Mistika Helps On Sight Deliver Flying Monsters 3D with David Attenborough
Flying Monsters 3D with David Attenborough recently won a BAFTA in the Specialist Factual category. (Image courtesy of Atlantic Productions).
Attenborough’s venture into the prehistoric era brings a magnificent view of an unobserved world back to life on 3D television and IMAX screens.
Leading UK HD and stereoscopic 3D specialists, On Sight chose Mistika for this high-profile project because it involved multi delivery formats. Mistika was used for all the stereo 3D, 2D and 3D IMAX post work.
Due to the enormous scale of the project, On Sight networked two Mistika systems together on Hewlett Packard Z800 workstations with 24″ monitors in order to improve efficiency by sharing the workload. This setup enabled the VFX and stereo 3D artists, Andy Lee and Miguel Caamaño to work on specific tasks independently. One could work on a depth grade in one Mistika, while simultaneously, the other could work on a stereo correction, which substantially accelerated the process.
Attenborough had a clear idea of the story he wanted to tell, but to shoot it at a resolution suitable for both 3D television and 3D IMAX was a challenge. The footage was shot in multiple worldwide locations by DP, Tim Craggs using the RED ONE camera in 4K. The challenge was to bring extinct pterosaurs back to life in CG while conveying the story in stereo 3D.
The location footage and CG had to be carefully integrated, in particular for one of the final sequences where Attenborough glides with a pterosaur with a 50ft wingspan.
Large amounts of visual effects footage was received using Mistika, and dropped into the documentary effortlessly. The stereo 3D finishing work included stereo quality control, conforming, color matching, color and stereo 3D depth grading, stereo fixing and compositing.
“The Mistika platform, supported by Hewlett Packard Z800 workstations, provided incredible flexibility, efficiency and stereo 3D workflows, which allowed for real-time adjustments, which was great for the client to be able to see immediate results in the finishing suite,” said Andy Shelley, COO of On Sight.
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