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View Full Version : Interactive Fan Cam...Sue Harnett's company on the rise?



roywhite
09-15-2011, 08:12 PM
Seems like I've read about Replay Photos here; it's a company run by former Duke WBB player Sue Harnett.

Ran across this story, which indicates she may be on to something fairly big.

Interactive Fan Cam is the Next Great Revenue Generator (http://www.cnbc.com/id/44534946/)


Replay also scored the rights to run the NFL photo store on NFL.com. Last year, the company grossed $3 million, but she thinks the next big idea could instantly double revenues.

Enter the Fan Cam, a camera and a technology that enables her company to produce a 360-degree high definition photo of every single person in the crowd and on the field during a moment in time during the game. The photographer takes the photo in about seven minutes and the photo is then digitally stitched together. Fans can zoom into the photo that has the resolution of 5 billion pixels, they find themselves and tag themselves. And, in some cases, they'll be able to click on their section and buy the picture of them in the crowd.

Acymetric
09-15-2011, 08:34 PM
Seems like I've read about Replay Photos here; it's a company run by former Duke WBB player Sue Harnett.

Ran across this story, which indicates she may be on to something fairly big.

Interactive Fan Cam is the Next Great Revenue Generator (http://www.cnbc.com/id/44534946/)

Wasn't there something like this at a Duke men's game last year? Forget which game, but seem to remember finding myself in it. Maybe a test run for the technology?

Newton_14
09-15-2011, 08:46 PM
Wasn't there something like this at a Duke men's game last year? Forget which game, but seem to remember finding myself in it. Maybe a test run for the technology?

Indeed there was. It was the UNC game. Funny part of it was that due to how they piece it together, some people were seen twice in different places. Rasheed Wallace was there, and you see him two times in the same view, behind the UNC bench.

ricks68
09-16-2011, 12:47 AM
Indeed there was. It was the UNC game. Funny part of it was that due to how they piece it together, some people were seen twice in different places. Rasheed Wallace was there, and you see him two times in the same view, behind the UNC bench.

I have a print from them, but did not notice that. I was able to pick out my wife and myself way up in the corner, however. Replay had it set up to pick out your picture in the crowd and then place it blown up to the size you want on the new scoreboard screen. So, I have the picture with my wife and I as if we were picked up on camera and shown on the scoreboard screen at the beginning of the game. Really neat.

We were going to add our names to the picture on their site, but we waited too long and they took it down before we could do that. I was really surprised that more people didn't put their names up either. I wonder if they archived it for access. Maybe not, as it evidently takes up a lot of memory. I think it might be neat if Blue Planet could maybe archive it for them and be able to let people add their names over time. In return, maybe it would then stimulate some more sales for Replay, as other people at that game may decide to do what we did and get copies. Just an idea.

What a great experience. Being able to spend time with a lot of ya'll on the boards before the game--along with Freddy Lind and Jack Marin; watching a big come-from-behind effort for the win; going to the bonfire in the Main Quad afterwards; on to the Cosmic Cantina; and just generally hanging out again on campus, Ninth St. and Durham in general, was fantastic. We had some really quality time talking to Nolan's mother and sister in the Duck Shop just before leaving there for lunch at Foster's (which included 2 pieces of the berry pie) before the game, also.:cool:

That's why I am trying to finally move to Asheville (maybe this summer), so I can be able to drive on over to see ya'll more often. Houston is just way too far and makes it much more difficult to pull it off. (And, since both Kruez Market and Snow's ship, there would not be a BBQ problem either.):D

ricks

watzone
09-16-2011, 09:21 AM
I got this one. Susan was one day in CIS and found a lot of old pictures, most black and white while they were remodeling the place a few years back. Her work at Replay Photo since that time has helped the company to grow at an amazing pace. Yes, the Fan Cam technology was used in CIS during the Duke-UNC game last season and it may still be up somewhere at GoDuke.com.

The company who created the technology is out of South Africa and the partnered and everybody wants Fan Cam to come shoot their stadium or event now. You can zoom in and pick yourself out from say the very top of the new Cowboy Stadium. In short, no matter where you are when the shot is taken, you can zoom in and label yourself, say on Facebook. Amazing stuff.

Those of you who follow BDN know that my good friend Lance King often shoots for us and his work is great. I am fortunate to have two great photographers and I dabble on occasion myself. Well, Lance was chosen to be one of a few people to come up and learn the technology. He's a sharp guy, picked right up on it and the world opened up for him. He will be at the FSU-Oklahoma game tomorrow, but shot the opening Oregon-LSU game and will now be at most of the ESPN Game Day locations each week.

