Today, in the "Introduction to Interactive 3D class", Jean Marc Gauthier showed a segment from one of the documentary features of the "Lord of the Rings" Part I DVD. It shows how a scene involving a virtual set was shot, and for this scene they created the concept of the "virtual camera". Using motion sensors attached to a piece of wood, they brought in a professional cinematographer to perform the camera movements, thus achieving a very accurate effect of realism.

I'm particularly excited about this segment, because it illustrates how this scene clearly demanded the craft of a professional. The usual mechanisms for programming camera movements in a 3D environment weren't enough for the desired effect.

I might integrate this sequence in the project, but I'm not sure yet. Anyway I will try to find more examples of this kind that I'm sure will enrich my research.

Here are some screen grabs from the documentary:

JP