System, method and apparatus for rapid film pre-visualization

• US 9,799,136 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2012
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Griffith, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US13/466,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20130162628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,995 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/20 Perspective computation

Abstract

A system, method and apparatus for rapid film pre-visualization are provided, including a motion capture component interfacing with wearable motion capture sensors; a virtual digital rendering component configured to receive the captured motion and re-create such motion in a three dimensional virtual space; a display component configured to display an output of the virtual digital rendering component; and a controller component, configured to interface with the virtual digital rendering component and allow a user to navigate within the three dimensional virtual space to control the visual aspects of one or more shots within the three dimensional virtual space.

Claims

1. A system for rapid film pre-visualization, comprising:

a motion capture component interfacing with wearable motion capture sensors;

a virtual digital rendering component configured to receive the captured motion and re-create such motion in a three dimensional virtual environment;

a display component configured to display an output of the virtual digital rendering component; and

a controller component, configured to interface with the virtual digital rendering component and to act as a virtual camera in a three dimensional virtual environment, the controller configured with plural handheld remote components configured to navigate within the three dimensional virtual environment and to control the virtual camera using film camera controls to control the visual aspects of shots within the three dimensional virtual environment.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said motion capture component is an RF motion capture component that detects accelerometers in a wearable suit within an RF grid.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said virtual digital rendering component comprises a MAYA platform.

4. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one handheld remote component includes a toggle allowing for at least six degrees of motional control.

5. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least one handheld remote component includes a handheld remote that is sensitive to a reference magnetic field to provide real time positional information about the remote control relative to the reference magnetic field.

6. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein two handheld remote components are coupled together.

7. A system in accordance with claim 6, further comprising a view screen attached to said handheld remote components, the view screen configured to act as a virtual viewfinder for the virtual camera.

8. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said controller component is configured to navigate as a virtual camera in said three dimensional virtual environment in real time to provide pre-visualization for a film.

9. A system in accordance with claim 8, wherein said display component comprises a multi-panel display configured to provide a user with immersive image data such that a user can navigate said virtual camera therein.

10. A system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a virtual world component configured to provide the three dimensional virtual environment with realistic world detail.

11. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said navigation control includes a control component having six degrees of movement and wherein said film camera controls include pan, tilt and zoom controls.

12. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said virtual digital rendering component is configured to provide varying levels of detail in said three dimensional virtual environment for pre-visualization approval.

13. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said virtual digital rendering component is configured to provide rendering of flat-shaded blasts in said three dimensional virtual environment for pre-visualization approval.

14. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said virtual digital rendering component is configured to provide additional shading and stereoscopic processing to rendered figures derived from said received data in said three dimensional virtual environment for pre-visualization approval.

15. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said virtual digital rendering component is configured to provide additional detail development in said three dimensional virtual environment for pre-visualization approval.

16. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said virtual digital rendering component is configured to provide virtual terrain in said three dimensional virtual environment for pre-visualization approval.

17. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said virtual digital rendering component is configured to provide a level of detail that is representative of actual film production in said three dimensional virtual environment for pre-visualization approval.

18. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said display component comprises plural displays surrounding a director configured to immerse a director in the virtual environment while the director directs the camera action utilizing the controller component.

19. A system in accordance with claim 18, wherein captured and rendered data follows a data pipeline from data capture to data rendering to a director'"'"'s station, with further manipulation of data responsive to the controller component utilized by the director.

20. A system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said motion capture component interfaces with wearable motion capture sensors on suits with attachment points for harnesses via reinforced holes and reinforced accelerometers.

21. A method for rapid film pre-visualization, comprising:

capturing position and motion data of wearable position and motion capture sensors using a motion capture system including plural sensor detectors;

digitally rendering said captured data and re-creating motion of the sensors in a three dimensional virtual environment;

displaying an output of the motion in the three dimensional virtual environment; and

providing a controller component that is configured to interface with a three dimensional virtual environment to act as a virtual camera in the three dimensional virtual environment, the controller configured with plural handheld remote components configured to navigate within the three dimensional virtual environment to control the virtual camera using film camera controls within the three dimensional virtual space.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein said navigation control includes a control component having six degrees of movement and wherein said film camera controls include pan, tilt and zoom controls.

23. A system in accordance with claim 22, wherein captured and rendered data follows a data pipeline from data capture to data rendering to a director'"'"'s station, the director'"'"'s station at least including said display component and said controller component, the director'"'"'s station providing a modification point of the data pipeline input to the director'"'"'s station, the data pipeline input comprising data from data capture through virtual digital rendering.

24. A system in accordance with claim 23, wherein said director'"'"'s station is configured to provide an export of director pre-visualization to a storage component.