Realscan 3D, an industry leader in the creation of digital doubles using 3D scanning technology, announced innovations in its proprietary hardware and 3D scanning pipeline that will improve the way that digital assets are created for all CGI entertainment assets.
"We discovered that the time and cost usually involved in producing realistic digital doubles can both be significantly cut," said Realscan 3D ceo Frank De Marco. "Our proprietary scanning hardware and pipeline improvements are allowing us to capture geometry and color at 8 mega pixels, resulting in superior geometry and texture maps, and our quality levels and turnaround times continue to surpass our customers' expectations."
Realscan 3D recently created a completely photoreal, animation-ready digital double of Garth Brooks for an upcoming Wal-Mart commercial in just three days. Scanning systems and pipelines currently available in the market can take from five to 15 days to accomplish the same task.
In addition, the models produced by traditional systems can leave imperfections such as specular highlights in the finished product. Realscan 3D's custom scanning hardware and pipeline allows for the capture of high- contrast black-and-white subjects, eliminates baked-in specular highlights and captures difficult materials such as metals and other shiny, reflective surfaces. The company has also debuted a custom climate-controlled mobile scanning studio, which can be erected anywhere in the world in less than 20 minutes.
"Our mobile studio is large enough to fit a Humvee and breaks down to the size of a suitcase," said De Marco. "With our mobile scanning studio we are now transparent to the film production. We just set up, power up and we're ready to go."
"We recognized that traditional scanning systems and services lack what the entertainment industry actually requires," said Joel Thornton, cto of Realscan 3D. "This is why we continue to invest in our proprietary scanning hardware and pipeline. The result is a new benchmark for the production of digital assets."
Founded in 2004, Realscan 3D (www.realscan3d.com) is a Los Angeles-based effects company specializing in the creation of film quality digital doubles using structured light 3D scanning. Increasingly recognized as the premier 3D scanning boutique for film, television and videogame productions, Realscan 3D has created digital doubles for the following productions and companies: Walt Disney PICTURES' UNDERDOG, SKY HIGH AND AIR BUDDIES; Jerry Bruckheimer Films' DEJA VU and NATIONAL TREASURE; FOX Television's AMERICAN IDOL; Nintendo, Wal-Mart and Midway Games.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
