Since Spring 2010, tv production center zurich ag (tpc) in Switzerland has been offering high-end editing of 3D productions with its Quantel Pablo system to broadcasters, production companies and agencies. The mobile Pablo system, equipped with the Quantel Stereo3D toolset, is available for use anywhere in Europe and can be integrated into the customer’s existing infrastructure. In addition, tpc is offering its 3D expertise on a consultancy basis, providing support throughout the whole workflow of a 3D production from planning and realization up to the final product for cinema, broadcast or video. In August 2010, tpc organized a hands-on Stereo3D workshop for EBU members who are working on a definition of the 3D standard within the 3D Study Group.

1. case study 10
tpc
tpc enters the 3D era with Pablo
Swiss broadcast production company goes on the road with Quantel
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2. case study 10 tpc
Since Spring 2010, tv production center zurich ag (tpc) in Switzerland has
been offering high-end editing of 3D productions with its Quantel Pablo
system to broadcasters, production companies and agencies. The mobile
Pablo system, equipped with the Quantel Stereo3D toolset, is available for
use anywhere in Europe and can be integrated into the customer’s
existing infrastructure. In addition, tpc is offering its 3D expertise on a
consultancy basis, providing support throughout the whole workflow of
a 3D production from planning and realization up to the final product for
cinema, broadcast or video. In August 2010, tpc organized a hands-on
Stereo3D workshop for EBU members who are working on a definition of
the 3D standard within the 3D Study Group.
Quantel – share our passion

3. case study 10 tpc
Cover: Christian Witschi, the
3D DOP and stereographer
Inside cover: Gyro stabilized
3D helicopter rig
This page: 3D steadicam
in action
With this bold move, the Swiss 3D pioneer has opened tpc has been using Quantel eQ and iQ systems for
up uncharted territory in Europe. “We consider ourselves color grading and finishing for many years. "The Pablo
as a competence centre for 3D,” says Donovan 3D tools are not difficult to learn, but a lot of
Courtney, 3D Consultant at tpc. “Our approach is to experience is required to achieve a good result in 3D,"
offer our know-how and technical equipment to enable Klement explains. "The Pablo supports this learning
the production of high-quality 3D programs.” process, helping the skilled operator to acquire the
necessary knowledge in the most efficient way."
If for example a 3D movie has to be edited in Germany
or Austria, the production company or the film studio The 3D-equipped Pablo also makes 3D experimentation
can book the tpc team including the complete 3D and trials accessible to broadcasters. “tpc in Zurich is
editing suite. “For this reason it is very important for us the pioneer for all SRG SSR broadcasters, as far as
to have a mobile Pablo system,” underlines Courtney. development and the use of new technologies are
“We are able to install our edit suite wherever it is concerned,” emphasizes Klement. With HD Suisse, the
needed for a 3D project.” SRG SSR has already had its own HD channel for test
programs since 2008. “At present all the big
tpc plans both to co-produce 3D projects with partners broadcasters are busy with converting their old SD
as well as undertaking complete 3D productions. “This highways to HD, which costs a lot of money and
may also include showroom projects or advertising resources,” Klement continues. This means that
productions in 3D,” explains Sascha Klement, Head of broadcasters are lacking the resources to introduce 3D
Business Development at tpc. “We offer the customer a at present. “For this reason we try to show how 3D
complete business model which makes economic sense. might be used with our concepts and business plans.
It is important to integrate 3D into a complete business This is real pioneering work,” Klement adds.
proposition alongside conventional production.”
The first 3D project for Red Bull Media House
The fastest system on the market The Red Bull Media House in Austria placed the first
tpc chose Quantel technology to develop its new 3D order with tpc for a 3D post production project in spring
venture after having thoroughly evaluated several 2010. Their requirement was to perform the complete
high-end systems. Quantel’s grading and finishing post-production of a five-minute Stereo3D film within 36
system won out. ”With its extremely fast workflow, the hours. This Stereo3D live action film was shot just before
Pablo is unbeatable,” says Donovan Courtney. “This is the start of the 70th Hahnenkamm race in Kitzbuhel,
the fastest and most efficient machine available on the which is considered to be the most difficult ski downhill
market.” Further speeding workflow, Pablo’s Resolution run of the world. “It was a great challenge for us to carry
Co-existence eliminates the need to convert formats out the complete Stereo3D post-production within such
before work can start. “The footage is ingested, edited a tight schedule,” Sascha Klement recalls. “But thanks to
and finally played out. This is a very user-friendly Quantel’s Pablo system and to the training our operators
workflow for 3D productions.” Another important had received in Stereo3D post-production on this
criterion for selecting the Pablo was its ability to edit in system, everything worked out really well.”
real-time at full-resolution with instant playback;
Quantel’s Stereo3D tools permit interactive handling
of both eyes interactively.
