3D Stereoscopic

After Effects Apprentice Free Video: Creating an Orbit Camera Rig

Techniques to make your camera move in a perfect arc.

By Chris and Trish Meyer | November 08, 2011

As we mentioned earlier, we've been busy this year creating an extensive, multi-course video training series based on our popular beginner's book After Effects Apprentice. Each course has two or more movies that are free for all to view; we're re-posting those videos here on PVC to make sure you don't miss them. This movie demonstrates how to build an orbit camera rig in After Effects, both manually and by using the new menu command added in AE CS5.5. Read More

0 Comments

Adobe MAX 2011 Technology Sneak Peeks

What's cooking in the lab (and apparently close enough to tease us with).

By Chris and Trish Meyer | October 17, 2011

Adobe's big annual MAX conference finished a couple of weeks ago, and as part of it they included a series of technology sneak peeks. I've gone through the videos posted on AdobeTV and pulled out the ones of most interest to us video folks: Read More

0 Comments

CMG Hidden Gems: Chapter 40 - Integrating with 3D Applications

Another selection of "hidden gems" (and essential advice), this time from Chapter 40 of Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects.

By Chris and Trish Meyer | September 23, 2011

We're going through our book Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects 5th Edition (CMG5) and pulling out a few "hidden gems" from each chapter. These will include essential advice for new users, plus timesaving tips that experienced users may not be aware of.Real 3D programs have several advantages over After Effects: For example, their objects have real depth, and the texturing and lighting options are far more advanced. However, After Effects is the better tool in which to refine the final look of your 3D renders, as well as composite other elements on top of them. Offloading portions of the work from your 3D program to After Effects will save time while giving you more power and flexibility - but it requires some planning to set up.In this chapter in CMG, we give advice on how to successfully integrate your 3D program with After Effects. Unfortunately, there is no one universal file format to bring information from a 3D application into After Effects, so in the book we focus on using Maxon Cinema 4D as it currently has the tightest integration with After Effects, plus is the 3D program we personally use. However, many of the concepts we cover are universal and can be applied to other programs as well. A few of the more universal tips from that chapter are included here. Read More

0 Comments

Blackmagic breaks Thunderbolt price budget with US$299 Intensity Extreme

The US$299 Intensity Extreme is the first bus-powered a/v Thunderbolt interface, although not the first bus-powered device.

By Allan Tépper | September 09, 2011

At IBC in Amsterdam, Blackmagic has just announced its second Thunderbolt audio/video i/o interface, the US$299 Intensity Extreme. For about 70% less in price than Blackmagic’s first Thunderbolt product, the Intensity Extreme is also the first bus-powered a/v Thunderbolt interface, although not the first bus-powered device (since Matrox’s Thunderbolt adapter is bus-powered, but it is not an audio/video interface itself, but the connection to one). When connected with a laptop (i.e. MacBook Air or MacBook Pro), the Intensity Extreme will be powered by the laptop’s internal battery via the Thunderbolt connection. This article will describe exactly what you’ll get -and what you won’t get- if you choose the US$299 Intensity Extreme interface from Blackmagic, and its availability.

0 Comments

Blackmagic delivers its first Thunderbolt-based i/o interface, the UltraStudio 3D

By Allan Tépper | September 05, 2011

Blackmagic Design has begun shipping its first Thunderbolt based audio/video i/o interface, which is officially known as the UltraStudio 3D. As its suffix indicates, it is capable of 3D stereoscopic workflows, although it is certainly capable of 2D workflows too. However, we must be diligent and refer to it with its full name (including the “3D” suffix) in order to differentiate it from other Blackmagic models whose names also begin with “UltraStudio”. This first look at the US$995 UltraStudio 3D will cover its features, specs, and even an initial limitation for HP DreamColor monitors, together with a somewhat costly workaround. You’ll also learn everything you need to know about the UltraStudio 3D’s end-point Thunderbolt connection and its current limitations. Read More

11 Comments

NVIDIA Optix

A joint Adobe-NVIDIA research project demonstrating accelerated ray-traced 3D.

By Chris and Trish Meyer | August 09, 2011

At this week's SIGGRAPH convention in Vancouver, Adobe and NVIDIA are giving a technology presentation of ray-traced extruded text and shapes inside a "motion graphics environment" (you can read for yourself what the menu bar says; before getting too excited, note this is a technology prototype and not an announced or released product). Obviously, there are a lot of questions left unanswered at this point in time - but as we've seen in the past, a lot of other Adobe technology demos eventually become products; fingers crossed that this is the case here. Read More

1 Comments

The Stereo 3D Toolkit, a new script for After Effects

from Ryan Cashman and AE Scripts

By Rich Young | July 13, 2011

Ryan Cashman and AE scripts have released a new script for After Effects, Stereo 3D Toolkit, a set of tools that help you create complex stereoscopic compositions. The Stereo 3D Toolkit "uses true left and right channels (instead of collapse transformations) so it is compatible with all 3D effects and plug-ins that use composition cameras." Read More

