This may be a surprise to be people because the World Cup was the first sporting event broadcast by the new ESPN 3D station and it received so much press and good reviews. This isn’t meant to take anything away from that because the World Cup in 3D was visually stunning and really amazing. However, soccer just isn’t the ideal sport to be viewed in 3D. A lot of soccer footage is far away views of the field. Because the depth of the objects in these views aren’t very different from one another, the only effect you really get with these views is feeling farther from the action (positive parallax)  and an effect that makes the players kind of look like action figures. What is really cool is when you get some close up shots when you can really get a feel for the distancing between players and how it would feel to be on the field. Also, you sometimes get that lucky angle where the ball is kicked towards a camera and it flies out of the screen. The most positive review I have heard of soccer is that in 3D when a shot misses the goal it is hard to tell how bad the miss is, 3D makes it really easy to see how close or far that shot was to being a  G-G-G-G-O-O-O-O-A-A-A-A-L-L-L-L!!!!!!!

#5: Football

This is a tough one for me because I really love football but football runs into a lot of the same issues as soccer. The shots from afar don’t really do too much for the viewer. Also like in soccer the close-ups can be really cool, making you feel like you’re in the action. I think that 3D for football will be one of the major selling points for 3D TVs because of the popularity of football and the immersive experience of watching football in 3D. If you have a 3D TV make sure you;re checking out ESPN 3D on Saturdays for NCAA football in 3D–it’s a lot of fun… even when you get to experience your college getting walloped by Ohio State 48-10 in 3D! Football would have gotten a higher ranking but it’s not that football is bad in 3D, just that other sports are so cool!

#4: Hockey

A lot of people don’t realize that the first 3D sport broadcasted on TV was a Rangers-Islanders game on a special broadcast of the MSG network. This was before 3D TVs were available to the public so special screenings were scheduled for the fans. I haven’t gotten to witness it myself but the reviews are glowing and I can imagine why. The action in hockey and the way they game is shot is really conducive to 3D. Seeing it in 3D really gives you the feeling of being on the ice and you get a new perspective on the distances between players and actually makes it easier to follow the puck. Also the views from behind the goal and the puck coming toward the camera will surely make you flinch. I, for one, can’t wait until hockey games are regularly broadcast in 3D!

#3: Golf

Here’s one sport that before watching it in 3D I would never have expected it to be so cool! Comcast broadcast the Masters in 3D this year, and it was simply breathtaking. There are 2 major advantages to watching golf in 3D. Have you ever been on a golf course and looked around and been taken aback by the natural beauty around you? If you buy a 3D TV get ready to experience that feeling from the comfort of your couch. When I was watching the Masters in 3D, it was the first time I could truly appreciate the beauty of the courses the pros play on. The most amazing thing was when a water trap was at the bottom of the TV it looked like the water was literally going to flow right out of the TV. The second thing that is amazing about watching gold in 3D is the ability to see the subtle contours of the green. When you watch golf on a 2D TV, you have to take the announcers word for it when they say the the path to the hole slopes down and to the left…. in 3D you can see it for yourself! Overall, watching golf in 3D is outstanding!

#2: Action sports

Maybe you’ve heard of X-Games 3D the movie. If you haven’t and you missed it in theaters, get a 3D TV and get the movie! 3D and action sports is a natural fit. People flying up and down and in and out, the marriage was inevitable. So what does 3D have to offer for action sports? First and foremost is the obvious potential for people flying out of the screen (positive parallax). Though some people in the industry consider positive parallax kind of a novelty, it definitely fits in with action sports and makes it exciting. Secondly, the addition of 3D gives you a much better perspective of how giant some of these ramps are and how scary it would be just to skate on them let alone do back flips and rotations after you launched yourself from them. Finally, 3D just really puts you in the action and makes it a more exciting experience to watch action sports.

#1: Basketball

I may be jumping the gun on this one but I get the feeling that basketball that critics will agree with me come December. I got the chance to watch some footage of my collegiate team in 3D and I was blown away. Basketball brings together all of the elements that the other sports do. First, there’s that feeling of being on the hardwood that you can’t beat unless you throw down a few hundred for floor seats. Next, there’s the enhanced perspective of the game, seeing what the players see. Then there’s all that action with players and balls flying every which way coming in and out of the screen. It’s hard to put into word but it’s really cool, take my word for it. In about a month the ESPN 3D network will be broadcasting collegiate games in 3d. Don’t miss it!

The following image will help to understand parallax:

The blue line represents the screen that you are watching and the red dot represents where you will see a 3D object in relation to the screen. now in reality when you’re watching 3D there is a right image and a left image that lie on the screen and where the red dot actually lies on the screen is represented by the spot where the green lines intersect the blue lines. However when your brain receives this information it tricks you into seeing an object in front, on, or behind the screen–again, represented by the red dots.

