Student Film Festival

Hello

I am setting up an student film festival accepting applicants from all over the world to be shown in a public London cinema.

We’re looking for the best and most diverse films from a variety of backgrounds. If you think you might be interested. Please visit the website:

www.filmlabfestival.co.uk

Thanks 🙂

27″ iMac ????

Hi guys,

I have a couple of questions that I was hoping someone could answer for me!

Firstly I am a newbie to vfx, not to say I have dabbled in maya and other programs for a year or so, but am now in a position to speed up the learning process.

Firstly I am getting a new machine, as my pc is relatively old, and can’t really handle what I plan to use it for. I am going to subscribe to a well known training site that has someawsome tutorials etc and was wondering if the new iMac 27" quad core i5 could handle complex animations, renders composit’s etc.

Another reason for purchasing the iMac is because my other half wants to it to run the creative suite etc.

I don’t really want to get into the whole mac vs windows debate, just some advice as to whether or not I’d be happy for a couple of years learning basics of the vfx trade.

in a nutshell, the machine is the i5 quad core, 8gb, 27" iMac with 4850 ati graphics card. I will mostly be using maya, nuke and real flow…. Would the machine be good enough….?

Thanks guys, any help would be greatly appreiated.

Fresh

DreamWorks Animtion – Hair, Cloth, Fur Artists Needed

DreamWorks Animation has immediate openings for Hair/Cloth/Fur Artists at our Glendale, CA location.

As a Character FX Artist you will:
* Designs and creates character effects such as cloth and fur simulations
* Develops generalized tools, used in Character FX, to help enhance the pipeline.
* Creates cloth simulation, animation and finaling animation for shot work in production.
* Creatively solve problems and achieve art direction for a shot.
* Troubleshoot and solve problems independently.
* Demonstrate artistic vision and appropriately expand upon the art direction given.
* Technical Animation for shots in production
* Cloth and Fur simulations
* Deformations, procedural modeling and animation

Qualifications:
* Strong knowledge of Maya. Exposure to rigging tools and surface modeling techniques preferred.
* Dynamic simulation background preferred.
* Scripting proficiency in Mel and Perl.
* Good problem-solving abilities.
* Strong communication skills.
* Production experience.
* Ability to handle and resolve recurring problems.
* Ability to establish priorities, work independently or within a group, and proceed with objectives without supervision.
* Experience using Syflex a PLUS

To apply, please send your demo reel, resume and reel breakdown to:
DreamWorks Animation
1000 Flower Street
Glendale, CA 91201
ATTN: Character FX Artist

www.dreamworksanimation.com

Best SFX particle generator plugins/software?

I am a complete beginner with particle effects so I am looking for an easy to use, professional looking plugin for 3dmax or maya. Either this or stand alone sftware. Basically something that will have no problems easily creating fire and explosions as part of a VFX pipeline 🙂

I would really appreciate any help. Cheers

ventilate 2010-07-20 17:12:11

Mike Spicer & Dave Desjardins launch Fiction Motion Design

My first Demo Reel – Please comment!

Hi guys,

This is my first Demo Reel. I just finished it. Please let me know what you think of it. Is it good enough, or should I change something, remove, add…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZo-dLUQ6zQ&fmt=22

Footage is taken by me with Sanyo Xacti HD1010, except bluescreen part – that is footage from the compositing class I’ve taken.

Thanks!

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realwave hypermesh help please!!!

can someone please tell is there any other method of doing hypermeshing in realflow5. hypermesh option was available in realwave node params in realflow4 but i can’t find it anywhere in realflow5.
please reply soon its urgent 🙂

Senior Pipeline Software Developer

Senior Pipeline Software Developer
Start Date: Immediate

MPC is one of the world’s leading post production facilities creating high-end digital visual effects for the television and feature film industries. We are looking for the “Uber guru” to join our plan of world wide domination within the VFX industry. We have already built outposts in LA, Vancouver and Bangalore. To ensure robust navigation through this space-time continuum we need to take our current Pipeline software stack to the next level. “Vorsprung durch Technik”. If this sparks your interest then we want to speak to you!

