Launched at NAB and Due Out This Fall, the System Is Currently in Beta

Stereo shooting may be getting easier, thanks to a growing laundry list of available tools and resources, but setup and camera calibration can still be a cumbersome process. Dashwood Cinema Solutions, the product arm of stereographer Tim Dashwood's production studio, wants to demystify that process with a simple but robust application called Stereo3D CAT. The CAT stands for Calibration, Analysis and Tracking, and the software aims to speed up the average on-set stereo calibration time of 20 minutes by a factor of 10.
Introduced at NAB earlier this month and already raking in the awards, Stereo3D CAT is first and foremost a visual aid. “It’s probably the most accurate one for calculations and calibrations out there,” says Dashwood. “Most stereographers do many, many calculations while they are on the job. On the last shoot I did, I filled a notebook with longhand calculations. I still go and check most of the math, but it made me think there must be a better way, beyond existing iPhone apps-which give you only an opinion-to visualize the final product with more precise calculations.”

The backbone of Dashwood’s software is a co-developed version of DSC Labs’ new 3D chart that features a handy holder to turn your iPad into a slate for transmitting disparity data. The software, however, crunches the numbers from your cameras. Features include the tool’s primary Stereo3D Visualizer, which takes a scene’s calculated dimensions and renders the objects in the scene, highlighting settings that are throwing off stereo synch and could cause viewer discomfort. The Alignment Tracker transmits slate and disparity data to the attached iPad. Also, a Parallax Inspector makes sure a positive parallax won’t cause viewers’ eyes to diverge. Additional depth analysis tools, stereo input/out views and sync checkers let you preview your scene before it’s time to start shooting.

Dashwood says the new software, currently in beta, is due sometime this fall. The company is now looking for beta testers, however, to put it through its paces. Sign up for the program at Dashwood Cinema here.