Our SI-2K/Pulsar 3D rig is a fantastic solution where size and weight are a key consideration thanks to the diminutive size of the SI-2K Mini camera body.
Shooting on SI-2K
The SI-2K package comes with an experienced rig technician and complete consultancy and stereographer-support before, during and after the shoot (if required). The SI-2K is a ground-breaking camera for stereoscopic shooting, being one of the first to fully integrate cameras, control unit, recording and monitoring in a small form factor package. This reduces the number of components in the system and more-importantly with a 3D control and recording system the cameras always fire off together, with no chance of mis-matched settings and produce rushes with time-code and clip length identical in left to right images. There is also the option to record left and right images together in one file, simplifying workflow.
The SI-2K 3D system includes a wide range of 3D monitoring modes (anaglyph, 50/50 mix, difference, side-by-side). The lightweight heads significantly lower the weight of a setup and make it ideal for for shoulder or Steadicam work. The package includes client monitoring options. This package is supported by a 3D rig/camera technician, although dry hire options can be discussed. The SI-2K shoots at various frame rates at up to 2K resolution.
A typical SI-2K 3D package includes:
2x SI-2K Mini Head
SI-2K Portable Recorder Unit
2 x custom steel PL-mounts (for speed and accuracy in lens changes)
2 x matched pairs of Zeiss Ultra16mm Primes (8mm, 12mm, 18mm, 35mm)
Element Technica Pulsar 3D Beam-splitter Rig
cmotion Wireless Lens Control Unit
DIT Workstation
46" Passive Polarised JVC Monitor
Quarter-wave plate filter
Custom offset bracket (for greater interaxials)
Customised extended EasyRig for hand-held operation
SmallHD 6" On-board HD-SDI Monitor
Media (SSD Modules)
O'Connor 2575 Head and Legs
Next Steps:
If you are interested in finding out more, than please contact us. We can then either discuss the options and provide a quotation for your project, or arrange a time to come in, meet the team, see the equipment and take a look at other projects we have shot on the SI-2K (including LG/Framestores's 'Rare Butterflies' commercial, Rankin's Kelis promo and our Distant Thunder wildlife pilot).
Beauty promo shot for Rankin Film on SI-2K:
Inition London takes delivery of two RED EPIC cameras
3D Rugby wins MAA Best Award 2011
The O2 3D Rugby broadcast produced by Inition has won the Marketing Agencies Association award fo
Inition Shoot 3D Skiing Promo for Nissan Free Ride
Inition Onboard for 3D Shark Shocker
Inition Launch Specialist 3D Production Company Pointy Stick, in Joint Venture
3D production services and technology company Inition has joined forces with accomplished director and creative technologist Michael Lindsay to launch Pointy Stick, a new creative-first production company. Pointy Stick is designed to unleash the power of stereoscopic 3D production and help exploit this nascent medium to its full creative potential.
3D Roller Coaster Advert for Extreme Game Show
Inition worked with Red Bee Media to produce a 3D advert for the new celebrity game show ‘
Future of 3D: #1 - Scan, Print, Explode!
For our first 'Future of 3D' project we decided to have some 3D fun with Shannon's head to celebrate our 10th Birthday and the launch of our 'Future of 3D' series.
This project combined a wide range of our skills and 3D technologies. But mainly we enjoyed it because it involved blowing stuff up! If you're interested in finding out more, make sure you watch the video above.
Some of the kit we used: ZPrinter 450, Mephisto EX Scanner, Phantom/Quasar 3D Stereoscopic Filming Rig
We'd like to point out that no Shannons were harmed in this project, although strangely enough he had a slight headache afterwards. Check out our Future of 3D blog at fo3d.posterous.com for our latest experiments.
About our 'Future of 3D' series
The 'Future of 3D' series is about exploring the boundaries of future 3D technology through non-commercial creative projects. Supporting this type of work is core to Inition's core values of developing new uses of 3D technology, supporting creativity and nurturing the passion of it's staff and collaborators. If you have an idea for a 'Future of 3D' project, we'd love to hear from you.
3D Filming: Tony Hawk on Tour
Working with extreme sports production specialist Boomerang Productions, Inition supplied stereoscopic equipment, crew, consultancy and 3D post services for a half hour 3D programme following Tony Hawk on his European tour in Berlin and Brighton.
Due to a combination of low weight, compact size and high quality image output, Inition chose to shoot everything with Toshiba IK-HD1(1920x1080i) minicams to capture the essence and drama of the competitor's daring skate tricks.
Capturing the Action from all Angles
Inition’s crew established three camera positions during the Berlin shoot.
A Fig Rig gave the cameraman incredible flexibility to capture fast motion shots. A Polecam lightweight jib was positioned at the top of a ramp side which captured stunning sweeping overhead shots including those classic 3D shots when the skater appears to be jumping out the screen. The third stereoscopic rig was mounted on a regular tripod which was used to capture ground level footage and close ups.
Real Time Stereoscopic Monitoring
To monitor the action, each rig was connected to a StereoBrain Processor. Battery powered and highly lightweight, the StereoBrain processor can process a left and right signal and output a variety of 3D modes which can be viewed on a 2D or 3D monitor. During the Tony Hawk shoot, Inition’s crew used StereoBrain processors to output an anaglyph feed to 7” HD-SDI monitors. Media was recorded to Nanoflash solid state recorders.