Your areas of operations will include:

• Develop in-house software as part of a team.
• Produce technical and user documentation.
• Identify changing requirements, recommend and develop solutions.
• Work with Project Lead and Head of Pipeline to ensure that implementations are consistent with overall R&D strategy.

To be sure you’re the kind of person who is safe to ride this high speed steam train you need to provide evidence of the following:

• Degree in Computer Science or equivalent.
• UNIX/Linux advanced experience.
• Knowledge of Python and C/C++ required.
• Experience in refactoring large legacy systems
• Experience in agile methodologies
• Test driven development
• Experience with Databases
• Experience of technologies relating to GUI design and content or asset management an advantage.
• Experience in the design of business process management software and collaborative workflow across a distributed office environment an advantage.

TSalary: Competitive remuneration package
Location:London
Application Closing Date: Ongoing recruitment

This is an exciting opportunity to work in the dynamic world of visual effects. If you are interested please apply online here: http://www.moving-picture.com/index….nology&loc=ldn

2D + Z-Depth conversion to stereo3D

Hi
Is there any plugin floating aroung to convert a 2D image to 3d using z depth ? there is a plugin for after effects but cant find one for nuke …
Thanks

Suspect Bend Time For New Balance

[NEWS=”http://www.cgnews.com/wp-content/uploads/rgreen_thumb.jpg”]26477[/NEWS]Five nights of filming on a New York City street, a VFX studio willing to take a leap into the unknown, a young start-up director with a time lapse camera rig he built himself, all for an unforgettable spot. The latest project from animation-expert-turned director Doug Purver paired him once again with conceptual design, animation and VFX studio SUSPECT, and it’s a project they designed to push their own limits-and the industry’s.

With SUSPECT involved in every step of post-production, Purver and the team created a slow-motion narrative that’s both fluid and arresting. In the spec spot, a pair of photo-real New Balance 509 sneakers jogs in super slo-mo along a high speed, time-lapsed streetscape, leaving bursts of beautiful flowers and other plant life that is in stark contrast to the gritty, New York City cobble stone street.

“We started with the idea of green power, of promoting a shoe company that’s committed to the environment and social responsibility,” said Purver, who was part of SHOOT magazine’s New Directors Showcase in 2009. “New Balance is very forward thinking, and they were the perfect brand for the spot.” Although SUSPECT ECD Tim Crean was initially very enticed by the concept “we had real concerns about pulling off something like this. It was very ambitious, on many levels, to say the least.” Undeterred, Purver set out with his camera rig and Canon 5D to come up with a proof of concept test. “The test footage Doug came back with was stunning.” says Crean. “After seeing that, we couldn’t pull the trigger fast enough.”

The spot was created from the last of Purver’s several two-hour long time lapse takes; the camera rig that he custom built captured a three-second exposure every seven seconds while panning over the nighttime street, and caught quick streaks of light from passing cars. He wanted all of the footage to come from one perfect take, and on the eighth try, he was satisfied.

Then, the project moved into SUSPECT’s New York studio. The team went for a lightly-stylized photo-real look that required meticulous post-production and compositing. The SUSPECT team photographed an actual pair of 509 sneakers from every angle, giving them ample reference and true texture maps to create a high resolution 3D model with photo real textures.

The shoe was then put into motion with a highly detailed rig, which had almost as much control as a full CG character might. “A lot of attention was paid to how the shoe naturally ripples and flexes. There were slight differences between how each of the different materials react with one another. We made sure to create the control we needed to showcase those subtleties.” said SUSPECT CG Supervisor Steve Burger. ” We wanted every motion of the CG running shoes articulated properly, down to the laces.” They did the same with the stargazer lilies, daisies, ivy and blades of grass.

