In 1980 3D Video produced a Pulfrich demonstration but found the "commercial" interest was in our anaglyphic system.

The basis for the technique is properly "choreographed" camera and/or subject movement. Recorded on either video or film, the images are viewed with glasses featuring a "clear" lens and a "dark" lens. Technically speaking, the illusion is based on "time parallax," not true stereoscopic principles. While all 3D imagery is illusory, Pulfrich is more so. We refer to this technique as synthetic 3D.

Properly produced, Pulfrich images exhibit from fair to excellent 3D.

But, there are two primary restrictions -

• 1) To achieve the 3D illusion, either the camera, subject, or both must move. Stationary shots have no depth. This is why we don't have examples of Pulfrich 3D on our Web Site.

• 2) As the technique is not truly stereoscopic, gag effects of objects coming off the screen ("off the tube") are not possible (REGARDLESS of claims by other so-called experts).

But, the most positive feature of the technique is that the picture is totally normal when viewed without glasses. With the anaglyph method, the images look somewhat out of registration. This is often a major issue in a producer's decision as to which process to use. We'll explore this more later.

The first practical application of the technique appears to be the production in Japan of a series of animated, cartoon programs in 1983. Little was heard of success or failure, though several episodes were seen recently. It can be said the 3D was at times good, but was very inconsistent and many times simply went flat (2-D).

Sporadic tests and demos followed over the years, but the first commercial broadcast (with intentional Pulfrich) in the U.S. was the January 1989 Tournament of Roses Parade on Los Angeles' KTTV. In all frankness, the effect was minimal as little was done during the broadcast to generate the effect. Some of the graphic overlays of sponsor logos were good. The broadcast went virtually unacknowledged by the public and press alike.

Three weeks later, the Super Bowl half time program featured a confused application of the technique in a live musical show, book-ended by CG (computer graphic) segments. Sponsored by Coca-Cola, most people commented the live show was nothing compared to the CG. Glasses using oddly colored lenses (a supposed improvement) were distributed in place of the more effective Pulfrich variety. A Coke commercial shot using Pulfrich ideas was also shown, and regarded as less than exciting.

In 1990 D3 produced glasses for short Pulfrich sequences in a Rolling Stones concert broadcast over Fox Television.

1991 saw the home video release of a music video by the popular country music duo, The Judds. Love Can Build A Bridge was an hour long program, the last 5 minutes or so being in Pulfrich 3D. At times the 3D was quite effective. But the public scarcely took notice.

We generally didn't give the Pulfrich process much thought considering our finding little interest in the 80's. But, the Kellogg Company contracted us to supervise providing 3D in 13 episodes of the NBC cartoon series YO YOGI in 1992.

Later, a major producer in Chile contracted us to provide the technique and glasses for the production of 16 music videos (ideal subject)! Typically, two videos were shown during a music-variety program (Martes 13) over several weeks time. The promotion was a smash success. The glasses (3,000,000) quickly sold out, leaving many home viewers unable to see the 3D.

Throughout the 90's there were many experimental uses of the Pulfrich technique. The reason they were experimental is that usually only short sequences can take practical advantage of the technique because of the moving camera/subject limitation.

We reexamined the Pulfrich technique in 1994-95 and came up with several refinements. Knowing we then had a better process, it was dubbed SPATIAL VISION^TM. Shortly, a producer from Indonesia contacted us. He had seen other Pulfrich offerings and, after seeing ours, immediately committed to the production of (are you sitting down?) 12 half hour programs. That's a total of nearly 6 hours of programming! Needless to say, this was a monumental challenge.

We immediately went into a training regime with Steadicam cameraman Jerry Hill. His excellent skills and instincts combined with our techniques and modifications to his equipment were essential in making this immense project possible.

The programs were produced during a three month period all over Java and Bali, shooting some truly remarkable scenery. The final result was a package of 12 programs that started airing one per week in Indonesia in June of '95. As in Chile, the glasses quickly sold out, with no time to produce more. By all accounts, it was one of the most remarkable "events" in Indonesian TV history.

There have been various home videos of various qualities offered in recent years. Some are downright fraud (not being shot in 3D), while others are at times quite good.

Pulfrich 3D is practical and "commercially" effective under certain conditions, and we're quite sure in one way or another, it will continue to be seen.

Certainly the highest profile use of Pulfrich was NBC's 3rd Rock From The Sun, though as it turned out, very little was 3D.