Technology

Taking an Old-School VFX Approach in ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’

Production Visual Effects Supervisor Frank Petzold talks about using in-camera effects wherever possible, eschewing loud and flashy CG sequences for more precise, realistic action centered around what’s captured on set, in Edward Berger’s harrowing and haunting Oscar-nominated war saga, now in theaters and streaming on Netflix.

In 3D, CG, Digital Media, Films, People, Technology, Visual Effects | VFXWorld | Special Events: Academy Awards | Geographic Region: All

TV VFX VFXWorld

Framestore Sets Sail on ‘1899’ with New Virtual Production Tools

The award-winning VFX studio’s team, led by Connor Ling and Freddy Salazar, created tools integrated with Unreal Engine 5.1 to render and project realistic backgrounds onto an LED wall using 18 different machines with dual GPUs, for the Netflix series about an ocean liner diverted to answer a distress signal from a long-lost sister ship.

In 3D, CG, People, Technology, Television, Virtual Production, Visual Effects | VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All

Technology Advancing Art Headline News

NVIDIA Updates ‘Instant NeRF’ to Transform 2D Images into 3D/VR

The app can now use real or rendered images - from smartphones, game screenshots, and design applications - to create a virtual reality scene.

In 3D, AI, CG, Digital Media, Technology, AR/VR/XR, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All

It’s Unreal Headline News

Impossible Objects Illustrates the Power of Sustainable Virtual Production

Tapping NantStudio’s advanced LED stage powered by Unreal Engine for its ‘auto demo’ project, the studio demonstrates the sustainability impact of harnessing the cutting-edge technology, both in financial and environmental costs.

In 3D, Business, CG, Commercials, People, Technology, Virtual Production, Visual Effects | Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All

Technology Headline News

Silver Spoon Rewrites XR Playbook for Nick Simulcast of CBS Christmas Day Game

The NY-based real-time animation and virtual production studio’s immersive ‘Nickified’ game day viewing experience included technological firsts in AI, real-time AR graphics, and mixed reality resulting in record-breaking viewership.

In 3D, AI, CG, Event, People, Technology, Television, Virtual Production, AR/VR/XR | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News | Geographic Region: North America

Heading to Stuttgart this April Headline News

FMX 2023 Tickets Now on Sale

The hybrid edition, focusing on the art, technology, and business of animation, visual effects, and interactive and immersive media, returns to Stuttgart April 25-27 with an exclusive online day April 28.

In 2D, 3D, Business, CG, Digital Media, Education and Training, Event, Films, Games, Jobs & Recruiting, Post-production, Previs/Postvis/Visualization, Short Films, Technology, Television, Transmedia, Virtual Production, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Blogs: FMX Conference Spotlight | Special Events: FMX | Geographic Region: All, Europe

AI Blogs

We Need to Chat

ChatGPT will be for creators what plastic surgery is for actors: everyone will use it, but few will admit it.

In AI, Business, Digital Media, Technology, Writing | ANIMATIONWorld | Blogs: Reality Bites | Geographic Region: All

NVIZ Names Luke Kaile Managing Director

An early adopter of real-time tech, the London-based VFX studio promotes its Head of Studio to serve alongside creative director Chris Lunney and founder Nic Hatch.

In Business, CG, Films, People, Previs/Postvis/Visualization, Technology, Television, Virtual Production, Visual Effects | Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All

Business Headline News

CoreWeave Acquires Conductor Technologies

Deal for the cloud-based task management platform bolsters the cloud provider’s suite of solutions for VFX and animation studios, adding on-demand burst rendering.

In 3D, Business, CG, Digital Media, People, Technology, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All

People Headline News

Pixotope Expands Product Team with 2 New Hires

Gideon Ferber joins the virtual production solutions company as Senior Director of Motion and Production Graphics; Javier Reyes Gomez comes on board as Product Program Manager.

In 3D, Business, CG, Digital Media, Jobs & Recruiting, People, Technology, Virtual Production, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All

Let’s Dance – After the Apocalypse ANIMATIONWorld

Adult Swim SMALL’s ‘Hot Future’: ‘Step Up’ Meets ‘Mad Max’ in Bollywood

Animation duo Mike Anderson and Ryan Dickie’s 10-minute animated short taps Unreal Engine 5 for a post-apocalyptic adventure set 1,000 years in the future, where dance is violent, everything is hot… and no one is safe when the beat drops; film joins the network’s other original short-form content commissioned from emerging animators and comedic voices from around the world.

In 3D, CG, Digital Media, Music and Sound, People, Short Films, Technology | ANIMATIONWorld | Geographic Region: All

Helping Kids Build Friendships ANIMATIONWorld

Bix Pix Brings Great ‘Form’ to Apple TV+’s ‘Shape Island’ Kids’ Series

The Emmy and Annie Award-winning animation studio behind 'Tumble Leaf' helps creators Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen embrace the charm and limitation of stop-motion on their ‘Shapes’ book trilogy adaptation; the show, now streaming, follows Serious Square, Intrepid Circle, and Tricky Triangle’s silly adventures as the trio searches for answers and builds on their friendship.

In 3D, Books, CG, Digital Media, People, Stop-Motion, Technology, Television | ANIMATIONWorld | Geographic Region: All

Education Headline News

Stage 03 VFX Releases Online VFX101 Class Sampler

Featuring 6 hours of curated training material covering VFX filmmaking, Compositing, Modeling, and After Effects Animation, the VFX Sampler is a superb introduction to the global education program’s comprehensive, degreed, and accredited visual effects instruction.

