METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FILMING

• US 20110149248A1
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Holicom Film Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Holicom Film Ltd.
• Inventors: Finn, Bruce, O'connell, Ian Christopher, Ley, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 9,033,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 352/43
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 30/56 by projecting aerial or floating images
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/02 Illuminating scene
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/06 Special arrangements of screening, diffusing, or reflecting devices, e.g. in studio
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/07 Arrangements of lamps in studios
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/112 according to a given display mode, e.g. for interlaced or progressive display mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/132 Sampling, masking or truncation of coding units, e.g. adaptive resampling, frame skipping, frame interpolation or high-frequency transform coefficient masking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/137 Motion inside a coding unit, e.g. average field, frame or block difference
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/17 the unit being an image region, e.g. an object
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/186 the unit being a colour or a chrominance component
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/20 using video object coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/587 involving temporal sub-sampling or interpolation, e.g. decimation or subsequent interpolation of pictures in a video sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/56 provided with illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2224 related to virtual studio applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2226 Determination of depth image, e.g. for foreground/background separation determining depth by image analysis in general G06T7/50; segmentation by image analysis in general G06T7/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2621 Cameras specially adapted for the electronic generation of special effects during image pickup, e.g. digital cameras, camcorders, video cameras having integrated special effects capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

This invention concerns a method of filming a subjected to be projected as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image. The method may comprise filming a subject under a lighting arrangement having one or more front lights for illuminating a front of a subject and one or more backlights. The lights may be controlled such that the total brightness of the one or more front lights, as measured of the subject, is less than or approximately the same as the total brightness of the one or more backlights, as measured at the subject. The subject may be located directly above one or more floor lights such the subject is illuminated from below by the one or more floor lights. The lights may comprise one or more LEDs. A drop-off distance of the front lights may be less than a distance between the front lights and a backscreen. The invention further concerns a lighting control system comprising an input device for receiving inputs on characteristics of the subject to be filmed and a controller arranged to determine from the inputs a required configuration for the lamps and send control signals to at least one of the lamps to cause the lamps to adjust to the required configuration. The lighting system may comprise a controller connected to a data link providing data on a lighting environment at a location where the film of the subject is being projected as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image, the controller controlling the lamps to adjust configuration during filming in response to data on changes in the lighting environment.

Claims

1. A method of filming a subject to be projected as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image, the method comprising filming a subject under a lighting arrangement having one of more front lights for illuminating a front of the subject and one or more back lights, wherein the lights are controlled such that the total brightness of the one or more front lights, as measured at the subject, is less than or approximately the same as the total brightness of the one or more back lights, as measured at the subject.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the total brightness, as measured at the subject, of the back lights to the total brightness of the front lights, as measured at the subject, is greater than 2:

3

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the total brightness of the one or more front lights, as measured at the subject, is less than the total brightness of the one or more back lights, as measured at the subject.

4. The method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the lighting arrangement further comprises one or more side lights for illuminating a side of the subject

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the one or more side lights are for illuminating both sides of the subject.

6. A method according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the one or more side lights illuminate the or each side with a total brightness, as measured at the subject, that is less than the total brightness of the one or more back lights, as measured at the subject.

7. A method according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the one or more side lights illuminate the or each side with a total brightness that is less than the total brightness of the front lights.

8. A method according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the one or more side lights are controlled to alter in brightness as the subject moves towards and away from the side light.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the one or more side lights are controlled to reduce the brightness of illumination when the subject moves towards the or each side light and to increase in brightness as the subject moves away from the or each side light.

14. A method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the lighting arrangement may further comprise overhead lights positioned substantially directly above the subject.

16. A method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the one or more front lights further comprise a fill lamp for illuminating the subject from below.

18. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lights are controlled to match lighting effects for the subject being filmed to lighting effects at a location of the projected Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image.

19. A method according to any one of the preceding claims comprising controlling the lights illuminating the subject in response to a changing lighting environment at the location of the projected Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image.

25. A method according to any of the previous claims, wherein the lights comprise one or more LEDs, wherein significant illumination of the subject, as measured at the subject, is provided by the one or more LEDs.

27. A method according to claim 25 or claim 26, wherein at least 10%, at least 25%, at least 50%, at least 75%, at least 90% or substantially all of the illumination of the subject by the lighting arrangement is provided by the one or more LEDs.

