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Third Floor Selects InterSense Technology to Support Film Previsualization
By Katie Makal
Oct 28, 2008, 03:53
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The Third Floor has expanded its InterSense IS-900 virtual camera motion tracking system to broaden its real-time previsualization capabilities. To date, the company has used an IS-900 system for two Robert Zemeckis animated films, Beowulf (2007) and A Christmas Carol (2009), as well as in the development of Blizzard Entertainment’s Starcraft II video game, with additional projects in progress.
By leveraging InterSense’s virtual camera technology, The Third Floor is able to efficiently and effectively capture pre-vis scenes, or “animated 3D storyboards,” inside a real-time virtual environment. With the InterSense system, The Third Floor can easily “scout” virtual locations and discover the best camera angles from which to shoot the action. In addition, The Third Floor uses the virtual camera to shoot final animated performances with the same level of handheld fluidity and real-time response cinematographers expect when shooting live-action films. The Third Floor uses InterSense interface software to drive Autodesk MotionBuilder, a real-time 3D display engine, providing directors with total stylistic control over the design of their shots.
“The InterSense virtual camera system is making our previsualization process even more collaborative, by allowing our teams to literally put the camera back in the hands of the filmmakers with whom we work,” states Chris Edwards, co-founder and CEO of The Third Floor. “We are thrilled with what the IS-900 system enables us to do today, and we’re excited to continue our relationship with InterSense as we devise new ways to enhance the previsualization experience.”
“We are very proud to partner with The Third Floor, helping them leverage the power of motion tracking technology to innovate new previsualization techniques,” says Dean Wormell, director, Visualization & Simulation Applications Marketing, InterSense. “The Third Floor is a leader in the pre-vis world, providing its commercial, game, and feature film clients with streamlined workflows that allow complex live-action and CGI projects to be completed efficiently, with higher quality and lower production costs than were traditionally possible.”
About The Third Floor
The Third Floor is a Los Angeles-based digital studio founded by six former Lucasfilm previsualization artists who worked on Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith from the “third floor” of George Lucas’ Victorian mansion. After designing elaborate sequences for George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, The Third Floor began offering the same state-of-the-art pre-vis to clients around the world.
Since 2004, the studio has designed a wide range of commercials, feature films and video game cinematics, including elaborate sequences for films including Beowulf, Cloverfield, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Valkyrie and Eagle Eye, as well as cinematics for Sony Computer Entertainment’s Lair and Electronic Arts’ Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3.
Further Reading
- "An Epic Challenge: Beowulf Wins the Day with Innovative 3D Filmmaking," from Avid
- "Mythology Meets Visual Feast in Beowulf," from Nvidia
- "Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith," Matt Hurwitz, July 2005, Digital Cinematography magazine
- "Rob Legato Advances Motion-Capture Technique," Anne Thompson, November 21, 2007, Variety magazine
- "I Am Legend: Beowulf," Jay Ankeny, November 2007, Digital Cinematography magazine
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