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Combined group will provide a new avenue for computer graphics production London, 25th September 2012 – Leading visual effects software developer, The Foundry, today announced its merger with Luxology. The two companies are a great fit in terms of technology and markets. The combined portfolio will open doors to new ways of working, providing artists and designers with increased creative choice. The Foundry with its stable of award-winning 2D and 3D VFX software, including industry standard compositor NUKE, sees Luxology’s complementary technology as a natural addition. Luxology’s innovative 3D modelling and rendering technology and its flagship product, modo, a... Read Full Story
Fantastic Photo-realistic 3# Photo-realistic 3D. It's a tough nut to crack, and a technical challenge that really tests the wit, skill and smarts of the 3D artist. New Zealand's (Auckland) Media Design School has a world-class 3D programme that features photo-realistic 3D, in particular a still-life project in which students have five weeks to compose and art direct a professional still life photograph, and then recreate it using Autodesk Maya (and ZBrush or Mudbox) to look as close to the original photograph as possible. Students are pitched into the challenge soon after starting the Advanced 3D Productions graduate course with the project giving them a taste of what they will experi... Read Full Story
Call for Submissions In anticipation of NAB 2010, Autodesk has issued a call for submissions for the Autodesk 2010 Best of the Best Show Reel. The reel will be unveiled on the exhibition floor at NAB 2010 in Las Vegas, NV and will also be posted to both the Autodesk website and YouTube Channel. If you’re seeking exposure for your latest project work, don’t miss out on this opportunity to broadcast your talent, and fill out a submission form today! Any film, commercial, broadcast, music video and episodic projects created with qualifying Autodesk software are eligible for entry. For additional details about the submission process and to view... Read Full Story
IRVINE, CALIFORNIA – (December 14th 2009) - TD-College (TDC), the premier on-line school for technical directors (TDs), is proud to announce the launch of a new education option. This new program, the "Independent Studies Option", was developed to make TD-College's hard-core, production-driven methods accessible to an even wider, global audience. "During our first year of operation, we received a tremendous amount of feedback from users and prospective students. Those who completed our courses have been extremely satisfied with their education. We did, however, receive several suggestions from a large group of prospective students," explains Rudy Cortes, C.E.O of TD-College.... Read Full Story
Hundreds of Visual Effects Artists Use Autodesk Software to Help Create Disaster Movie of Spectacular Proportions Roland Emmerich films are synonymous with superlative visual effects - "The Day After Tomorrow," "Independence Day" and now "2012." Hundreds of artists created close to 1,500 visual effects shots using digital entertainment creation software from Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) to help create the majority of spectacular effects in "2012." ©2009, Columbia TriStar Marketing Group, 2012, image courtesy of Uncharted TerritoryThe Maya civilization left humanity its calendar, with an end date of 2012. This date is significant to many cultures... Read Full Story
Software System Simplifies Capture&Processing of Motion Capture Data for 3D AnimationVicon, an Academy Award®-winning developer of motion capture products, today announced that growing numbers of entertainment companies have adopted its Blade motion caption processing software system in recent months. The company is seeing momentum for Blade grow as studios worldwide look to streamline their performance capture pipelines to create 3D animation for games, movies, advertising, and other media. Designed to work with Vicon’s real-time motion capture systems, Blade provides a single, unified toolset that supports the demands of full performance capture, on-set visualiz... Read Full Story
Looking for a chance to shine the spotlight on your latest games projects? Look no further! Autodesk has issued a call for submissions for its 2010 Games Reel. Providing the perfect avenue to flaunt your work, the reel will be showcased at GDC from March 11-13, in San Francisco, CA. Additionally, it will be streamed live on the AREA and featured on Autodesk's website. If you've worked on any recent video game cinematics, trailers, in-game sequences and/or animations created with 3ds Max, HumanIK, Kynapse, Maya, MotionBuilder, Mudbox and/or Softimage, submit your work today! The deadline for imagery submissions is January 15, 2010 and for video submi... Read Full Story
