disparity of form between lieu being passed through according to its
shots resorting to medium and long focal the two stereoscopic images, such as thickness. It works for infinite distances

10. 18 19
Managing the Popping-out Effect
Popping out is one of the effects is to be weak and slow if the the capacity of the viewer to
belonging to 3-D. It gives the intensity is to be strong. The “read” comfortably the effects
feeling that the objects pop same popping out can vary in of popping out: at the beginning
out of the screen towards the intensity and be produced twice: of a film, around three seconds
viewer. first weak then strong, in order are necessary for the brain to
However, there are rules to to reinforce the final effect. The submit to the interval between
follow so that this effect does not total length of the effect cannot convergence and accommodation
cause any visual discomfort. The be too long. For reasons of visual that is imposed on it, whereas
elements or parts of elements comfort and of concern for a after ten minutes of a film in 3-D
that pop out must be contained narrative balance, the frequency stereoscopy, this accommodation
within the field of the cameras. of popping out throughout a time is reduced to half a second.
The speed of the appearance of film or a TV program must be It is thus strongly advised against
popping out must not be too slow an intelligent dose between the abusing the effects of brutal
or too fast. A sufficient time must repetition of popping out and popping out at the beginning
be left for the viewer’s brain to their differences in intensity. of a film, for they can become
get accustomed to this effect. Finally, it has been noticed painful and wrongly interpreted
To preserve the visual comfort, empirically that there is a by viewers’ brains.. Modulation example of the stereoscopic range for the length of a film
it must be fast if the intensity phenomenon of learning in
Stereoscopic range and modulation of stereosco- is, moreover, variable according to the
pic ranges individual.
as well as for a smoke-filled room. understanding depth. This is why certain The stereoscopic range is a measure of Some scientific studies are, however,
-The effect of perspective is very important head operators prefer using light that is the quantity of 3-D in an image. It is the still going on in France (3-D Acceptance
information: as we look, we search in per- more directional than in 2-D in order to difference between the interval of the most & Comfort) and in the United States
manence for a scene’s convergence lines emphasize the shadows. Regions without distant object and the interval of the closest (BanksLab, University of California at
to understand its perspective by using detail of an image—for example a comple- object in a shot. Berkeley) to clear up the relation between
roads, railways and buildings. tely white sky or an interior scene with to- The stereoscopic range can vary within a stereoscopic range and visual comfort.
-3-D is above all comparative. The brain tally black zones—are less favorable to the shot, between two shots and during the Without 100% reliable reference points in
performs better in comparing, for exam- comprehension of 3-D than a cloudy sky or length of a film. Within all these cases, one this domain, we recommend, during the
ple, colors than in analyzing them. It’s the an interior in which half-light allows the can speak of “modulation of stereoscopic production of a teaser or a test, to examine,
same thing for stereoscopy. A distribution subtlety of the details to be seen. ranges”. case by case, the contentious shots that
of volumes in the depth of a scene will fa- -One must also attend to the consistency of The stereoscopic range (histogram of deviate from the “acceptable” limits of
vor the impression of viewing in 3-D. It will the screen depths and avoid the “collision” disparities) is a quantifiable data for each stereoscopy.
be more difficult if there is only one ele- of a title placed on the plane of the screen image in percentage of its size or in pixels. In general, it is customary to moderate the
ment in the foreground separated from with an object that is popping out. As for The term “depth budget” is sometimes exceeding of these limits in favor of the
another element placed at infinity without a “window violation”, it is characterized by used to designate either a stereo range or production.
any intermediary volume. For example: a the collision of the edge of the screen with the modulation of stereo ranges, which can It should be noted that there already exists
bee popping out on a background of infi- an object that is popping out. lead to confusion. technical recommendations defining the
nitely distant mountains will not favor the The same stereo range gives a weak acceptable limits of stereoscopic ranges
impression of viewing in 3-D. It is important to use all of this information to impression of 3-D on a small screen, for 3Ds TV broadcasting (ex: BSkyB
-Furthermore, it is sometimes preferable 3-D). The establishment of technical
enrich the stereoscopic production parameters. stronger on a movie screen and very
to have titles popping out on a textured powerful on a giant screen such as recommendations is currently under study
background rather than on a black one. In a general way, the least contradiction between
IMAX©. The acceptance by the viewer of in France.