Using the three camera set up, Inition was able to deliver motion rich, immersive 3D footage for Boomerang Productions. Boomerang Productions delivered a 2D edit to Inition where it was geometrically corrected and mastered into 3D for 3D Blu-ray authoring,
3D Shoot: LG 'Rare Butterflies' Commercial
As part of LG’s multi million pound 3DTV advertising campaign, Inition worked with Framestore to shoot a 3D cinema advert which aims to show film-lovers how the 3D experience can be recreated in their living rooms. The campaign for media agency Mindshare was directed by The IT Crowd star Richard Ayoade. It features comedy duo Tim Key and his sidekick Lloyd Woolf who take viewers on a brief history of 3D through to the latest developments and what the future holds.
The Brief
Framestore required a versatile, mobile and high-quality stereoscopic 3D filming solution and the expertise to operate it on crane for their one-shot-wonder treatment.
The Solution
Inition specified the SI-2K mini system which offers a great compromise between size and quality. Combined with our matched UltraPrime lenses this offered a cost-effective and highly maneuverable solution on this technically demanding shoot. 3 Inition crew were on hand to build and run the rig (3D rig tech and assistant and stereographer).
Result
The advert is a tongue-in-cheek take on current formulaic 3D showreels and starts with Woolf dressed up as Godzilla destroying a cardboard city below him. The sequence then pans through other popular 3D viewing genres such as football and nature, before ending in a stage set front room with Key and Woolf on the sofa and the strap line "Bringing the magic of 3D home with LG".
Inition's Andy Millns was the stereographer on-set. Post-production at Framestore included adding VFX to the live action sequence which was on-lined by respected VFX artist and post-production consultant David Cox.
"I was very happy with the material from the shoot, the optical line up between the cameras was very good and the colour matching was as close as I've seen." David Cox, VFX/Mistika consultant.
The cinema advert marks LG's first foray onto the silver screen and will be shown alongside screenings of 3D movies Tron: Legacy and the new Chronicles of Narnia film, starting on December 10th.
**UPDATE** LG were so happy with FrameStore's ad that they commissioned a second-part. Framestore came back to Inition who provided the same team and kit for the second shoot which went as flawlessy as the first.
You can watch the advert here (in 2D only) or pay us a visit to see in 3D!
Live 3D Transmissions : Six Nations Rugby Live in 3D for O2
Six Nations Live to 40 Cinemas
40 cinemas across the country screened England’s home RBS Six Nations games live in 3-D. Archibald Ingall Stretton commissioned 3D specialists Inition to produce the matches which became the largest ever UK sports event to be broadcast live in 3D. Forty Odeon and Cineworld cinemas screened the matches, beginning with England’s official centenary game, against Wales on February 6, as part of a deal with O2, the England sponsor. The match against Ireland on February 27 was also screened live in 3-D.
3D Technology
Using the latest 3D camera technology, the matches were captured from seven camera positions providing a comprehensive view of the game which included replays, match statistics and on-screen graphics. Inition worked with outside broadcast experts SIS Live and used 3D 'Quasar' rigs from Element Technica for the shoot. Broadcast graphics specialists Wurmsers creating bespoke stereoscopic graphics for the game.
Production Team
The BBC is the UK TV rights holder for the 6 Nations – played between England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy – and assisted Inition in the broadcast. Inition has worked on a number of 3D productions from football and ice hockey to track and music events. Inition were also the 3D experts behind the 3D transmissions of England’s clash with Scotland at Murrayfield, in 2008, as part of a 3D test for the BBC.
Read TVB Europe's inside story on the project here
Kelis: 3D Pop Promo: 'Scream'. Directed by Rankin.
After collaborating with Inition on several test shoots, world famous fashion photographer Rankin chose Inition to supply the stereoscopic crew, expertise and equipment for a new pop music promo from Kelis called ‘Scream’.
3D on a 2D Schedule
It was essential that the 3D aspect did not add time to the one day/2D schedule. Inition used an Element Technica Quasar rig and SI-2K 3D camera system. Element Technica's motorised alignment, excellent rigidity and precise alignment, meant less correction was required on set and in post production, ideal when time was of the essence as it was with the Kelis 'Scream' production schedule.
Brett Turnbull, DP on the shoot said: "We shot 'Scream' in 2D and 3D simultaneously using the same camera system. The whole set-up was very flexible and mobile, allowing us to experiment and see instant 3D playback on set. With an ambitious storyboard and limited shooting time, it was a real bonus that shooting in 3D actually had very little impact on the day's schedule.”
On the day of shooting, Inition supplemented the regular crew with a stereographer, rig technician and camera assistant, and supervised the post production which was completed at OnSight, ensuring that Rankin’s trademark photographic style was not comprised and actually enhanced by the stereography.
YouTube Hit
‘Scream’ 3D by Kelis was launched as an anaglyph 3D video exclusively on video sharing website YouTube, generating over half a million hits and counting. It features an exciting combination of negative and postive parallax shots, perfectly suited for the genre of a music video.
Inition's crew and equipment ensured the production schedule was adhered too and the director was able to fully concentrate on the creative process.
Watch 'Scream' by Kelis below (anaglyph 3D glasses required)