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Great article by Studio Daily at http://www.studiodaily.com/main/work/In-Three-on-the-Workflow-Behind-3D-Conversions_12083.html, on the 2D⇒3D conversion company In-Three http://www.in-three.com/.  from this article I learnt that:

• Some new movies, not just legacy ones, are being converted from 2D to 3D (stereo).  This step is being planned as part of production.  Don’t know why they can’t just shoot it in stereo (cost? maturity? conservatism?) but that’s how it is.
• The method: a tech & manual rotoscoping pipeline (production line) where images are masked to create layers and artistic judgement is applied to the appearances of individual objects.  As one would imagine, no simple “magic solution”.  However beyond those basics they have their own patented 2D⇒3D inference algorithms operating on individual objects even at sub-pixel level.
• Not quick or cheap: “for a 100-minute or 120-minute 2D-to-3D conversion, you would need about 300 to 400 artists phasing and out of production over about four to six months.”.  Clash of the Titans was so-processed in under half that time - possibly explaining some negative press (mentioned in the article) regarding the quality of its 3D.

The interviewee in the article was from In-Three.  Their website http://www.in-three.com/ explains:

• Dimensionalization is a method developed by In-Three of converting 2D content to stereoscopic 3D content.
• There are various approaches to creating 3D content: capturing 3D using dual camera rigs, rendering 3D using dual “virtual” camera rigs within a computer graphics environment, and creating 3D by converting 2D content with processes such as Dimensionalization.
• Dimensionalization is trademarked because it describes a patented process which gives the unique, depth, shape and perspective to each individual object on a pixel or even sub-pixel level. Throughout our process, there are a multitude of “special and unique techniques” our experienced stereo team has and continues to develop, so that you can be confident that we bring the tools and the skill to any conversion project.
• The Dimensionalization process is covered by a number of U.S. patents. These patents make In-Three a leader in the development of intellectual property surrounding the conversion of two-dimensional films to stereoscopic experiences.

The following has a nice explanation and diagram of the arrangement, showing Final Cut Server being used to interface to both online and archive material.

• http://studiodaily.firstlightera.com/ERA/ResourceHandler.ashx?73070b2c-c5ba-4db8-a4a1-616a7da709ef;SB00016.pdf

For Mac OS:

• Disk Inventory X

For Windows:

• WinDirStat
• FolderSize

They are both pretty similar, in each case displaying filespace usage via a tree map looking like a patchwork of multicoloured PVC, each colour representing a different type of file (audio, video, application, document etc.).  Their advantage over traditional browser trees is you can see all the largest files and folders simultaneously (as a plan-view).  Tree maps (treemaps) are explained at http://w3.win.tue.nl/nl/onderzoek/onderzoek_informatica/visualization/sequoiaview/about_treemaps/ - they are formed by subdividing in alternate dimensions (horizontal/vertical), each time in proportion to relative size of item, be it folder or file.  A variation on this, employed by the above tools, is a cushion treemap [http://www.win.tue.nl/~vanwijk/ctm.pdf], where shading reveals the directory structure.  A further variation is the squarified treemap [http://www.win.tue.nl/~vanwijk/stm.pdf], where subdivision and grouping attempt (no guarantee of success) to make the rectangles as square as possible. (more…)

Problem:

• MacBook Pro, when in Boot Camp Windows 7, gets uncomfortably hot (in its heatsink areas, the bar above keyboard and also the chassis underside).  In comparison, it runs pretty cool (temperature) under Mac OS.

Reason:

• No fan control when in Boot Camp Windows mode.