-Textures and shadows are stereoscopic monocular and binocular (that is, parallax) depth
a stereo range chosen for a given screen
objects, supplementary “information” for information cannot be allowed.

11. 20 21
Ensuring the continuity of the modulation of the each other on more or less sophisticated
stereoscopic range during a whole film mechanical or motorized rigs. The advantage
It is indispensable to think of a 3Ds film or of this arrangement is that it is often more
TV program in its entire continuity. For ci- rigid and avoids the aberrations linked to the
nema in 3Ds, like in 2-D, the order of se- mirror set up.
quences and shots at different steps in the Its inconvenience is that it imposes wide inter-
making of a film are often modified, and axial distances which results in a “maquette”
Binocle
particularly when it is being edited. effect tied to the apparent miniaturization of
The modulation of the stereoscopic range the objects being filmed. It is not known how
may be modified by the inversion of shots to avoid this effect today, but it comes into
during editing. For example, a close-up play from the moment one goes beyond the Two types of side-by-side rigs
with much popping out will correspond ba- inter-axial distance of human vision. It can be
dly with a wide landscape shot having a lot put up with, or even looked for, according to
of depth: this alternation tires the viewer. how the director wants his production to be. shots in a fiction film. advantage of having its vertical camera placed
It is thus necessary to take care in the or- In any case, there is no other solution when Mirror rigs are used with steadicams, shoul- above the mirror, allowing the optical axis to
ganization of the shots to ensure smooth one films from far away, with objects in the be brought very close to the ground for ma-
der-held cameras and most classic machi-
transitions of depth for the public. foreground situated far from the camera king large vertical low-angle shots.
nery. Mirror rigs are conceived or arranged in
and one wishes to have 3-D. This is the case,
two ways when they can be turned around the
for example, for certain shots taken from a
helicopter.
optical axis: Integrated 3Ds camera
-The first, called zenithal, favors the protection
RIGS AND STEREOSCOPIC of the mirror. The vertical camera is placed
Also appearing on the market are professio-
nal video cameras that record two views of
Semi-transparent mirror rigs
CAMERAS The cameras are placed vertically at a 90° an-
under the optical axis and directed upwards. the same scene through two optical axes in-
This arrangement allows for a simpler protec- tegrated within the same camera body. This
A
gle to each other and find themselves in opti- tion from lights interfering with the mirror.
“rig” is an adjustable support on which type of wholly integrated technology has
cal concurrence in a semi-aluminized mirror.
movie cameras can be arranged and -The second, called “crane position”, has the the advantage of limiting problems of dis-
This mirror, also called a “beam splitter”, al-
set up. There are two types according lows one camera to film through the mirror
to whether the cameras are placed side-by- and the other to film by reflection on the re-
side or as a mirror (beam-splitter). It is the flecting side of it.
Binocle
need to obtain or not a small or large inter- For this process, the transmission through,
axial distance that determines the choice of a and the reflection from, the mirror is equal
rig. If a large inter-axial distance is desired, to 50% each so that the loss of a diaphragm,
usually for helicopter or distance shots, a si- induced for the camera filming through the
de-by-side rig is used. mirror, is identical, or almost so, to the other
The sophistication of side-by-side or mirror one. The mirror thus permits filming with an
rigs is not linked to the device but to the inter-axial distance equal to 0 and thus be
definition made by the manufacturer. Certain freed from the problems related to the space
manufacturers make rigs that are versatile used by the cameras and lenses.
and are simply assembled differently to be It is thus possible to reduce the inter-axial
installed either as a side-by-side or mirror distance to 0 mm, which allows for the ca-
rig. meras to be perfectly aligned. The mirror rig
mainly permits small inter-axial distances,
Side-by-side rigs indispensable for filming close to the sub-
Two identical cameras are placed next to ject, which is the case in a large majority of Simplified schema of a semi-transparent rig

12. 22 23
METHODS FOR ALIGNING AND
DR
SYNCHRONIZING 3Ds CAMERAS
A stereoscopic shot requires paired equipment (cameras and lenses) and
the stereographer’s utmost attention to the adjustment of the rig during shooting.
