[photo-3d] re: Showscan

["John A. Rupkalvis" <stereoscope@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Greg Kintz" <gkintz@xxxxxxxx>
> > To: <photo-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2001 6:13 AM
> > Subject: [photo-3d] re: Showscan
> >
Excerpts from Greg's post regarding Showscan and frame rates:
> >
> > > >> Anyone remember more details?...
> > >

I recently saw a clip from the opening scene of "Oklahoma", which was shown
at the original 30fps projection speed.  It was amazingly sharp and
flickerless, even on the large areas of blue sky where large screen flicker
is usually very noticeable.  I have seen many Showscan films at 60fps, and
yes, they are marginally even better.  But, to my eyes, the seemingly small
jump from 24fps to 30fps (125%) is more of an improvement than the next step
of 30fps to 60fps (200%).  Of course, 24fps to 60fps (250%) is still
incrementally better, but not that much.

>  >  ...I think it's a shame that film based 60frame per second
> >  efforts have been so minimal, as I imagine 60fps and
> >  3-D would make an excellent combo...> >    -Greg-

 I worked on the Showscan film "Concerto por la Tierra" (Concert of the
Earth), which was the first Showscan 3-D film.  It was shot with a pair of
65mm "Showscan" cameras (Cinema Products cameras modified for Showscan)
mounted on the Hines rig (vertical reflection beamsplitter).  No doubt, two
cameras operating at 60fps for every shot made Kodak very happy.

This film included the first time-parallax stereo shot in a motion picture.
We were going down a hill in the production van after the day's shoot had
wrapped, and the producer/director (Bailey Silleck) was seated next to me.
We saw this beautiful sunset through the trees that the van was passing.
Bailey remarked on how it was too bad that we couldn't get a shot of that in
3-D, because if we took the time to bring the other camera back (which was
in another truck, ahead of us) and set up the rig, the sun would have
already set.

 I told him that we could get the shot.  Just point the single camera out
the open side door of the van and have the driver continue on down the hill
during the shot.  He said "But, with only one camera, it won't be in 3-D".
I said, "Yes, it will.  Trust me.".   Fortunately he did.  I had the lab
make two identical prints of the shot, but trimmed four frames from the
opposite ends of each print and spliced them in (effectively pulling all of
the frames for one eye view ahead of those of the other eye view in terms of
time).

 When the dailies were projected in 3-D, Bailey remarked that this was the
best 3-D footage in the film.

 JR




 

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