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Eye-popping 3D movies have caught the public's attention again, with viewersrushing to see everything from Hollywood's "Spy Kids 3-D" to James Cameron'sIMAX documentary "Ghosts of the Abyss." The latest "Spy Kids" offering trouncedthe competition in its opening weekend, then went on to gross $96.9 million inonly 24 days. IMAX, meanwhile, is betting on the future popularity of the genreby keeping its production pipeline well stocked with 3D offerings.

Marketing companies are also catching on to the sizzle created by high-quality3D films, as proven by the success ofContinental's "Safely There" mobileexhibit and marketing campaign. A 3D high-definition film by Lightspeed DesignGroup is now crisscrossing the country in an 85-foot mobile exhibit, helpingContinental create consumer awareness for Electronic Stability Control (ESC),along with additional automotive safety technologies.

"Today's consumer audience is rightfully cynical and demanding. Disney and othershave created a legitimate expectation of excellence in info/entertainment messaging.Continental's ESC exhibit will typically be only one of many competing attractionsfor the consumer in each of it's national tour markets," said Mike Adams, accountexecutive for H.B. Stubbs Company in Warren, Michigan, charged with building

out the tractor trailer exhibit. "We enthusiastically supported our client's preferencefor 3D with motion as a way to bring their messages effectively to a largeraudience. It generates a buzz all unto itself."

3D Roars Back:From Hollywood to Product Marketing

2003 Lightspeed Design Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Continental's Safely There , a 3D high-definition ride film by Lightspeed Design.

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T he 37-ton trailer arrives onsite with a variety of interactiveexhibits and information kiosksshowcasing Continental's ESCsystem, including a 3D MotionSimulator Theatre that combinesa multi-axis hydraulic motion

base with Lightspeed's high-definition 3D film. The theatergives audiences a first-handexperience of the effectivenessof ESC in a life-threateningdriving situation.

The realism of the film isheightened by Lightspeed'sproprietary 3D technology, whichimmerses viewers in an eye-opening 3D world that seems

lifelike and natural. Images onthe screen--including switcheson the car's dashboard, a child'ssmiling face, and a truckswerving across rain-slickedpavement--appear close enoughto touch.

"We've been refining 3Dtechnology for ten years, workingon everything from precisioncomputer graphics to live actionshots," said Lightspeed PresidentChris Ward. "We design in theeffectiveness of our 3D all theway from the storyboard to theprojection booth. This is a worldapart from the way most peopledo it."

Although 3D is often used aslittle more than a visual gimmickto hook audiences, viewers inContinental's theatre, in contrast,will see a high-quality productioncentered on story content.Lightspeed researchedContinental's target audience,wrote the script and assembledan A-team of specialists toproduce the character-drivenmovie.

To create the film, Lightspeeddrew on 11-years of productionexperience, including projects for

such clients as Sony, Procter &Gamble, Nintendo and SeaWorld.

The company was also a first-place winner at the InternationalElectronic Cinema Festival,which honors achievements indigital television and cinema.

Filmed on location in California'sVentura County, a highly popularHollywood film location andhome to such television hits asM.A.S.H, the five-minute 3Dfilm stars experienced networktelevision actors.

Lightspeed chose Karen Stantonto direct the film, based onStanton's skill in bringing anemotional resonance to scripts.

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Lightspeed's 3D filmmaking andprojection techniques are cost-competitive with 2D filmprojects, making the technologyaccessible to a wide range ofcorporate productions. No matterhow intense the buzz over special

effects can become, however,Ward's philosophy is that thestory must come first, thetechnology second. "We balancethe media with the creativity ofthe story, and everybody comesout ahead."

"I see 3D as another tool you canuse to reach the audience," saidStanton. "We wanted theaudience to intimately understanda slightly out of control situationand to experience what happened.In that sense, it was a perfect use

of the technology."

Lightspeed brought on ParadiseFX Corp.'s Max Penner asDirector of Photography. Penner'scompany, skilled in all aspectsof advanced 3D motion picturephotography, used Sony CineAltadigital cameras guided byLightspeed's innovative 3Dvisualization techniques. All inall, some 25 people participatedin a two-day shoot that took place

along a closed, semi-rural stretchof road.

To reach Continental's targeteddemographic--women in their30s and 40s--Lightspeedeschewed the in-your-face effectscommon to most 3D productions.Instead, the rich, captivating 3Dlook of the film was combinedwith a content-driven story abouttwo mothers having a "kitchentable" talk in the front seat of acar. The topic of conversation:

how the driver recently avoideda nearly disastrous accident.