Not being able to have perfect alignment once the shooting starts, it is necessary
to continue working thanks to real-time correction algorithms for television, and
in postproduction for cinema. It is a question of bringing to the viewer two images
perfectly aligned vertically pixel by pixel.
Factors provoking troublesome vertical disparities:
- Difference in height of the optical axes (whether they are parallel or cross verti- Two examples of integrated 3-D cameras
cally)
- Difference in the placement of one camera in relation to the other parity between the two stereoscopic points To this end, technical creation industries have
- Difference, even minimal, between the focal lengths of the cameras and the of view to be superimposed, especially pro- seen, since the end of the 90’s, the rise of
focusing of the lenses blems of alignment, differences in focusing, motion control rigs capable of being precisely
- Different optical aberrations between the lenses of zooming, etc. However, the integrated paired electronically via a computer. More
- Trapezoid effect resultant in vergence on the object. 3Ds camera has the drawback of generally recently, 3Ds image analysis instruments
It’s a question of minimizing as much as possible these disparities when offering only a single setting for the inter- have arrived with, notably, the possibility
filming. On a side-by-side rig, the optical axes are placed in parallel aiming at axial distance and a limited adjustment of of making a precise real-time drawing
infinity, and a test card is used at 3 meters to verify that the altitudes have been vergence. These restrictions result in heavy out of problems of disparity between two
respected. On a mirror rig, the same procedure is used in placing the inter-axial constraints when filming a close-up scene in stereoscopic images and correcting them in
distances at 0. In both cases, test cards and a 3Ds monitor is used to precisely 3-D, and, more generally, does not allow for real time.
adjust the alignment, if possible to the size of a pixel. complete control of stereoscopic production All these factors make it so that today one
Likewise, that the colorimetry and luminosity of the cameras are identical through adjustment of the two parameters sees hardware and software solutions appear
should be watched over closely. Certain tools on the 3Ds monitor allow this to be inter-axial distance and vergence. from several components manufacturers
precisely monitored. for processing 3Ds shots in real time,
Synchronization of the camera sensors at the pixel level is indispensable. The non- Progress of 3Ds rigs and monitoring of disparities which allows certain corrections—such as
respect of this rule on moving images leads to visual fatigue by the viewer. Whatever the talent of the stereographer, vertical disparities, detection of rotation and
For the timecode, the cameras must be connected with one camera as TC involuntary disparities between the two trapezoid deformation—to be automated.
“master” and the other as “slave”. viewpoints of the cameras remain. It is Certain software also permits automation
As to scanning, putting one camera in Genlock master and the other indispensable to correct them when filming of the inter-axial distance and convergence.
in Genlock slave is not precise enough, except for certain miniature cameras or live. For fiction, these defaults can also be Solutions of this kind, conceived in France or
cameras conceived for this purpose. It is preferable therefore to have recourse to an corrected on the film site so that rushes can elsewhere, which allow these problems to
external synchronization camera body in Tri-level Sync, connected to the camera be viewed comfortably. In postproduction, be corrected or parameters to be monitored
Genlock inputs. if these defaults are very minor and do in real time, are already being used on film
Cameras without the Genlock input, such as digital photo cameras, are not bother the editing process, certain sites, particularly in live sports productions.
problematic. Certain 3Ds monitors allow, however, scanning to be viewed and to stereographers prefer to usefully make these 3-D correctors are also being integrated
try “manual” or “on the fly” synchronization by triggering the cameras simulta- corrections during the “3-D calibration” into visualization tools used in fiction or
neously. But this does not provide the indispensable guarantees need for a feature stage. This consists in adjusting the 3-D for capturing in order to judge the effects
film project or for live television. values for a shot or between two shots. It obtained without mental strain for the team.
ensures the consistency of the 3-D effect for
the length of the film.

