Lucasfilm CTO Cliff Plumer Talks Technology
Barbara Robertson speaks with Lucasfilm cto Cliff Plumer to find out more about the technology of the future from someone at the forefront of innovation.
Category: Technology
Lucasfilm CTO Cliff Plumer Talks Technology
Barbara Robertson speaks with Lucasfilm cto Cliff Plumer to find out more about the technology of the future from someone at the forefront of innovation.
The Death of Animated TV Ads?
Karen Raugust looks at how digital video recorders challenge the traditional TV spot, animated and live action, but also create new advertising opportunities.
Alias MotionBuilder 7 Now Shipping
Alias MotionBuilder 7 software is now shipping worldwide. New and upgrading customers can purchase the latest version of MotionBuilder from an authorized reseller or online at www.alias.com.
Rendering: The Shape of Things to Come
Vfx/animation companies and suppliers are constantly raising the bar when it comes to rendering. Janet Hetherington takes a look at advancements in rendering, concerns about scalability and how full spectral rendering could affect the shape of things to come.
HP Named Preferred Technology Provider for Lucasfilm
HP and Lucasfilm Ltd. announced a three-year, multi-million dollar technology and marketing agreement.
Lucasfilm will use HP Adaptive Enterprise solutions to generate new videogames, visual effects and animation as well as store and manage its business applications. The HP technology will be deployed at Lucasfilm's new Letterman Digital Arts Center in the Presidio of San Francisco and at the company's Singapore operations.
In Anime, Technology, Visual Effects, Anime, Technology, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia
EA Bases MoCap Pipeline on Vicon
Gaming powerhouse Electronic Arts (EA) has purchased an 86-camera Vicon MX 40 motion capture system. EA is one of the most prolific users of motion capture content, and has been employing MoCap techniques as part of its game development pipeline for more than 10 years.
In Technology, Visual Effects, Technology, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America
RE:Vision Effects Releases RE:Flex 3
RE:Vision offers RE:Flex 3, which brings intuitive morphing and warping directly to combustion 3.0 or later, After Effects 5.0 or later, Shake 3.01 or later and Discreet Systems (IFFFS). Superior results are achieved using RE:Vision Effects' proprietary and sophisticated technology. RE:Flex is especially easy to learn because it uses the host program's own drawing and masking tools (when available) to direct the morphing and warping, so there is no need to learn a whole new user interface.
Motion Analysis Offers Multi-Person, Realtime MoCap System
Motion Analysis Corp. recently delivered its multi-person realtime motion-capture system to XTrackrZ Inc. A 20- camera Eagle-4 Digital system was used for capturing six performers at 120 fps in realtime in the Los Angeles studio of XTrackrZ. Each performer was wearing 42 markers. The Eagle-4 cameras captured and Motion Analysis EVaRT software tracked the motion, solved and retargeted the data of all six performers in realtime.
In Technology, Visual Effects, Technology, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia
Vue 5 Easel To Ship in September
e-on software announced the September release of Vue 5 Easel, the new entry-level version of its award winning Vue product line. Vue 5 Easel will sell for $99.
Vue 5 Easel is specifically designed for digital artists and hobbyists looking for a simple introduction to 3D. With a rich and easy-to-use feature set, Vue 5 Easel will let newcomers to 3D create images and animations within minutes.
Fluid Dynamics: A Look at Two Giants
Peter Plantec interviews Stanford professor Ron Fedkiw and Scanline Production GmbH head Stephan Trojansky about their advances in fluid dynamics.
Maya 7 Review: Pushing the Boundaries of 3D Software
Fred Galpern explores the latest in digital art wonders from Ballistic Publishing with his overview.
da Vinci Upgrades 2K Plus With Version 4.0
da Vincis 2K Plus, the leading color enhancement system and the most widely used system in digital intermediate (DI) applications, has recently been upgraded with the release of version 4.0, which includes the introduction of the ColorTrace and Toolbox2 options. Major enhancements in the new release include fingertip access to many powerful Toolbox2 features such as enhanced PowerVectors, enhanced Defocus, and realtime vfx.
In Technology, Visual Effects, Technology, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, Asia, Europe
Wildcat Realizm 500 Graphics Accelerator Announced
3Dlabs Inc. Ltd. announced the Wildcat Realizm 500 professional graphics accelerator. The new Wildcat Realizm 500 offers high-end graphics performance to Computer-aided Design (CAD) and Digital Content and Creation (DCC) professionals for an MSRP of only $899.99.
