One of the main characteristics of Maxwell is that it is user-friendly software. Interior © mane162. Chairs © 4HeRo.

Monzon counters, “We are defining a new file format called MXS, MXI that will be compatible with these formats, but it will also contain more information than you can imagine regarding each image. One of the main characteristics of Maxwell is that it is user-friendly software. That is because it works as a reflex camera and makes its use very intuitive. We can add that Maxwell Render does not only achieve images of great quality but also brings real information as lumens per pixel, for example.”

Training Day
One way to speed up render times is to have a knowledgeable person at the controls. “Somebody good with the tools can make it run very fast,” says Brazil’s Kirvin. He notes that in addition to studios, much of Brazil’s market is made of individual artists, so they need efficient software that’s easy to learn and to use.

RenderMan, which developed its industry standard RIB file for high-quality movie rendering, is also reaching out beyond studio use by introducing a new accessible version of RenderMan for Maya plug-in. The new version, which will be available for download by artists for $995 at the end of the summer, features a deeper integration with Maya.

Gritz, meanwhile, says that most of the initial targets for Gelato are the larger studios. “The development team all come from years of working in the top studios, including DreamWorks/PDI, ILM and Pixar. So they are intimately familiar in the types of rendering tools these studios use and have created Gelato in a way that would integrate very easily into these workflows.

“As for the individual artists and smaller studios, there are currently Gelato plug-ins for Alias Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max. The NVIDIA Digital Film Group is currently working with a number of schools to make sure they have everything they would need to offer training to students interested in using Gelato.”

In August, Massive Software announced a new autonomous agent 3D animation application called Massive Jet that enables the creation of large-scale, believable digital crowd shots “out of the box” with high quality and a low learning curve. A full-functioning package is priced at under $6,000.

“We wanted to build a product everyone can use,” says Regelous. “Massive Jet offers a low learning curve and the power to produce Massive crowds at a cost within reach of all animation professionals. Using a single license of Massive Jet and agents from our Ready-to-Run Agent Library, you can easily fill a stadium, send a thousand people down the block or stage a huge medieval battle.”

The Search for the Holy Grail
Despite all the advancements, there are still rendering challenges to be conquered, especially when it comes to organic bodies. Creating realistic objects, machines or effects is one thing, but rendering a sole convincing person is another. “Creating a photorealistic CG human is the Holy Grail of the work we do,” comments Grant. “People have tiny facial movements. Eyes jitter around. Skin is very porous, and you have to capture the way it reflects. Skin is translucent, and pigment comes from the blood. It all has to be reflected in the rendering.

“There are still new ways to make timeless effects,” Grant says, “and we’re constantly learning.”

Janet Hetherington is a freelance writer based in Ottawa, Canada, where she shares a studio with artist Ronn Sutton.