Local and international visitors to the new Sir Edmund Hillary Alpine Centre at Aoraki Mount Cook can now experience an unforgettable journey from the explosive Big Bang to the midst of the majestic Southern Alps, all without leaving the seats of its brand new 3D theatre.
The spectacular 15min 3D film shot with two JVC GY-HD251E ProHD cameras, takes the audience from the explosive beginnings of time, through the mystical Ngai Tahu Maori legend of Aoraki and on… into the dramatic landscape. The film blends computer animation with stereoscopic footage to immerse the audience amongst the high peaks and glaciers of the Aoraki Mt Cook National Park in an inspiring 3D cinematic experience unlike any other.
Director and Emmy Award winning cameraman Mike Single explained the shooting challenges, “The film was shot in 720p50 on a pair of JVC GY-HD251E cameras using a variety of OEM lenses. We chose these cameras for several reasons. Firstly their quality of image, secondly their compact size and thirdly the fact that they were able to be genlocked. We also locked the sync generator’s log and timecode together.
“For much of the shoot, we had to attach the cameras outside a helicopter, on to a skier and on to a Jimmy Jib up the side of a mountain. We did this using a special stereo rig and purpose-made mounts to lock the two cameras together and hold them securely. With the extreme temperatures we weren’t sure if the either the tape drive or Firestore hard disk would freeze, so we covered ourselves by recording to both. This was another huge advantage in using the GY-HD251Es but as it turned out, both were fine delivering stunning footage,” he said.
The offline editing was done on Canopus Edius Pro by Graham MacArthur at The Video Factor NZ who added, “The fact that we were given files straight off the hard drive made the post a much smoother and more seamless process.”
The 3D project was a long time dream of Taylormade Media Ltd’s, CEO Ian Taylor “This is a project I have been thinking about for a really long time, but without the vision and support of the Valentine and Davies families of The Hermitage, it could never have been achieved. We knew we could create the technology and had the people to make the vision a reality but had no prior examples of this kind of work to show them. They backed the idea from the start and told us to go for it. That wouldn’t happen anywhere else.”
The 3D project, the first of its type in New Zealand, was eight months in the making involved a collaboration with French Film Company, Cow Productions and Dunedin based computer graphics company Animation Research Ltd and encompassed everything from producing the film itself, creating the 3D animations which depict the creation of the universe and the Aoraki legend, to building two HD capable Servers to deliver the film and custom built Software to play it. On top of this they also specified Panasonic projection, polarisation, glasses and a huge 3D silver 7m screen. The music was composed by highly regarded musician Neville Copland.
The Hermitage General Manager Denis Callesen said the Centre’s 3D theatre offers the most technologically advanced facilities of this type ever developed in New Zealand. “This facility is state of the art and offers a spectacular visitor experience.” “I don’t think my eyes and brain have ever had to take in so much simultaneous stimulation before! It’s like you’re right there. I’m so pleased to have a work of this calibre to help our visitors get a taste of the mountain environment.”
Ian Taylor adds, “What is so special about this project is that it’s not a film to show off technology, it’s about showing the huge number of visitors to Aoraki Mount Cook why this place is so special. This movie offers them the opportunity to immerse themselves more fully to appreciate the stories and majesty of the mountain. Through the use of this 3D technology we have created a filmic experience that will actually propel visitors to seek out their own Aoraki adventure.”
[Release by Well Done]