Search form

Pretend Launches Stereoid for 3D Workflows

Pretend announces the launch of their new 3D workflow software, Stereoid.

Venice, CA -- If you’ve ever shot with 3D camera rigs, you know that what comes out is not always perfect and that fixing it through reshooting or post-work is usually an expensive solution.

Technology developer Pretend planned to change that 3D fact-of-life when they launched of Stereoid, a cutting-edge application with stereo correction and depth enhancement features previously available only on expensive high-end systems. Besides being simple, fast and powerful, Stereoid is a new standalone stereoscopic toolset that fits anywhere in the stereo pipeline from on-set to post.

Stereoid offers a unique and simple workflow to automatically correct two common problems with stereo sequences: vertical misalignment and color mismatches. Stereoid also lets users adjust depth in post using zero parallax and interaxial controls, allows easy integration into any pipeline with a batch mode, and is available on Mac OS and Linux.

François Lord, CG Supervisor/Lead Technical Director, Oblique FX comments, "Stereoid came in just at the right time as we were in a hurry to align plates for an IMAX movie. Simple and cost effective, it saved us."

On-set, Stereoid can prevent problems early on while you explore the artistic possibilities of depth using live zero parallax and interaxial adjustments displayed directly on your passive 3D monitor. Stereoid gets the obvious problems out of the way to give creatives more time to focus on making the best stereo effect.

Demetri Portelli, stereographer of Hugo and 47 Ronin, says, "The beta version of Stereoid was used in Montreal by myself and my engineer to demonstrate to our director Jean-Pierre Jeunet on The Young and Prodigious Spivet, which was a 100% native capture 3D shoot. The director had questions about manipulating IA for reducing and increasing the 3D effect in post production and we were able to discuss the variables possible with Stereoid.”

The rendering engine of Stereoid is based on a completely new scalable 32-bit floating-point architecture. Once the analysis is completed, then the interaction, playback, and render are fully optimized for modern hardware. You can put Stereoid on a fast box to make interactive stereo adjustments, even with the largest image formats at the highest bitdepth.

“Stereoid is a kick-ass tool for anyone working with stereo 3D footage. Ultra high-end stereo 3D corrections and perfect disparity maps in just a few clicks,” said Mark L. Pederson, CEO/co-founder of OFFHOLLYWOOD.

"Stereoid allowed me to eliminate big (and small) luminosity and color disparities without headache. Moreover, I was able to adapt the depth of some shots where 3D was too strong or too shallow to the edit," commented Milosz Hermanowicz, Editor/Stereographer, Come Closer Cinema. “After using Stereoid for months now, I'm still amazed by the achieved results.”

People can get up to speed almost immediately since a minimum of technical knowledge is required to use Stereoid. Watch the video tutorial, below:

"Stereoid is the 3-D correction and optimization tool I've been waiting for. Stereoid is simply the perfect link between 3-D recording and 3-D post-production that can save you a lot of problems, time and money,” said Svend B. Sorensen, 3-D Specialist and former CEO of ColorCode 3-D ApS.

Stereoid v1.0 has been in beta since the summer of 2012, which resulted in many extra features being added to the new release based on community response. Future development currently in progress is heavily influenced by users’ projects and needs.

“The initial idea for Stereoid was to make a simple stereoscopic toolset that gave professional results,” said Allen Edwards, Pretend CEO. “Happily, it’s now our users who are driving the future direction of Stereoid.”

Source: Pretend