Company Partners with Dell, Intel and Wacom to Provide Opportunity for 3D Artists Worldwide to Connect Autodesk, Inc., will host its annual 3December event to celebrate 3D computer graphics, and the artists who create them. Running from December 1–10, the event will include live and virtual activities that connect thousands of 3D artists from around the world. Attendees will be able to share their work, learn from top digital entertainment professionals, and network with other artists. This year’s 3December is cosponsored by Dell Precision, the exclusive technology partner for the event, as well as Wacom and Intel. 3December OnlineFrom December 1–10, 3D... Read Full Story
Autodesk Consulting Provides Linux Pipeline Implementation for Mudbox Digital Sculpting and Texture Painting Software Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) has announced that DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (NASDAQ: DWA) and Sony Pictures Imageworks are integrating Autodesk Mudbox software into their Linux-based production pipelines. Autodesk Consulting’s custom development team worked collaboratively with teams at Imageworks and DreamWorks to port the digital sculpting and texture painting software to the Linux platform. Mudbox for Linux is available through Autodesk Consulting services. “Mudbox was first developed as an integral part of WETA Digital’s film produ... Read Full Story
Software’s Openness, Creative Tools and Large Talent Pool make it Animation Platform of Choice for Iconic Manga Character’s Theatrical Debut The newly released animated film “Astro Boy” brings the iconic Japanese manga character to movie theaters. Filmmaker Imagi International Holdings Limited (HKEx: 585) created “Astro Boy” with Autodesk Maya software from Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK). Maya was at the core of Imagi Studios’ around-the-clock production pipeline spanning Hong Kong and Hollywood. Osamu Tezuka first created the manga series about Astro Boy, a permanently youthful robot boy, in the 1950s. Quickly gaining popularity, it was developed into a blac... Read Full Story
Prime Focus Software, the R&D arm of Prime Focus VFX, is actively recruiting visual effects facilities to participate in the Beta Testing program for Deadline 4.0. The soon-to-be-released version of the company’s hassle-free administration and rendering toolkit for Windows, Linux and Mac OSX-based render farms features a host of new upgrades, which beta testers will have the opportunity to experience first-hand. Deadline provides render farms of all sizes a world of flexibility and a wide-range of management options. The latest version, Deadline 4.0, is scheduled for a late November release and will feature improved scalability and stability, an improved Mac OS... Read Full Story
Chicago + Los Angeles - (October 20, 2009) -- Just six months after its launch, Sarofsky Corp. (http://www.sarofsky.com) is attaining its goal of bringing high-end design and concepting to many disciplines including advertising, entertainment and broadcast television.An independent thinker with a diverse range of style, Founder/Creative Director Erin Sarofsky has dedicated her new company to her approach and understanding of content and how to drive it. Recent examples include main titles for the new NBC comedy "Community," an iPhone app for Coke, an expansive campaign for GM and feature titles for the just-released "Superman/Batman: Public Enemies." With these projects and mor... Read Full Story
Sister companies Bonfire and Phoenix Editorial announced that they have collaborated with global innovation and design firm IDEO on the welcome video for the Living Climate Change website: www.livingclimatechange.com, an initiative developed by IDEO. In the short, directed by IDEO design director and associate partner Roshi Givechi, company CEO Tim Brown asks what role design can play in the challenges we face with climate change. IDEO found it attractive to have the combined resources of Bonfire and Phoenix Editorial, where conceptualization, live-action production, visual effects, animation, editorial, finishing and sound design could be completed all under one... Read Full Story
A2M’s First Mature-Rated Game Title Combines Acrobatics, Swordplay and a Dual-Targeting SystemAutodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) has announced that Montreal-based game developer Artificial Mind&Movement (A2M) relied on several Autodesk software applications to facilitate creation of the new game title “WET.” The game’s characters and levels were built using Autodesk Maya and Autodesk MotionBuilder 3D animation software. Autodesk Kynapse middleware was used to implement artificial intelligence (AI) to drive the game’s many nonplayable characters. Rubi, the third-person shooter’s main character, is a feisty problem fixer trying to figure out who double-crossed her and... Read Full Story
