Large-Format Digital Cinema: Medium of the Future ... - Spitz Extranet
Large-Format Digital Cinema: Medium of the Future ... - Spitz Extranet
Large-Format Digital Cinema: Medium of the Future ... - Spitz Extranet
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
T i L ε<br />
<strong>Large</strong>-<strong>Format</strong> <strong>Digital</strong> <strong>Cinema</strong>:<br />
<strong>Medium</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Future</strong>?<br />
Ed Lantz<br />
Product Development<br />
<strong>Spitz</strong>, Inc.<br />
elantz@spitzinc.com
<strong>Large</strong> <strong>Format</strong> Film Applications<br />
Flat Screen Theaters<br />
Simulator Rides<br />
& Attractions<br />
Dome Theatres
<strong>Large</strong>-<strong>Format</strong> <strong>Digital</strong> <strong>Cinema</strong>:<br />
<strong>Digital</strong> Dome Theaters<br />
Partial Dome Theater<br />
Full Dome Theater
<strong>Digital</strong> Dome Theaters<br />
• Full Dome or Partial Dome Video Projection<br />
• Multiple Edge-Blended Projectors or HD Fisheye<br />
• 50 Existing/Planned Theaters by 5 Manufacturers<br />
• Many Use Pre-Rendered, Pre-Recorded Shows<br />
•High resolution digital video server technologies<br />
• Realtime Graphics Use Increasing<br />
•Audience or presenter interactivity<br />
• Growth Primarily in Planetarium, Museum and<br />
Science Center Markets
A New <strong>Medium</strong>!<br />
• It’s Video, Not Film<br />
•End-to-end digital productions<br />
• Relatively Affordable Productions ($0.25-2M USD)<br />
• Live action using HDTV<br />
• Animation with desktop tools<br />
• Spherical compositing<br />
• Real-time interactivity<br />
• Independent Productions<br />
• Open, accessible medium fosters experimentation<br />
• May become “<strong>Cinema</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Future</strong>”
A Challenging <strong>Medium</strong><br />
• <strong>Large</strong> Image Frame Size (4k x 4k)<br />
•Shows can require multi-terabytes <strong>of</strong> storage<br />
• Production Workflow is Cumbersome<br />
• Rendering & editing tools not optimized for sphere<br />
• Multi-projector Systems are Complex<br />
• Few Industry Standards<br />
• No “<strong>Digital</strong> Dome” pr<strong>of</strong>essional society… yet<br />
• Niche Market<br />
•50 <strong>the</strong>aters with varying goals, needs and budgets<br />
• <strong>Large</strong>ly within non-pr<strong>of</strong>it markets
<strong>Large</strong>-<strong>Format</strong> <strong>Digital</strong> Dome Systems<br />
Single Projector<br />
(Fisheye)<br />
Arrayed/Mosaicked<br />
Projectors<br />
(Edge-Blended)
Edge-Blended Projection<br />
Polar Source is<br />
Split Into Sub-<br />
Frames and Edge-<br />
Blended<br />
Sub Frame 1 Sub Frame 2 Sub Frame 3 Sub Frame 4
Multiprojector System
Many Projection Configurations<br />
Five Projectors Six Projectors Seven Projectors
Multi-Projector Pros and Cons<br />
• Linear Increase in Brightness & Resolution with<br />
Multiple Projectors<br />
• Master Image Must Be Parsed, Warped, Blended<br />
• Multiple Projectors to Align, Color Balance<br />
• Multiple Video Channels or Image Generator Pipes<br />
• Obviously More Complex and Costly… But<br />
• Performance Approaching <strong>Large</strong>-<strong>Format</strong> Film
Edge Blending and Spherical<br />
Mapping Techniques<br />
• Pre-Rendered Blends and Mapping<br />
• Post-production processing <strong>of</strong> sub-frames<br />
• No special playback hardware<br />
• Realtime Blends and Mapping<br />
•Allows realtime display <strong>of</strong> CGI, video sources, etc.<br />
•Both electronic and optical blending techniques
Fisheye Projection<br />
Polar<br />
Fisheye<br />
Source<br />
Image<br />
• Simple Configuration - Low Maintenance<br />
• Limited Hemispheric Resolution (1536x1536 pixels)<br />
• Requires Obtrusive Projector Inside Theater Space<br />
• Driven by Single QXGA Computer Output
Single Projector System
Fisheye Projection Applications<br />
<strong>Spitz</strong>’s ElectricSky ® II<br />
