New venture features exclusive access to stereographers, technology via 3D Camera Company
By Robert Goldrich
SANTA MONICA, Calif. --Tate USA, a mainstay Santa Monica-based commercial production house headed by founder/executive producer David Tate, has diversified into 3D, launching T-3D, a venture dedicated to producing 3D content for the ad marketplace.
Veteran spot production company executive Michael Romersa and his partner Danny Llewelyn are executive producers of T-3D, which through a relationship with equipment development/rental house the 3D Camera Company (3DCC) gains exclusive North American access to an ensemble of stereographers as well as leading technology. Under the aegis of Bill White and partners William Reeve, CSC, and Lacia Kornylo, the Toronto-based 3DCC has since its founding in 2006 developed a range of specialized stereoscopic image capture equipment for the motion picture entertainment industry. Such equipment, including rigs designed for aerial photography, were deployed for example on a standout scene in the recently released Transformers: Dark of the Moon in which sky divers (mountain flyers in winged suits) literally jump from the Trump Tower and soar through downtown Chicago.
Plans call for 3DCC to have a full-service operation up and running in Los Angeles by sometime in August. Romersa has been tabbed to serve as managing partner of 3DCC’s Southern California shop. In addition to its Toronto headquarters, 3DCC maintains footholds in India through a working relationship with Mumbai-based production house the Prasad Group and in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) via Abu Dhabi company Anasy Media Productions.
Tate’s T-3D, which opened this week, represents 3DCC’s first major incursion into the advertising arena. Tate USA’s directorial roster–which includes the likes of Jonathan Brown, Steven Antin, Michael Bindlechner, Ohav Flantz, Chris Graham, Matt Humphrey, Enno Jacobsen, Mattieu Mantovani, David Popescu, Rob Bliss, Pedro Gonzalez Rubio, Jonathan Teplitzky, 13 Keys and Status Collective–can thus more readily dovetail into the 3D marketplace, tapping into 3DCC’s stereographers and technological resources. David Tate and Romersa both noted that additional 3D directors could also be brought into T-3D as select spots and longer-form branded projects dictate.
Roster of stereographers
The alluded to stereographers for whom T-3D has exclusivity in the ad world via its deal with 3DCC include William Reeve, John Reeve and Dylan Reade. William Reeve is recognized as a pioneering 3D stereographer with credits that include Saw 3D, Dinosaurs Alive, Legends of Flight and Volcanoes of the Deep Sea. (All but the latter had their 3D production facilitated by 3DCC.) His son John Reeve is a stereographer and camera operator whose body of work spans Queen Elizabeth in 3D, Rescue 3D, Lord of the Dance 3D, The Red Show and Cobu 3D, with 3DCC handling the 3D production for all. And stereographer/3D cameraman Reade has served as a specialist in IMAX 3D production since 1988. His credits include nearly 50 IMAX films such as Legends of Flight 3D (3D production by 3DCC), Born To Be Wild 3D, Under the Sea 3D, and Space Station 3D.
Additionally via 3DCC, T-3D has an exclusive arrangement for ad industry projects with postproduction supervisor Ken MacNeil whose 3D exploits include Saw 3D, concert productions for such artists as Kylie Minogue and Michael Flatley, and TV projects.
Tate USA’s directors can avail themselves of these 3D artisans’ expertise in the planning and execution of spots and branded content. David Tate described stereographers as a cross between such disciplines as that of production designer, cameraman and choreographer. On the production design score, he noted that leading stereographers draw storyboards and design shots meticulously. On the camera front, stereographers discuss and provide expertise on what focal lengths, angles and other lensing considerations will best capture what’s required of a scene. And in a choreographer capacity, stereographers envision how shots should cut together.
“Stereographers are essential to the process,” assessed Tate. “They can work with directors and DPs, sharing the experience of knowing when to sit back and wait so as to give more impact to the high impact shots. But it goes beyond the images that jump out at your face. There’s a depth and quality in 3D that stereographers help to achieve throughout.”
That depth and quality became evident to Tate when he recently saw Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Werner Herzog’s 3D documentary exploring the Chauvet caves of Southern France, which contain some of the oldest pictorial creations of humankind. “It’s subject matter that has nothing resembling a high-end action movie–drawings in cave dwellings,” related Tate. “To bring the 3D experience to that subject in a quiet and subtle way was riveting to me and the audience. The experience turned the corner for me in terms of how I now think about 3D and what it can bring to advertising. There aren’t so many action packed products. But there are products that require subtlety in imagery, visual branding. That’s when I realized that I should branch my company out into 3D.”
Facilitating that branching out has been Romersa who at one time maintained the Stoney Road family of companies, including Reactor Films. Dating back to his relationships with Canadian corporation John Labatt Ltd. and The Partners’ Film Company in Toronto on various stateside ventures over the years, Romersa came to know Labatt/Supercorp entertainment exec Syd Kessler. It was through Kessler that Romersa and White recently came together. White has a long track record as a leading camera and production support equipment supplier in Canada via William F. White, a business started by his father in 1963. Upon his dad’s passing, Bill White became involved in the company and eventually took its helm, overseeing the opening of offices across Canada. He wound up selling the business–including the camera department to Panavision–in 2005 and then began investing in 3D technology.
Romersa and White met late last year, built a rapport, and set out to explore opportunities in the ad industry for 3D. In that pursuit, Romersa sought out Tate whose partner in Tate USA is exec producer Rossi Cannon. “I’ve known David for many years and respected him greatly,” said Romersa. “He’s held the banner high in representing preeminent talent and I asked him if he had an appetite for 3D. Just like that, our deal came together and T-3D was formed.”
Agency appetite
Romersa said that he has touched base with several agencies that are eager to diversify into 3D and sees the market opening up not only in cinema advertising but also in broadcast. “There are two U.S. networks broadcasting exclusively in 3D–including ESPN’s 3D network–and within 18 months there will be more,” related Romersa. “TV sets will become more user friendly, and technology is rolling out that doesn’t require the wearing of glasses. Once that settles in, 3D will be off to the races. With 3D entertainment on the rise, it’s only a matter of time before 3D advertising and related content comes into prominence. We’re looking to be on the ground floor of that.”
White noted that there are 48 3D television networks worldwide, as compared to 15 just six months ago. “It’s a growing marketplace, with 3D-ready TV sets exceeding sales projections by 300 percent the first quarter of this year,” said White.
Romersa added that agencies can package projects to shoot in both 2D and 3D, with the latter version playing in theaters prior to a major 3D movie or in homes via ESPN’s 3D network which offers a highly desirable sports environment for advertisers. The 2D fare could continue to run on conventional media outlets as agencies prepare for the future by building their 3D production experience and acumen.
Just prior to the formation of T-3D, Romersa worked on a 3D promo short for the U.S. Navy shot on location in Southern California with 3DCC handling the 3D production and post. This was Romersa’s first job under the 3DCC banner.
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