The Fan Cam technology has also peaked the interest of non sports entities. Lance shot the U-2 tour which just finished up in North America, or most of the dates anyway. He's also shot bands or groups in Amsterdam, so you'll hear and see more and more from the company. Fans attending the concert can pick themselves out as you can see here - http://www.u2.com/gigapixelfancam/110702/ Use the navigation tools provided, zoom in the front of the stage and then pan around and realize, you can go to the very top far row and see every fan. It takes a second to focus when at long distance, but it is amazing what they can do. The pics are taken in the round and it somehow pieces everything together.

Anyhow, I am jealous of my pal and missing him at most of the Duke games but I am very happy for him and Sue for being a part of the hottest thing going in their field. In a very short time, Lance has shot 21 FanCams in 3 different countries and ironically e-mailed me as I was typing this response. He was here with me for last weeks Stanford game but said that there were 460 media credentials handed out for the FSU-Oklahoma game, an amazing amount.

DevilWearsPrada
09-16-2011, 11:29 AM
I got this one.
Anyhow, I am jealous of my pal and missing him at most of the Duke games but I am very happy for him and Sue for being a part of the hottest thing going in their field. In a very short time, Lance has shot 21 FanCams in 3 different countries and ironically e-mailed me as I was typing this response. He was here with me for last weeks Stanford game but said that there were 460 media credentials handed out for the FSU-Oklahoma game, an amazing amount.

Thanks for posting this Mark! Lance's pictures are always the best! Lance, a long time Duke fan, has come along way from White Lake, NC to traveling all over the United States and now internationally! Congratulations to Lance!

-jk
09-16-2011, 12:25 PM
I have a print from them, but did not notice that. I was able to pick out my wife and myself way up in the corner, however. Replay had it set up to pick out your picture in the crowd and then place it blown up to the size you want on the new scoreboard screen. So, I have the picture with my wife and I as if we were picked up on camera and shown on the scoreboard screen at the beginning of the game. Really neat.

We were going to add our names to the picture on their site, but we waited too long and they took it down before we could do that. I was really surprised that more people didn't put their names up either. I wonder if they archived it for access. Maybe not, as it evidently takes up a lot of memory. I think it might be neat if Blue Planet could maybe archive it for them and be able to let people add their names over time. In return, maybe it would then stimulate some more sales for Replay, as other people at that game may decide to do what we did and get copies. Just an idea.

What a great experience. Being able to spend time with a lot of ya'll on the boards before the game--along with Freddy Lind and Jack Marin; watching a big come-from-behind effort for the win; going to the bonfire in the Main Quad afterwards; on to the Cosmic Cantina; and just generally hanging out again on campus, Ninth St. and Durham in general, was fantastic. We had some really quality time talking to Nolan's mother and sister in the Duck Shop just before leaving there for lunch at Foster's (which included 2 pieces of the berry pie) before the game, also.:cool:

That's why I am trying to finally move to Asheville (maybe this summer), so I can be able to drive on over to see ya'll more often. Houston is just way too far and makes it much more difficult to pull it off. (And, since both Kruez Market and Snow's ship, there would not be a BBQ problem either.):D

ricks

The Duke/UNC fan cam image is still up (http://www.replayphotos.com/fancam/duke-unc-basketball-110209.cfm?KEY=&DB_OEM_ID=4200&DB_LANG=&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT=) - and it's still fun to look through.

It looks like you can tag yourself and order prints, too.

(For those who missed it the first time 'round: the original gigapixel discussion (http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?24295-Gigapixel-fan-cam-panaroma-at-CIS-before-Duke-UNC-game).)

-jk

MulletMan
09-16-2011, 12:55 PM
Indeed there was. It was the UNC game. Funny part of it was that due to how they piece it together, some people were seen twice in different places. Rasheed Wallace was there, and you see him two times in the same view, behind the UNC bench.

Actually, Sheed's body doesn't move but he has turned his head to look toward the scorer's table in the second shot. They have an algorithm in the splicing software that reconciles slight double images in the shots, so he basically had one body, but two heads! Its kind of awesome.

Lord Ash
09-16-2011, 01:51 PM
Woof. TWO Bad 'Sheeds? Man, one Bad 'Sheed is enough for most people.

I kid, of course. Love Bad 'Sheed, he is a real character.

Newton_14
09-16-2011, 10:37 PM
Actually, Sheed's body doesn't move but he has turned his head to look toward the scorer's table in the second shot. They have an algorithm in the splicing software that reconciles slight double images in the shots, so he basically had one body, but two heads! Its kind of awesome.

Yeah, that was cool. Also, Mrs Curry, I believe, gets in two times. She was walking in when the photo's started, and I believe one shot has her on the floor walking in front of the Duke bench area, and the other shot has her seated. I need to go back and look, but I am almost positive she was captured twice as well.