A film director has precise control over what elements in a scene have positive parallax and negative parallax; that is what elements appear to the audience in front of or behind the screen. That is where a big debate comes into play. Some suggest that the real thrill of 3D is object flying out at the audience. Others argue objects behind the screen allow viewers to really put themselves in the action and immerse themselves in the story. What’s my take on it? I think I am with most real 3D enthusiasts. I believe that negative parallax, or things flying out of the screen, are more of a novelty. Whereas, positive parallax or creating a world behind the screen is really where the magic of stereoscopy happens. This really lets you immerse yourself in the story and often in a different world as in Avatar or Alice in Wonderland. What’s your take?

James Cameron’s Avatar

James Cameron spent 7 years building a perfecting his own 3D rig for Avatar, aptly named the Cameron-Pace 3D rig. Think that’s crazy? He filmed almost the entire movie with the 28 lb rig on his shoulder. Cameron is a huge proponent of the beam splitter rig. He believes the ability to control the interocular in a beam splitter rig is essential to make a good 3D production. This is especially important when cutting between views from long range and close ups so as not to confuse the brain and make the viewer sick. The Cameron-Pace rig is complete with left and right hand triggers that control zoom and focus, a remote controlled interocular shifter, as well as a carefully calibrated built-in PC that makes sure the cameras are perfectly in-sync. Cameron wouldn’t put a price tag on the rig, but from my research I’m guessing it’s between $90,000-$130,000. Talk about a hefty price tag, but I think the results speak for themselves.

My Bloody Valentine 3D

The producers and director of My Bloody Valentine were thinking along the same lines as Cameron when they chose to go with a beam splitter rig as well. Where they differed is the shopped the technology rather than create it themselves… I guess we can’t knock them too much for not spending 7 year perfecting a 3D rig. They went with the ParadiseFX (PFX) system which is one of the most advanced and refined systems being used today. PFX has spent 14 years perfecting the techniques of 3D filming and the art of putting the right hardware in place to get the job done. Take a look for yourself:

ESPN

Okay, I know I said Hollywood, but I had to throw ESPN into the mix, there just aren’t that many live action 3D movies out yet, and who could resist taking a look into what the sports giant is using to put depth onto the gridiron and the diamond. Seems as if they’ve got some beam-splitter rigs as well, built by a man named Vince Pace. Name sound familiar? Maybe it’s because it sounds suspiciously like Vince Chase from Entourage (wrong) or maybe it’s because he’s the same guy who, with Cameron, pioneered Avatar’s Cameron-Pace rig.  You’ve got it. Pace put his hard work to helping build similar rigs to the one’s used on Avatar but optimized for the world of sports. Not only do they have beam splitter rigs, they also employ specially designed side-by-side rigs, and remotely controlled rigs that can hove across the field. ESPN has poured millions of dollars into this technology and our putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to 3D.

#5 Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland came with a lot of mixed feelings. It was up against being a remake, one of the first live action feature films in the new 3D era, and being subject to Tim Burton’s unique style. On the other hand , it got a lot of buzz and has some major star power from a certain pirate turned mad hatter (Johnny Depp, for those of you who live under a rock). Some people weren’t impressed with the scripting or the 3D effects (many saying they were distracting),  Tim Burton and the producers of this movie delved into the 3D live action world with a large stereographic team. Live action 3D is not nearly as easy as animated 3D and it is important for Hollywood to take some shots before they perfect it.

What they got right: They created a visually stunning dream world that really highlighted what 3D can add to a film.

What they got wrong: They had a really hard time working 3D into the script and make it not distracting.

#4 Shrek the Third

The Shrek franchise has held young people captive since its inception. It has bridged age gaps and can be enjoyed by viewers of literally all ages. It also has a simple but powerful message, “beauty is internal.” Shrek is also one of those powerhouse animation films with a top rate voice cast highlighted by Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and Mike Meyers. Disney has caught some backlash saying that the movie was watered down from previous versions. While this may be true, it is still a great film for young people to enjoy. Finally, Shrek the Third has been heralded by many as one of the best as far as 3D animation. The 3D effects did not get in the way of the story yet enhanced it. The characters and landscape were complex yet refined. Altogether a wonderful viewing experience.

#3 Monsters vs. Aliens

DreamWorks hit the nail on the head with this family friendly 3D adventure. The movie combined some great voice talent (Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Reese Witherspoon, Stephen Colbert, Kiefer , Sutherland, and Hugh Laurie), as well as stunning 3D animation. This was the backdrop to a script that was exciting, yet age appropriate, with a little slice of sophisticated humor for the older viewer. The 3D in this movie was headed by a long time stereographer Phil McNally. Some of the negative parallax (i.e. things coming out of the screen) that was done in the movie was a little bit cliche, but I guess you have to have some of that in a 3D animation flick. Overall, the stereography was stunning and seamless.