Newest Sony Release “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” is #1 Box Office Hit, Visual Effects Production Powered by NVIDIA Quadro Processors NVIDIA Corporation, the inventor of the graphics processing unit (GPU), announced today that Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI) utilized NVIDIA® Quadro® processors to accelerate animation and visual effects production of their latest hit film “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs”. Opening to audiences across the U.S. on September 18th, the 3-D animated film continues to storm through the box office, grossing over $60 million in revenue since its premiere, making it the #1 film nationwide. “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” continues to enthrall... Read Full Story
Autodesk Virtual Entertainment Conference Autodesk has announced that it will be hosting its first Virtual Entertainment Conference next Wednesday, September 30th, from 10:00AM to 3:00PM PST. The online event is free and will showcase the latest versions of Autodesk’s entertainment solutions in action- from film, to game development, design and much more. Join industry experts like Sony Pictures Imageworks' Rodrigo Ibanez as they illustrate how Autodesk products and workflows can help artists achieve creative visions. Check out the sessions below and register for your free spot today! Morning Sessions Styling and Simulation used on the ch... Read Full Story
Digital-Tutors Redefines Education with New Online Learning Library and Full-featured Educational Platform Combining award-winning training with an easy-to-navigate interactive system, Digital-Tutors unveils anytime, anywhere access to over 7,000 lessons and 50 new courses for emerging digital artists around the world. Oklahoma City, OK August 4, 2009 Digital-Tutors, a leader and innovator in video-based training for students, professionals, educators, and hobbyists in the computer graphics industry, today launched a new online learning library of over 7,000 in-depth training lessons and 50 all-new courses for Maya, Houdini, 3ds Max, Mudbox, Softimage,... Read Full Story
Marina Del Rey, CA – (May 22, 2009) -- Award-winning New Deal Studios (NDS) wields creative ideas to produce amazing visual effects for two highly anticipated summer blockbusters, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian and Terminator Salvation. “We live in a democratized visual effects world. How do you differentiate yourself in today’s age of globalization, commoditization, ubiquity of effects tools and ‘free on the internet’ mentality?” asks Shannon Blake Gans, managing partner at New Deal. “We are combating all these downward pressures by getting back to the basics and telling a compelling story fueled by passion for o... Read Full Story
Marina Del Rey, CA – (April 23, 2009) – New Deal Studios’ first co-production, “100 Feet,” a thriller starring Famke Janssen, Bobby Cannavale and Ed Westwick premieres on the Sci-Fi Channel this Sunday April 26th, followed by an exclusive DVD release through Hollywood Video on Tuesday, April 28th. “100 Feet” is the first project to be released under the production shingle of New Deal Studios. In “100 Feet” a woman, played by Famke Janssen, is put under house arrest for killing her abusive husband in self-defense. While confined to a 100’ perimeter in her house, she discovers that the house is haunted by the ghost of her de... Read Full Story
Oil derricks as groaning, drying dinosaurs are the chilling image at center stage with the new animated spot from Consol Energy. Oil dependence is an issue facing the US, and this commercial shows “The End” of diminished resources as imminent and potentially disastrous if we do not turn to more viable alternatives including Consol Energy’s coal and natural gas resources. To view: http://zoicstudios.wiredrive.com/l/p/?presentation=eec7c9776204d94981991aa740cc56c6 “The biggest challenge was creating a sense of character and emotion in non-living objects, in our case oil pumpjacks,” says Director Loni Peristere. “We also had to make sure the ... Read Full Story
Escape Studios, the number one source for developing a successful career in the CG industry, today announced the launch of its new online ZBrush Foundation course. Comprised of over 11 hours of HD video tutorial content created by industry experts, ZBrush Foundation enables artists of all levels to grasp the incredible power of Pixologics industry standard sculpting tool. Delivered through Escapes proprietary online learning system, ZBrush Foundation provides students with a comprehensive learning experience and the ability to ask questions of Escapes industry professional tutors, using the systems unique Q&A feature. For more information on Escapes ZBrush Foundation course, ... Read Full Story
