Imbalance Ragdoll Dynamics 3.0 produces results that are faster and more complete—up to 100× faster, the company says. Animators are always looking for ways to save time and achieve better results. Ragdoll Dynamics is a tool that checks both those boxes. Ragdoll, from Imbalance, is a real-time physics solver for Autodesk Maya that enables artists to create realistic … [Read more...] about Manipulate Maya character rigs with real-time physics in seconds
animation
Unreal Engine 5.1 shines brightly with improvements
UE 5.1 might be a point update, but it is packed with major changes including new lighting and animation/rigging features. Epic Games is known for packing a punch in every release, even point releases, and its latest, version 5.1 of its Unreal Engine, continues that tradition. The company has made big improvements to the Lumen system and the Nanite system to make the … [Read more...] about Unreal Engine 5.1 shines brightly with improvements
Eliminate manual facial tracking with Faceware Portal
The application uses machine learning and computer vision technology to automate the process. Faceware Technologies, the developer of facial capture and animation tools, has introduced Faceware Portal, which utilizes a combination of machine learning and Faceware’s own computer vision technology to create a technique called neural net processing. This development tackles … [Read more...] about Eliminate manual facial tracking with Faceware Portal
David Fincher directs his first all-animated short film
Blur Studio and Chaos enable the live-action director to bring his signature low-light look to the CG medium for a Love, Death + Robots episode. “I love any story where the entire cast dies. We’re going to get to feed them all to a giant crab.” With a quote like that from the filmmaker, you know this is not a Disney film. Award-winning director David Fincher is known … [Read more...] about David Fincher directs his first all-animated short film
VIEW Conference spotlights metaverse and virtual production, adds more speakers
The global event on computer graphics is shaping up nicely with yet another impressive lineup that is expected to expand further prior to the October conference. Turin, Italy, is known for its rich history as well as its current thriving economy. It is also known for its VIEW Conference, which has been growing and expanding since it began in 2000. Initially called … [Read more...] about VIEW Conference spotlights metaverse and virtual production, adds more speakers
Best of the best
SIGGRAPH names the winners of the 2022 Computer Animation Festival, with “The Seine’s Tears” receiving the Best in Show Award. This year’s Electronic Theater segment of the festival will have both an in-person and virtual showing. One of the enduring highlights of the SIGGRAPH Conference and Exhibition is the Computer Animation Festival, particularly the prestigious … [Read more...] about Best of the best
3D artists take a winning ‘Infinite Journey’
The competition aimed at bringing the artist community together. In February, director/artist/photographer Clinton Jones, aka PWNISHER, issued the latest 3D community creative challenge, Infinite Journeys, which challenged 3D artists to build their own custom scenes based solely on the words “infinite journeys.” The stipulation of the YouTube contest, sponsored by Maxon … [Read more...] about 3D artists take a winning ‘Infinite Journey’
Time to get hyped!
Epic’s sample project fuels a real-time approach to animation in live broadcasts. Esports and other virtual events have a loyal fan base, just as live events like the NBA or NFL have. To bring the excitement levels up a notch or two for fans and audiences within live events, sports, or esports broadcasts, producers are increasingly turning to real-time options to enhance … [Read more...] about Time to get hyped!
Foundry’s interview series discusses career paths across disciplines
Embarking on a new career path can be a testing process. Aspirants look for sage advice from leading professionals at the start of their career journey into technology. Foundry's recently launched series of video interviews Voices Behind the Tech highlights the career paths of the people who advance VFX, CGI, and animation technology. For more than 20 years, Foundry has been … [Read more...] about Foundry’s interview series discusses career paths across disciplines
Autodesk is acquiring cloud-based LoUPE software from Tangent Labs
The media and entertainment (M&E) industry also got affected due to the worldwide pandemic. The demand for streaming content and games increased sharply but content creators and members of production teams were sheltering in place as per the Covid protocols. The pandemic hastened up the move to cloud-based workflows. The M&E industry is working towards creating a … [Read more...] about Autodesk is acquiring cloud-based LoUPE software from Tangent Labs