| The current driver of the 3D revolution is sport, sport | | | | action to take it all in, but often going lower to enhance |
| and sport. But like the Apollo missions each "flight" has | | | | the 3D. |
| produced successes, lessons to be learned, and a list | | | | "With 3D you've got to be very careful. Everything has |
| of problems to overcome. | | | | to be slower and more gentle. All the pans and zooms |
| Just why 3D sports has such a significant role in 3D | | | | have to be a lot slower because of convergence. |
| Television is a mixed bag. For one, major sports | | | | [The convergence people] decide what part of the 3D |
| naturally generate a large viewing audience to | | | | image is going to be in focus" said Soames Treffry, |
| showcase new technologies to receive the largest | | | | Director of Fox Sports Australia. |
| feedback and reaction. | | | | "If you try and do any of that too quickly, effectively |
| Also, sports uniquely offers sponsorship opportunities | | | | you'll give people motion sickness and make them |
| to offset some of the additional costs both through | | | | crook, and you don't want your viewers throwing up. In |
| partnering (as per Sony with the 2010 FIFA World Cup, | | | | 2D we have a heap of cameras and you can cut |
| LG with CBS Sports' Final Four, and Panasonic with | | | | quickly and move things around far more dynamically." |
| the 2010 French Open), and through specialized / | | | | This may make the technical ability of sharing 2D and |
| targeted advertising campaigns. | | | | 3D camera devices prohibitive. |
| Sport also naturally lends itself to 3D, with movement ( | | | | Even fans can become a problem, "If you get camera |
| motion parallax ), trajectory of objects, and players in | | | | positions where even the smallest of fans jump up in |
| front of players ( occlusion ) naturally assisting the | | | | front of the lens, that's kind of annoying," said Ken |
| depth perception and therefore "realism" of the effect. | | | | Aagaard, SVP Operations and Production, CBS |
| In other words - sport looks good in 3D. | | | | Sports. "So all of us are going to have to look at |
| However there already has been a steep learning | | | | camera positions even more selectively to make sure |
| curve, and the recognition of some on going | | | | that it's really going to be able to work properly." |
| challenges. | | | | Training and Staff Not only is there a level of extra |
| Two Coverages in One When shooting and | | | | staff required, but then there is the training required. |
| broadcasting an event, production needs to include | | | | Camera Operators are the most obvious, but there |
| both a 2D and 3D version, two coverages in one. | | | | are also the prep technicians, production staff - |
| Whilst it is great to be shooting in 3D, the saturation of | | | | everyone. For the Australian State of Origin Rugby in |
| 3D televisions is still extremely low, and the mainstay - | | | | 3D broadcast by Channel 9, specialist camera and |
| normal 2D coverage - still has to be maintained, and | | | | associated staff were flown in from overseas to |
| therefore there are two crews. | | | | assist the production. |
| "We don't plan on having one for one for the two | | | | There even have been surprise occupation and health |
| crews," commented ESPN Vice President of Emerging | | | | issues with the weighty 3D dual camera rigs. At up to |
| Technology Anthony Bailey, "[by sharing staff across | | | | 60 lbs CBS Sports found they needed to rotate their |
| both productions], instead of having maybe 50 extra | | | | operators every 20 minutes spoiling their rhythm. |
| people, we would have 25, so that costs would rise, | | | | Reacting to the action and moving the equipment |
| say, 50% rather than 200%". | | | | proved more difficult and complex than the previous |
| There are technical opportunities for reducing the | | | | 2D systems. |
| infrastructure costs, say with a single camera unit | | | | Too much 3D Feedback from fans on early ESPN |
| recording both the 3D and 2D images instead of the | | | | broadcasts included some 3D graphics to be |
| current two separated devices, but there are | | | | distracting and as a result, ESPN is now trying to make |
| operation issues to be considered like below. | | | | certain it doesn't overuse 3D effects. |
| Style Differences between 2D and 3D Shooting One | | | | Striking the balance can be difficult, though some are |
| of the consistent feedbacks from all the production | | | | natural successes; "The team line-ups were amazing - |
| heads after managing a 3D telecast is the style | | | | you were actually in them. You saw the shot develop |
| difference between shooting for 3D versus 2D. For | | | | from the goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders and |
| example, shots need to be wider than usual to allow | | | | strikers; and it just came around you," said Soames |
| more players, objects, fans, and coaches to lend depth | | | | Treffry of Fox Sports Socceroo coverage. |
| to the image. | | | | So some interesting challenges ahead. However the |
| Criticism of the first Australian 3D broadcast of the | | | | both the manufacturing and broadcast industries |
| Socceroos on Fox Sports was too low to the ground | | | | appear committed to making 3D television and 3D |
| led to a change in style to shots being further from the | | | | sports in particular a a success. |