From December 12th-18th, The Gnomon Workshop is thrilled to announce our first interactive online event. For the first time, we will rebroadcast ten lectures from previous live events including presentations by Iain McCaig, William Stout, Eric Tiemens, James Clyne, Wayne Barlowe, Kenneth Rocafort, TyRuben Ellingson, Marc Gabbana, George Hull and Brom. Gnomon has held seven weekend workshop events over the past three years and each one has been an overwhelming success, with tickets selling out to 300 students and professionals from around the world, albeit mostly from the Los Angeles area. We are launching this new online event in the effort to bring these inspiring, educational a... Read Full Story
Gnomon School launches new master classes. Check it out here. Read Full Story
The Challenge Pixologic is proud to announce our first official contest (sponsored by Wacom)! We plan to have many more such competitions in the future, each with its own theme and focusing on the use of ZBrush. All registered ZBrush users are encouraged to enter, whether running ZBrush 2 or 3. Since Halloween is just around the corner, weve decided to hold this competition in lieu of our traditional event. Your challenge is to conceive and create an image that fits within the "Scared Silly" theme. The idea here is to flex your creative muscles a bit and mix in humor. The image that you create can be an amusing take on a recognizable characters appearance, put ... Read Full Story
GNOMON SCHOOL OF VISUAL EFFECTS LAUNCHES ONLINE TRAININGExpert Visual Effects Training Anywhere, Anytime HOLLYWOOD, CA, November 17, 2006, -- Gnomon School of Visual Effects has launched an online division for expert training anytime, anywhere. Beginning in January 2007, courses focused on the development of the skills needed to do digital effects, animation and game development taught by industry professionals will now be available to anyone in the world with high-speed internet access. Registration begins Monday, December 4th. Classes will be available Monday, January 8, 2007. Information and courses can be found at http://www.gnomononline.com. Registration and payment will be done on... Read Full Story
Acer Tablet Laptop Review with Zbrush by Chris GrimRead the article here Read Full Story
CG Spot Marries 3D, Live-Action and Mocap to Create Virtual Environment and CG Integrated HumanoidArtist owned-and-operated bi-coastal effects boutique Brickyard VFX provided visual effects for Dandelion, a CG-intensive commercial for LG Electronics via ad agency Y&R NY. Directed by Filip Engstrom for prodco Smuggler, the spot began airing throughout Europe and Asia May 15.The :30 ad, promoting LGs ViewtySmart, showcases the cameras advanced engineering, elegant aesthetic and ability to analyze light and recognize faces in order to take smarter pictures. The spot, which features CG robotic characters with human heads, feet and hands, opens on a single figure standing in the dim interi... Read Full Story
It's official, Escape Studios is now open for business in the heart of the big apple!Founder Dominic Davenport says "This has been a long-standing ambition of ours we are delighted to be able to offer our CG expertise across America." Robin Shenfield, CEO of post production house The Mill adds: "Escape trainees are in a class of their own and well equipped to enter the working environment. We're looking forward to meeting more of them with the opening of Escape in the U.S." Escapes world leading reselling department will be the first to open its doors this month. With Ed Caracappa, the highly regarded former Director of Business Development from BOXX, taking ... Read Full Story
Escape Studios are pleased to announce that the Skillset Film Skills fund have awarded us a new grant as part of their Structured New Entrants Training initiative. As a result we will be offering the opportunity of a 100% funded course to 12 successful candidates committed to developing a career in film visual effects. Applicants must be EU passport holders and UK based.Being held at Escape Studios in London, the course will commence on August 11th 2008 and run for 18 weeks, concluding with a 4 week industry placement at a major UK film facility. In addition to having their fees met, participants on the course will be paid the minimum wage throughout the duration.The 18 week tuition secti... Read Full Story
