by Wendy Jackson
Photo by Cintia Matte Ruschel. ©
Animation World Network.
For those of you who didn't have a chance to absorb
the who, what and how of the 24th International Conference on Computer
Graphics and Interactive Techniques, interactive was definitely
the key word in the acronym this year. Virtual
Reality, VRML, and Motion Capture were everywhere. . . . More than 48,000 people attended,
SIGGRAPH, creating an unending sea of bodies in the showroom, navigating
the jungle of Hardware,
3D Software, and
2D Software. on
display from 300 exhibiting companies . . .Recruiting was on the agenda of many studios. . . . And we got a
sneak peak at some of the coolest Content around, as well as a look at what's In
Production.
Content
Everyone was showing off the portion of this summer's effects-driven feature
that was created using their hardware, software or services. Films such
as Jurassic Park: Lost World, Spawn, Contact, Air Force One, Species,
Men In Black and Titanic were played in heavy rotation on video
monitors all over the place!
Odyssey Productions produced two new computer animation videos: Cyberscape:
A Computer Animation Vision by Beny Tchaicovsky, and Computer Animation
Showcase, a 45 minute compilation reel. Both titles, distributed through
Sony Music Video and in stores on September 23, will be reviewed in the
upcoming issue of Animation World Magazine. Odyssey is also producing
a video of the works of abstract computer artist Yoichiro Kawaguchi.
Floops, a VRML cartoon on the Web created by Protozoa.
Download
a Quicktime version now!
3D Software
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Kinetix released the latest version of 3D Studio Max, with more than 1,000
new features, according to their literature. 3D StudioMax R2 for PCs is
$3,495 for a new single-user license with prices for upgrades starting
at $795. Several 3D StudioMax-compatible programs and plug-ins were also
unveiled. . . . Digimation alone released 15 new plug-ins including the
self descriptive ClayStudio Pro, Shag: Fur and The Incredible Comicshop.
. . . .Sven Technologies released SurfaceSuiteMAX, a new plug-in for mapping
photo realistic textures. . . . .LambSoft showcased Smirk, a plug-in for
facial animation which uses pre-set expressions which can be altered to
fit any face. It also works with motion capture devices. . . . .Kinetix
previewed CharacterStudio 2.0, which, used with 3D StudioMax, creates movements
and behaviors which can be applied to characters. This technology was used
in the creation of CG sequences for Hanna-Barbera's Jonny Quest
series.
Alias/Wavefront demonstrated their highly anticipated Maya software, which
has been pushed back for an early 1998 release. Called "the next generation
of 3D animation software," Maya will present Alias' first new software
architecture in years. . . . .Maya is currently going through beta testing
at 50 locations, including, most of the major computer animation houses.
Meanwhile, inside Alias/Wavefront's lab, Chris Landreth, creator of the
Academy Award nominated short, The End, is creating a new short
animation with the Maya program. Maya will be priced similarly to Alias
PowerAnimator 8.5 , which was released back in April. . . . .Alias also
announced an exclusive alliance with Physical Effects Inc., developers
of a technology for animating cloth, which will be incorporated into Maya.
Softimage is developing Sumatra, another software package built with new
architecture. Like Alias has with Maya, Softimage has pushed their new
product's release back to early 1998. Everyone is curious which will come
out first. This should be an interesting time for the industry, and a good
time to buy, with two competing high-end 3D animation packages being released
around the same time. . . . Now in beta testing, Sumatra is called "the
world's first collaborative nonlinear animation system." Only trying
out the real McCoy's will determine which software package will best meet
the needs of the demanding professional 3D industry.
NewTek's Lightwave 3D is available to Sun computer users for the first
time, with a $2,995 package which runs on Sun's Ultra Creator 3D workstations.
Version 5.5 of Lightwave 3D for Windows 95/NT was released in July. Also
released at SIGGRAPH, is the new Motion Plug-in Pack for Lightwave 3D,
offering five complex animation tools for $200.
Questar released a version 3 upgrade of World Construction Set, their software
package for modeling and rendering photo realistic landscapes and natural
settings such as clouds, water, terrain, planets and vegetation. Compatible
with Lightwave 3D and 3D StudioMax. The cost is $835.
Lambsoft's Smirk software for facial animation.
2D Software
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With digital ink and paint technology steadily being adopted industry-wide
for animation production, there is a wider selection of 2D software packages
to digitize every production process, from storyboarding to ink and paint
to camera. The competition, however, is good news for people in production,
as it results in development of better software, and competitive pricing.