In 3D, Business, CG, Digital Media, Education and Training, Films, People, Technology, Television, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News | Geographic Region: All

People Headline News

Visual Effects Society Announces 2023 Board of Directors Officers

Newly appointed officers include Lisa Cooke as Chair; Susan O’Neal as First Vice Chair; David H. Tanaka as Second Vice Chair; Rita Cahill as VES Secretary; and Jeffrey A. Okun as VES Treasurer.

In 2D, 3D, Business, CG, Films, People, Technology, Television, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Special Events: VES Awards | Geographic Region: All

Technology Headline News

DNEG Releases Open-Source xSTUDIO Playback and Review Application

Now available on the Academy Software Foundation GitHub, the flexible, feature rich program is designed to meet the diverse needs of a broad range of review scenarios across teams of connected users, whether on set, in office, or remote.

In Business, CG, Digital Media, Films, People, Post-production, Technology, Television, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All

Awards Headline News

Nominations Announced for 2023 BAFTA Awards

‘Guillermo deo Toro’s Pinocchio,’ ‘Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,’ ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,’ and ‘Turning Red’ get nods for Animated Film, while ‘All Quiet on the Western Front,’ ‘Avatar: The Way of Water,’ ‘The Batman,’ ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ garner noms for Special Visual Effects.

In 3D, Acting, Awards, CG, Digital Media, Films, Music and Sound, People, Short Films, Stop-Motion, Technology, Visual Effects, Writing | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Special Events: BAFTAs | Geographic Region: Europe

Technology Headline News

Maxon Announces Integration of Redshift in ZBrush

Key updates for Maxon One line expand Forger capabilities with modeling toolset, including subdivision surfaces and symmetry; performance upgrades in Red Giant Trapcode’s improve particle simulation creation in Adobe After Effects.

In 3D, Business, CG, People, Technology, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All

Technology Headline News

MARZ Announces Breakthrough ‘Vanity AI’ De-aging VFX System

New technology is 300 times faster than traditional pipelines, cost-effective, and without capacity constraints; currently in beta, the solution is available as a service, with licensing expected to be available later this year.

In 2D, 3D, AI, Business, CG, People, Technology, Visual Effects | Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All

Musical Joyrides! ANIMATIONWorld

‘Jam Van’: Living Postcards, Hybrid Animation, and Music-Loving Best Friends

Global Mechanic’s Bruce Alcock discusses YouTube’s all-new, ‘Pee-wee’s Playhouse’-inspired preschool series – mixing stop-motion, motion graphics, 2D, and live-action - about besties Lamb and Anne the Alligator on their musical travels around the U.S.; series premieres January 19.

In 2D, 3D, CG, Digital Media, Motion Graphics, People, Stop-Motion, Technology, Television, Visual Effects, Voice Acting | ANIMATIONWorld | Geographic Region: All

Technology Headline News

Autodesk Releases RV Open Source Version

Now available on the Academy Software Foundation GitHub, Open RV, the open source version of the tech giant’s Sci-Tech award-winning media review and playback software, will benefit from continued vendor development as well as community-driven updates.

In 2D, 3D, Business, CG, Digital Media, Films, People, Technology, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All

It’s Unreal Headline News

Gnomon’s Real-Time Short ‘The Voice in the Hollow’ Shows Power of Unreal Engine

The 10-minute animated African horror fable by instructors Miguel Ortega and Tran Ma - known as Half M.T. Studios - employed hand-drawn and cutting-edge 3D techniques, with tools like ZBrush and Maya for characters and Substance Painter for texturing, and was rendered exclusively in the game engine.

In 3D, CG, Digital Media, Education and Training, People, Short Films, Technology | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All

Business Headline News

Stray Vista Studios Debuts the Largest Virtual Production Studio in Texas

The 40x80x16 foot LED Virtual Production Volume wall displays interactive, computer-generated perspectives and includes an LED ceiling for fully immersed lighting.

In 3D, Business, CG, People, Previs/Postvis/Visualization, Technology, Virtual Production, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: North America

The Annies are Coming! Headline News

50th Annual Annie Award Nominations Announced

Best Animated Feature nominees ‘Turning Red,’ ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,’ ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,’ ‘The Sea Beast,’ and ‘Wendell & Wild’ top the expansive list of category nominations; animation’s biggest awards ceremony is scheduled to return live on Saturday, February 25 at UCLA’s Royce Hall.

In 2D, 3D, Awards, CG, Commercials, Digital Media, Event, Films, Music Videos, People, Short Films, Technology, Television, Visual Effects, Voice Acting, Writing | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Special Events: Annie Awards | Geographic Region: All

Awards Headline News

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ and ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ Lead VES Award Nominations

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ tops all TV contenders as nominees are announced in 25 categories across film, television, real-time, and special venue projects; ceremony set for February 15 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in LA.

In 3D, Awards, CG, Commercials, Digital Media, Event, Films, Games, Music Videos, People, Short Films, Technology, Television, Theme Parks - Installations, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Special Events: VES Awards | Geographic Region: All

Events Headline News

Virtual Production Event to Showcase Technology for New York Filmmakers

Hosted by Post New York Alliance (PNYA), the Hollywood Professional Association (HPA), and Fuse Technical Group, the January 26 event will explore how filmmakers can utilize Unreal Engine to enhance their projects, including presentation, speakers, and Q&A.