Firm's sights fixed on 3D

Animation Research operator Ben Sharp sets up 3D graphics for the Ryder Cup golf tournament....
Animation Research operator Ben Sharp sets up 3D graphics for the Ryder Cup golf tournament. Photo from ARL.
Animation Research Ltd managing director Ian Taylor has been pitching hard to win the contract to supply 3D images for the Volvo ocean race which starts at the end of the month.

On his way back from the Ryder Cup golf tournament, in South Wales, Mr Taylor stopped off for a meeting with ocean race organisers to make his pitch for the job which could again see Dunedin-made technology on a global stage.

Animation Research was part of the world's largest live 3D production broadcast to date when it provided its 3D Virtual Eye graphics for BSkyB's 3D coverage of the 2010 Ryder Cup.

"The scale of this operation was mind-boggling. At the recent players' championship at Whistling Straits, in the United States, the 3D coverage was on two par 3 holes only."

Two months later, at the Ryder Cup, they covered the entire event with more than 20 specialised 3D camera rigs, two 3D outside-broadcast trucks - one for production and the other to control the 3D cameras - and more than 32km of fibre-optic cable that not only delivered the dual images required for 2D but also allowed the cameras to be controlled entirely from the television compound, he said yesterday.

A 3D processing box built by Sony that converted 2D images into live 3D meant the production also had access to all the standard high-definition coverage.

"The 3D coverage of the Ryder Cup signalled the launch of BSkyB's dedicated 3D channel to the home - Europe's first 3DTV channel. With only 25,000 3D televisions sold in the United Kingdom to date, BSkyB is obviously counting on a big upsurge in interest once 3D content improved."

Asked about whether too much emphasis was being placed on the future of 3D, Mr Taylor said Sony and Panasonic were investing many millions of dollars in the project and were banking on it succeeding.

Television coverage had moved from black and white to colour to high definition and now 3D was seen as the next logical step.

"It might take longer to catch on. It depends on the quality."

Dunedin was proving to be a hub for 3D development, with Natural History New Zealand filming 10 3D documentaries for the Discovery Channel, Animation Research pushing out into sports coverage and 38 Pictures picking up significant cinema work.

All three companies were working together at times to share expertise and create a "3D hub", Mr Taylor said.

"When you talk about co-operation, you would not see any 3D hub in New Zealand like this except at Weta Workshops. This is a very cool story."

While overseas, Mr Taylor had watched some BSkyB documentaries made by Sir David Attenborough in 3D.

"We have all seen a million penguins on the ice in 2D, but it is not until you see them in 3D that you really see what a million penguins is like."

The coverage of the Ryder Cup showed how rapidly the technology had progressed, he said.

Animation Research had produced several 3D films, but the cup was the first time it had been involved in a live 3D sports production.

"You would not have contemplated, even six months ago, delivering 3D pictures from a golf course that stretched over 30km. Add the torrential rain they had on the first couple of days and this all added up to what would arguably be the most challenging production environment you could imagine."

The fact BSkyB was able to produce great-looking 3D coverage under those conditions was testament to how far the technology had come.

It would only get better and Dunedin needed to be part of that revolution, Mr Taylor said.

dene.mackenzie@odt.co.nz

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