There will be a lot of growth in this area before the year 2000.
Cambridge Animation Systems is growing, and their software package, Animo
is now the most widely installed 2D animation production software, with
licenses at 200 studios in nearly 50 countries. The company will release
Animo Ax-Cel for PCs in November, opening a new window of opportunity for
home users to collaborate with the larger studio systems running on Silicon
Graphics machines. The PC version will be available with a floating license
for $12,000. Not exactly small change, but certainly a step in the right
direction for the individual user market. Animo has been continually developed
through beta testing at DreamWorks SKG and Warner Bros. Feature Animation,
where it is now being used in feature animation productions Prince of
Egypt and Quest for Camelot. Other studios currently using Animo
include Nelvana (Sam & Max), Sunbow (Salty's Lighthouse),
Pentafour and Rich Animation (The King and I). . . . Great Eastern
Technology has recently been established as a reseller for Cambridge Animation
System's Animo software. They will provide hardware and software sales,
system integration and support for CAS customers.
Linker Systems released version 3.5 of The Animation Stand for Intel and
Digital's Alpha platforms running on Windows NT. New features include eight
new animation tools, automatic batch scan cleaning and simultaneous camera
moves and rotations. At $5,000. Animation Stand is designed for affordability
to smaller studios and even individuals. . . . .CalArts Character Animation
Program recently licensed a Mac OS platform version of The Animation Stand
for use as the 2D computer animation system in their recently upgraded
computer lab.
Motion Capture
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Woah! This micro-industry of computer animation has become a whole industry
of its own seemingly overnight. Just in the past year, we've seen the development
of wireless technologies, the opening of Medialab's L.A. studio, and the
formation of the Performance Animation Society, a non-profit organization
for this hybrid field. At SIGGRAPH, there seemed to be a proliferation
of motion capture/real-time animation displays. Apparently, the abundance
of transmitting technology on the showroom floor caused some electromagnetic
interference that made it difficult for some exhibitors to operate their
technology. Magnetic motion capture technology is particularly sensitive
to this type of interference. Despite technical difficulties, there was
plenty going on in the field. Some highlights:
An actor demonstrating the Polhemus system.
SimGraphics literally put on a show to feature
their recent adoption of Polhemus' StarTrak magnetic wireless motion capture
system. Enacting something of a live soap opera named My Lover, My Dance
Partner, My Alien, they demonstrated their ability to simultaneously
capture motion of multiple characters. This is the first performance animation
system to be ported to the Silicon Graphics 3 pipe Onyx2 System, which
enables live motion capture projection in a 120 degree wraparound viewing
environment.
Medialab recently made the switch from Polhemus' previous non-wireless
system to Ascension Technology's MotionStar magnetic wireless system, which
they are now using along with their proprietary CLOVIS P.A. and facial
puppetry system. New features of the system include real time shadows,
and a joystick which enables the director to move and pan the camera on
a character during a shot. Medialab will soon be launching a new character
for Nickelodeon U.K., which will join their "Bert the Fish,"
a motion capture character already airing on the network.
Downstairs in the Electronic Garden, SIGGRAPH's showcase for innovative
new experimental projects and techniques, a group of Japanese performers
and technicians presented Cyber Bunraku, a blending of the modern technology
of motion capture animation with the ancient traditional art of Bunraku
puppetry. Created by Kiyoshi Arai from Central Research Laboratory in Tokyo,
this system used a wired metal puppet armature to control the body, and
an optical point tracking system to control the facial expressions, in
order to translate motion and emotion into original computer generated
characters. The result was a creative and refreshingly organic performance.
Hardware
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At the concurrent MacWorld Expo in Boston, Microsoft Corp. announced that
it will invest $150 million in Apple Computer, a bold business move that
will affect users of both systems with more integration and cross-platform
development.
For the first time ever, Silicon Graphics offered a dramatic special offer
on their Octane O2 R5000 workstation, targeted at individual users and
small studios. The system, which normally sells for $7,495, was offered
for three days, to SIGGRAPH attendees only, for $4,995. While the marketing
team at Silicon Graphics expected that maybe 50 or so people would seize
the opportunity, they sold systems faster than they could arrange the orders
with vendors. During those three days, a total of 960 systems were ordered,
65 percent of which were first-time customers of Silicon Graphics!