13. 24 25
LIVE MULTI-CAMERA 3Ds A modification of workflow should be consi- As a general rule, it should be noted that all 3Ds POSTPRODUCTION:
dered in the 3Ds production unit. In fact, each the actors who intervene in the live stream
CAPTURING stereoscopic source should undergo 3-D cor- should have 3Ds visualization: slow motion CORRECTIONS AND WORKFLOW
rection before being integrated into the grid operators, synthesizer operators, special ef-
A
Live multi-camera 3Ds capturing implies ac- or the mixer. This correction can be multiple fects technicians, etc. ccomplishing postproduction in 3Ds
tions in real time in order to preserve 3-D ho- and specific to each rig. It encompasses the is not very different from traditional
mogeneity. The first action consists in analy- flip image in the case of a mirror rig, geo- The difficulty of live 3Ds multi-cameras today postproduction, if only that it is neces-
zing new actors and organizing them into the metric correction, compensation for opti- is not only related to technical problems, but sary to manage file volumes twice as large.
production team’s hierarchy. The director is cal centering, etc. Whatever the nature and also to the calling into question of the pro- It is also necessary to ensure the continuity
the one who conceives the stereoscopy of a number of corrections applied, they should duction. It is quite clear that the acceptance of depth in 3Ds scenes, by watching over the
project that puts the stereographer and all be done in a very short time since this period of 3-D is directly dependent on the quality of sequence of their stereoscopic ranges and
the technicians to work. comes before mixing. Today, this processing the stereoscopy, but it is also necessary to by correcting the disparities between the left
A single stereographer guarantees the qua- time varies from 40 to 120 ms. provide the necessary information for a good and right images. When filming fiction, these
lity of 3-D capturing. He works in concert The quality and number of 3Ds visualizations narrative. Due to this fact, live broadcasting defaults can also be corrected, of course,
with the director of photography. He is assis- is a key element of a 3Ds production tool. is a dangerous exercise in 3Ds. For example, before reaching the postproduction stage.
ted by the convergence operators who are in Two cases are possible for the production: to if one wishes to bring information captured However, if these defaults are very minor
charge of the stereoscopy of one or two axes. propose a multiviewer which includes all the by a 2-D camera into a 3Ds stream, one can and do not interfere with editing, certain
He continuously regulates the inter-axial sources as well as the program and preview resort to a real-time 2-D/3-D transfer, or if stereographers prefer to make these adjust-
distance and vergence according to the va- in 3Ds. This requires a certain vigilance in or- one wishes to provide a score or a time, one ments during 3-D calibration, or, in any case,
riations of frame, focal length and focus. der to exclude from the mosaic any camera would proceed by inserting 3Ds elements these 3-D adjustments are reviewed in terms
By analogy with photography, it is necessary being adjusted. The second option consists into a 3Ds image. These techniques are to- of consistency over the length of the film.
to integrate this team into the live production of keeping the sources in 2-D visualization lerable for the viewer as long as they are
unit in order to make discussion easy and and to put only the program and preview in mastered.
3Ds.
Viewing is at the heart of the process of 3Ds editing
guarantee a consistent program. The postproduction of 3-D images requires

14. 26 27
OPTIMIZING LIVE 3Ds COSTS IS POSSIBLE ! ting tools, this is rarely the case.