28. A method according any of claims 25 to 27, wherein the filming of a subject to be projected as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image comprises projecting a telepresence, wherein the light output characteristics of the LEDs are controlled substantially in real time.

29. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein the lights are controlled to create a colour temperature for the subject being filmed that substantially matches the colour temperature of person/objects at the location of the projected Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image.

30. A method according to any of claims 25 to 28, further comprising conditioning light emitted by the or at least one of the one or more LEDs using at least one hood or baffle fitted to at least one of the one or more LEDs so as to reduce the divergence of said light.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the hood has a first end with a first aperture which is, in use, arranged to receive light from the LED and a second end with a second aperture arranged to allow said received light to escape the hood

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein the second aperture is smaller than the first aperture

33. A method according to any of claims 30 to 32, wherein the at least one hood has a substantially frustoconical or cylindrical shape.

34. A method according to anyone of claims 30 to 33, wherein the inside surface of the hood is substantially composed of plastic, rubber or a combination of plastic and rubber.

35. A method according to any of claims 1 to 24, wherein the method comprises filming the subject under a lighting arrangement having one or more luminaires, wherein the luminaires comprise a light transmitting member having at least one reflective surface, a plurality of LEDs, at least one output surface and a mask for blocking light emitted by the LEDs such that the mask prevents light emitted by the LEDs from reaching the at least one output surface directly, light emitted by the LEDs reaching the at least one output surface by reflection off the at least one reflective surface.

37. A method according to claim 35 or 36, wherein the luminaires are arranged such that light emitted by the LEDs is directed towards the at least one reflective surface.

38. A method according to anyone of claims 35 to 37 wherein the mask may comprise an opaque surface located on a side of the LEDs to prevent light from reaching the at least one output surface directly.

39. A method of any previous claim, comprising filming a subject with a camera to produce a film, wherein a shutter speed of the camera is between 1/25th second and 1/120th second, and delivering the film to a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost projection system.

40. A method of any of the previous claims, comprising projecting the film through a semitransparent screen positioned at an angle, preferably 45 degrees, to the projected film and an audience eyeline such that film images are visible to the audience superimposed on a backdrop to the screen.

41. A method according to claim 40, comprising projecting the film such that the Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image of the subject appears at the same height as the subject in real-life.

42. A method according to claim 40 or claim 41, wherein filming comprises arranging a camera and the subject such that the subject extends substantially across the entire height and/or width of the image captured by the camera.

43. A lighting system configured to perform the method of any previous claim.

44. A film of a subject to be projected as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image produced in accordance with any one of the claims 1 to 42.

45. A control system configured to control the lighting arrangement so as to perform the method in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 42.

46. A data carrier having stored thereon instructions for executing the method in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 42.

10. A method according to any one of the proceeding claims, wherein the one or more rear lights, one or more front lights and one or more side lights comprise different lamps for illuminating (predominately) different sections of the subject.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the different sections comprise vertical sections of the subject.

12. A method according to claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the one or more front lights comprise one of:

(i) a profile spotlight for illuminating a head of the subject;

(ii) a profile spotlight for illuminating the torso of the subject;

(iii) a profile spotlight for illuminating legs and feet of the subject; and

(iv) any combination of (i) to (iii).

13. A method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the one or more back lights comprise one of:

(i) a profile spotlight for illuminating a head of the subject;

(ii) a profile spotlight for illuminating the torso of the subject;

(iii) a profile spotlight for illuminating legs and feet of the subject; and

(iv) any combination of (i) to (iii).

17. A method according to any one of the previous claims 4 to 16, wherein the one or more front, side and back lights are arranged to illuminate a cuboid volume such that, when the subject moves horizontally within the cuboid volume, a nature of the illumination on the subject remains substantially the same.

15. A method according to any one of claims, wherein the one or more front lights further comprise a profile spotlight for illuminating the eyes of the subject.

20. A method according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the lighting arrangement further comprises one or more floor lights, wherein the subject is located directly above the one or more floor lights such that the subject is illuminated from below by the one or more floor lights.

22. A method according to claim 20 or 21, wherein the one or more floor lights comprise a mask to collimate light emitted by the one or more floor lights such that light emitted by the one or more floor lights is not directly incident on a camera used to film the subject.

