Ncam, which provides camera tracking for augmented reality production and pre-visualization, has opened a new office in Los Angeles and hired Vincent Maza to run the operation
Maza spent much of his career at Avid and as a HD engineer at Fletcher Chicago. More recently he has been working with the professional imaging division of Dolby and data transfer specialist Aspera. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Hollywood Post Alliance, now part of SMPTE. One of his first tasks on behalf of Ncam is at the HPA Tech Retreat in Palm Springs.
“2016 is going to be a great year for augmented reality and we believe we will see a huge uptake in people using it to make television more engaging, more exciting and more challenging,” said Maza. “Ncam’s camera tracking technology makes augmented reality a practical proposition, and I am very excited to be at the heart of it and supporting our U.S. presence. I look forward to talking about the potential for creativity it unleashes, and working with some of the best talent in the industry.”
The company says Ncam’s tracking system is unique in achieving absolute precision in camera location, through all six degrees of movement: XYZ position in 3D space, pan, tilt and roll, so even handheld cameras can be precisely tracked with minimal latency. Among the broadcasters using augmented reality linked to camera tracking systems are BT Sport, CNN, ESPN, Fox Sports, NFL, Reality Check Systems, The Weather Channel and VER.
The same technology is also used to provide movie directors and cinematographers with real-time visualization of effects shots, making principal photography faster and more accurate. Recent movies using the technology have included Avengers Age of Ultron, Edge of Tomorrow and White House Down.
“We are delighted to welcome Vincent to the Ncam team,” said CEO Nic Hatch. “He is just the right person for our U.S. operations right now: well known and respected in the production and post business, and really aware of the possibilities of technology. 2016 is going to be a very exciting year for us.”