Real Cameras in a Three.js World

Gorilla Productions has always worked on projects that are ahead of the curve when it comes to all facets of media creation. From its humble beginnings, almost 20 years now, when we people didn't believe it was possible to edit film on a PC with DV tapes, working remotely with clients via the internet, to working in a new narritive formats like webseries and many other outlier projects. It is definetly part of the DNA of the company and we have been lucky to always attracted these type of exciting projects. 

Recently, we have been collaborating to create many tools for the next generation of what filmmaking will become, in our opinion. One of these technologies is the ThreeJs  platform which opens a world of posibilities to everyones via your browser. So, we had the possiblility to develop something to push this open source platform forward; it was a no brainer, we were all in. 

The REALCAMERA PROJECT is the result of many talented and passionate people and organizations (Seneca CDOT , Filmtyme , Barbara de Graaf). Basically, the objective was to build real traditional camera focus controls to the platform. It is always important ground technology in the real world, having the ability to control the camera in a 3D space and that it acts like a real film camera, is a great advantage to the people that have been working with cameras for all their careers. This was one of the primary reasons that we chose to use Arri set of film lenses as our baseline for the camera in the test scene.

The concept was to build tools with ease of use for people that use cameras or even teach camera operation on a daily basis, this will hopefully bridge the technological gap between filmmakers and the digital tools. Thus, bringing together real world knowledge to a new world of digital filmmaking. When you use the tool, you really can see the possibilities as a cinematographer, a teaching tool and even as a 3d world building tool that brings the very familiar film language to this platform. When we got all the pieces working, I found myself just imagining the different applications for this tool; as I re-framed and adjusted the focus. it's impressive the responsiveness and that it is functional via your browser. (no wacky plug-in installs either! It just works)

The Project is now ready for use and if you do play around with it, please send us some feedback via the short survey. It took some time to get all the work done but without feedback from proffessionals that use cameras on a daily basis it is difficult to get all the UI down. Your feedback is essential to perfect this tool. 

If you have any further questions feel free to email me and I will answer it as best I can or direct you to someone that can. 

MobileMe and Toronto's Finest caught the iphone 3G Thief or Low Budget THE WIRE TORONTO

Photo from retrieved iphonephoto from retrieved iphoneMy week-end started with a tech chase. I was driving to my weekly pick-up TouchFootball game when I decided to run in to Starbuck to get a pre-game Americano for a cafeine boost that would accompanie my iphone playing some motivating beats. I parked on College.

4 minutes later, I jump into my car, turn the ignition and realize that my iphone is no longer sitting in the Car craddle, where I had left it there carelessly. I had also not locked my door. (I know, I know but I didn't get the remote powerdoors feature on my car Honda.) I sit for a split second poundering my stupidity then I realize nothing to fear. I have MOBILEME it syncs all my contacts and I can remote wipe it and I CAN LOCATE IT AT ALL TIMES!

3 TIMES LUCKY
1. I am a half a block away from Toronto Metro Police station div. 14
2. When I get there it's a slow morning at the cop station.
3. They have a computer and some damn fine police talent.


I explained the situation to the receiving officer and he got it right away. Time was of the essence. So directed me to another officer who was at a computer station. I logged into my account and use the FIND MY PHONE feature. First thing I did was remote lock it then explained to the officer what this service offer. She proceded to take over the station and remote call the phone (a feature which is typically in my opinion used to find your iphone when you have misplaced it in your house) , the phone rings for 2 mins even if it is on vibrate. 2 officers decide to walk up the street and see if anybody is suspicious with an iphone in the location indicated on the Google Maps powered application. The phone is not moving for about 7 mins now.

The officers return without my iphone and tell me that I should file a report just so it is logged. I ask to use the computer to remote wipe my phone to clean it of it's contacts and personal info but on the refresh; we notice that the phone is on the move. A very tech savy officer (I can see by the way he worked the keyboard and browser) swiftly opens a new tab with full Google Maps. and uses Streetview to get a visual of the area. He takes my number down, tells the computer station officer to keep hailing the iphone via Find My Phone and takes a quick snap with his smartphone of the map location. He calls for a car to go and cover a rear enterance of the street and he goes off to the location.

Toronto's Finest caught the iphone car thief moments later. He also had a laptop and 3 car GPS units with him and had already stripped my phone from its custom skin and had put a new rubber case on it.

Well little over an hour after the theft, amongst the now busy with activity Police Station, I had my iphone back in hand. Thanks MOBILEME, GOOGLE MAPS and the Men and Women of Division 14 of Metro Police.