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4. case study 10 tpc
2
1 3
The spectacular Stereo3D production was realized in just “As well as the speed of the Pablo, the experience that 1. 3D steadicam in action at
five days start to finish. On the Monday, the Pablo was our editors Nicolas Sieber and Fabian Hochreutener had the JU52 shoot
installed in Kitzbuhel at the foot of the steep ski slope already gained on Quantel systems was instrumental in 2. The helicopter ready to go
under the direction of the tpc project manager. After the ensuring that we met the deadline,” underlines
first camera tests with the downhill racers on Tuesday, Klement. They had also been trained in Stereo3D post 3. 3D filming on the fly
the crew shot the race on Wednesday with several 3D techniques at the Quantel headquarters in England
camera systems. To film the run at breakneck speed before the start of the project.
from the downhill skier’s perspective, a mini 3D camera
rig with gyroscopic stabilization had been developed. The TV broadcast of the Stereo3D Streif downhill race
Alongside this spectacular subjective footage, a was carried out by the Austrian broadcaster Servus TV
helicopter supplied panoramic Stereo3D air views of the in ColorCode. This Stereo3D system presents
magnificent mountain scenery. The gyro-stabilized three-dimensional pictures in full colour space and
camera system consisted of a 3D camera rig supplied depth on ordinary TV displays. To permit the TV public
by P+S-Technik and two RED cameras. to view the Stereo3D clips offered by Red Bull Media –
an option which had never been available ever before –
The 3D footage of the Streif downhill run was edited on Servus TV offered viewers the chance to obtain free-of-
the Pablo on Thursday. “We stored the edited film as a charge ColorCode 3D glasses, and 75,000 pairs of the
file export on a FTP server to allow Dolby to perform the blue-yellow 3D.
sound design during the night,” Klement reports. The
result was a spectacular five minute Stereo3D film, which
Red Bull Media presented to about 200 invited
spectators in Kitzbuhel with a Dolby digital projection
system on the Friday evening. The Stereo3D pictures for
this screening were played out as .tif files from the Pablo
and imported into the projection system for playout.
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5. case study 10 tpc
ʻʻ
ʻʻ
We are focussing
entirely upon Stereo3D
post-production
Donovan Courtney of tpc
Left: Gregor Sonderegger, Newsroom Project
Manager and Second Chief Editor, Swiss TV (SF)
The complete Stereo3D workflow 3D documentary film on the Stereo3D shoots also require more staff on set.
“We are focussing entirely upon Stereo3D Ju52 airplane As well as the stereographer, a second camera
post-production,” says Donovan Courtney, tpc has also made a 45 minute Stereo3D assistant is also needed. “For this reason 3D
“so we did not buy any Stereo3D cameras, documentary film about the famous Junkers productions are inevitably more expensive.
but just the Pablo which enables us to carry Ju52 aircraft. “In the whole world, there are However, the shooting time is only longer by
out the entire post production process in 3D.” only eight Ju52 which are still able to fly, and about ten or twenty percent,” Klement says,
Several producers have already benefited only six of these can transport passengers. adding that for the future, film academies will
from this decision and had their 3D Four of these airplanes are in Dubendorf in need to offer professional training for
post-production realized by tpc. “As we found Switzerland, so this is where we went to make stereographers and camera assistants as well
out during the job, sometimes the producers the film,” says Donovan Courtney. As well as as corresponding workshops.
do not pay attention to parallax, because they Stereo3D air views showing the Ju52 shot
lack the know-how for Stereo3D.” tpc from a helicopter, the film also includes old
therefore had to provide training to the original footage which tpc converted from 2D
camera crews and director of photography. A to 3D. “We used 2D/3D conversion
stereographer also worked alongside the DoP exclusively for archive material, because it is
during the shoots. “We brought together a obviously not possible to re-shoot it in 3D.”
small team of experts who had the required
Stereo3D production know-how, from 3D requires a new way of storytelling. “When
shooting via editing up to the final product. producing in Stereo3D, it is important not to
These directors and stereographers know make too many fast cuts or these may cause
exactly which equipment we need to use and discomfort for the viewer,” Courtney explains.
how to transfer the footage to the Pablo and In Stereo3D films, special attention must be
finally onto Blu-ray. This means we have built given to pre-production; when deciding which
a complete Stereo3D workflow that will camera rigs are to be used, the production
produce excellent results on screen.” format has to be taken into account. “You
must plan the whole sequence of edits,”
Sascha Klement explains. When producing TV
films, this is not always applied. “But when
producing in Stereo3D, you must take into
account the depth of the picture at the
storyboarding stage.”
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6. case study 10 tpc
Above: Donovan Courtney,
At a glance 3D consultant (left), and
Sascha Klement, Head of
Business Development (right)
• Since the Spring of 2010 tpc has been • The mobile Pablo system, equipped
offering high-end 3D productions for use anywhere in Europe can be
integrated into the customer’s
• tpc is focusing entirely upon Stereo3D existing infrastructure
post production
• In August 2010, tpc organized a
• tpc in Zurich is the pioneer for all SRG hands-on Stereo3D workshop for
SSR broadcasters EBU members who are working on
defining the 3D standard with the
3D study group
Hands-on workshop for EBU members “There is a great opportunity for the Stereo3D format
In August 2010, tpc held a two day hands-on workshop in event productions. If the producers put a working
for EBU (European Broadcast Union) members. technology into the market which allows 3D to be
“In cooperation with the EBU we showed how to viewed without 3D glasses, this new technology will
produce in 3D,” says Sascha Klement. In addition to take hold faster than anyone might think,” concluded
hands-on training, editing of 3D productions was shown Gregor Sonderegger, project manager in the newsroom
in the workshop’s technical-practical sessions. The of Swiss TV (SF).
business-related element of the workshop was
designed to show to colleagues from public
broadcasting all the options when moving into
Stereo3D production. “People are not sure about the
time and money they have to invest into Stereo3D”,
Klement adds, “so it’s important to show them different
business models which will permit them to refinance
their investment into new technologies. We are very
happy to share our know-how with our colleagues in the
EBU and any other broadcasters or production houses
who are interested.” tpc is also involved in the 3D
Study Group of the EBU, which is currently developing
3D broadcast standards.
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