Friday 8th June 2007Framestore CFC have revealed that they have just become the largest RenderMan Pro Server studio in Europe after having placed a multi-million dollar order with Escape Studios to increase the capacity of their renderfarm. This fully endorses the unmatched power of Pixars RenderMan software as the only solution for high end film production. Escape Studios Business Development Director, Mark Cass said: Framestore CFC has taken the lead to get up to a license count that is closing the gap on their peers in the US. We are, of course, delighted to be working with companies of the caliber of Framestore CFC and Pixar. We wish Framestore CFC every success with their current pr... Read Full Story
"Yosemite Valley From the Diving Board" (courtesy of Xrez)XRez.com launches, bringing a whole new definition to high resolution imagery.XRez.com offers extraordinary images of the world Read Full Story
Free training - Product Debuts - Meet Developers Thursday, October 20th 2005 Please RSVP to rsvp@rfx.com Include: Name, Company, Email, Phone & Street Address Alias - Maya 7 & Motion Builder 7, talk with Senior Application Engineers. Apple - Shake 4, meet Developers and Support Team. The Pixel Farm - Debut of PFClean (dust removal and clean-up tools), ... Read Full Story
Welcome everyone to highend3d.com v5. It has been 2 years in the making. If you've noticed that we hadn't been adding many tutorials or other features it was not because we are heading away from that direction it was because we have been developing. Developing a system that is far more advanced than what we were in the past. The new direction for the site encompasses everything from downloads, news, events, articles, features, interviews, reviews, fully hosted tutorials, faqs, feature requests, galleries, ist servers, school listings, books, to our new dvd section.Now every section has its own home page that will filter the latest updates and additions for that section, relating... Read Full Story
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Seeking exposure for your latest short film, commercial, reels, animations or episodic projects created with 3ds Max Design, 3ds Max, Showcase or Civil3D? Look no further! Autodesk has issued a call for submissions for its 2009 Design Showreel and wants your latest and greatest material. The reel will be showcased at Autodesk University from December 1-3, 2009, in Las Vegas, NV. Image courtesy of Dmmultimedia Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to flaunt your work! To learn more about the submission process, please visit our website. Deadline for submissions is Friday, November 6, 2009 Image courtesy o... Read Full Story
By Ryan Nakashima, AP Business Writer LOS ANGELES — The Walt Disney Co. (DIS) said Monday it is acquiring Marvel Entertainment (MAR) for $4 billion in cash and stock, bringing characters like Iron Man and Spider-Man into the family of Mickey Mouse and WALL-E. Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of 5,000 Marvel characters. Many of them, including favorites such as the Fantastic Four and the X-Men, were co-created by the comic book legend Stan Lee. Disney said Marvel shareholders will receive $30 per share in cash, plus 0.745 Disney shares for every Marvel share they own. That values each Marvel share at $50, or a premium of 29% to Marvel's closing stock price of $38.65 on... Read Full Story
2009 RED STICK International Animation FestivalThe Red Stick Animation Festival is an exciting community event that converges the world of technology, art, entertainment and exploration Artists draw and paint with computers, and scientists convey their complex theories in color and motion. The 2009 Red Stick International Animation Festival highlights this convergence celebrating art, motion, and exploration in downtown Baton Rouge April 22-25, 2009. The movement toward convergence highlights not only the new set of technical skills that artists employ, but likewise the artistic vision that scientists are embracing. The worlds of the artist and scientist are folding in on one anot... Read Full Story
Autodesk Signs Agreement with Avid Technology to Acquire Softimage Acquisition to Accelerate Autodesk's Games Strategy; Complements Digital Entertainment and Visual Communications Offering; Lets Artists Choose their PassionSAN RAFAEL, Calif., Oct. 23, 2008 - Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) and Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVID), announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for Autodesk to acquire substantially all of the assets of Avid's Softimage business unit for approximately $35 million.Interview with Marc Stevens and Marc Petit See the interview with Marc Stevens, General Manager of Softimage and Vice-President at Avid Technology, and Marc Petit, Senior Vice-President, A... Read Full Story