#2 Avatar

Hold the presses, Avatar is not first on the list!?!? Avatar was great! It was amazing. James Cameron created a world unlike any other. The world and the stereography that put us audience members in it was simple terrific… and expensive. I don’t think I need to go into too many detail about the film considering that every person in the developed world has seen Avatar in 3D. They did an amazing job on the film and it is the absolute pinnacle of live action 3D combined combined with animation. The only complaint with this movie was the fact that Avatars plot was incredibly cliche. I’m pretty sure its box office numbers say that still did ok.

#1 Toy Story 3

Toy Story 3 is the perfect 3D movie. It has 3 elements that distinguishes it from the other films on this list. It performed at the highest levels for plot, 3D effects, and the combination of the two. It is not a only a great film despite the 3D effect but it uses beautiful cinematography and stereography that works in seamlessly with the film. The film is an emotional one, guaranteed to produce tears and the stereography allows you toput yourself in the movie and really feel that emotion.

Notable Mention: Kung Fu Panda

Worst 3D Movie: Clash of the Titans

There are many bloggers out there with a wide range of opinions on this. Dissenters will contend that 3D is just a reason for TV manufacturers to hike up TV prices (lots of them thought the same thing about HD). However, I am sure that many of you stereoscopic enthusiasts are excited and are drinking the 3DTV Kool Aid.

I think we can agree that there is more money for the television providers and for some of the networks with 3D TVs but it is doomed to fail if the consumers don’t buy in. The question basically becomes does the average consumer want to watch TV in 3D or don’t they?

This is a question that we just don’t have the answer to yet, but lets think about why they might or might not want to:

Why we Want to Watch TV in 3D:

• Anything that makes the viewing experience better for sports will sell
• 3D movies are hot, and we want to be able to enjoy that experience at home
• 3DTV is new and just plain exciting
• 3D really helps immerse you in what you’re viewing

Why we Might not Watch TV in 3D

• Glasses!
• Expensive!
• We don’t really understand 3D

My opinion is that once consumers are used to seeing things in 3D on a regular basis, adoption of this technology will take off. What can we do, as stereoscopic enthusiasts, to speed up this process? The one thing you can do is educate everyone you know about 3D! This is the best way to speed up the process, so get out there and spread the word!

Stereoscopy is derived from the word stereopsis. Stereopsis is what occurs in one’s brain in order to be able to see the world in 3D. Essentially each eye gets a slightly different 2D image, sends them to the brain, and the brain fuses the two 2D images together into a 3D image to achieve stereopsis. Stereoscopy refers to artificially presenting each eye with a separate 2D image so that the brain can achieve stereopsis.

Stereoscopy involve 2 steps: Capture and Delivery

Capture involves capturing two 2D images that would be similar to how the way our eyes see the world. There are 3 traditional ways to capture stereoscopic images or what some people call stereopairs (I’ll include more about capture in a later post):

• Side-by-Side Rigs
• Beam-Splitter Rigs
• Dedicated 3D Cameras

Delivery is all about how to you get the images that were filmed for the right eye to the right eye and the images that were filmed for the left eye to the eye. Some of the ways that this is achieved includes color filters, polarized light, and a the new exciting active shutter technology that you see in the new 3DTVs.

My name is Seth Baumwell and I love 3D! I wanted to use this first post to introduce you to Depth Beyond and myself.

First about me:

I have been a 3D enthusiast since I was a kid and saw 3D at Walt Disney World. I can remember watching Jim Henson’s Muppet Vision 3D for the first time.  It was like nothing I have ever seen.  Beyond the impressive “flying objects” I was encapsulated by the world he created in using 3D.  Today, with the advancements in technology and the introduction of active shutter, stereoscopic filming is giving creators and consumers even more worlds to apart of.   The memories of my youth are still held close and the passion I first felt is burning hotter then ever.  I have read everything from Foundations of the Stereoscopic Cinema to 3D Movie Making. I am also constantly following 3D blogs and attend any 3D conferences I can.  I am a creator, consumer and an evangelist of everything that is 3D and hope to share and discuss them here.

About Depth Beyond:

Depth Beyond is the premier site for everything you want to know about the 3D industry! I have looked for a well designed website where 3D enthusiasts can learn and discuss about everything stereoscopic, but came up short. Here you can read the latest industry news, write opinion pieces, and interact with each other in the forum.  My hope is people who are interested in 3D will learn, share and connect with one another.  If you are interested in joining the team, have questions, or just want to say hi, feel free to email me at seth [at] depthbeyond.com

Enjoy the site.

-Seth