Rich Animation used the Animo
system for The Swan Princess 2, and is
currently using it in the production of The Swan Princess 3 and
The King and I.
Infinity Multimedia created a buzz with their
patented autostereo 3D display system, which creates a seemingly three-dimensional
image without any special glasses or headsets. A far cry from red and blue
cellophane lenses, or even polarized filters, this digital technology works
on the principle of displaying several images of a scene in rapid succession,
each from a slightly different angle, on a very high speed monitor. The
result, seen with both eyes, is the illusion of a third dimension that
changes as the viewer's head moves laterally. Infinity plans to license
the autostereo technology for use in video arcade games, motion-based film
rides, computer monitors and home entertainment systems.
VRML
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VRML, which stands for Virtual Reality Modeling Language, allows developers
to create interactive 3D worlds on the Internet. First proposed at the
International WWW Conference in 1994, VRML is finally becoming a reality
with interactive 3D web sites such as The Palace cropping up all over the
Web. Properly equipped visitors can create their own avatars (CG characters
as personas) and settings, and interact in real time with multiples of
other incognito users around the world. Most VRML browser software still
requires at least 16MB of RAM, extensive memory, and are usually available
only for the PC. Some of the latest VRML developments unveiled at SIGGRAPH
are:
Blitcom, a company recently formed by VRML innovator Mark Pesce and producer
Jan Mallis (former executive producer at Protozoa), to create VRML 3D character
based entertainment across the web, unveiled "Bliss.com," their
first project using streaming VRML technology. Streaming delivery of VRML
animation means viewers see animation during downloading, rather
than after downloading. Meanwhile, at the Microsoft booth, streaming
VRML was demonstrated with a project created by Protozoa earlier this year.
Floops, a seven minute, 22 MB animation that would have taken an
hour to download, was displayed instantly with streaming VRML in Microsoft's
latest Internet Explorer browser. Floops, touted as the first VRML 3D cartoon on the Web, was
also showcased in the SIGGRAPH `97 Computer Animation Festival, and can
be seen in Quicktime format in this issue of Animation World Magazine.
Sony debuted Community Place, their new communication software with multimedia
user functions conforming to VRML 2.0. The browser and server installed
software enables real time navigation through 3D space with full sound,
text chat, video images and animation. It is available for Windows 95/NT,
and runs in compatibility with Netscape. Sony is currently working with
pioneer multimedia artist Rodney Alan Greenblat to create original interactive
attractions, in a sort of "online theme park" called Rodney's
Chip and Peg Park.
Sven Technologies premiered AvatarMaker 3D 1.0, a new program for creating
avatars from scratch, using a palette of pre-existing heads, torsos, limbs
and accessories. Avatars created with the software can then be used in
any VRML 2.0 compliant virtual world. Available for Windows 95/NT, the
package is designed with an intuitive interface that requires no knowledge
of programming languages. It retails at $39.95
Platinum Technology presented VRCreator, an authoring tool that enables
users to create interactive VRML content with a simple interface. It includes
a library of more than 1,000 "drag and drop" components like
3D models, and JavaScript behaviors. VRCreator Personal Edition is available
for $129., with a free sample Learning Edition available on the Platinum
web site.
Is VRML just the next Java craze? All of this virtual reality cyberspace
activity inspired Ralph Bakshi to dream up a whole storyline for Spicy
City, his animated series on HBO. In an episode titled "Love is
A Download," he depicts a story of two people who choose to have a
relationship solely interacting through their avatars on the Internet.
What's next?
Virtual Reality
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What is virtual reality these days anyway? From flight
simulators to glorified interactive video games, virtual reality, or, VR,
is claiming to be everywhere. SIGGRAPH is more of a showcase for VR developers'
tools than actual entertainment applications (go to IAAPA for that <link
to Animation World News: Events>). A couple of the coolest things
going in VR at the show were:
MuSE Technologies showcased Continuum, a system for real time collaboration
which is being called "a quantum leap in human collaboration over
networks." What does this mean in English? Continuum allows multiple
users to work together from different geographic locations in shared multimedia
environments, for applications in science, industry, education and entertainment.
MuSE, which stands for Multidimensional User-oriented Synthetic Environment,
is one of the systems being integrated at NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to collaborate
with researchers at other facilities in designing lander design technology
for future missions to Mars.
Downstairs in the Electric Garden, Vivid Group displayed their patented
Mandala System for real time video interaction in virtual reality games.
