RACINE-S

RACINE-S will research and develop digital techniques and tools that allow film-makers and restorers to generate new, synthetic sequences of images and sounds, based on data extracted from existing sequences, to a level of realism and quality that at least matches the best existing methods for film-making. The project will develop prototype systems, research algorithms for mid-term implementation, address standards and metadata issues, and set a roadmap for long-term D-cinema research. Outputs will include a portable film scanner; novel hardware and software, with mixed reality haptic interfaces, for real time sound and image generation. The multidisciplinary team includes hardware manufacturers, research centres, software developers and an international user group of leading film-makers, studios and archives.

To define scenarios of use, data and metadata typologies for new D-Cinema technologies
To research new techniques and algorithms for extracting image, lighting and camera data, and the synthesis of new scenes and characters;
To research techniques and algorithms for sound analysis and synthesis
To explore interface paradigms using augmented and mixed reality
To code and verify regeneration procedures
To develop a portable, high-speed, high-resolution scanner that can be operated in a film archive
To develop a prototype processor platform which can carry out transformation and synthesis in real time
To assemble the hardware, software and interface into a demonstrator capable of executing the tasks specified in the scenario
To test and evaluate the prototypes and demonstrators in film archives, studios and postproduction houses
To analyse the market need for research-based solutions for D-Cinema and identify promising technological avenues
To develop market awareness and to prepare exploitation of results.