•<strong>Large</strong>-<strong>Format</strong> Fisheye Systems<br />
•Approaching cinematic quality with QXGA resolution<br />
•Resolution <strong>of</strong> 1980’s LF films, i.e. “The Magic Egg”<br />
•Higher resolutions on <strong>the</strong> way…
Video Projector Technologies<br />
•DLP - <strong>Digital</strong> Light Processor<br />
•LCoS - Liquid Crystal on Silicon<br />
•CRT - Cathode Ray Tube<br />
•Laser Projection<br />
•Grating Light Valve
Image Generation: Feeding <strong>the</strong> Dome<br />
• Pre-Rendered Video/Graphics<br />
•Graphics Playback Resolutions up to 2048x1536<br />
• Pre-rendering provides superior image quality<br />
• Realtime Graphics<br />
• Provides user interactivity<br />
• Rendering speeds rapidly increasing<br />
• Live Video Feeds<br />
• Immersive Cameras<br />
• Videoconferencing<br />
• Interactive performance
Playback <strong>of</strong> Pre-Rendered Graphics<br />
• VESA Graphics <strong>Format</strong>s Generally Employed<br />
• 1280x1024 up to 2048x1556 pixel resolutions<br />
• 30 fps common, 60 fps for some systems<br />
• Compressed and Uncompressed Players<br />
• S<strong>of</strong>tware CODECs Rapidly Improving<br />
• RAID and Mirrored Drives for Redundancy<br />
QuBit EL Player<br />
DVS HD Station
Realtime Image Generation<br />
• Mainframe Image Generators<br />
• PC/Linux Clusters<br />
• Immersive Multi-Head Cameras<br />
RoundAbout ®<br />
Immersive<br />
Camera<br />
SGI Onyx ®<br />
Image Courtesy MetaVR<br />
Image Courtesy Silicon Graphics, Inc.
Realtime Interactivity<br />
• Group Interactive<br />
•Computer facilitated group interaction<br />
• Various Interface Devices<br />
•Pushbuttons (<strong>Spitz</strong>, E&S, Sky-Skan)<br />
•Joysticks (de pinxi)<br />
•Interactive wands/paddles (<strong>Cinema</strong>trix, de pinxi)<br />
•Laser pointers (Barco)<br />
Images Courtesy de pinxi & <strong>Spitz</strong>, Inc.
Realtime Interactivity<br />
• Operator Interactive<br />
•Operator is navigator – takes audience on journey<br />
•Realtime planetarium<br />
•Interactive lectures<br />
• Personal Joysticks, Buttons, Control Panels<br />
Images Courtesy <strong>Spitz</strong>, Inc.
Live Performance: Coming Soon<br />
Laser Light Shows, Step Aside…<br />
The Ultimate <strong>Medium</strong> for Live VJ Performance…
<strong>Digital</strong> Dome Theater Integrators<br />
• Evans & Su<strong>the</strong>rland - Salt Lake City, UT<br />
• GOTO Optical - Japan<br />
• <strong>Spitz</strong>, Inc. - Chadds Ford, PA<br />
• Sky-Skan - Nashua, NH<br />
• SEOS/Trimension - Burgess Hill, UK<br />
• Silicon Graphics & Partners – Mountain View, CA<br />
• Zeiss – Jena, Germany
Sampling <strong>of</strong> <strong>Digital</strong> Dome Theaters...<br />
• Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Lights Centre - Watson Lake, Yukon<br />
• Volkswagen’s Autostadt - Wolfsburg, Germany<br />
• LodeStar Planetarium - Albuquerque, NM<br />
• AMNH/Hayden Planetarium - New York City<br />
• Exploration Place - Wichita, Kansas<br />
• Biblio<strong>the</strong>ca Alexandria - Alexandria, Egypt<br />
• Papalote Museo del Niňo -Mexico City
Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Lights Centre<br />
Watson Lake, Yukon Territory<br />
•Opened 1997<br />
•Panoramic video<br />
•14m dome screen<br />
•3x 9” CRT’s<br />
•<strong>Spitz</strong> star projector<br />
•5.1 sound<br />
•Integrator: <strong>Spitz</strong>
Volkswagen Autostadt<br />
Wolfsburg, Germany<br />
•Opened 2000<br />
•Fulldome video<br />
•14.7m dome screen<br />
•4x Barco DLP’s<br />
•<strong>Spitz</strong> & Furneaux<br />
Stewart
LodeStar Astronomy Center<br />
New Mexico Muesum <strong>of</strong> Natural History and Science<br />
Albuquerque, NM<br />
•Opened 2000<br />
•Fulldome video<br />
•16.8m dome screen<br />
•6x 9” CRT’s<br />
•Digistar II projector<br />
•5.1 sound<br />
•140 seats<br />
•Integrator: SkySkan
Hayden Planetarium<br />
Rose Center for Earth and Space<br />
American Museum <strong>of</strong> Natural History<br />
New York, NY<br />
Photos © D.Finnin/AMNH<br />
•Opened 2000<br />
