Identity Capture Camera: The Technology Behind Agent Emerson
Creating the VR film Agent Emerson presented unique challenges, requiring innovation at every technical level. A dedicated camera system was designed and developed to smoothly capture the immersive intensity of our action-packed, first-person POV film, offering a seamless, high-quality 360 VR 3D experience.
The most complex shot was the long, continuous fight scene where ‘Alexandra’ (Lyndsy Fonseca), ‘The General’ (Tony Denison) and the guards move from one camera to another. For viewers to fully immerse themselves in the katana battle, as ‘Agent Emerson’, direct physical interaction with ‘Emerson’ in movement was achieved. This created one of the most complicated sequences ever filmed in VR 360 3D.
The proprietary IC-Cam (Identity Capture Camera) is a head-mounted camera rig capable of shooting 360-degree stereoscopic (3D) video, with the body in view and no blind spots. The 21-camera, 3-axis stabilization system compensates for operator movements, resulting in smooth camera movement with no discomfort for viewers in a VR headset.
Standard stitching techniques proved insufficient for the level of action. Our engineers combined existing software with new algorithms, developing a new dynamic stitching system that also resolved 3D complications on the sphere poles.
The CGI was an arduous task. The scope of Agent Emerson, combined with the nature of VR filming, required a new approach to problem-solving for the high-level VFX seen on screen. For example, a scene where the viewer as ‘Agent Emerson’ is falling from the sky, required modeling a 40,000-mile photorealistic environment in every direction. An adaptive 3D algorithm achieved high-fidelity 3D as far as the horizon, conveying the dimension of the sky. The film also uses a custom spherical rotation algorithm (based on a complex mathematical model) which adjusts the 3D for the direction of the viewer’s eyesight. This keeps the 3D image crisp and comfortable, preventing ghosting, regardless of object proximity or position on the poles.
