Koombana Bay dolphins in glorious 3D

Koombana Bay dolphins may soon be part of the 3D movie craze sweeping the world, this week being filmed as the focus of a German videographer’s international project.

For six hours each day since last Monday, freelance documentary maker Axel Grossmann and Dolphin Discovery Centre marine biologist Phil Coulthard have been filming intriguing dolphin behaviour and both say they have learned some exciting things.

The 3D effect is made possible by two stereoscopic cameras mounted onto a rig at slightly different angles, giving different perspectives of the same scene.

‘‘One camera is two millimetres higher and further in front than the other,’’ Mr Grossmann said.

‘‘Both pictures are then merged which looks quite blurry but once you put the 3D glasses on it is completely clear.’’

Grossmann estimates the project will cost $100,000 for a five to seven minute film and said although ewarding, the filming and production was long and laborious.

‘‘Usually when filming you will record for 10 to 15 minutes to get one minute of good footage,’’ he said.

‘‘For underwater filming you have to film 100 minutes to get one minute of good footage.’’

Using a combination of SCUBA diving, snorkelling, free diving and filming from the water’s surface, the pair have captured never-before-seen imagery of the mammals playing with seagrass and foraging for food in the seabed using sonar to locate tiny fish hiding in the sand.

‘‘The fact that we’ve got footage of these dolphins foraging is pretty exciting, we’re observing how they snack,’’ Mr Coulthard said.

Mr Grossmann said they had been excited to film dolphin calves suckling from their mother because it was unusual for the mothers to allow humans to get so close.

The videographer said he aimed to produce a 3D movie for the centre and to work with television stations in the future to make a full-length documentary.