Computer Graphics World articles from July 2007

Computer Graphics World archives from July 2007

30 years and going strong.(Computer Graphics World)(Editorial)
July 1, 2007... Do you remember when CAD tools began making it easier for designers to do their job? Do you recall when computer gaming meant arcade-style video games with rudimentary images? When computer-generated images on the small screen were an Olympic...

30 years of computer graphics: a retrospective.(Editorial)
July 1, 2007... There's nothing quite like big anniversaries to make one feel old. I just ran across the expression "age rage," and I think I know all too well what that means. So when I was contacted by the editor of this magazine and reminded that I had...

ARTVPS delivers 3D rendering at double the speed.(PRODUCTS: RENDERING)(AR500 image processor)(three dimensional)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... A new chip that provides unrivaled rendering performance is being launched by ARTVPS, developers of the only processor said to accelerate raytracing. The new AR500 processor has been re-engineered to run at almost twice the speed of its...

DCC market to grow to $5 billion in 2012.(NEWS: INDUSTRY)(2007 Digital Content Creation report from Jon Peddie Research)
July 1, 2007... Jon Peddie Research (JPR) released its "2007 Digital Content Creation Report," which this year focuses on 3D modeling and animation, 2D animation, digital video, graphics and imaging, and audio. According to the research, the total DCC market...

Nvidia unveils Tesla GPU computing processor.(PRODUCTS: GPUs)(graphic processing unit)
July 1, 2007... High-performance computing in fields such as geosciences, molecular biology, and medical diagnostics enable discoveries that transform billions of lives every day. Universities, research institutions, and companies in these and other related...

Heavy metal: ILM's 14 digital robots, built from thousands of re-active metal parts, wreak havoc in live-action and all-CG shots.(Character Modeling/ Animation)("Transformer" movie created by DreamWorks L.L.C. and Paramount Pictures Corp.)(computer graphics)(Information Lifecycle Management)(Cover story)
July 1, 2007... WE'RE FACING WAR AGAINST A TECHNOLOGICAL CIVILIZATION FAR SUPERIOR TO OUR OWN! OUR ENEMY CAN TAKE ANY SHAPE! Any hard-surface vehicular shape, that is. In Transformers, Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks SKG's hotly anticipated summer...

Most delicious: to cast a rat in a tactile Parisian restaurant. Pixar cooked up new tools and techniques that helped their artists create a savory CG feature animation.(computer graphics)(Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures and Television's movie "Ratatouille")(Editorial)
July 1, 2007... The most unlikely ingredients often create the most delectable dishes, the unexpected flavors transforming food into a mind-altering, tongue-tingling sensation. Listen to food critic Hal Rubenstein waxing rhapsodic in New York Magazine: "......

Ship shape: digital designers make a pirates fleet that is usually appealing as well as seaworthy.(Pirates of the Caribbean movies)
July 1, 2007... It can be extremely difficult for the general public to determine what is real and what is computer-generated in today's blockbusters. Consider the Pirates of the Caribbean films. By now, everyone is aware that those movies, particularly the...

Mind over matter: artificial intelligence blossoms in next-generation games.(Gaming)(Column)
July 1, 2007... Part two of a two-part series LAST MONTH, we explored the revolutionary impact of NaturalMotion's dynamic motion synthesis technology (Euphoria) on next-generation games, and looked at the power of behavioral AI tools to add event-driven...

The power of four: moving from dual-core to quad-core processors is more than just a numbers game.(Hardware)
July 1, 2007... One constant in the world of workstations is that they are always getting faster. Artists, animators, editors, and technical directors are constantly demanding more computing power to create extremely complex and highly realistic images. These...

SIGGRAPH Animation Theaters, Part 1.(Portfolio)(Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)(SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival is recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a qualifying festival; since 1999, numerous works from the festival's Electronic Theater and Animation Theaters have been nominated...

PipelineFX product news.(VIDEO)
July 1, 2007... Win * Mac * Linux PipelineFX has upgraded its Qube renderfarm management system for film and game production to Version 5.2. The latest edition features a Python-scriptable interface, enhanced right-click menus, and a streamlined, single-window...

Toon Boom tools.(ANIMATION)
July 1, 2007... Win * Mac Toon Boom Animation has released Toon Boom Studio Express Version 3.5. The latest version features support for Windows Vista, new special effects, and a user-friendly interface with timeline enhancements, a help wizard, and...

Free PLE.(ANIMATION)
July 1, 2007... Win * Mac E-on software is offering free Personal Learning Editions of its Vue 6 Infinite and Vue 6 xStream for creating, animating, and rendering natural 3D environments for film, broadcast, and architecture. The Vue 6 PLE is a fully...

Know it all?(Computer Graphics World's supplement)(Editorial)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The honest answer is never "yes." In this special supplement to Computer Graphics World and Post Magazine, we editors crack the books on some of the best ways to enhance your desirability as a CG industry newcomer--and graduating from a...

The animation festival circuit: does festival success mean job-search success?(SIGGRAPH Animation Theater)
July 1, 2007... All schools offering courses or degrees in animation and computer graphics want to launch their students into great careers in digital entertainment. Festival awards are considered by many to be the springboard to such a career. But not all...

Students for hire: competition for jobs at CG studios is fierce. Here are four key factors to getting your foot in the door.(Computer Graphics World)
July 1, 2007... Every year, newly degreed CG artists stream forth from colleges and universities, seeking jobs from the studios that make movies, or the effects for movies, television programs and advertisements. Unfortunately, the applicants outnumber the...

Operation: job hunt: Pamela Thompson's holistic approach to a successful CG job search includes burnishing one's reputation.(Pamela Kleibrink Thompson)(Interview)
July 1, 2007... If you're just getting started in the burgeoning CG industry--or if you're an experienced computer animation artist looking to make a change--you might want to talk to Pamela Kleibrink Thompson. Thompson is a veteran animation director who...

Where pros teach aspiring pros: at Gnomon, great VFX come from strong artists.(Gnomon School of Visual Effects)
July 1, 2007... HOLLYWOOD -- If you're a good visual effects pro, you can work on anything from Transformers to the next Cheaper by the Dozen and anything in between. VFX are everywhere we look, so the Gnomon School of Visual Effects tells you a lot just in...

Class on demand: Paul Holtz's 10-year-old company uses low-cost DVDs to train a new generation.(Class on Demand)
July 1, 2007... HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL -- In the 1980s and 1990s Class on Demand founder Paul Holtz was creating slick-looking broadcast spots for clients advertising on local Chicago-area cable; he made such work cost efficient by getting the most out of...

Learn online at Lynda.com: how the Internet revolution spurs worldwide interest in training.
July 1, 2007... OJAI, CA -- If you have simply your first name reserved as a URL, it says a lot--including that you're really into the Web, and you got into it really early on. In Lynda Weinman's case, she saw the potential of the Worldwide Web in its...

FMC continues to expand offerings: branching out technologically and geographically.(News)(Future Media Concepts)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- Future Media Concepts produced its fourth annual NAB Post|Production World Conference at the recent NAB show and more than 2,000 attendees took in the approximately 240 training sessions at the event. Produced in partnership with...

Real credit for virtual NYU course: fun with Second Life turns into serious study.(News)(New York University)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... NEW YORK -- A new course concentration at NYU's Paul McGhee Division turns the casual fun of online virtual/avatar games, like Second Life, into serious course material for pros interested in game development. Part of a new undergraduate degree...