White Plains, NY—Oct 21, 2009
Motion Picture, Broadcast Television Experts to Focus on 3D Production, Distribution at SMPTE Conference in October
Register Online at http://www.smpte2009.org to Attend Premier Motion-Imaging Industry Event
Accelerating the pace at which 3D entertainment can be made available – and envisioning a time where it might not require special glasses to enjoy it – the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) will make 3D a main focus at its Annual Conference & Expo in October. The event will take place October 27-29, 2009 at the Hollywood Renaissance Hotel, Hollywood, Calif.
During the conference, SMPTE will host numerous 3D-related technical sessions and panel discussions led by technical experts from media leaders such as Dolby Labs, FOX Network, DTS, and RealD – including one focused on the multi-view 3D technology required to support glasses-free displays and viewing.
“The technology for these multi-view 3D displays is in its early stages of development and there are a number of interesting technical challenges being solved,” said Matt Cowan, a 3D expert and Chief Scientific Officer of RealD, a global leader in 3D technology. Cowan will lead a technical session that will examine standardization activities and address whether eyewear will always be required to see 3D images.
The SMPTE fall conference is one of the premier events in the media content and motion-imaging industries. The 2009 conference exemplifies SMPTE’s ongoing leadership in providing education and information about technologies -- such as stereoscopic cinema and television, high-definition (HD) TV, digital cinema, and advanced production and post production – that help expand critical industry revenue-generating opportunities. To register for the fall event, please visit http://www.smpte2009.org
Other 3D-related technical sessions slated for the Fall conference will address a variety of issues along the content chain, including: distribution of 3D content within MPEG compression structures; addressing the challenges involved in distributing stereoscopic (glasses required) 3D and multi-view 3D content to the home; overcoming the challenges of getting stereoscopic 3D content from live event venues – such as sports stadiums – to theaters while maintaining high quality; and, standardizing screen brightness for theatrical 3D presentations.
A complete description of the sessions is available at www.smpte2009.org/technical-sessions
Standardization Seen as Key to Accelerated 3D Adoption
Stereoscopic 3D releases are generating more revenue in movie theaters than 2D releases, with recent industry and media reports of two to three times increases in box office receipts for 3D over 2D movies. Meanwhile, consumer electronics companies see 3D as a significant differentiator that could help boost new-device sales following the widespread of adoption of HD devices and services.
“3D theatrical exhibition is not only driving higher box office numbers, but has also become a significant catalyst for the deployment of digital cinema systems. This success of 3D is destined to migrate into the home,” said Cowan. “To be sure, there are technical and political dimensions to home deployment—and a number of potential television technologies that could be deployed. We know that a unified distribution standard will be required for successful deployment.”
SMPTE is currently at work on standardizing a stereoscopic 3D Home Master standard that will help drive new revenue opportunities for content creators and distributors. The 3D Home Master will be a key element in enabling 3D feature films and other programming to be played on home television and computer displays – regardless of the delivery channels.
“The SMPTE 3D Home Master will be the cornerstone of the entire 3D content chain. It will provide high-level image-formatting requirements for the source materials that are authored and delivered by content developers,” said Wendy Aylsworth, SMPTE vice president of engineering. “It will additionally provide all the necessary source elements for the delivery of those materials to all distribution channels--from physical media to terrestrial, satellite, cable, and other streaming service providers.”
More than 200 people from 13 countries and representing movie studios, broadcasters, cable and DTH service providers, as well as consumer electronics manufacturers and semiconductor companies, collaborated on a SMPTE 3D Home Entertainment Task Force formed last August. The SMPTE 10E Essence Technology Committee has formed a Working Group to standardize the 3D Home Master.
Core standards are anticipated to be published in 2010. The SMPTE 3D Home Master Working Group is working closely with other standards development organizations that will develop companion standards for complete end-to-end interoperability.
2009 Conference & Expo: Securing New Opportunities in the New Media Era
The SMPTE 2009 Conference and Expo also will host a rich variety of content and technology exhibitions, as well as activities and professional networking events – including a special reception and screening sponsored by Warner Bros.
A special seminar – Advanced Media Workflows and MXF – produced by the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) will precede the Conference and Expo on Oct. 26.
