Real-time 3D recording had eluded us – until Aaron Koblin, Scott Hessels, and Gabriel Dunne (a group of researchers at UCLA), inspired James Frost to direct the world’s first music video shot entirely without cameras. Instead he used a LIDAR Laser and a geometric texture-mapping laser (for facial closeups).
His inspiration came from a project called “Celestial Movements”. With this project the aforementioned researchers used lasers to record the movement of manmade aerial vehicles in the night sky. They then compiled data sets into one image, or animated still images to create stunning visual representations of the data. But, rather than being strictly creative, this project “combines science, statistical display, and contemporary art”.
The first purely creative endeavor using 3D laser imaging is this new effort from Radiohead, the video for "House of Cards". Known as innovators, Radiohead was the obvious choice for real actualization, especially because James was in tight with their manager. Realizing this piece required two rented lasers, teams of technicians, and scores of quad cores. Luckily, the moneymen trusted James’ vision.
The end result definitely has a psychedelic vibe, psychedelia for the post-information age. It reminds me of the old Amiga Video Toast effects from early nineties videos. The similarity isn’t the look of the laser’s effect, but rather this video, like toast effects, is the earliest implementation of an exciting new tool for video artists. Still in it's infancy, it holds so much promise to inspire innovation.
Think you can do better with your own 3D rendering software? Download the original CSV files and prove it. Or just get a snippet to play with till you get board of it.
"Making of.." video after the break.
source
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Tuesday, July 15, 2008
‘Look Ma No Cams’, Lasers Record Radiohead’s Latest Music Video
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Microvision’s Vision of the Future
Pico projectors promise to increase the pervasiveness of tiny projectors embedded in all sort of devices. Microvision is unveiling a prototype of a minuscule standalone projector called “Show” (inventive name guys) next week at CES.
Microvision, Pico's developer, is selling their projection system as the perfect solution for easily sharing videos or photos. Pico projectors enable other manufactures to develop smaller wearable displays, more versatile vehicle heads up displays, and tiny integrated or peripheral projectors. They envision their PicoP display engine being added to pretty much any device that has or attaches to a display.
This ability to embed these projectors in tiny technologies is made possible due to the PicoP display engine's minute size and low power consumption. The actual process by which this technology achieves these projections is very fascinating, especially to a purveyor of pixels such as myself.
I could see this projection technology gaining wide acceptance among photographers as a way of quickly proofing photos without having to carry laptops or display monitors to all you’re shoots. As it exists now the resolution is, a less than stellar, WVGA (848 X 480 pixels).
My only qualm with this technology is the degree to which these projectors would be used in advertising. I will loathe the day when advertisers will inundated us with sparkling projections on billboards, subway cars, sides of buildings, and so on. After all, the LED ad screens that debuted on the N/R/W subway line’s 23rd street station entrance haven’t spread to many other entryways in the MTA system; most likely due to the costs of running and maintaining them.
Maybe this projection technology will remain too expensive to be a viable replacement of printed ads. Come to think of it, that’s doubtful considering Mircovision estimates products could be priced at as low as $500 and still turn tidy profit. Also, advertisers could change ads remotely while saving on printing cost. So yeah, this revolution is pretty much inevitable.
One final note, it's true TV ads are getting cut out by DVRs and internet uploads. Will this be where those ads go next? Being that I'm a photographer, I’m hoping that companies will continue opting for the cheaper production cost associated with photographic stills rather than only producing video ads.
There are still magazines, right? Oh yeah, LG Phillips is looking to change that too. They’ve develop an ultra thin flexible LCD displays that could easily replace paper ads in magazines. Guess I’d better start learning how to shoot video.
..Via Gizmowatch..
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