Hello All,
I am part of a small group of graphics researchers working on an imaging algorithm that performs fully automated "One-Click" 2D-to-Stereo 3D conversion from 2D images, 2D video and 2D film footage. Fully automated conversion means that there are no manual 3D conversion steps like motion tracking, masking, layering, rotoscoping, 3D stereo rendering required. The algorithm analyzes 2D film/video frames automatically without needing any user input and creates Stereoscopic 3D frames from them, again without needing any user input:
2D Source Footage -> Automated Mathematical Analysis -> Automated 3D Conversion -> Stereo 3D (Anaglyph) Footage
We are not new to the subject. This year is our 4th year of Research and Development on the subject of 2D-to-3D conversion and we are not terribly far from having a "Production Quality" or "Production Ready" 2D-to-3D software solution. We are a few months to maybe 1 year away from that point.
When we have our 2D to 3D conversion software ready to use (hopefully this year, within 2011), we want to use the following model for making money from it:
1. The software is free to download and test/play with
2. The trial software is the full product without crippled features, watermarks or other restrictions
3. Users of the software pay a conversion fee only when a 3D converted project is ready to be exhibited/distributed/broadcast/webcast.
Examples: (prices aren't final or real... just examples)
5 min Music video for viewing on Youtube/Dailymotion/Vevo = 500 dollars 3D conversion fee
1 hour documentary for TV broadcast = 1,000 dollars 3D conversion fee
1 hour TV series episode for TV broadcast = 2,500 dollars 3D conversion fee
2 hour long Indy Film for DVD/BluRay dist. = 5,000 dollars 3D conversion fee
High Budget Hollywood Film for Cinema = 50,000 dollars 3D conversion fee
The whole thing would be based on an "Honors System" where we trust production professionals to look at the price list, find the category for their project and pay the appropriate one-time 3D conversion fee for the project in question (online via Credit Card, PayPal or bank transfer et cetera).
I would like to ask the users of this forum 2 questions about this approach:
1) Would most production professionals honor the "trust system" and pay us the appropriate fee when a project has used our software to Stereo 3D convert and the project is finalized?
2) What do people think would be appropriate/realistic prices to charge for conversions like these
30 second commercial = ???? dollars
5 minute Music Video = ???? dollars
10 - 20 minute Short Film = ???? dollars
30 minute TV program = ???? dollars
1 hour TV Documentary = ???? dollars
1 hour TV Series Episode = ???? dollars
2 hour Independent Film = ???? dollars
2 hour Hollywood Film = ???? dollars
These are the questions I would like some forum user input/opinions on.
Unfortunately I cannot post any images or videos of our 2D-to-3D technology yet because we are in the middle of patenting and copyrighting the various mathematical methods used in the algorithm.
All I can say is that we will keep working hard until the Stereo 3D conversion results are "Top Notch" quality.
Thank you for reading this, and hoping to hear people's opinions on whether the "pay a one-time conversion fee when your production project is finished" I talked about above can work well.
Best Regards,
M.Gokyavuz
Software Developer
Graphics Researcher