Hash Inc. has created the A:M Films Website as a repository of animations created with its 3D character animation software Animation:Master. A:M Films can be viewed in any web browser that supports QuickTime at http://AMFilms.hash.com
Tito A. Belgrave looks at photogrammetry and the creation of photoreal models. Includes QuickTime movie clips!
Softimage Co. announced that Los Angeles-based Pandemic Studios, creators of three upcoming console titles, FULL SPECTRUM WARRIOR, MERCENARIES and STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT, is standardizing its entire 3D pipeline with SOFTIMAGE|XSI, the leading nonlinear 3D production environment. The three phase transition, which will take place over the next six months and also includes the purchase of multiple licenses of SOFTIMAGE|XSI software, will replace all competitive 3D tools currently used at Pandemic Studios.
San Diego, California-based Innoventive Software LLC announced immediate availability of their dual-OS CD Windows/Macintosh version of FrameForge 3D Studio, the first 3D previsualization storyboard software with real-world multi-camera control. This cutting edge software provides a new way for directors, filmmakers and other creatives to explore, plan and display visual design ideas for presentation or shooting live on set.
Side Effects Software, developer of the award-winning Houdini family of 3D software, and Syflex LLC, a leader in cloth simulation, announced a Houdini-compatible version of the popular Syflex cloth simulator. Available now as a plug-in for Houdini users on Linux and Windows, the fast and versatile software enhances the Houdini toolset for applications that require highly realistic cloth animations.
Retail sales of U.S. videogames, which includes portable and console hardware, software and accessories, remained largely unchanged over the previous year's record-breaking performance, according to a leading marketing information provider, the NPD Group. The console industry saw sales figures fall 2.7% to $10 billion in 2003, compared to $10.3 billion in 2002.
Four of the seven features vying for the Best Visual Effects Oscar -- MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (Asylum Visual Effects), PETER PAN (Digital Domain), THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (
Final Draft, Inc., publisher of Final Draft, the top-selling scriptwriting software, and Entertainment Partners, publisher of the Movie Magic production software product line, will be previewing new software at Booth 1174 at the NATPE show from Jan. 18-20, 2004.
Final Draft will be previewing Tagger, which enables a user to break down a Final Draft script into its various elements (components). The tagged script can then be exported into Entertainment Partners' Movie Magic and EP Scheduling software. Final Draft and Final Draft AV software will also be demonstrated.
Maya is the next stage in 3D animation and effects software. This course will provide an introduction to using Maya to create computer animations. Students will be given a comprehensive introduction to the various components of the Maya software package; including Modeling, Animating, Rendering, and Lighting. An introduction to Maya's MEL scripting language will also be given.
Rockstar Games, the publishing division of Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., has shipped MAX PAYNE 2: THE FALL OF MAX PAYNE for PlayStation2 to retail stores throughout North America and has also shipped an Xbox version as well to European retailers.
MAX PAYNE 2: THE FALL OF MAX PAYNE is a stylish, urban, film-noir love story of a hard-boiled cop in New York Citys grimy underground with nothing to lose and a mysterious femme fatale who holds the answers to all his burning questions.
combustion 3 for Apple Macintosh, the latest version of Discreet's award-winning visual effects and 3D compositing desktop software, was announced on Jan. 5, 2004 in conjunction with MacWorld in San Francisco. combustion 3 for the Mac will deliver industry-leading features benefiting customers who produce Web content and professional video motion graphics, repurpose video content for the Web and create effects for independent feature films and HDTV content.
Alias' Maya software played a central role in the development of Gollum, Shelob, the Battle of Pelennor Fields and the Witch King's death in THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING. In fact, Maya has been the core 3D animation software used in all three RINGS films created by Weta Digital and distributed by New Line Cinema.
Microsoft and Electronic Arts keynote iHollywood Forum Inc.s lineup for the Digital Games Summit, addressing business opportunities in Interactive Entertainment on Jan. 7, 2004 at the Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, in association with the 2004 International CES .
Discreet announced it has significantly increased its share in the 3D animation tools market this year with expansion in core and emerging markets. Having exceeded 200,000 license sales of its 3ds max software, Discreet has forged ahead with 3ds max 6, the most recent release of its acclaimed 3D modeling, animation and rendering software.
NXN Software has integrated support for Kaydara's universal FBX file interchange format into its flagship asset management product, NXN alienbrain Studio. The integration provides versioning, workflow and intuitive file management for FBX files.
Gregory Butler from Weta, a CG supervisor on THE LORD OF THE RINGS films, has been added as a morning keynote speaker to The Pipeline 2003, the U.K. event devoted to digital artists and animators, sponsored by Techimage, to be held at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London on Nov. 20, 2003.
REALVIZ, a leader in image processing software development, is now offering a range of its flagship products at special discounted prices for the "financially challenged" student population. The company is also offering a dedicated "Student Pack," which consists of REALVIZ Stitcher 3.5, for the creation of high-quality panoramas for the Web, film, print and 3D; ImageModeler3.5 to measure and create 3D scenes using photographs; and SceneWe@ver, which brings 3D into panoramas.
Bauhaus Software Inc. has announced it has begun shipping Mirage 1.0, a unified environment for creating animated graphics and special effects. The Mirage environment provides a diverse toolset and a centralized workflow for animated graphics, 2D animation and special effects creation. It was designed for projects of any resolution, ranging from HDTV and film to Web video.
Discreet has begun shipping 3ds max 6 software, the latest version of its award-winning professional 3D modeling, animation and rendering package. This release offers significant advancements to existing core features as well as new functionality developed in cooperation with customers such as SEGA Corp.
Mark Simon continues his series of 12 excerpts from his new book Producing Independent 2D Character Animation: Making and Selling a Short Film.
Fred Patten interviews Cliff Galbraith, Fluorescent Hill, MK12, Moneyshots, Girdwood Partners and Zoic Studios to find out more about the role of animation in music videos.
Discreet will begin shipping combustion 3, the latest version of its award-winning visual effects and 3D compositing desktop software, in fall 2003 for Windows XP and Windows 2000 and early 2004 for Macintosh OS X. Suggested price for combustion 3 software is $995. Upgrade price from combustion 2 or combustion 2.1 will be $199.
Strata, the trail-blazing company dedicated to adding a creative new dimension to the designers toolset, plans to publish ANGELMAN, a children's book completely illustrated using Strata 3Dpro. French artist Matthieu Roussel once worked in traditional materials until he discovered Strata.
ANGELMAN concerns a retired superhero who longs to take to the skies again and the young boy who discovers and inspires him. Like Mr. Angel, Roussel also found his wings, but in the form of 3D graphics software from Strata.
Disney's Toontown Online (www.toontown.com), the first massively multiplayer 3D online game created for kids and families, has received the official All Star Software Award and Seal of Approval for the year 2003 from CHILDREN'S SOFTWARE REVUE (CSR).
NXN Software has joined Intel's Developer Dispatch Program. Under the terms of the deal, NXN will provide a special trial version of its NXN alienbrain Engineer configuration management system to all participating developers. As part of the program, NXN will also present its offering for software developers at Intel's ECTS booth 1240.
