3D is somewhat of a controversial topic here, with no shortage of comments both lauding and decrying the third dimension. While I'm not a huge fan of where 3D is today, we're only scratching the surface of what displays are capable of. Regardless, shooting 3D today requires an entirely new skillset from shooting 2D, and cinematographers and directors have to basically re-learn how to shoot. Video guru Adam Wilt has an in-depth post on learning to shoot with Panasonic's AG-3DA1 3D camcorder, as he recently attended createasphere's $795 3D workshop; his notes are invaluable for anyone thinking about shooting 3D.
Adam lists four stages of learning to shoot 3D:
- Unconscious 3D Incompetence - you don’t know that you’re doing it wrong.
- Conscious 3D Incompetence - you know that you’re doing it wrong, but you don’t know how not to do it wrong.
- Conscious 3D Competence - you know how to do it right, but you have to think about it to avoid making horrid mistakes.
- Unconscious 3D Competence - you have internalized the rules, and you just shoot good 3D naturally.
In order to get to that last stage, it's going to take a whole lot of learning, and the level of technical jargon in Wilt's post is a testament to this. If you're going to be shooting 3D at some point in the future, his post at ProVideo Coalition is a must-read. He also answers the question of why the 3DA1 costs $21,000, and delves into 3D post-production issues as well (of which there are plenty).
Link: Hands-on with the Panasonic AG-3DA1 S3D Camcorder - ProVideo Coalition
