Jonathan M Erland

62119419, Apr 3, 2001

Jul 28, 1997

8/901117

Jonathan Erland - Los Angeles CA

G03B 1918

352 45

The present invention provides a matte process employing an improved backing screen having particular application for use in composite photography. In particular, the present invention relates to color difference composite photography, whether still, motion picture, video, solid state digital electronic or electrophotographic imaging, in which foreground and background scenes are separately recorded and subsequently combined using known "blue screen" or special color background techniques to form a single image. The present invention includes a biaxially stretchable fabric of synthetic fibers treated with a dye formulation, including fluorescence which is reactive to the visible spectrum, to achieve any of a variety of specific spectral loci and luminances, for the purpose of providing a precise chromatic actinic stimulus response for a silver halide photographic film, or similar response for electronic imaging devices. The selected backing is deployed in a support such that the fabric is stretched to a smooth, featureless surface and then illuminated. Foreground subject matter interposed between the camera and the backing or directly on the backing will therefore be readily distinguished and "matted" for compositing by methods well known to the art.

46292985, Dec 16, 1986

Feb 18, 1986

6/830446

Donald Trumbull - Woodland Hills CA
Jonathan Erland - Los Angeles CA
Stephen Fog - Los Angeles CA
Paul Burke - Glendora CA

Apogee, Inc. - Van Nuys CA

G03B 2126

353 30

The present invention provides a projector having particular application for use in front projection composite photographic systems. In particular, the present invention relates to composite color photography, whether still, motion picture, or video in which foreground and background scenes are separately recorded and subsequently combined, using known "blue screen" or special background color techniques, to form a single image. The present invention includes a high pressure, short arc, mercury-xenon lamp in an optical system to produce a high intensity beam at wavelengths of either: 436 n. m. (blue); 545 n. m. (green); 589 n. m. (yellow) or 650+ n. m. (red). The selected color beam is then manipulated by optical elements into close correspondence to the viewing angle of a camera lens, and made coincident with the camera view by means of a beam splitter. Unwanted light is removed from the system through a "light trap" which traps and systematically absorbs incident light. The projected beam proceeds along the axis of the camera view to a retro-reflective projection screen, and returns therefrom along the same axis to the camera lens.

45484708, Oct 22, 1985

Jun 11, 1984

6/618999

Jonathan Erland - Los Angeles CA

Apogee, Inc. - Van Nuys CA

G03B 2160

350129

An improved projection screen is provided having particular application for use in front projection composite photography. A substrate screen backing is provided onto which a plurality of tiles of screen material is attached. Each of the tiles of screen material is formed in the shape of a regular, concave hexagon whose connective line segment edges describe a concave arc from a first segment point "A" to a midpoint "M", wherein the concave arc has a radius of curvature R equal to the distance between segment point A and the midpoint M. A convex arc is described having a radius R from the midpoint M to a second segment point "B". Each of the tiles of screen material are attached to the substrate backing in a regular periodic fashion, such that the backing is tessellated with tiles of screen material. In the present embodiment, the edges of each tile of screen material are overlapped with adjacent tiles of material, in order to form a homogenous projection screen.

58974130, Apr 27, 1999

Oct 10, 1996

8/729630

Jonathan Erland - Los Angeles CA

D03D 1300

442130

The present invention provides an improved backing screen having particular application for use in composite photography. In particular, the present invention relates to color difference composite photography, whether still, motion picture, video, solid state digital electronic or electrophotographic imaging, in which foreground and background scenes are separately recorded and subsequently combined using known "blue screen" or special color background techniques to form a single image. The present invention includes a biaxially stretchable fabric of synthetic fibers treated with a dye formulation, including fluorescence which is reactive to the visible spectrum, to achieve any of a variety of specific spectral loci and luminances, for the purpose of providing a precise chromatic actinic stimulus response for a silver halide photographic film, or similar response for electronic imaging devices. The selected backing is deployed in a support such that the fabric is stretched to a smooth, featureless surface and then illuminated. Foreground subject matter interposed between the camera and the backing or directly on the backing will therefore be readily distinguished and "matted" for compositing by methods well known to the art.

59724404, Oct 26, 1999

Sep 12, 1997

8/928743

Jonathan Erland - Los Angeles CA

G03B 2126
A63J 500
H04N 974

428 33

A floating segmented conglomerate backing screen for use in underwater composite photography. A plurality of buoyant pads of an essentially hexagonal shape have surfaces exhibiting specific chrominance and luminance properties as required for a traveling matte process. The individual segments are deployed onto a liquid surface of a finite area in a quantity sufficient to substantially cover the liquid surface in its entirety, in an edge-to-edge, floating, conglomerate relationship. The floating raft created by the segments permits egress and ingress for people and equipment directly through the raft and likewise permits the escape of air rising from below the surface. When appropriately illuminated from either below or above the surface, or both, the chrominance and luminance of the raft is such that an essentially monochromatic backing field is provided for traveling matte processes. The individual segments are constructed of an inert plastic such as polypropylene, polystyrene, polyurethane or similar plastic which has inclusions of inert gas and is compounded with dyes and pigments, which may include fluorescence, to achieve either black or white or any of a variety of specific spectral loci and luminances, for the purpose of providing a precise chromatic actinic stimulus response for a silver halide photographic film, or similar response for electronic imaging devices. Foreground subject matter interposed between the camera and the segmented conglomerate backing will therefore be readily distinguished and "matted" for compositing by methods well known to the art.

44177917, Nov 29, 1983

Aug 19, 1982

6/409749

Jonathan Erland - Los Angeles CA
Roger Dorney - Van Nuys CA

G03B 1918

352 45

A reverse blue screen process for travelling matte cinematography, which comprises the formation of travelling mattes by pre-coating models or other foreground subjects utilized in composite cinematography with one or more phosphor materials which are invisible upon exposure to visible light, but which emit light of predetermined wavelengths upon excitation by ultraviolet light, and exposing the models through appropriate filters to produce mattes of the predetermined portions of the models coated with the phosphorescing materials, by thus reversing the conventional blue screen process for travelling matte cinematography and exposing an illuminating foreground subject against an opaque background rather than an opaque foreground subject against an illuminated background, it is possible for the first time to successfully matte finely detailed models or other foreground subjects displaying specular reflectance in a single film process.