Three components now driving the schedule of the only 3D Stereo channel in Italy (and one of the few in Europe)
20th March. [roberto landini presspool-svg copyrights]
"The first live broadcast at the same time in the UK, Germany and Italy, dates back to October 2010: the Ryder Cup of Golf. Tests and trials on 3D transmissions had continued in the following months with other sports events but also with films, until September 2011, where the market seemed mature to experience a full 3D programming."
So tells us Cosetta Lagani, head of the only Italian 3D channel within bouquet SKY Italy, precisely Sky 3D born in cooperation with Samsung Smart TV..
After a long span of trial, now the editorial line consistently offers a bit of everything: mostly mixed sports, entertainment, films, for children, and never seen 3D contents like documentaries on nature and places, for a strong visual experience and impact.
Cosetta Lagani confirms: "Surely, and especially the first year of transmission had been in effect considerable experimental. In practice it was a great showcase where we launched only the best products for television, made in 3D."
The trial involved many football events and sports and the first 3D production in football was Napoli-Bayern in October 2011, an European 3D Oscar-winning television production: "best sports productions" category.
Cosetta Lagani continues: "At that time the ideal conditions for 3D filming were due to a complete synergy with our colleagues at Sky 3D UK." The result of that experience was a deal for Sky 3D with the Italian Football League to produce 3D football matches in Serie A in 2011, like Juventus-Rome, and from there on with various golf, rugby, and tennis tournaments and the 16 days entirely dedicated to the 2012 Olympic Games.
Cosetta Lagani points out: "My opinion is that the three-dimensional shooting are even more spectacular when they involve close up and mid field images such as diving, golf, tennis, and less in football where it is always difficult to find the right balance between being able to harmonize the effect of stereo 3D with the need to return a dynamic team vision: the 3D effect should not distract from the complete vision of the game as a whole."
To this end, Sky 3D has agreed and shared a "technical 3D" standard with Sky UK, Sky Germany, and other broadcasters, involving precise 3D-stereoscopic parameters. This set of rules is to be respected by the whole production chain and final contents. All the parameters of each frame of each production must always be within a precise "window" in order to avoid side effects in the viewer, such as headache or loss of balance, nausea, disorientation, etc.
In practice, any stereoscopic 3D material purchased or made by SKY 3D is immediately controlled by a dedicated Sony equipment which processes it and submits it to the stereoscopic parameters agreed and only if the outcome of the full product verification exceeds 100% it can be broadcast.
One of the technological partners of the channel is DBW Communication in Rome which is able to check for any material of SKY 3D before it is aired.
The three editorial lines along which programming unfolds are football, movies and documentaries.
On the basis of these considerations, the channel has partially thinned its commitment to different sports but football, focusing only on the "big events" like Formula 1. It maintains a high concentration of football events especially in Serie A, Champions League, Premier League.
As for football, the recent events of national importance was Napoli-Juventus on March 1st at the same stadium that was the scene of the first event in 3D. Then on March 30th the Inter-Juventus Derby is on. The production is, as always, by Infront and the service is the Roman SBP in tandem with the DBW communications.
3D and HD productions are parallel shot with seven camera points, for a total of 14 cameras for each pitch. The director is specialized in shooting in 3D and many images are shot even in the pre-match according to the editorial approach of Sky Sports with a dedicated journalistic talent.
