Lightcraft's Previzion VFX System Now Supports GPS Tracking

July 25, 2011 - PRLog -- Lightcraft Technology, a developer of real-time visual effects technology for the film and television, announced that it has just incorporated GPS Tracking into its Previzion system with Osystems Inertial Navigation System (INS).  Osystems INS technology provides  a combination of high accuracy GPS and Inertial Measurement technology, so Previzion can now track cameras in real time in most exterior environments or locations.

Previzion is a real time visual effects system that incorporates a combination of high precision camera tracking, sophisticated rendering, and VFX quality keying which makes it ideal for the real time on-set compositing of virtual backgrounds and CGI characters. The Lightcraft Previzion system provides filmmakers with the ability to create visual effects shots with dynamic camera moves and actually see the completed effects while shooting green screen or virtual elements with a minimal increase in production costs while also providing significant savings in post production.

The Previzion GPS interface integrates with the Osystems INS technology to provide centimeter-accurate tracking information for cameras in outdoor locations where optical tracking or encoded cranes are not suitable. The Previzion system takes the Osystems data as latitude, longitude, altitude, pitch, roll, and yaw, and converts it to standard coordinate systems conventionally used in 3D post production applications. Additional tools were developed in Previzion in order to verify tracking accuracy and register the Osystems INS data with a locally surveyed coordinate framework.

“This was a much more difficult project to implement than we initially thought,” admitted Eliot Mack and Phil Mass, the co-founders of Lightcraft. “We had to take into account complex calculations involving latitude, longitude, and the center of the Earth, and make them work anywhere in the world.”

ABC Surveying Instruments of Glendale, CA, developed the Osystems technology for use with Lightcraft's Previzion technology. The INS system includes a special camera package with industry standard mounting hardware and data interfaces. Osystem's integration of INS technology combines differential Real Time Kinematic GPS position tightly coupled with the most advanced Inertial Measurement solution.

“We have been looking at leveraging our positioning solutions expertise and integrating some of the exciting, state of the art positioning technologies into a compact plug-and-play tracker for the entertainment industry,” stated Ohan Baghdassarian CEO of ABC Surveying Instruments. “In Lightcraft we found the perfect partner who has the technical ability and understanding of exactly how to interpret the Osystems sensor output and make it work for their customers.”

The first user of this technology is Evergreen Films, who plan to use it on their upcoming stereo feature “Walking with Dinosaurs 3D.”

Pierre de Lespinois,President of Evergreen Films, Inc. and the Co-director for WWD, said: “This is a truly revolutionary application of this technology. The Osystems sensor and Previzion will enable us to track shots for cable-suspended cameras and other exotic camera support systems like our 50 foot camera dirigible that will be flying over our large LIDAR scans of the Alaska tundra, tracking our CGI characters.  Previzion is a core technology for us on this film, as it is the only way that we can see our characters' performances during production in the many locations that we are going to be shooting.”

He continued, “Previzion has met our numerous feature requests to integrate a vast array of cutting edge technologies into their system such as outdoor encoded motion capture with our CGI characters, fiber transmission from the camera to our recording trucks over thousands of feet, increased graphics capabilities for animated CGI characters, adding new protocols for C-motion FIZ units, integration with  Red Epics, and most amazing of all providing us with GPS/IMU tracking that we can use on all of our cranes, flying cable cameras, Steadicam, Hydrocam cranes and more.  The Previzion team has delivered 10 fold and has brought our production capabilities to a new height.”

About Lightcraft Technology
Lightcraft Technology was founded in 2004 by Eliot Mack to bridge the technology and on-set production worlds. A graduate of MIT, Eliot has worked at Walt Disney Imagineering and iRobot. In 2004, Eliot followed his interests in visual effects and motion tracking and founded Lightcraft Technology, applying robotic techniques to the motion picture industry to create what would become the Previzion virtual studio system.  Developed with co-founder and software architect Phil Mass, Previzion is a real time visual effects system that provides a combination of high precision camera tracking, sophisticated rendering, and VFX quality keying that makes it the ideal solution for use in on-set compositing of virtual backgrounds and CGI characters. Please visit www.lightcrafttech.com for further information or contact Rick Balabuck at (310) 386-7293 or rick@lightcrafttech.com .

About Evergreen Films
Evergreen Films is a high growth, technologically innovative studio that develops, produces and owns compelling 3D content and is led by a team of industry veterans who have pioneered significant advances in digital filmmaking, CGI animation, visual effects and 3D production. Evergreen operates state of the art 3D production studios in both L.A and Anchorage, which are equipped with the best digital technology and equipment which allow Evergreen to produce projects from inception through post-production with complete control over the entire production process . Their technological expertise ensures consistent top-tier production quality in an extremely cost efficient manner. For more information please contact Pierre de Lespinois pierre@evergreenfilms.com Tel (310) 280-3880
About ABC Surveying Instruments ABC Surveying Instruments provides custom positioning systems and solutions for the various branches of the US Military, Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies, the Entertainment Industry, as well as for the traditional surveying and mapping fields.  Measuring systems include high precision GPS, Inertial, Optical, 3D laser scanning and mobile scanning. The development of the Osystems tracking sensor in combination with ABC’s LIDAR Mapping services provide full dimensional control in real world space. Please visit www.abcsurveying.com for further information or contact Thomas Abrahamian at (818) 288-6669 or abcsurveying@earthlink.net.

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Lightcraft Technology was founded in 2004 by Eliot Mack to bridge the technology and on-set production worlds. A graduate of MIT, Eliot has worked at Walt Disney Imagineering and iRobot. In 2004, Eliot followed his interests in visual effects and motion tracking and founded Lightcraft Technology, applying robotic techniques to the motion picture industry to create what would become the Previzion virtual studio system. Developed with co-founder and software architect Phil Mass, Previzion is a real time visual effects system that provides a combination of high precision camera tracking, sophisticated rendering, and VFX quality keying that makes it the ideal solution for use in on-set compositing of virtual backgrounds and CGI characters. Please visit www.lightcrafttech.com for further information or contact Rick Balabuck at (310) 386-7293 or rick@lightcrafttech.com .