The film's message, saidLori Pavelich, Contintental'sSupervisor, MarketingCommunication, "is very subtle,in that we are not trying to scarethe audience out of their seats,but we do want to make people

realize how valuable ESC canbe. That's why I think the 3Dworks so well with the film'sstory line--it brings a realism tothe message that makes it morecredible and believable."

Lightspeed's 3D technologymade the audience feel they wereactually sitting in the car with thecharacters, sharing in theconversation, said RobertMueller, Lightspeed's creative

director and stereographer. "Wecalculate each 3D shot so that wecan bring screen images into thepersonal space of the viewer--literally within their reach. Thisis not like watching television ormovies, it changes the wholeviewing experience."

The 3D images were played back

using inexpensive digital videoprojectors and Lightspeed'sproprietary Windows-basedsoftware. The system is easyenough for the trailer staff tooperate yet rugged enough towithstand a schedule that willbring the tour's message to anestimated 2.9 million people ina six month period. Although the3D technology involved in the

Continental film generates lotsof sizzle at the entrance gate,

2003 Lightspeed Design Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Electronic Stability Control

Continental's ElectronicStability Control (ESC)system is designed to helpdrivers avoid crashes before

they occur. ESC systems areon constant stand-by to assistdrivers as critical situationsarise. They sense when adriver is starting to losecontrol, then automaticallyapply the brakes to individualwheels to help keep the driveron the road and heading inthe intended direction. Inmore elaborate systems, theyreduce engine power as well.

The systems have been usedin Japan and Europe foralmost a decade, and areavailable on some Americancars today. Continental is aleading global supplier ofquality automotive systemsthat get you safely there.

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L ightspeed Design Group'sstereoscopic motion pictures areunlike anything audiences haveseen before. The films offerviewers the most natural andcomfortable 3D experience yetdeveloped, presented in a wide-screen format that rivals 35 mmfilm when it comes to color andsharpness.

How does Lightspeed do it?Unlike traditional stereoscopic

filmmakers who rely ontechniques invented in 1939,Lightspeed cut its artistic andtechnical teeth in the world ofdigital imagery, where the 3Dexperience has to be accurateenough to model molecules anddiagram living tissue. To achievethose results, Lightspeed appliescarefully developed techniquesto every step of the production

process-- from storyboard's tothe projection booth.

Here's how it's done:

Camera Alignment isKey

Lightspeed aligns the twocameras used to shoot 3D filmsexactly parallel to each other.This is contrary to the accepted

convention of stereoscopic moviemaking, where filmmakers "toein" cameras to converge theirfocus points on an object. Toeingin the cameras causes subtledistortions in the way images arecaptured on film. While thehuman brain will compensate forthe distortions, viewers oftenleave theaters suffering fromeyestrain and headaches.Eyestrain is a thing of the pastwhen watching Lightspeed films,because the cameras captureimages without distorting them.

Engineered for 3D

Years of research anddevelopment went into refininga mathematical model thatLightspeed artists use to recorda 3D scene on film and play itback in a theater. Working witha detailed set of equations,Lightspeed's stereographers cancreate a full range of 3D effects:

flying insects that dart past yourhead, falling leaves that seem toland in your lap, even a hugewhale barreling toward theaudience from the depths of theocean.

The key is positioning each effectproperly in "Z Space," thedistance between the perceivedobject and the viewer's eyes.

Traditional 3D stereographersdivide Z Space into three largezones: in front of the screen, evenwith the screen, and behind thescreen. Lightspeed, on the otherhand, calculates the Z-spaceposition with laboratory-likeaccuracy: if a director wants ababy's rattle to appear 18 inchesin front of the viewer's eye's,Lightspeed designs the shot so

the rattle appears exactly 18inches away. The process evenaccounts for where the viewer issitting in the theatre.

Although these techniques werelearned in the world of computer-generated imagery, Lightspeedis successfully applying them tolive action filmmaking. When

working a live shot, Lightspeedcomes armed with a storyboardfor each camera shot and a PalmPilot loaded with 3D data.

Digital StereoscopicFilm Making

3D scenes and layouts are planned at anearly storyboard level.

3D scenes are mocked up within 3D StudioMax using Lightspeed's proprietary Stereo3D pre-visualization world, including cutsand close-ups. (This project had 110 cuts)

Lightspeed Stereographer Bob Muellerreviewing stereo 3D setup.

3D High Definition ParaCam cameratechnology by Paradise FX, configured withSony CineAlta digital cameras.

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the finest 3D imagery possibleusing a relatively simple off-the-shelf equipment configuration.A typical DepthQ 3D DigitalCinema is configured with twohigh quality DLP based videoprojectors, the DepthQ Digital

Media Server and a silver screen.