copyright : Technicolor
For this reason, during “offline” editing of
3Ds films or programs, it is imperative to
Concerning the additional costs related to 3Ds capturing, the figure of 25 to 30%more than view 3Ds edited shots and to validate them
2-D capturing is often put forward, but according to those in charge of AMP VISUAL TV these regularly on a stereoscopic screen having
figures are relative. The additional costs greatly depend on the length of the capturing itself, a size near to the one that will be used for
and AMP VISUAL TV hopes to have, in the end, enough production streams in 3Ds to be able the final showing. In this way it is possible to
identify at once the visual discomfort resul-
to have economies of scale. What is most important today is to find methods for reducing the
ting from the non-corrected stereoscopic
installation and preparation times. If it is possible, for example, to have two cameras/lenses disparities or the different 3-D values used
used only for 3Ds capturing, it would then be possible to considerably reduce the preparation in different shots. Example of correcting geometric
time before shooting. But for this to happen, it would be necessary to have a greater volume of If possible, it is even desirable that the conti- disparities
production than there is today. nuity of the shots be studied during the pre-
paration phase of filming in order to make
the 3-D space consistent before and after
a return to more rigorous methods of work after editing, during or just before the stage the transition by reducing to the maximum
than before, and to a more precise definition of calibrating the 3-D of the film. It is done by the differences in distance and convergence
of each person’s task, from preparation of a stereograph technician having experience of the cameras. Nevertheless, adjustments
filming to postproduction. These precau- with the correction tools, under the direction are often to be planned in postproduction
tions, taken before the various operations, of the stereographer who has already wor- through horizontal transfer of the left and Flare: a source of visual discomfort
limit the alternation of inconsistent 3-D se- ked on it during filming. right images.
quences. The change in location of the space to whe-
However, even if a stereographer has per- Continuity of shots during editing of 3Ds images re the viewer is attracted, from one shot to
fectly adjusted the rigs and taken care to stereoscopic range at the end of the prece-
The rhythm of shots edited in stereoscopy another, can also cause visual discomfort.
limit the “bad” connections between shots, ding plan consistent with the beginning of
is logically slower than that of editing of 2-D Thus the necessity of an appropriate script
the editor, will in all likelihood, as in the case the next one.
images, for when there is a change of shot, it and a specific “3-D calibration”, making the
of 2-D, change the editing order that was is necessary for the brain to have one second
planned at the beginning. Due to this fact, to appreciate the new universe to be explo-
it will be necessary to again verify the conti- red. Learning to watch 3-D by the viewer Adapting convergence and editing:
nuity between shots during each viewing of can, however, reduce the accommodation 3-D continuity between two shots
the 3Ds already-edited rushes. time necessary for each change of shot. But
Furthermore, following the planned post- as of today this is only a supposition. In 3Ds, convergence between two successive shots must be adjusted. Usually, the convergence shots
production method and the production bud- In order to limit mental discomfort and re-
get, it might be useful to take some time to will be brought closer during cropping in postproduction if they are too different. Otherwise, the
duce adaptation time between each shot,
correct the involuntary disparities between it is also possible to use the “3-D dissolve” viewer may feel visual discomfort. The time this adjustment takes can also vary. Experiences that
images. This would mean to correct the- method which smoothes the passage from took place during the production of Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (2010) brought
se geometric and colorimetric disparities one 3-D shot to another when the 3-D ef- to light the fact that the softest transition in 3Ds is obtained when the vergence of entrances into a
between the left and right images such that fects are obviously too different.
each of the homologous pixels is situated at
shot is progressively adjusted according to the previous shot. In this film, the length of the vergence
Because of these constraints, it would be
the same altitude. It must be kept in mind more practical in the absolute for stereos-
adaptation time between shots varied from one sequence to another from 8 to 40 images. Further-
that these corrections, necessarily made for copic editing to take place “online”, directly more, rather than making the depth characteristics of each shot exactly correspond to the level of
a live capture, should become a postproduc- from already-corrected stereoscopic ima- the cropping point, it was noticed that for most of the sequences, it was possible to eliminate only
tion operation for fiction. ges. However, for reasons of visual fatigue 50% of the difference in depth between shots, and to leave a slight upsurge in 3Ds when cropping.
This operation could be made on the rushes over time, but also for the sake of economy
before editing, but today it is generally done Of course, nothing prevents one from using a brutal 3Ds connection between shots to provoke a
and/or the non-availability of online 3Ds edi-
particular sensation in the viewer.