•Fulldome video<br />
•7-pipe SGI Onyx<br />
•21m dome screen<br />
•7x 12” CRT’s<br />
•Spatialized sound<br />
•Integrators: SGI,<br />
Trimension, AMNH
Boeing CyberDome Theater<br />
Exploration Place<br />
Wichita, Kansas<br />
•Opened 2000<br />
•Fulldome video<br />
•18.3m dome screen<br />
•6x 9” CRT’s<br />
•Real-time 3D<br />
•170 Interactive seats<br />
•5.1 sound<br />
•Integrator: E&S
Biblio<strong>the</strong>ca Alexandrina<br />
Alexandria, Egypt<br />
•Opened 2001<br />
•Panoramic video<br />
•14m dome screen<br />
•3x 9” CRT’s<br />
•8/70 film projector<br />
•<strong>Spitz</strong> star projector<br />
•5.1 sound<br />
•Integrator: <strong>Spitz</strong>
Papalote Museo del Niňo<br />
Mexico City<br />
•Opening 1Q 2004<br />
•Fulldome video<br />
•23m dome screen<br />
•9x Barco DLP’s<br />
•Over 9M pixels<br />
•24,000 lumens<br />
•5.1 sound<br />
•283 seats<br />
•Integrator: <strong>Spitz</strong>
Small <strong>Digital</strong> Dome Systems<br />
• Low-Resolution Fisheye Theaters<br />
•1024x1024 fisheye<br />
• Simple & Affordable<br />
•Single SXGA projector<br />
•Production monitor for large domes<br />
•Highly accessible “entry level” medium<br />
• Primary Users are Small, Educational Planetariums<br />
•Dome diameters up to 10 meters<br />
• 3 Competing Systems Introduced in 2002:<br />
• E&S Digistar ® 3 SP<br />
•Minolta MediaGlobe<br />
•<strong>Spitz</strong> SciDome
<strong>Digital</strong> Dome Theaters are<br />
Growing in Number…<br />
16<br />
14<br />
projected<br />
12<br />
# Theaters Sold<br />
10<br />
8<br />
6<br />
4<br />
2<br />
0<br />
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005<br />
Year <strong>of</strong> Public Opening
Sparking An Explosion <strong>of</strong> Quality<br />
Productions…<br />
Stars <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pharaohs<br />
Evans & Su<strong>the</strong>rland<br />
Legends <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Night Sky: Orion<br />
AVI/<strong>Spitz</strong><br />
Infinity Express<br />
Sky-Skan<br />
Wonders <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Universe<br />
Evans & Su<strong>the</strong>rland<br />
Dark Star Adventure<br />
<strong>Spitz</strong> Creative Media
<strong>Large</strong>-<strong>Format</strong> <strong>Digital</strong> <strong>Cinema</strong><br />
More than a planetarium…<br />
More than a movie <strong>the</strong>ater…<br />
It’s a portal into cyberspace,<br />
virtual environments<br />
and <strong>the</strong> new world <strong>of</strong><br />
electronic information.<br />
As an artistic medium,<br />
digital domes are <strong>the</strong> closest thing yet<br />
to crawling inside <strong>the</strong> artist’s head.
Don’t Miss:<br />
SIGGRAPH 2003<br />
Course#25<br />
Computer Graphics for <strong>Large</strong>-<br />
Scale Immersive Theaters<br />
July 28th, 8am-5pm<br />
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center<br />
San Diego Convention Center
Resources<br />
Ben Shedd, “Designing for <strong>the</strong> Dome”<br />
http://members.aol.com/sheddprod2/papers.html#<strong>the</strong>%20Dome<br />
Mark B. Peterson, ed., 2003 White Oak Inventory <strong>of</strong> <strong>Large</strong> <strong>Format</strong> Theaters, White Oak<br />
Associates, Inc., PO Box 1164, Marblehead, MA 01945, www.WhiteOakAssoc.com<br />
David Arnm and Robert W. Corrigan, “Optical Performance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Grating Light Valve<br />
Technology,” Electronic Imaging ’99, Projection Displays V, 1999<br />
http://www.siliconlight.com/htmlpgs/glvtechframes/glvmainframeset.html<br />
Fulldome Video Discussion Group moderated by Ryan Wyatt<br />
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fulldome<br />
Ryan Wyatt’s discussion <strong>of</strong> fulldome standards<br />
http://research.amnh.org/users/wyatt/<br />
University <strong>of</strong> New Mexico’s Arts and Technology Center student programs in production<br />
for digital dome <strong>the</strong>aters<br />
http://www.unm.edu/~atcinfo/menu/menu.htm
Change language