FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Production company captures explosive demolition in 3D
First implosion ever to be filmed in 3D for international broadcast to make U.S. debut on 3net
VANCOUVER, CANADA – It’s explosive demolition like you’ve never seen before.
For the first time ever a film company has shot, edited and delivered a documentary on structural implosions in 3D.
Parallax Film Productions Inc. used 20 custom-rigged cameras to stereoscopically capture the implosion of a 100,000-seater sports stadium in Salvador, Brazil from every conceivable angle.
This unprecedented visual experience, originally commissioned by History Television and National Geographic Channels International, has been acquired by the 24-hour 3D channel 3net and will make its U.S. debut this Sunday, Aug. 28.
“3net is trying to be the gold standard for 3D,” says Mark Ringwald, Director of Scheduling and Acquisitions for 3net, a joint venture between Discovery Communications, Sony and IMAX. “We work really hard to make sure everything is the best it can be in terms of 3D convergence.” “Blowdown 3D is a great story about collapsing a stadium, and all the 3D is really good.”
Blowdown 3D was shot in 1080p at 29.97fps, using both beam splitter and side beam-splitterside- by-side rigs. Here are a few clips from the show, rendered as Dubois Anaglyph for the web. To view, click on the link below the image.
Blowdown 3D – World Cup Demolition: 3D trailer
Blowdown 3D – World Cup Demolition: big machines in 3D
http://www.vimeo.com/24333125
Blowdown 3D – World Cup Demolition: stereoscopic camera angles
http://www.vimeo.com/28126453
“Blowdown was perfectly suited to 3D. We couldn’t think of a better subject to document in 3D, or a more difficult one,” says Ian Herring, President and Director, Parallax Film Productions. “You’re putting not one camera, but two cameras, in the midst of an explosion, and you have to line them up perfectly.”
“But the payoff is huge,” Herring says. “Who doesn’t want to see explosions in your face like never before? It’s dangerous thrills, and the 3D makes it feel so much more real.” This capacity to produce top record for powerful storytelling to take filmmaking to the next level.
“The first few 3D programs are like good eye candy, like the beginning of HD. But that quickly wears thin with the viewer – they want a good television show,” Ringwald says. “Blowdown 3D is a great story.”
“We’re storytellers, we’re known for that. Now we’ve taken it into a whole newdimension with 3D,” Herring says. “It’s the complete production package.”
The Show
Blowdown 3D features the implosion of the Fonte Nova Stadium, in Salvador, Brazil. The structure was demolished to make way for a new venue for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This stadium was shut down after part of the upper tier collapsed in 2007, killing seve people and injuring several more.
This episode is also airing in 2D as part of the explosive demolition series Blowdown, which features Controlled Demolition Inc., a family of implosion experts based in Pheonix, Maryland and headed by Mark Loizeaux. Season II of this series currently airs on History Television in Canada, Discovery’s Science Channel in the U.S. and National Geographic Channels International worldwide.
The production team
Parallax Film Productions delivers factual and dramatic programs to broadcasters all over the world. They specialize in history, science and engineering documentaries, and produce content in HD and 3D for multiple media platforms.
Broadcasters include Discovery Channels (US, Canada and International), National Geographic Channels (US, Canada and International), History Channel (US), Channel 4 (UK), FIVE (UK), DMAX (Germany), RAI (Italy), TV Asahi (Japan), PBS NOVA and Nature, History Television (Canada) and others.
The U.S. broadcaster
3net, the joint venture of Discovery Communications, Sony, and IMAX, is a 24- hour 3D network broadcasting to U.S television audiences. Launched in the spring of 2011, this groundbreaking channel aims to have the largest library of 3D content in the world.
3net’s mission is to bring viewers the highest quality and most immersive in- home 3D viewing experience possible. The channel showcases content that is the most appealing in 3D, including natural history, documentary, and action- adventure programming.
Contact:
Nicole Tomlinson, Parallax Film Productions
Office: 604-531-2244
Email: nicole@parallaxfilm.com
Parallax Film Productions President and Director Ian Herring is available for interviews.
Video and high-res stills from the production are also available upon request.
