Spectacular 3D: Sheridan wows NBCUniversal at demonstration

Wanda Bradley (center), vice-president of sales for NBCUniversal and Ron Suter (right), executive vice-president of NBCUniversal get a front row view of the 3D simulcast in SCAET.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY NAT GILPO

Sheridan College’s Advanced Film and Television program wowed students and college administrators with a 3D film demonstration on Nov. 20, using the equipment purchased with money donated to the school by NBCUniversal, an American mass media company.

Two representatives from NBCUniversal were given a brief tour of the new Stereoscopic 3D Lab in the S-Wing after the demonstration, where they got to see student-edited clips in full 3D. The newly approved Advanced Film and Television degree program will replace the diploma program next September.

“It truly is an amazing technology and we were very impressed by the faculty’s demonstration of the equipment,” said Ron Suter, executive vice-president of NBCUniversal. “I think it’s technology that will be relevant for a long time, so it’s great that Sheridan will have an opportunity to train people in the 3D space.

“When you take a look at entertainment, it’s fun, exciting and enjoyable. NBCUniversal is really pleased to be training Canadians to sustain our culture and entertainment,” Suter said in an interview.

Wanda Bradley, vice-president of sales for NBCUniversal Television of Canada, was impressed by the technology.

“It’s just incredible to see the potential and the possibilities. It’s nice because often when you’re donating dollars and sometimes you never see it come to fruition, to see what it can do and get a hands-on view of it,” said Bradley.

“We can hope that a lot of very talented students will graduate from this program and show what they can do, and one day NBCUniversal will distribute their movies and television shows.”

The demonstration began in the SCAET building where Sheridan graduate James Rowan performed traditional Chinese kung fu, which was simulcast on two stereoscopic 3D TVs that were set up in the lobby.

“3D is pretty big and there’s a lot of money in it, but no one is teaching it on a post-secondary level, mostly because it’s expensive to get that kind of equipment,” said Rowan, who graduated from Advanced Television and Film in 2008.

“The best way to make our students ready for the industry is to ask the industry. Hopefully this will help that relationship and they’ll continue to help us foster successful students in the future.”

Rowan believes this technology will give Sheridan students an advantage by giving them access to equipment they wouldn’t have been able to use until they went to work in the industry.

James Rowan, a Sheridan grad, hopes working with the Stereoscopic 3D will give Sheridan students an advantage before they begin working for companies similar to NBCUniversal.

The lobby was transformed into a small movie set by Advanced Television and Film students. The set was complete with crates, fire hydrants and Chinese-style paper lanterns. One of the students, Joanna Coathup, is looking forward to applying her set design skills with the added depth of 3D in mind.

“For set design, this was a particular challenge because we had to make sure that things stood out a bit. With the lanterns, we were hanging them at different heights and axis so we could see them on different planes, to add depth. Traditionally you just have to work with 2D images, but now you have to think in spaces,” said Coathup, who was also optimistic about what this contribution means for the college.

“It’s a good bridge. We get donations from people because we produce good grads, so it’s just helping the industry. They give us technology, we learn better.”

The event closed with a few brief speeches by college administrators and an official unveiling of a plaque in front of Sheridan’s 3D Stereoscopic Production Studio, acknowledging NBCUniversal’s gift.

The new studio is located in Trafalgar Campus Room S324.
For additional video coverage of the event, click here