0 Comments

After Effects News Roundup

It's been a busy two weeks

By Rich Young | June 21, 2011

The last two weeks have seen a return to action in After Effects news with many more news items on tutorials, plug-ins, etc. and more action on the Premiere front too while FCP X waits in the wings. There's also some notes on related news. News roundups for May (part 1, part 2) can be found at AEtuts+. Read More

0 Comments

Today The GoPro Let Me Down

(sad face)

By Bruce A Johnson | June 03, 2011

Regular readers of my mind-spillings might remember the Color-Correction Conundrum of a year ago, where I used the decidedly outdoor-color-balanced GoPro Hero HD as an accent camera for a choral concert in a church. The lemon-yellow footage of the piano keyboard was brought to heel by help from the readers of this blog, and since I had such success last time, I figured I'd do it again. Read More

1 Comments

Unboxing the GoPro 3D Hero System

New 3D System from GoPro Even Has Its Own Software

By Clint Milby | June 02, 2011

I just received the very cool GoPro 3D Hero System.  I first saw this gem when GoPro's Rick Loughery showed it off a bit at NAB 2011. I have been anxiously awaiting its arrival ever since, (see the video below). Read More

0 Comments

NAB 2011:  GoPro Rides The 3D Wave

New 3D Rig Comes Complete with Hardware and Software Solution

By Clint Milby | April 27, 2011

When I caught up with GoPro, their booth was more like one of the casinos rather than a trade show booth. There was a multitude of screens, a GoPro van and even a race car. Read More

0 Comments

NAB 2011 - Stereo 3D

A quick look at some of the S3D oddities on offer at NAB 2011.

By Adam Wilt | April 25, 2011

If you're gonna shoot S3D, why not watch S3D? Dual PMW-F3s on a mirror rig.

I'm a Chauncey Gardner when it comes to 3D: I like to watch. But as long as stereo 3D requires a bulky mirror rig, or a data cart like the one below, watching is all I'm likely to do. Fortunately, NAB shows that I'm not the only one who feels that way: there were plenty of [somewhat more] practical solutions for shooting stereo. Read More

2 Comments

NAB 2011 Video - Panasonic’s second-generation 3D Camcorder

The AG-3DP1 has a 17x zoom and records to dual P2 cards

By Adam Wilt | April 21, 2011

Steve Cooperman of Panasonic describes the 1/3" 3MOS AG-3DP1 3D P2 camcorder. It should be available later this year, but pricing has not been announced.900x506 QuickTime movie, 1 Mbit/sec h.264, 12 Mbytes. Read More

0 Comments

Maxx Digital at NAB 2011

More storage videos

By Scott Gentry | April 20, 2011

Maxx Digital from ProVideo Coalition on Vimeo.

Maxx Digital booth at NAB 2011. Read More

0 Comments

CalDigit at NAB 2011

Storage solutions

By Scott Gentry | April 20, 2011

CalDigit from ProVideo Coalition on Vimeo.

Here's a very brief walk through of CalDigit's product focus at NAB 2011 Read More

0 Comments

Stereoscopic 3D in After Effects CS5.5

The new release (with some judicious adjustments) makes it easier to create easier-to-watch stereo scenes from 3D compositions.

By Chris and Trish Meyer | April 20, 2011

You may remember our blog post on the "inherent" problems with stereoscopic 3D that famed film editor Walter Murch pointed out in an open letter to film critic Roger Ebert. We took Murch's comments as inspiration to explore workflows in the latest release of After Effects that might work around some of Murch's concerns: Namely, getting the eyes and brain to converge and focus on the same object (preferably one the same distance from the viewer as the screen). Read More

0 Comments

NAB 2011:  MIO 3D Shows a New Way to Shoot 3D

SOC Sean Fairburn's New Company Brings Experience and Ingenuity to 3D Production

By Clint Milby | April 19, 2011

Mio 3D is a company founded by illustrious Director of Photography Sean Fairburn. He created a innovative new way of shooting 3D imagery, one that utilizes three different cameras instead of just two cameras. Read More

0 Comments

NAB 2011:  Redrock’s New Micro 3D Rig

New Device Makes Precision and Elegance Affordable

By Clint Milby | April 19, 2011

3D is rapidly becoming a standard rather than a speciality. With the advent of new cameras and new techniques, 3D has now become a viable option for those on a tighter budget. Brian Valente at Redrock Micro has the perfect solution: the Micro 3d Rig. Read More

0 Comments

NAB 2011:  DasRekorder Rekords Das 3D

New German Startup Brings Passion and Ingenuity to 3D Work Flow

By Clint Milby | April 19, 2011

At NAB 2011 this past week, we ran across DasRekorder, a German based company who had a cool little device that allows for mobile 3D recording. Read More

0 Comments

FREE LightWave Modeler Scripts from Mike Young

Speed up your workflow when working with a lot of layers!

By Vanita Harvison | April 18, 2011

From PushingPoints.com by William VaughanApr 18, 2011"A good friend of mine, Mike Young, recently sent me a couple of Modeler scripts he created that have turned out to be extremely useful. He's been generous enough to allow me to release them to the LightWave community so be sure to add these to your collection of useful additions to LightWave Modeler. Read More

0 Comments