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Zero Creative launches new 2D-to-3D conversion service

Last year, Netherlands-based 3D media company Zero Creative launched its 2D to 3D conversion service for autostereoscopic, or “glasses free,” 3D displays. Today the company announced it is introducing conversion of any existing 2D content into stereoscopic 3D, the widely used standard for 3D. The service is divided into three different quality levels, from basic to high and extreme quality. In all cases video content is converted on a manual, frame-by-frame basis instead of through automated processes. This approach, Zero Creative says, results in a highly accurate 3D conversion and prevents errors.
The rather labor-intensive process is a conscious choice of the company, it says.

“Converting 2D to 3D is a delicate process,” CEO Jean-Pierre van Maasakker said. “It’s in our business’ best interest to deliver high quality 3D. If we don’t deliver the highest quality of 3D conversion, chances exist that the audience could be disappointed about 3D in general, (and) we can’t risk that to happen.” Even for new video productions, conversion is a good alternative to filming in 3D directly, as 3D filming is still expensive and technically difficult for many producers.

“Filming directly in 3D can be great but can also turn out catastrophic without proper equipment and experience. So our service can save much of time, trouble and money,” van Maasakker said. Another unique aspect of the new conversion service is that Zero Creative can easily support different output formats, such as stereoscopic (left and right image), various anaglyph variations (using color filtering) and autostereoscopic-ready 3D (multiview). This means that converted video is ‘future proof’ for a variety of upcoming 3D technologies, and therefore reusability is a huge advantage. For this 2D to 3D conversion service, the company is primarily aiming at converting existing and new movies, promotional films, documentaries and commercials. After conversion this content can be viewed in a growing number of 3D theaters, on 3D broadcast channels, using stereoscopic projects during exhibitions and at home on 3D TVs.