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MillimeterElement Technica 3D Camera Rig Beta Sight
Feb 11, 2010 12:00 PM, By Keith Collea, stereoscopic 3D supervisor, The Mortician 3D
Rigs lower barriers to 3D production.
Video assist tech Vincent Brunette watches playback on the QTAKE video assist system.
We shot in New Orleans on Red One cameras equipped with Red 4.5K-resolution firmware mounted on a Element Technica Quasar 3D camera rig. We also mounted Silicon Imaging SI-2K MINI cameras on a prototype of the Technica 3D Neutron rig for steadicam and handheld shots. Grayson Austin acted as camera and steadicam operator; first ACs Autumn Boh and Troy Wagner monitored focus, IO, and convergence; and video assist tech Vincent Brunette ran a custom 3D QTAKE system also provided by Offhollywood.
The Element Technica rigs proved to be rock-solid all through shooting. Alignment obviously is the key to shooting 3D that's watchable, and Element Technica rigs hold their alignment better than other rigs on the market. Other major rig systems use computer-assisted alignment and are constantly moving cameras around to offset the misalignment caused by system flex. Element Technica rigs don't flex and don't need computerized alignment to address that problem. Instead, three knobs enable fast, simple manual adjustments of Z-axis for height, pitch for vertical alignment, and roll for rotational fixes.
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Though much of the crew already was experienced in 3D production, the simplicity of the Element Technica 3D rigs was nonetheless a huge advantage. I had trained key staff in advance of production, so daily setup and calibration tasks were completed quickly. Using only Allen wrenches and a mirror gauge, our team was able to finish camera/lens installation and alignment in fewer than 15 minutes rather than the hours often required by other professional 3D systems. Likewise, after a lens change, our guys could get the rigs realigned in just 10 or 15 minutes. The flexibility of the rigs and their relatively small size and weight when compared to other solutions is a distinct advantage in terms of transport and in setting up to get just the right shot, even in tight spaces.
The Offhollywood team provided enthusiastic support throughout the shoot. Whereas any 3D rental house can send out technicians when gear breaks down, Offhollywood provides affordable high-end gear backed by the resources of a complete post facility equipped with 3D color grading capabilities, the most sophisticated video assist solutions, and a 3D Dolby screening theater. Throughout shooting for The Mortician HD, we knew that we could upload 3D material to the Offhollywood facility and confirm that it looked the way it should. Thanks to the support of Offhollywood and the stability and affordability of the Element Technica 3D rigs, we were able to take on the kind of high-quality 3D production that once was possible only for an elite, well-funded few.
Stereographer Keith Collea has dedicated his 15-year film career to the intersection of art and technology. A stint in the Marine Corps resulted in an associate degree in engineering followed by a bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry. Shifting gears, Collea obtained a Master of Fine Arts in dance, which led to filmmaking studies with legendary choreographer Merce Cunningham. Collea first noted the limits of traditional filmmaking while translating three-dimensional performance art into a two-dimensional medium. As a writer and producer of his own projects, then a visual effects supervisor, he has worked with innovators such as James Cameron, Roland Emmerich, Dean Devlin, Michael Mann, and Michael Bay.
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