Animation Research

Is S3D (stereoscopic imaging) a vision of the future or of the past?

A mere gimmick, a trick to amuse the masses or a means of forging a far stronger cognitive attachment than two dimensions can offer?

In 1849, eleven years after his invention of the mirror stereoscope with its accompanying geometric drawings, Charles Wheatsone suggested that a combination of moving image and stereoscopic technology: ‘ … would be the illusion of art taken to its highest point’. Since the mid-nineteenth century, there has been significant development but the trajectory of stereoscopic imaging has always been erratic.

The history of stereoscopic imaging is constantly referred to by means of technological advancement, not – like many other imaging mediums – the creative output.

Animators construct their work within the frame of the screen. Composition and the perception of depth are crucial skills in crafting compelling and engaging work. But what does the 3^rd dimension offer animation? Why is this something that is tacked on to in the final stages of post-production? We have grown up with 2D-images and screens and as animators and designers we must understand and master what this third dimension has to offer.