AMSTERDAM - Along with
Quantel's (www.quantel.com) broadcast and post offerings here at IBC - such as Genetic Engineering
for collaborative "teamworking" and interaction with third-party
systems - came something new: 3D stereoscopic post production as an option
working on the Pablo 4K, iQ4 and Max 4K systems.
With Hollywood threatening to
release more stereoscopic animated films (as well as James Cameron's anticipated
stereo undersea opus Ävatar),
Quantel is looking at broadcast as a potential conduit for stereoscopic
programming in the home. Sports programs in particular are seen as a major
beneficiary of the new initiative, which would require shooting with stereo HD
cameras, the complicity of broadcast and cable providers, set top boxes and
special eyewear at home and, of course, posting on Quantel gear.
Quantel's strategic marketing manager, Mark Horton, cautions that simply being
able handle and view the huge amounts of video data - rendering, media movement and disc
management for content that's twice the load of HDTV - is a major challenge,
especially in a broadcast environment where timing is everything.
Quantel promises that coloremetry, sync, editorial and imaging errors will all
be fixable "ïn context." That is, producers and post pros will be
able to see their work in stereo as they proceed.
"Post houses are really excited by our fully interactive workflow and
their clients are eager to explore the possibilities of stereo 3D production
and post," says Horton.
Quantel's Stereoscopic 3D Option for Pablo iQ and Max promises to play out and
manipulate two streams of HD or 2K in sync and without rendering.
More cost sensitive post houses may be interested in a brand new Quantel
product - called Sid - which is a dedicated stereoscopic post production
workstation.