BBC to serve Wimbledon finals in 3D The BBC will broadcast the 2011 Wimbledon tennis tournament finals in 3D. The two singles finals will be broadcast in 3D on Saturday, 2 July and Sunday, 3 July through Freeview, Freesat, Virgin and Sky, all of which show BBC HD. Viewers will need a 3D TV, of course, but seemingly no special reception hardware. Don't have a …
I mean take Avatar or How To Train Your Dragon as film examples. These both have plenty of footage designed to make you go "ooooh things coming out of the screen". That floating water droplet from the beginning of avatar or the vapour trails on the dropship wings, or that awesome falling sequence in HTTYD for instance.
Tennis? A flat playing pitch with a ball being knocked up and down it?
Like I say, odd place to start.
Broadcasting a film that's already made in 3D would be easy. What's the point, really?
Doing stuff live is much more of a challenge; if 3D is to become mainstream (regardless of whether you think that's a good thing or not) then sooner or later, people in production are going to need to know how to make things look good in real time, rather than when given hours to plan and set up shots.
I think, actually, that tennis will work much better than some of the other sports (like football) that have been used for broadcast so far, because it's a relatively small area, and you won't notice some of the more annoying effects that can be seen with long shots down a football field.
With fewer people involved in a match, it should also be much easier to get cameras to where they're needed for the best effect.
All that said, it's the subject matter that counts; a boring tennis match will be just as boring in 3D. Let's hope it's an exciting one.
I wonder if 3D will entice any streakers...
I'm unconvinced. There are basically two shots for (most) sports - the wide shot (best seat in the stands) and the close up (with our HD camera you can count the hairs on Rooney's scalp).
Neither of these lend themselves to 3D. In the wide shot the sterescopic effect is minimal (just as it is when watching from the stands in person); in the telescopic close up you'd need to have a (variable) 3m separation between the lenses to create the effect of the 6cm separation between our eyes.
ok, i'll start -
it's not actually 3d is it? it's an odd layered effect which takes a while to get used to, then gets dull/irritating after a 2 hours tennis match where it's the SAME FUCKING CAMERA ANGLES ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!!!
total shite, hope the daily mail have a rant about this......
While at the proms you watch the orchestra from the same seat. I've never seen the proms on telly but the cameras on dollies and on the end of the boom are no doubt there to zoom and pan in on a fiddler's armpit during the boring bits. It's nothing you could see in real life.
I remember when cricket used to have a camera at the pavillion end and one at the nursery end, now watching the bowler or the batsman is a series of disjoint shots that could never be seen in real life and I find it distracting.
I prefer content* IMHO one of the few obvious effects that's provided additionality to content is hawkeye and the snickometer.
*no, I don't like special effects in films as a substitute for a good story either, nor do I get many invitations to parties
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etc.
I believe trains emerging from tunnels was another popular theme
I've been nothing but impressed with the effect of 3D both on the big and small screen. Sure, the need for glasses is less than ideal but, for me, the visual effect more than outweighs the inconvenience. I'm surprised how quick people are to instantly disregard 3D as a technology. I feel like I'm in a minority that I think 3D is a good thing. As for 3D sports, I appreciate the affect will lend itself more to some sports than others. Personally, I'm thoroughly looking forward to the day snooker gets its first 3D broadcast... I'm very aware that probably puts me in an even smaller minority.
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