NaturalMotion Announces endorphin 2.5
NaturalMotion announced the forthcoming release of endorphin 2.5, the newest version of the companys award-winning 3D character animation software. endorphin 2.5s powerful new transitioning, blending and behavior features, combined with enhancements to asset repurposing tools and improved FBX support, allow animators to create realistic, fully interactive 3D character animation faster and easier than traditional keyframe or motion capture techniques.
SketchBook Pro Software Bundled With ThinkPad Tablet PC
Alias SketchBook Pro software will be bundled with the recently released Lenovo x41ThinkPad Tablet PC. A full-feature trial software version of Alias digital pen-based sketching and annotation software, Alias SketchBook Pro, will be included on all ThinkPad X41 Tablet units. As part of Lenovos offering, customers will have the ability to download, install and use Alias SketchBook Pro without restriction for a 15-day trial period, with a limited-feature version after the trial expires.
NVIDIA Unleashes GeForce 7800 GT
NVIDIA Corp. introduced the immediate availability of the new NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT graphics processing unit (GPU). Based on the award-winning GeForce 7800 GTX architecture, this new GPU brings support for next-gen gaming technologies to lower price points.
Frantic Films Deploys Brazil Rendering System
SplutterFish announced that Frantic Films has placed a large order for Brazil r/s, SplutterFishs award-winning 3D rendering suite, to be the primary rendering backbone in its new large-scale production pipeline. Early Brazil r/s adopter Frantic Films will increase its reliance on Brazil r/s based on its own in-house benchmark testing.
In Technology, Visual Effects, Technology, Visual Effects | Headline News | Geographic Region: All, North America, South America
ILM Adds ZBrush to Production Pipeline
Pixologic, makers of ZBrush 2, the award-winning modeling, texturing and painting application, announced that Industrial Light and & Magic has integrated ZBrush's sub-division modeling and texturing toolsets into its production pipeline. Industrial Light & Magic selected ZBrush for its unparalleled ability to handle large datasets, its Pixol technology and production tested displacement-mapping abilities.
CAT2 Software Review: Meeting the Goals of Animation Intensive Industries
The graphic novel craze is taking over the world. Christopher Panzner investigates the European scene to see what the hottest properties are.
PowerNURBS Advances Creative Design Toolset
NPower Software, a division of Integrityware Inc, announced that PowerNURBS 1.0 will officially release on Sept. 15, and is now available for sale.
eyeon Has a R!OT With Fusion 5
eyeon Software announced at SIGGRAPH 2005 that Santa Monica-based R!OT confirmed its decision to introduce Fusion 5 into its workflow.
R!ot is a vfx studio specializing in digital imagery, commercial, feature, music video, HD and television productions.
We are excited to add Fusion to our compositing pipeline, said R!OT vfx artist Andrew Wilkoff. The speed and functionality of Fusion 5, coupled with eyeons stellar support, will make it easy for us to deliver world class visual effects shots.
In Technology, Visual Effects, Technology, Visual Effects | Headline News | Special Events: SIGGRAPH | Geographic Region: All, North America
NVIDIA nForce 4 SLI Supercharges New Dell Desktop PC
NVIDIA Corp. announced that the new Dell XPS 600 desktop PC features NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16 Intel Edition technology and award-winning GeForce 7800 GTX graphics processing units (GPUs). This marks the first time that Dell has used a chipset enabling dual graphics in their product offerings.
Ballistic Four-Book Review: 'Exposé 2', 'Exposé 3', 'CG Challenge XV: Machineflesh' and 'd’artiste: Digital Pai
Marisa Materna looks into the design work of Imaginary Forces, which has been a go to place lately when turning comicbook properties into feature films.
Alias Opens SIGGRAPH With Big Maya 7 & MotionBuilder 7 Releases
Alias has lots to demonstrate and talk about at its SIGGRAPH 2005 booth #1312 at the Los Angeles Convention Center with the release of its Maya 7 and MotionBuilder 7 software packages.
Maya 7 builds upon the architecture and performance enhancements in Maya 6.5 with new and improved tools for fast, realistic character animation, streamlined modeling and texturing, stunning visual effects and increased productivity. It also incorporates Pixar's patented technology.
In Anime, Flash, Technology, Visual Effects, Anime, Flash, Technology, Visual Effects | Headline News | Special Events: SIGGRAPH | Geographic Region: All
