Production Rules for Stereo Acquisition

This paper gives an overview on the framework of production rules that are required for the acquisition of adequate stereo content. It is well known that if stereo is not produced properly, consequences for the human 3-D perception might be eye strain and visual fatigue. Therefore, to avoid discomfort, stereographers use a production grammar that reflects extensive knowledge and experience in the fields of 3-D perception, stereo geometry, video technology, and content creation. Some of these rules are of heuristic nature, and others are motivated by perceptual, geometric, or technical aspects. The application of these rules at the set usually results in time-consuming manual work for rigging and adjusting stereo cameras before shooting. Against this background the paper reviews relevant aspects of 3-D perception, the fundamentals of stereo geometry, and the main rules of stereo production. Finally, it describes the functionality of camera assistance systems that have recently been proposed for stereo acquisition and production in order to ease the work of stereographers at the set and, with it, to save time and to make stereo productions more efficient.