P3D Re: IMAX Returns to Polarization

[Lawrence W Kaufman <kaufman3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Gabriel Jacob wrote:

> In Stereo World there was a short

> article about a new 3D IMAX theater in Los Angeles.
> they mention they will be using the polaroid glasses as opposed to
> LCS glasses.

Andrew Gellis (IMAX senior VP) was there a couple ofweeks ago & he said
the LA theater went with
polarized glasses because the theater is part of
the California ScieCenter. It is non-profit and
visited by about 400 students a day. I noticed a
little bit a ghosting with the glasses and that is why
he said the LCS glasses are better.

He was the guest at the April L.A. SIGGRAPH
Chapter Meeting, which took place at the IMAX 3D
Theater. Andy presented a reel comprised of
trailers of current IMAX 3D films and some 2D
ones Also some demonstrations of various types
of computer imaging and animation for the
IMAX 3D format.

The most interesting part of the
program was the IMAX 3D test
demonstrations which included
some footage based on ‘Tale of the
Seahorse’, the flying geese from
the movie ‘Fly Away Home’ had
been put back into the computer
and turned into 3D IMAX Flying
Geese, some early tests of
animated dragons and the entire
‘Paint Misbehavin’ short (Andy
kept calling it Paint By Numbers).

The last two pieces were created
using the IMAX (R) 3D process
SANDDE (TM) (Stereo Animation
Drawing Device) which permits animators
to draw and color 3D images freehand in space
as if they were putting a pencil to
paper. Using a freehand ‘wand’ to
draw or sculpt the character in air,
the animators work is translated
from the imagination to real time
3D. The ground-breaking work is
based upon the premise that
animators prefer to draw without
the interference of a keyboard or a
mouse in the creative process

Andy talked before the program
and then took questions and
answers afterwards. He is excited
about ‘TRex’ which will be out in
October. He says the computer
animation (all four minutes of it -
including time travel) is just great.
There is a scene early in the movie
were the TRex sticks his head out
of the window and bites your head
off! He says he expects it to get
really great word of mouth and get
lots more people to go to an IMAX 3D film.

Also coming out next spring, will
be a new computer animation film.
IMAX has contacted numerous
filmmakers who have used CGI
work in their films and have taken
bits and pieces of what has been
seen and converted these clips to
IMAX 3D. They will have wrap
arounds added to complete the 40
minute film. Sounds very
interesting, one clip is from the
Simpsons.

I asked Andy about the ‘Star Trek
3D’ IMAX film and if there was
any progress. He said, “There
always is progress. Slowly, but
surely. We expect a script next
month.” It seems as though they
continue to expect that script next
month, no matter what month we
are in...maybe soon!

More info on upcoming films at
http://www.imax.com

Thanks for the time,
Lawrence Kaufman, mailto:kaufman3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


------------------------------

End of PHOTO-3D Digest 2698
***************************