Popular Solution (does not imply any recommendation):

• When in Boot Camp windows, use Lubbo’s Fan Control [http://sourceforge.net/projects/lubbofancontrol]

Some good links (as of 2010-03-27):

• http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php
• http://sourceforge.net/projects/lubbofancontrol
• http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/17177-fan-control-macbook-pro-15-inch-under-windows-7-a.html
• http://www.lokiman.com/blog/2009/12/13/fan-control-for-macbook-pro-under-snow-leopard-or-windows-7-and-more

Experiences:

• Just copied the contents of the zip file to  [C:\Program Files (x86)\Lubbo’s Fan Control] and ran it from there.  It has files [inpout32.dll] and [inpoutx64.dll].
• Ran it but it gave error messages:
  • (The) Following process(es) is/are using SMC:
    • kbdmgr
  • It’s not an error, but Lubbo’s Fan Control cannot share apple SMC access.
  • Do you want to kill it/them?
  • NO = the system may freeze.  Try only if you are running BootCamp 3.1
  • YES = the incompatible process(es) will bekilled and the program will start.
    • But I have read elsewhere that this means function keys won’t then work (for that session).
    • Didn’t work - it said “It was not possible to load IO driver.  Retry?” and “(May be better to press CANCEL and reopen the program)”
  • CANCEL = this program will exit
• Someone else had the same problem but found a solution that appeared to work for them:
  • “…upon updating to .NET 4 and running with “administrator control” or whatever, it appears to be working. [http://sourceforge.net/projects/lubbofancontrol/forums/forum/970570/topic/3507393]
  • Further confirmation that (for Windows 7),  .NET v4 is needed [http://sourceforge.net/projects/lubbofancontrol/forums/forum/970570/topic/3444415]
    • “…I have the same problem with the error about the IO drivers. When I try to install .NET framework 3.5 using the setup file, the screen just flashes and nothing happens. I have a feeling win7 did not install it.  This is in win7 64 bit professional”
    • “The problem was fixed after I installed .NET framework 4.0 Beta for windows “
• So it seems that to get Lubbo’s utility working I have to:
  • Kill a system process
  • Install a version of .NET that is not yet officially supported.
    • I’ll write a separate blog post about .NET
• Life on the edge, huh?

The Gibb Effect is an MPEG compression artefact. It is a blurring of the outline of sharp objects, with inappropriately-coloured pixels appearing around the outline of the object. The commonest area in which the Gibb Effect is seen is during end credits, where insufficient bits have been allocated to compressing the data. Another name for this artefact is mosquito noise.[http://www.michaeldvd.com/Articles/VideoArtefacts/VideoArtefactsGibbsEffect.html]

 Mobile eSATA (via ExpressCard) for MacBook Pro.Sonnet Fusion F2.  Up to 1GB (when configured as Striped i.e. RAID0).  Sustained Read/Write of 126MBps=1008Mbps.

• FireWire 800 bitrates (for comparison):
  • Sustained 100 MBps (per bus) = 800 Mbps for a RAID0 drive [http://www.lacie.com/download/more/WhitePaper_FireWire_800.pdf].
  • Not much less than the eSATA drive.
• Video Bitrates [http://www.march21.nl/learningzone/files/7a3bdb9c2f07c7e76be79ba6c3b34bc5-43.html]
  • ProRes HD 1920×1080 @ 50p: Just under 35 MB/s.  126/35 = 3.6 such streams.
  • Prores HD 1920×1080 @ 50i: 26MB/s.  126/26 = 4.8 such streams.

Links:

• http://www.macworld.co.uk/digitallifestyle/reviews/index.cfm?RSS&ReviewID=3203
• http://www.macvideo.tv/editing/reviews/index.cfm?reviewid=102494 
  • Includes a video of usage.

It connects via two eSATA cables to ExpressCard adaptor and also via a FireWire connector purely for the power (no bandwidth).  The intention is that the FW bandwidth is still free for use by other devices e.g. “AJA’s Io external capture and effects box – which requires all of the FireWire bandwidth to itself”. [http://www.macworld.co.uk/digitallifestyle/reviews/index.cfm?RSS&ReviewID=3203]

• Note - for Sony EX1 and EX3 users the Fusion F2 uses th Express 34 slot on the MacBook Pro, meaning one would need to transfer SxS data to either a FireWire or USB drive and then across to the Fusion 2.

Thinks: It works as Software RAID for the Mac.  Is there any practical way to also use it from Windows?

