The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), the worldwide leader in motion‐imaging standards and education, today announced that the Oscarยฎ, Emmyยฎ, and BAFTA award winner Rob Legato will speak at DCS 2011 at NAB. Legato, a highly regarded visual effects supervisor, director, and director of photography โ as well as an expert in virtual and 3D production โ will discuss his work on the highly anticipated 3D project from the director Martin Scorsese, “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” which is scheduled for release Thanksgiving 2011.
Legato will speak on Saturday, 9 April 2011, at 1:30 p.m. at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the South Hall Rooms S222/223. Spanning cinema, broadcast, and broadband, DCS 2011 โ which is co‐produced by SMPTE and NAB โ is a premier industry event, drawing leading motion‐imaging technologists, researchers, scientists, practitioners, manufacturers, and strategic thinkers. This year’s gathering is themed Advances in Image and Sound: 3D, 4K, and Beyond. Register today at: <a href="www.smpte.org.events/DCS2011″>www.smpte.org.events/DCS2011.
Legato will address how the intentional use of 3D for its artistic merits can enhance the depth and breadth of character, locale, and story and, as a result, give audiences a more sophisticated appetite for feature films shot in 3D. He will also discuss the digital pre‐visualization used to streamline and accelerate the 3D production of Hugo Cabret.
“Hugo Cabret is one of the first primarily dramatic feature films to be entirely photographed in Digital Stereo. Not relying on typical Action, Adventure or Visual effects normally reserved for this technology, this drama totally embraces 3D solely for its artistic merits and unique ability to enhance the depth and breadth of character, locale, and story,” said Legato. “Martin Scorsese produced, designed, and directed every setup of this film specifically in 3D to explore and enhance the creative storytelling opportunities of this new art form.”
“We are now to the point that 3D is becoming part of the art form, not a production afterthought,” said SMPTE president Pete Ludรฉ. “We’re thrilled to have Rob Legato โ a creative visionary who has already has an amazing body of work to his creditโ discuss the technologies that are enabling this shift to take place.”
Credits Include Some of Industry’s Most Popular, Iconic Works
Over the years, Legato has worked with Martin Scorsese in varying roles, including second unit director/cameraman and visual effects supervisor on “The Aviator” and “Shutter Island” and second unit director/cameraman on “The Departed.” Legato also served as second‐unit director/cameraman and visual effects supervisor for Robert DeNiro’s “The Good Shepherd” and as second unit director for “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” He was also visual effects supervisor for Apollo 13, Cast Away, Titanic, and What Lies Beneath, and senior effects director for “Bad Boys II.”
In addition to his production credits, Legato created and conceived the virtual cinematography pipeline and created the prototype of the virtual camera rig for “Avatar.”
First in a Series of SMPTE 2011 Gatherings ‐ Industry’s Only Non‐Commercial, Scientific Events DCS is one of a series of key 2011 SMPTE events, the only non‐commercial, scientific gatherings to focus on breakthrough research and advanced technologies, practical applications of motion‐imaging solutions, critical standards initiatives to drive business success, and key industry trends and future technology needs. These events include the 2nd Annual SMPTE International Conference on Stereoscopic 3D for Media and Entertainment (21 โ 22 June 2011 in New York City) and the SMPTE 2011 Annual Technical Conference and Exposition (25 โ 27 October 2011 in Hollywood).
About the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers
The Oscarยฎ Award‐winning and Emmyยฎ Award‐winning Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) is the leading technical society for the motion imaging industry. As an internationally recognized and accredited standards‐setting body, SMPTE develops standards, recommended practices and guidelines, and spearheads educational activities to advance engineering and moving imagery. Headquartered in New York, SMPTE is comprised of engineers and other technical specialists, IT, and new media professionals, filmmakers, manufacturers, educators, and consultants in more than 65 countries. Learn more at www.smpte.org.
