Current S-3d techniques for sports events?

[Eric Lange]

So I thought I would start a thread with a factual question I have been meaning to ask; and also I’m just really fed up with seeing “3D is a Nazi invention” at the top of the Shooting RED section.


Here’s my question.

For sports events, like the Super Bowl and similar large pitch/area events. What sorts of Inter Axial Distances are people using?

Especially given that the cameras could be a long way from the action.


Interested in lenses, IODs/IADs and formats, as well as types of shots, such as cranes and suspended rigs, motorized dollies/robotic track-ways etc. etc.

No hurry.


Cheers,

Eric

 

[Clyde DeSouza]

It seems telephoto is allowed in sports (I suppose it has to, considering it would to be hard to keep up with the second by second uncertainty that sports presents)

However, from watching two sporting events covered live in 3D, here's my dissection and thoughts for what it's worth:

Masters Golf Tournament:
http://realvision.ae/blog/2010/04/5-ways-and-then-some-to-shoot-better-3d-for-sports-and-golf/

FIFA World cup 2010:
http://realvision.ae/blog/2010/06/shooting-fifa-2010-in-3d-lessons-from-day-1/

Regards,

 

[Pedro Guimaraes]

I have been working alot with Direct TV 3D (N3d channel) covering many different kinds of events. NEP is the broadcast company and VER supplies much of the rigs and equipment. The lead stereographer is Mike Rintoul.

We mainly use Sony P1 cameras, Quasar rigs in parallel and beamsplitter mode(usually under thru config). Also used are Pulsar's. Pulsars rigs are used for Jib, steadicam and handheld.

Example of Quasar broadcast setup (no wires yet)

Example of the pulsar

Lenses used are Fujinon and Canon 3D ready ENG type zooms. They are linked together and can be offset via controls on the lenses themselves. Attached to the rig is the sony stereo interface box to the MPE processor. This box provide PL communication for the operator, L&R Inputs, power for the rig and cameras and communicates everything thru Fiber. So one big fiber is run back to the broadcast truck for each camera position.

Side by side quasar and the N3d broadcast truck....

The signal is then feed thru the Sony MPE-200 stereo image processor. Any 2D cameras also get feed thru the processor which converts them to 3D on the fly.

inside the 3D truck or "convergence truck" we have many convergence stations. each station is setup with 3 screens for each convergence puller along with a ET hand controller.

3D broadcast trucks in Dallas covering the "Celebrity bowl event".

On these screens we run the stereo image processor we correct any optical alignment issues and also calibrate the dynamic Zoom capability which tracks the lenses and records data point and makes adjustments to each eye to enable us to zoom without having any stereo issues.

Inside of "convergence truck"

example of each convergence station with all the data the puller needs.

the Sony software talks directly to the Element technica rigs (all of them). So from the laptop OR the hand set we can adjust IO and convergence.

Since most of us are used to knobs....we work with handsets instead of moving the slider on the software with a mouse.

.....in case you were wondering this year the the Dallas celebrity bowl event prior to the super bowl we had 6" of snow and ICE while we built the rigs outside.....pretty much standing on ice.

Amazingly besides a few minor issues all the system dealt with the ice and freezing temperatures just fine.

except us of course......we froze our butts and hands off.

In another sports event, this time working for HDNet and covering MMA fight. We used a Element technica Neutron and Sony 10MD cameras on the jib

and quasar side by side up far away for the wide shot...

Here is a more "studio" style shoot "High stakes Poker" at the Belagio casino in vegas. In this case we had 6 quasars and 1 pulsar on a jib to cover the poker game.......

The whole system works so well, it's really amazing. I've watched the programs and the 3D is great. At this point the NEP/DirectTV 3D crew has covered a variety of events Drifting in sonoma, Poker in vegas, The Sony Golf Open in hawaii, The recent celebrity bowl (football) and even MMA fights. Also many concerts and other events.

You can watch most of the work I pictured above on DirectTV 3D channel right now! Chances are if you watching a concert or sports event on the 3D directv channel it was the NEP/Mike Rintoul lead team that I'm a part of.

Big thanks to VER, NEP, Mike Rintoul and of course Element Technica. Sony also deserves a big applause for developing an amazing system.....that works.

If you want to cover an event in 3D, contact me or better yet Mike Rintoul...schedule is filling up fast.

oh yeah wondering how much gear it takes to cover an event in 3D???? A truck full......yeah VER is happy. Naturally so are we since they need a expert crew to handle all the fun that is 3D production...

 

[Joey R.]

What he said ^

 

[David Birdy]

Yes Close angles give the best 3D effect if the camera has a good field of view.

3D is challenged by the "long lens in sports" Typical lens on up cameras in sports productions are 80x-100x..that just does not work well for 3D.
For the "Winter Classic 2011" we used a Fuji 40X lens for the up camera positions and most of the show was cut with the handhelds and robo cameras down low close to the ice.

 

[Eric Lange]

Sorry I have not been sitting in so much on the thread I started (very rude)! I have been pre-occupied and very busy, but GOOD busy!


PEDRO; THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU…

I can’t thank you enough..did I say thank you?

I should mail a bottle of Scotch or similar favorite poison.


Thanks for taking the time to share things, this really saves a mountain of leg work. We get so focused on what we have to technically bring forth that we don’t always get to come up for air to see the bigger picture.


The 3d truck and all of the rigs look fantastic; I hope to catch the actual broadcasts. This gives me about a month of follow up research and hopefully this year we will be able to share quite directly with you guys what we have been getting up to. Perhaps one or two things that you can add to the amazing NEP “Super shooter” 31-3d truck!

After a bit of deeper research I’ll come back with perhaps some useful questions.

Nice one, much appreciated and best of luck on the NEP projects!

Eric

 

[Eric Lange]

It seems telephoto is allowed in sports (I suppose it has to, considering it would to be hard to keep up with the second by second uncertainty that sports presents)

However, from watching two sporting events covered live in 3D, here's my dissection and thoughts for what it's worth:

Masters Golf Tournament:
http://realvision.ae/blog/2010/04/5-ways-and-then-some-to-shoot-better-3d-for-sports-and-golf/

FIFA World cup 2010:
http://realvision.ae/blog/2010/06/shooting-fifa-2010-in-3d-lessons-from-day-1/

Regards,

Clyde thanks a million for the links.

The commentary that you provide is certainly very valid. I hope stereographers pay heed to what you say, and I have to say you write very well. Will enjoy reading more of your commentary in the future. The anaglyph colors for some of the golf coverage actually look surprisingly good.


The football/Fifa reminded me of being a kid in the70’s and early eighties, as there was this miniature football/soccer game called Subbuteo. It had miniature football players that you could flick with your fingers to kick a plastic ball around on a 4ft by 2ft felt green pitch.

I wonder if the “stereo” Lilliput effect has a strange psychological effect on people supporting their favorite massive football players?

This is an awesome ”Vintage Subbuteo Ad” to help to help illustrate what British kids had to put up with before the invention of video games! EA should take note...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi5idSqCsAM&feature=related

Cheers,

Eric

 

[Clyde DeSouza]

For some reason, even though I've subscribed to threads that I reply to I don't get an email reminder of new posts
Thanks Eric for the kind words.

Pedro..those images are worth a million! Thanks for sharing.

Regards
Clyde