This is the fourth and final podcast to be produced from the video of our presentation to the class in Evidence and Trial Practice at the CU Law School on October 25, 2006. In this episode I show and describe the entire World Trade Center trial presentation.
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CU Law School Presentation: Gary Freed, WTC Trial Graphics: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadIn 1991, Z-Axis produced the trial graphics for the insurance companies’ case against Pacific Engineering Construction Company, PEPCON, following the 1988 explosion of their chemical manufacturing facility south of Las Vegas. Z-Axis also contributed to the forensic investigation by using photogrammetric techniques to pinpoint the locations of the numerous explosions that were captured on video of the event.
These 3D models and animations were produced using an early Bosch FGS 4000 graphics computer as well as with WaveFront software running on Tektronix XD88 computers.
As is our usual practice in this podcast series, the video we’ve built for you consists of excerpts from the original animations, with our own new explanatory voiceover. We do this because the animations used in trial are often quite long — sometimes hours — and usually have no audio track to tell you what’s going on. When they’re presented in court, of course, these animations are accompanied by the live testimony of an expert witness. We also think that you might find some explanation useful in understanding the animations and their significance both to the trial and to the history of animation in court.
Between 2002 and 2004 Z-Axis worked for the attorneys representing Silverstein Properties to help prove that the collapses of the twin towers resulting from the attacks on 9/11 were two occurrences under the terms of the property insurance policy. Z-Axis was part of the investigative team hired by Silverstein to provide engineering proof that the collapses were independent events. Our part of the forensic investigation was to use our 3D computer models of the towers and photogrammetric techniques to determine the speed and impact angle of the two airplanes into the towers. This podcast shows samples of the resulting animations, with discussion of how they were developed. In October of 2004, a New York jury unanimously decided in Silverstein’s favor, forcing the property insurance companies to pay for two occurrences.
As is our usual practice in this podcast series, the video we’ve built for you consists of excerpts from the original animations, with our own new explanatory voiceover. We do this because the animations used in trial are often quite long — sometimes hours — and usually have no audio track to tell you what’s going on. When they’re presented in court, of course, these animations are accompanied by the live testimony of an expert witness. We also think that you might find some explanation useful in understanding the animations and their significance both to the trial and to the history of animation in court.
