3D THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW
by Vince Pace
Time and time again I find myself involved in conversations that center around the history of 3D. Some can be quite colorful with descriptions of huge camera systems and large lighting trusses while others can be dull and boring as they dwell on the mathematics. Most people are quick to point out my impatience or lack of interest in the conversation as a form of disrespect. That’s unfortunate and no disrespect intended. In fact I couldn’t be more excited about the subject of stereo. I love that the entertainment community is embarking on a whole new form of visual experience, one that can bring a viewer closer to the realism of both the story and the action. Trust me, It’s a road that I’ve been going down for seven years.
With the introduction of high definition as a foundation for stereo imaging we are now in the middle of a revolution driving 3D through creative interpretation rather than mathematics. To me the most important part of those conversations about the history is why the medium almost died on the vine some 30 years ago. Now that the industry is buzzing about the resurgence of 3D and it’s potential impact on the box office, it’s good to know these pitfalls so that we don’t make the same mistakes twice. We could continue to have these conversations about the screen plane with mathematics and stick diagrams like we’ve done in years past but in the world of 3DHD, it is all about the image on the screen and the new theory is centered around: If you like it; do more. If not, stop and change it.
Where did it start? For me it was seven years ago on a dive trip with James Cameron. He wanted to explore the status of HD with Sony’s introduction of Cine Alta and I was happy to oblige, especially if it meant being on a live-aboard in Truk Lagoon wreck diving and shooting. It was reviewing our footage one night in the boat salon where Jim started to describe his interest in a “holy grail” camera: One that could be high resolution enough to capture solid theatrical 2D images and small and compact enough so when built as a 3D camera, it would not impact production due to its size and weight. As he outlined the idea on paper, I was hooked and the reason was simple. In my career I had been fortunate to work with some of the best experts in the field of underwater traveling to places I had only dreamed about. I remember sharing these experiences with my family and friends through stories and photographs and how I would always say, “you really had to be there” as my go-to answer when their reactions lacked the enthusiasm I thought the tales deserved. With the technology Jim was describing, this was a way to bridge the gap and give life to the visuals, literally a way for me to tell my stories with depth and dimension. I knew instantly that this was an opportunity worth exploring so I jumped at it.
At the time, seven years ago, conversations about 3D were met with very little interest by major corporations and even less interest by the entertainment community. Even with Cameron at the helm, the frustration level was high as people immediately categorized it as a gimmick that had been done before. Some did listen, and some of the some acted.
Not to dwell on the hardware: Sony was the first to step in with a commitment to build a remote optical block in a small, compact, and narrow size. Chuck Lee at Fujinon was the next to step up to the plate and help out with HD zoom lenses custom designed for the narrow interocular requirement. But we needed a field recorder and the current HDW250 from Sony at the time would only record 60i. After explaining the problem to Joe Cirincione at Evertz, he came back with this drawing of how they could record the 24 frame signal on the 60i recorder and then extract it to create a 24 frame master. Half the hardware on the flow chart did not exist, but could.
Although we were all talking about hypothetical solutions, each and every player at the table was ready to stand behind their statements and deliver hardware that would make the project possible. Cameron and I agreed to design and develop the 3D camera system under the umbrella of my company, PACE.
In the Spring of 2001, all of the vendors had delivered working pieces of the puzzle. Working with Cameron, PACE had designed and built the first system called the Reality Camera.
Since we now had the working compo- nents, it was time to for a field test. I should have known having worked with Cameron on the The Abyss that whenever he’s behind the camera a test is treated like a full-blown feature. Our little camera test involved a trip to Marysville, California where he had enlisted some WWII aircraft as talent. We had a B17, B24, a P-51 Mustang and an Airstar Helicopter as our camera platform. He also enlisted Bill Wisher, his friend and co-writer from T2 to act, dressed in period attire, and operate a 50 caliber machine gun as we simulated dog fights at roughly 10,000’. Not exactly what I had in mind but as it turns out this was the beginning of long history of Cameron pushing the envelope. If there’s one thing that I’ve learned working with Jim is that you need to constantly be evolving and upgrading to keep up with his expectations. He’s never been satisfied with the tool set currently at his disposal. Together we’ve taken the systems as deep as 2.5 miles below the ocean surface to photograph the Titanic, the Bismarck and a series of underwater volcanoes along the floor of the Atlantic, Pacific and the Sea of Cortez for projects like Ghosts of the Abyss and Aliens of the Deep.
Cut to:
Seven years later I’m surrounded by over ten million dollars worth of hardware, 40+ HD cameras and last but not least some of the most talented and creative people in the industry. As the years go by and technology advances we’re constantly evolving to meet the current demands. There is no such thing as one size fits all in 3D and there’s not one director on the planet who doesn’t love the idea of innovating new creative looks. We’ve designed rigs of every size and shape with the ability to work within current Hollywood structure of techno cranes, steadi-cams and high speed mounts. We’re shooting features, documentaries, concerts and live events all in 3D. Inadvertently, PACE’s involvement in the 2D business is growing with more and more production wanting turn key solutions on set. The technology is changing in light speed proportions and the future excites me.
Two years ago, when we shot U2 in concert in Argentina, I led a team of fifteen professionals shooting five of the PACE/Cameron Fusion systems. I was blown away with the possibilities of bringing that experience to a feature based audience. Now, we’re shooting sports and entertainment and delivering it live to packed arenas with zero post production. The idea of going to your local theater and seeing a sold out performance in New York or London or Tokyo are closer then you think. The infrastructure is in place and the technology already exists. We shot game # 2 of the NBA finals last year in San Antonio and broadcast the signal live to a capacity crowd of 14,000 in Cleveland where the fans watched on four, 40’ screens set up like a boxing ring at the Quicken Loans Arena. Although the challenge of shooting 3D for live distribution is not easy, the fact is we are doing it and the audience is loving it. Recently we shot the hottest ticket in town, Hannah Montana for a Disney feature film. Tickets for the live concert were selling in the hundreds if not thousands of dollars which blocked out many from the experience. With ten short weeks for post Disney will continue to extend the experience and the box office distributing the 3D version to theaters. For the project, PACE built the first ever 3D Mobile Unit with a seven camera capacity. The ability to shoot live events and craft theatrical or live 3D presentations is here and now. In very little time, PACE can roll a complete production unit to shoot the next major concert or sports event.
Now with all the buzz I find myself waking up in the middle of the night with ideas of mo cap rigs and post work flows like a kid who wants to get up early to ride his new bike. The idea of shooting more sports, live events and documentaries is so exciting to me personally because instead of hearing the old saying “oh that’s been done,” we’re hearing at PACE: I want to be the “first to shoot (fill in the blank) everyday and it’s up to me and my team to figure out how to make it happen.
It’s no secret that Cameron is working on Avatar, his first theatrical production since Titanic. In fact he wrote the script over 13 years ago but the technology didn’t exist to bring it to the big screen in a way that was considered acceptable to Jim. Now with the help of our current systems Avatar is in production set to release to thousands of theaters in ’09.
For me, the process of being creative in our business of entertainment is at a new and exciting stage, one where we can blur the line between a personal experience and a visual experience. With all the complexity of the systems and technical innovations, we are now at a stage where the technology can be transparent and creativity, not mathematics, dictates the experience. That was then, this is now. 