This system operates without any of the wires, data gloves, headwear or
other encumberments often found in these types of entertainment applications.
What this means is that users are able to see themselves, not avatars,
on screen, and interact in real time with computer generated, animated
environments. Mandala is currently being used in entertainment complexes
in the U.S., Korea, Ireland, Finland, China and Australia.
Recruiting/Education
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As expected, SIGGRAPH was a hotbed of recruiting activity for digital effects
and animation companies. Recruiting was the main interest of animation
production exhibitors such as Pacific Data Images, Pixar, Walt Disney Feature
Animation and DreamQuest, who took in hundreds of resumes and showreels
at their booths while everyone else was busy pitching products. On the
fourth day, throngs of resume-wielding artists waited in line for over
three hours just to get into the Career Center Job Fair. Among the crowd
must have been a number of ex-staffers from the recently shut-down Warner
Digital, as well as many of the 31 employees laid off from Digital Domain
the week before SIGGRAPH began. More than 35 companies were vying for the
talent's attention at the Job Fair, with plenty others scouting the rows
of corkboards overflowing with resumes.
Can you say guerilla marketing? Softimage has established a "campus
rep" program which will place full-time paid employees of Softimage
on college campuses, to promote the products, and scout student work for
publication. . . . Softimage Education Program (SEP) premiered a reduced
$1,500 student subscription price to Softimage 3D, and a $5850 price for
the Digital Alpha XL Workstation. . . Softimage's latest Student Animation
Contest is now accepting submissions, and is offering $83,000 in cash and
prizes.
On the schools front, Sheridan
College, USC, and Cal Arts <link to 9708
schools article> have all recently vamped up their computer animation
facilities. Ringling School of Art & Design seems to have a very strong
program, with three excellent computer animated student films in the SIGGRAPH
`97 Computer Animation Festival. <link to SIGGRAPH festival article
in this issue>
"Love is a Download," an episode
of Ralph Bakshi's Spicy City
which draws upon the age of virtual interaction. 
In Production:
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Walt Disney Feature Animation, with ten films in various stages of production,
is already well underway with animation on the CG feature Dinosaur.
At their gallery-style booth at SIGGRAPH, they showed off some artwork
from a new "Nutcracker Prince" computer animated sequence for
Fantasia 2000. Their studios in Los Angeles, Orlando and Paris are
working on traditional animation and CG effects for Kingdom of the Sun,
Mulan and Tarzan. Disney Feature's recruiters were scouting
the ranks of digital artists, pushing Atlantis, the next animated
feature in line by inviting talented artists to join them as they "take
on the next millennium."
Plugging away on their five picture deal with Disney, Pixar is quietly
working on A Bug's Life, a fully computer animated feature due in
theaters Fall 1998, and the much anticipated sequel, Toy Story II,
scheduled for a direct to video release sometime in 1999. Pixar and Disney
are already working with Mattel in developing the toy and merchandise line
for both films. Ever so timely, Mattel president and CEO Jill Barad recently
joined Pixar's board of directors.
Pacific Data Images showed some concept artwork from Antz, their
CG feature film in production for DreamWorks. No, Antz with a "z",
is not a misspelling. It's the recently copyrighted title for the film.
To handle the volume of character modeling needed for Antz, PDI
recently formed an alliance with Viewpoint DataLabs to contract out modeling
work by shipping actual sculptures to the facility for computer digitizing.
This working relationship will enable PDI staff to focus on the animation
process.
Warner Bros. Feature Animation has begun production on Iron Giant, which
will be partially CG animation. Get the full story in this month's edition
of Animation World News. <link to 9709 News: Films>
Looking Ahead
The organizers of Imagina, <link to 9703 imagina review>Europe's
answer to SIGGRAPH, seized the opportunity to put out a call for projects
and announce programs for the Imagina `98 festival/conference/trade show,
which will be held March 4-6 in Monaco. Knowing it's never too soon to
be thinking ahead, SIGGRAPH was also promoting their 1998 conference, scheduled
for July 19-24 in Orlando, Florida. SIGGRAPH will return to Los Angeles
in 1999. How much things will have changed by then!?! In addition to the
conference, SIGGRAPH's local chapters hold many events throughout the year.
For information on the SIGGRAPH chapter nearest you, visit http://www.siggraph.org
Wendy Jackson is Associate Editor of Animation World Magazine.
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