(Click here for more information and to view the commercial)

The difficulty of animating all of the CG was second only to texturing, lighting and rendering it all realistically. “With gorgeous plants and flora like this, its easy to go overboard with hues and saturation” commented Lighting TD Andrew Cohen. “Doug was adamant about shading the colorful plant life realistically within the context of the gritty, urban street scene. We even animated the lighting to properly interact with the intermittent, streaking taxi lights. It was intense.” TD Dave White added ” Doug even brought each kind of plant on location and photographed it in the natural light of the environment to use as a lighting guide. He was singular in his drive to maintain photorealism.”

As CG plant growth was getting underway, SUSPECT lead flame artist John Geehreng wrangled with the daunting task of match moving the entire, one-shot, 45 sec spot. ” None of the spectacular artistry being crafted in our CG dept would matter if it didn’t track properly to the camera motion. So there was just a little bit of pressure.” quipped Geehreng. What initially seemed a minor task quickly revealed itself to be a monumental challenge. “In spite of all the detail and resolution we had in the footage, not much stays still at night on a bustling New York City street for two hours, let alone two minutes!” Geehreng had to contend with car traffic, pedestrians and light flaring into camera from headlights just to name a few obstacles. “It took several days and placing hundreds of manual tracks, but we got a rock solid camera solve in the end.”

“The intensity of the detail work was the biggest challenge” Purver said. “These guys were challenging and pushing the limit, doing some of their most creative work ever. It was hard but worth it. The animation mixed with this style of time-lapse looks like nothing else out there.”

“Doug had a unique vision for Running Green and right from the start we were very intrigued about utilizing his custom built time-lapse rig which was the perfect vehicle for this spot” said SUSPECT co-founder and EP Rob Appelblatt. “Our team was super passionate about the concept and collaborating with Doug again as a Director. We put a tremendous amount of work into the piece and I think it really showcases our innovation and attention to fine detail.”


ABOUT SUSPECT:

NY-based Conceptual Design, Animation and Visual Effects studio, SUSPECT was co-founded in 2003 by CD/VFX Artist Tim Crean and Executive Producer Rob Appelblatt, creating an environment that reflects both their personal style and creative sensibilities.

Since then SUSPECT has blossomed into a collective of designers, animators, 3D and VFX artists. Whether it’s a complex Visual Effect, a sensitive Brand solution or a fully design driven concept, SUSPECT consistently surpasses client expectations and produces a dynamic range of creative solutions.

SUSPECT has recently worked on major campaigns for PUMA, Fathead, Eucerin, Reebok, FedEx, MTV, L’Oreal, AT&T, Motorola, Miller Lite, Samsung, Visa, Sierra Mist and Christina Aguilera Fragrances. The studio has collaborated with leading agencies, including BBDO, Wieden+Kennedy, Y&R, McCann-Erickson, mcgarrybowen and SelectNY.

RELATED LINKS
www.suspect.tv

TECH TOOLBOX
Software:
Autodesk Maya
Autodesk SoftImage
Autodesk Mudbox
Mental Ray
CazyBump
The Foundry’s Nuke
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe After Effects
Trapcode Particular

Hardware:

Canon 5D MKII
Canon 17-40mm f4 L-series lens
Proprietary Motion Control Camera Rig
Apple Mac Pro
Boxx Technologies CG workstations
Boxx Technologies Renderfarm

CREDITS

Client: New Balance
Spot Title: Running Green
Air Date: N/A – spec

Prod Co: roadnorth
Director: doug purver
DP: doug purver

Post/Effects Co: SUSPECT
Lead VFX Artist: doug purver
EP(s): Rob Appelblatt, Tim Crean
Technical Director(s): Dave White, Andrew Cohen
Sneaker Animation: Ricardo Vicens
Shoe Rigging: Lee Wolland
CG Artist: Steve Burger
Additional Shader/Texture Artist: Jimbo Rowel
Camera Tracking: John Geehring

Music and Sound Design by Q Department

Shoot Location: Washington & Water Streets, Dumbo, Brooklyn

SOURCE
Read more: http://www.trustcollective.com/portf…#ixzz0uESX3mbO
Attribution: Written content created by TRUST: http://www.trustcollective.com
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