Drexel University to Be First East Coast University to Have a Student 3D Short

Hey all, Tim here with news coming out of my Alma Mater Drexel University! Drexel University is a school in Philadelphia, PA and Sal Sciortino (writer, director, producer) is going to make his senior thesis film Crane the first stereoscopic 3D student film done on the east coast! This is exciting news personally for me because of the years I spent sharing news stories and talking with faculty & students about 3D. It's great to see a young student pushing forward with the first stereoscopic production to come out of the school. It also helps bring the 3D medium to education throughout the continental United States.

A short synopsis about the this ambitious short film:

Crane is an action-packed film that deals with the life of former secret agent, John Crane. He has classified information and has been hiding from his old agency, the agency has had enough. They kidnapped John's wife, and he is hell bent on finding her. With the help of his friend (and current operative) Jamaal, John traverses the city to locate his wife. Unfortunately, finding his wife will be no simple task – the agency keeps her well hidden, they have a ton of agents standing in John's way. Luckily for John, he's a rugged man with phenomenal fighting skills, and he will let no one stand in the way of finding his wife.

The action scenes in this movie will be done with full cooperation of the city of Philadelphia, who will assist in closing down roads in order for shooting to take place! Sal comes from a background full of experience to make this possible.

Sal Sciortino is currently a senior at Drexel University. During his time in school he has worked on countless projects. Sal spent 9-months in Los Angeles gaining production experience and working for companies such as Bad Robot Productions and Toy Box Entertainment. His love for film began when he was in the eighth grade. Sal learned countless programs and techniques through self-drive, and has been improving his skills ever since.

The short film will be shot using Drexel's own 3D Film Factory beamsplitter rig, and a pair of Sony EX-3's. However, there are a few items that Sal and his crew are going to have to rent in order to make this happen in the best possible stereo 3D. As Drexel doesn't have an on set 3D Monitor of their own the production will need some money in order to rent one, along with a bit more 3D gear. That's why Sal has launched a Kick Starter Campaign to help raise funding for the project. Below is a video from the shooting studio of Drexel Film & Video with Sal explaining the Kick Starter campaign and a bit about the film:

HIT THE JUMP FOR THE VIDEO AND MORE INFO:

(Please be aware that this video is embedded off Kick Starter, and is in their native video format of Flash, and will not play on some mobile devices)

This project is going to be a learning experience for everyone involved; both for students working on the film and as well as professors overseeing the project. Many of the crew members, myself included, have experience working in the 3D medium, and they will be on set at all times to assist. Much of the equipment will be rented for free from Drexel, however the production will have to pay to rent some 3D equipment from local studios. Although if any 3D companies looking to assist in the spread of stereoscopic education can also donate equipment, gear, and resources. All post-production will be done using Drexel's editing facilities.

The biggest challenge facing this production will be working in 3D. Although there have crew members with 3D experience, it is a lot tougher to work in 3D than 2D, not only during shooting but also post production. A 3D film like this has never been made at this undergraduate level, and it is an ambitious project. If problems do occur, the have resources are available along with the ability to work through those obstacles. The Film && Video students of Drexel University are not afraid of innovation and look to continue to progress in stereoscopic education on the east coast.

PLEASE GO TO THE KICK STARTER PAGE AND DONATE!

The University Of Texas At Austin Starting UT3D - A Comprehensive 3D Production Program!

I met Wayne Miller of SD Entertainment at the 3D Experience in New York a couple of years ago as he was one of the participants on my 3D Filmmakers Panel that I moderated. He has an amazing vision of where 3D is going and has contributed a great deal to the success that 3D has enjoyed thus far. I was quite excited when Wayne let me know about this new program: Read on!

Here is the press release (emphasis is mine):

Radio-Television-Film Receives $2 Million to Create Nation’s First 3-D Production Program

The Department of Radio-Television-Film at The University of Texas at Austin has received a $2.17 million grant from the Moody Foundation to create “UT3D,” the first comprehensive 3-D production curriculum in the country.