Lightspeed's proprietary softwareadds the final touch of perfectionby combining the power of real-time 3D nVidia graphics(OpenGL) with Windowsstreaming video technology.Lightspeed algorithms fine-tunethe streaming video to create thebest possible 3D experience

based on the dimensions of thetheater where the film is beingshown.

Of course, a film's success ismore than a matter of technology.At Lightspeed, 3D technology isnot an end in itself, but a tool fortelling more compelling stories.A natural and comfortable 3Dexperience changes the way

viewers react to a film. "It's notlike watching television or bigscreen movies, because yourbrain is involved in what itbelieves is a real, three-dimensional world," saysLightspeed art director RobertMueller. "We are primarilystorytellers, and the 3Dtechnology gives us the powerto tell stories that touch peopleemotionally--in ways neverbefore possible."

2003 Lightspeed Design Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Entering key variables for eachshot into the Palm Pilot quicklyproduces the camera settingsneeded to create the precise 3Deffect called for in the storyboard,while still allowing a director toalter shots on the fly. Lightspeed's

most recent production utilized3D High Definition ParaCamcamera technology by ParadiseFX Corp., configured with SonyCineAlta digital cameras.

Merging w ith the CGWorld

Introducing computer generated

images into live-action films hasbecome fact-of-life for today's2D filmmakers, but remains adaunting challenge to traditionalstereographers. For Lightspeed,merging computer generated andlive action worlds is no problem,because the company's softwarehandles both the same way.

When shooting live, for example,

Lightspeed stereographers recordthe camera settings essential forcreating each 3D shot. Thesesettings are then imported to adigitally recreated sound stage,where computer artists apply thesame stereo settings to digitalimages that will be inserted inthe live frame. This allows digitalprops, special effects, logos andtext to be seamlessly inserted intoa 3D film.

Perfecting ProjectionTechnology

The final key to success lies inLightspeeds DepthQ 3D DigitalCinema Technology. No matterhow much care goes into the filmmaking process, audiences will

not experience a realistic 3Dmovie unless the projectiontechnology is up to the task.Lightspeed has achieved

Live action footage being calibrated withthe CG world.

DepthQ Stereoscopic Media Server interface.

3D motion simulator trailer, projectionsystem installed in a floating shock mountedassembly. (NEC projectors)

Continental promotional trailer at Seafair,Seattle WA 2003

Lightspeed DesignGroup

1611 116th NE Suite 112Bellevue, WA 98004

Tel: 425.637.2818

Fax: 425.696.0115info@LightspeedDesign.com

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Project Credits

2003 Lightspeed Design Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Client: Lori Pavelich.. Supervisor, Marketing Communication, Project Lead: Continental TevesMaria Vermeersch.. Continental TevesPhil Headley.. Product Specialist: Continental Teves

Project management by: Mike Adams.. Account Executive, Lead: H.B. StubbsFred Ollison.. H.B. Stubbs

Mobile logistics by: Cam Melangton.. Performance Marketing Group

Produced by: Lightspeed Design Group

Producer: Chris Ward and Jeff Rische.. Lightspeed Design

Writing credits: Bob Mueller.. screen story: Lightspeed Design

Directed by: Karen Stanton

Visual effects by: Cory Simpson.. Visual Effects Supervisor: Lightspeed Design

3D stereoscopic design by: Bob Mueller.. Lightspeed Design

Cinematography by: Max Penner.. Director of Photography: Paradise FX Corp.

Production management: Tim Thomas.. Executive Producer: Paradise FX Corp.

Visual effects and 3D compositing: Tina Norton Garrison.. digital 3D compositor: Lightspeed

Technical director and resource management: Dan Lawrence.. Lightspeed

Cast overview:

Nellie Sciutto, mother/driverMarabina Jaimes, friend/passengerChristina Gillespie, little girlNicole Gillespie, little girlBrandon Clark, young boyPeter Morris, teen sonSonia McDancer, precision drivingLuke Hyerman, husbandMichael Stein, voice-over talent

Original music by: Steven Allen.. AM Music Productions

Film editing by: Bob Mueller.. Lightspeed Design

Casting by: Judy Landau.. Landau Casting Fifth Street StudiosSound post production: Bad Animals Seattle

HD file transfer: Victory Studios Seattle

Camera: Sony CineAlta High Definition

3D ParaCam camera system: Paradise FX Corp.

Filming locations: Hidden Valley, California, USA

Projection system engineering: Kirk Melby.. Technical Director: Lightspeed

Projection: NEC Solutions America

Digital film playback: DepthQ Stereoscopic Media Server: Michal Husak, Lightspeed