23. A method according to any of claims 20 to 22, wherein the one or more floor lights comprise a plurality of individual floor lights, wherein each of the individual floor lights comprises a mask to collimate light emitted by each of the individual floor lights such that a substantial amount of the light emitted by each of the individual floor lights is directed upwardly relative to each of the individual floor lights.

24. A method according to claim 22 or claim 23, wherein the mask may comprise an opaque surface having a frustro conical shape.

21. A method of filming a subject to be projected as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image, the method comprising filming a subject under a lighting arrangement having one or more floor lights, wherein the subject is located directly above the one or more floor lights such that the subject is illuminated from below by the one or more floor lights.

26. A method of filming a subject to be projected as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image, the method comprising filming the subject under a lighting arrangement having one or more lights which comprise one or more LEDs, wherein significant illumination of the subject, as measured at the subject, is provided by the one or more LEDs.

36. A method of filming a subject to be projected as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image, the method comprising filming the subject under a lighting arrangement having one or more luminaires, wherein the luminaires comprise a light transmitting member having at least one reflective surface, a plurality of LEDs, at least one output surface and a mask for blocking light emitted by the LEDs such that the mask prevents light emitted by the LEDs from reaching the at least one output surface directly, light emitted by the LEDs reaching the at least one output surface by reflection off the at least one reflective surface.

47. A lighting control system for controlling a lighting arrangement, the lighting arrangement comprising one or more lamps for illuminating a subject during filming, a film of the subject being for projection as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image, the lighting control system comprising an input device for receiving inputs on characteristics of the subject to be filmed and a controller arranged to determine from the inputs a required configuration for the lamps and send control signals to at least one of the lamps to cause the lamps to adjust to the required configuration.

48. A lighting control system according to claim 47, wherein the characteristics of the subject comprise skin colour, hair colour and colour of the subject'"'"'s clothes and shoes.

49. A lighting control system according to claim 47 or claim 48, wherein the required configuration comprises the brightness of the lamps and/or the power of lamps.

50. A lighting control system according to any one of claims 47 to 49, wherein, in each of the required configurations, a total brightness of one or more front lights is less than or approximately the same as a total brightness of one or more back lights.

51. A lighting control system according to any one of claims 47 to 50, wherein the required configuration comprises the colour of the lamps.

52. A lighting control system according to any one of claims 47 to 50, wherein the required configuration comprises the position of the lamps.

53. A lighting system comprising a lighting arrangement for illuminating a subject, the lighting arrangement having one of more front lights for illuminating the front of the subject and one or more back lights for illuminating the rear of the subject, and the control system as claimed in any one of claims 47 to 52 arranged to control the lighting arrangement.

55. A lighting control system according to any one of claims 47 to 53 or a data carrier according to claim 54, wherein the lighting control system comprises memory having stored therein data on the required configuration for the lamps for different characteristics of the subject and determining the required configuration is carried out by comparing the inputs of characteristics of the subject to those stored in memory.

54. A data carrier having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to receive inputs on characteristics of a subject to be filmed for projection as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image, determine from the inputs a required configuration for lamps of a lighting arrangement for illuminating the subject during filming and send control signals to at least one of the lamps to cause the lamps to adjust to the required configuration.

56. A lighting control system for controlling a lighting arrangement, the lighting arrangement comprising one or more lamps for illuminating a subject during filming, a film of the subject being for projection as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image, the lighting control system comprising a controller for controlling each of the lamps to change a configuration of the lamps, the controller connected to a data link providing data on a lighting environment at a location where the film of the subject is being projected as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image, the controller sending control signals to each of the lamps to cause the lamps to adjust configuration during filming in response to data on changes in the lighting environment.

57. A data carrier having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor of a lighting control system comprising one of more lamps for illuminating a subject during filming, causes the processor to receive data on a lighting environment at a location where a film of the subject is being projected as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image and send control signals to each of the lamps to cause the lamps to adjust configuration during filming in response to data on changes in the lighting environment.

58. A method of filming a subject to be projected as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image, the method comprising filming the subject in front of a back screen under a lighting arrangement having one of more front lights for illuminating a front of the subject, wherein a drop-off distance of the front lights is less than a distance between the front lights and the back screen.

59. A lighting system substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

60. A method of filming a subject for projection as a Pepper'"'"'s Ghost image substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.