Don Howard, associate professor and production area head in the Department of Radio-Television-Film, will serve as director of the program, which will offer classes to undergraduates beginning in the fall of 2013. Radio-Television-Film graduate Wayne Miller (B.A.,’77), executive producer at the leading Los Angeles-based 3-D film, television and new media studio SD Entertainment, helped envision the program and will help ensure its sustainability as co-chair of the advisory council.

“3-D content and technology are headed for a revolution across all platforms,” Miller said. “It’s imperative to share this new tool kit with future filmmakers so they have the training and experience for the jobs of the future. By providing students an understanding of 3-D technology and hands-on experience with state-of-the-art equipment, The University of Texas at Austin is bound to become the leader in 3-D education.” 

The Moody Foundation grant will be given over a five-year period. Classes will be taught at the Belo Center for New Media and the ACL Live at the Moody Theater in downtown Austin — the recording studio for the PBS television show “Austin City Limits” — where students will use the studio’s 3-D production and performance facility.

“We’re delighted to support UT3D,” said Ross Moody, trustee of the Moody Foundation. “The Moody Foundation’s focus on educating the youth of Texas is consistent with funding the establishment of the UT3D curriculum. Students will also gain first-hand experience in 3-D production at the Moody Theater to start their real-world training, and when they graduate, they'll be ahead in the growing medium of 3-D.”

In addition to receiving leadership from current Radio-Television-Film faculty members, UT3D will draw upon industry professionals — directors, technicians, producers and executives — to mentor students, including the executives and production team from SD Entertainment.

Students will produce a range of 3-D content — including plays, sports, documentaries and narrative pieces — and explore recent 3-D innovations, such as “glasses-free” 3-D for television, tablets, cellphones and small display devices.

UT3D was also made possible by Tim McClure, GSD and M Advertising co-founder and College of Communication advisory council member, who provided guidance on the creation of the program and will continue to connect the college with industry partners.

“This grant represents an overwhelming investment in the College of Communication and Central Texas by the Moody Foundation, a long-time supporter of education and the arts,” said Roderick P. Hart, dean of the College of Communication. “The college is also grateful to its community and industry partners and UT3D Director Don Howard, who will prepare our students for the burgeoning 3-D industry.”

The Moody Foundation is a charitable organization that makes grants primarily in Austin and Dallas, with an emphasis on education, social services, children’s needs and community development. The Moody Foundation was created by Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Moody Jr. to benefit in perpetuity present and future generations of Texans.

Best of luck with this endeavor to all those involved! MarketSaw will always support the education and fostering of passion in the 3D space and this new program is a huge step in the right direction!

New Stereoscopic 3D Training Program in Los Angeles

Here is an interesting course being made available for stereoscopic 3D training. Have a look if you are interested in picking up some fundamentals...

Press Release:
3D Film Factory, a leading manufacturer of professional, affordable 3D camera systems, is now offering hands-on, comprehensive programs aimed at educating and training stereographers, cinematographers and production professionals in 3D filmmaking. For years the company’s team of in-house, veteran stereographers have been on the forefront of 3D production, shooting 3D projects and training select clients worldwide. Now with the industry on the rise, they’re making their expertise, experience and 3D secrets available to those who are eager to learn.

“Most of our stereographers have spent the last few years filming, producing and teaching 3D to a wide host of clients worldwide“, said company president Karl Kozak. “This is the next step, creating an affordable, intensive, hands-on 3D training program for veteran cinematographers and first-time filmmakers alike. This is the ’how to’ for anyone hungry to learn the secrets of 3D filmmaking, the right way.”

This intensive 2-day introductory course covers the following topics: 3D pre-production & prep, choosing the right gear & support, camera & 3D rig calibration, genlock issues, creating balanced 3D images, 3D filming guidelines, adjusting intraocular & convergence, shooting ratios, professional 3D vs. amateur 3D, filming with beam-splitter rigs & side-by-side rigs, realtime 3D monitoring techniques, lighting for 3D, post production methods & short-cuts, 3D exhibition formats and much more.

