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Biggest and Best 3D ImaxScientists Break Down the Science Behind 3-D IMAX FilmsDecember 1, 2010Scientists who used to study biology and chemistry are now explaining the science behind 3-D IMAX films, revealing what goes on behind the projector to create the effect viewers enjoy. Some impressive numbers surround these effects: IMAX screens are typically five to six stories in height and the films are so large they weigh 300 to 400 pounds each. To make the popping 3-D images, two reels of film are run through the projectors while viewers wear special glasses. The film strips are slightly offset, so they don't exactly line up with one another. The glasses pick up one reel in each lens, so the audience sees the created effect. |
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Science InsiderHOW DO YOU ANIMATE A LIVE ACTOR? Motion capture cuts the costs of computer animation while creating more natural movement. Such systems work by tracking the locations of hundreds of reflective balls attached to a human actor. This permits the actor's movements to be sampled by a camera many times per second. But the digital record is limited to movements and does not include the actual appearance of the actor. They are limited in resolution to several hundred points on a human face.
ABOUT ANIMATION: The term animation generally refers to graphical displays in which a sequence of images with gradual differences results in the same effect as a photographed movie. Computer generated animations are getting more and more common, replacing hand drawn images and other special techniques. There are several ways to generate dynamic changes in computer graphics. Geometry animation is the most complex, and requires changing the geometric elements of a scene dynamically. This is also what most people generally refer to when using the term "animation," evidenced by motion pictures like "Toy Story" and "Wall-E." The American Physical Society and the Optical Society contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report. |
More information on this storyTo Go Inside This Science: James Riordon, Media Relations The Optical Society |
