0

Panasonic's 3D Camcorder AG-3DA1 In Action

10.17.10 @ 1:25PM Tags : 3D, cameras, panasonicag3da1

Panasonic’s been showing off their 3D AG-3DA1 camcorder lately, and last month’s DV Expo was no exception. Here’s an interesting look at the camera’s 3D convergence adjustment in action, and some 3D demo videos to watch (if you have 3D glasses, that is): More »

4

Where Are the 3D Art Films?

10.8.10 @ 4:39PM Tags : 3D, arthouse, distribution, theaters

Lost in the debate over the future of 3D is the question of how independent art-house films could take advantage of the added dimension — in ways that have nothing to do with the shock value of horror films or the spectacle of action movies. In an article at Salon, @mattzollerseitz asks the question of what could happen if filmmakers begin to use the use 3D technology to make films that are more abstract or more intimate than their 2D counterparts. More »

0

3D Matchmoving for After Effects on an Indie Budget (a.k.a Free)

09.17.10 @ 8:48AM Tags : 3D, ae, aftereffects, effects, matchmoving, tutorials

Since we’re on the topic of backyard effects with that Russian Transformers clip, let’s take a look at the technique of integrating 3D objects with live action footage. The technique of placing a 3D object into a previously filmed scene (known as matchmoving) requires sophisticated camera tracking generally reserved for high-end effects packages, but Aetuts+ has a tutorial for doing it with a free After Effects plugin called Voodoo Camera Tracker. I’ve only done 2D tracking myself (to erase people and other background elements in The West Side), but if you’re interested in integrating your own 3D transformers (or something more original, perhaps?) into a live scene, here’s a tutorial for you: More »

3

A Brief History of 3D

07.4.10 @ 1:50PM Tags : 3D, 3ds, avatar, nintendo

When I posted a little feature on the recently-announced Nintendo 3DS and what it could mean for the future of 3D, I realized I’d never posted some thoughts I had on 3D after I saw Avatar last year. Bear with me as we travel back through the fourth dimension, time.¹ I never got around to publishing these paragraphs, because this was before I re-launched this site and I was questioning whether I really wanted to keep NoFilmSchool going. Here’s what I wrote: More »

1. Of course, thanks to the concept of space-time, time is no longer considered to be the fourth dimension. [↩]

5

If Today’s Nintendo 3DS Doesn’t Need Glasses, Neither Will Tomorrow’s 3D TV

07.2.10 @ 1:07PM Tags : 3D, 3ds, avatar, games, nintendo, videogames

Nintendo’s announcement of the Nintendo 3DS brings with it the usual slew of technology refreshes — faster processor, higher resolution display, etc — as well as a capability new to handheld gaming: 3D. However, this 3D technology is a bit different from the one moviegoers are used to, in that it doesn’t require glasses. What could this mean for the future of 3D video games and movies? More »