“The goal here is to demystify the whole 3D process and simplify 3D filmmaking, starting with the fundamentals through more advanced techniques“, said the company’s lead stereographer Keith Driver. “We’re teaching 3D from inception, through production, post and even exhibition. You’re going to learn what’s taken us years of 3D production to gleam - how to create balanced, brilliant 3D images, that maintain viewer comfort and serve the story.”

This is not merely a seminar or lecture. Participants will spend 2 full days of hands-on shooting and editing in 3D under the direction of a highly-trained, veteran stereographer. The program is designed to accommodate both the complete novice, to those professionals with previous 3D filmmaking experience looking to learn more or fine tune their existing skills. Teaching stereographers understand that some participants may have pending 3D projects, therefore they welcome all questions, individual concerns and unique situations.

Furthermore, participants should keep in mind that 3D filmmaking is not an exact science, but rather an evolutionary process, with fluid rules and varying outcomes. Complete 3D camera rigs, realtime monitors, and editing equipment will be provided by the company on site.

The first such training session will be held July 10 & 11th, 2010, in Hollywood, California. For complete program information, locations, pricing, availability and registration please email info@3DFilmFactory.com.

About the 3D Film Factory
Based in sunny San Diego, California, the 3D Film Factory is a 3D equipment manufacturer AND a full-service 3D production house. More specifically, the company specializes in the design and marketing of production-ready, affordable stereoscopic 3D camera systems and real-time 3D viewing systems, as well as, a wide variety of 3D production services for clients, from ‘stereographers for hire’, to hands-on 3D training, to complete 3D productions through post and exhibition.

To learn more about the 3D Film Factory’s production services, training, or stereoscopic 3D camera rigs visit www.3DFilmFactory.com

Pricing is $1,295 for the 2-days. 3D Film Factory is giving discounts for those who have purchased 3D camera rigs from them as well.

Heads Up: Stereoscopic Cinema Class at UCLA Extension

Michael here. Yesterday on the set of I.E. Effects' S3D production I happened to run into stereographer Keith Collea, who was supervising the 3D for the shoot. We talked S3D for a while, and he helped clarify a lot of points regarding stereo production. The funny thing is that I did not realize at first that he was teaching a class I registered for a couple months ago, a course titled "Stereoscopic Cinema: The Basics of 3D Filmmaking."

The class is being offered at UCLA Extension. Read the description below:

Today's trend toward 3D moviemaking is on the rise. This course looks at the history and current technological innovations in the 3D field. You learn about to the theory and techniques of Digital Stereographic 3D filmmaking and spend a day on stage with a 3D camera system similar to those being used today on the biggest Hollywood productions. Finally you see how this footage can be posted using Final Cut Pro and you visit a local post house specializing in 3D Digital Intermediate work.

Westwood: 202 Extension Lindbrook Center
Monday, 7-10pm
March 1, 8 & 15

Los Angeles: Red Cam Studios
Saturday, 10am-1pm
March 6, 13 & 20

I can't wait for the class. Anyone else in the LA area interested in expanding their knowledge of S3D should definitely consider joining!

3D Game Shows Coming Soon? And Another 3D Education Opportunity

Michael here. The Hollywood Reporter has an article about a 3D clip of Wheel of Fortune that was screened Friday morning on the Sony lot at an open house for Sony's new 3D Technology Center. The Center's purpose is to spearhead 3D R&D as well as provide production training.

from THR:

Harry Friedman, executive producer of "Wheel" and "Jeopardy!," introduced the clip.

"One of the biggest challenges is keeping a game show fresh -- by changing the show without changing the game," he said. "We do that with enhanced production value, such as set design. We typically do dimensionalized sets, which are made for 3D."

A timetable for a 3D version of "Wheel" is not in place.

On hand at the event was International Cinematographers Guild president Steven Poster, who confirmed that the ICG would work with the center to offer training for its membership. "This is a real boon for the industry," he said. "We have not been able to implement training because of a lack of facilities."

Training will be offered in directing, cinematography, video game development and live-events production. The first sessions are slated to begin next month.