• The mix&match feature of the Avid (e.g. MC4) assumes bringing in footage in corresponding projects. After that, you can instantly access that footage from any other project (or project type), and playback in real-time
• http://lfhd.net/2009/10/01/avid-mc-4-0-inside-look-at-mix-match
  • Your sequence setting is what you tell it.  1080i, 720p, 525i…whathaveyou.  And whatever clip you add to that that ISN’T that format, gets scaled to that format…using a filter called a MOTION ADAPTER.  This add interpolation to match the sequence settings, and this is added automatically when you add new footage that doesn’t match.  And there are all sorts of interpolation modes…these are all user selectable.  AND you can change your sequence settings to match something else later.
    
  • If you want the interpolation to better then you can “promote” the motion adapter to a full blown TIME WARP (that has been there for many years) and the footage will benefit more.
  • Works in software-only (no Mojo required) and takes advantage of multi-core (e.g. 8 core)
  • Avid’s ‘open timeline’ implementation is much better than FCP’s.  Avid MC automatically adds a plugin that is designed to do this upscale in very smart ways. It isn’t just scaling it and then repeating a frame.
  • The editor does need to have certain “switches “ turned on to see the highest quality output, such as: -Full Quality 10bit output, -HQ RT Scaling Decoder, -Advanced Polyphase image interpolation.
• For example: “you will have to import NTSC clips in an NTSC project and 720p60 clips in a 720p60 project. If you try to import 720p60 files into a 30i project, you will be downconverting upon import, which is not as nice, and will not be able to handle certain metadata correctly”
  

Amazon lets a system admin type person rent time/space/bandwidth on Amazon’s Cloud Computing network, “Elastic Compute Cloud”, EC2 (which also sounds like “Easy-To”).  It costs e.g. about 10 cents per hour (depending on selected level of service).

• Maybe useful for CGI generation?

Setup is fiddly, but this tutorial explains how to do it from command-line, including some pragmatic tips:

• s3.amazonaws.com/AmazonEC2Tutorial/AmazonEC2Tutorial.html

Here’s an easier way, via web-based GUI:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBajLxeKqoY
  • Shows how to use via EC2 FireFireFox UI plugin, a much nicer way to work.

Generic intro to Cloud Computing:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdBd14rjcs0&feature=related

 Automatic

Discovered at: http://prepshootpost.blogspot.com/search?q=

The Levelator is a freeware application (for various OS)  that automatically evens out multiple audio sources:

“It’s software that runs on Windows, OS X (universal binary), or Linux (Ubuntu) that adjusts the audio levels within your podcast or other audio file for variations from one speaker to the next, for example. It’s not a compressor, normalizer or limiter although it contains all three. It’s much more than those tools, and it’s much simpler to use. The UI is dirt-simple: Drag-and-drop any WAV or AIFF file onto The Leveler’s application window, and a few moments later you’ll find a new version which just sounds better.”

“So how do we calculate levels and process audio for The Levelator?  We first isolate segments that are silent and remove them from the calculations. We define silence as audio segments which have no subsegments of 50 ms or more where the RMS is greater than -44.0dB. We then compute the RMS value of the remaining segments and normalize them to our target RMS level of -18.0dB.

The above is actually a drastic simplification of The Levelator’s processing, which takes into account a number of subtleties when dealing with certain real-world sources. For example, the silence threshold of -44.0dB is not reasonable if the audio before normalization is already very quiet. The -44.0dB value is therefore used only after the overall RMS is first normalized to near that target. This requires an iterative calculation. The Levelator processes an entire audio file, not a continuous stream, so we have the advantage of infinite lookahead and the ability to make multiple passes over the data in large and small chunks.”

Mac/FCP add-on to automatically synchronize multicam clips based on their audio content.

Discovered in article at: http://prepshootpost.blogspot.com/search?q=

The article says: “…PluralEyes … syncs up multi camera footage without use of timecode. It’s in beta and you can download and try it out yourself.  (In the article author’s tests) it worked on about two out of every three clip pairs. When it worked, it was perfect, effortlessly lining up and then converting clips into a multicam clip in the browser.”

Video: http://www.singularsoftware.com/autosync/

”

System Requirements:

• OS X 10.4.11 or later
• Final Cut Pro 5.1.4 or later
• PluralEyes™ analyzes the audio content, so all clips to be synced need to have an audio track.