School project need help with a survey

Hi all
We are VFX students who are doing a school project about how big the chances are that we can get a job after a education at a vfx school.

Why we do this work because it would be interesting to know what our options look like after an internship at different companies. And what chances are that we can get a permanent job after a training, or is it easyer as a new graduate to start freelancing at once.

We would appreciate it if you answerd a few questions.

http://sv.surveymonkey.com/s/BNCNJSY

Thanks in advance

Best Regards aezz

Grrr… Colorspaces

I spent today dealing with colorspaces, trying to better understand how Nuke and QuickTime and FinalCut all interact, while trying to keep things looking sensible. At one point, my editor friend had basically said, "QuickTime has some understanding of colorspaces, so if you make a QuickTime movie correctly, it should show up looking pretty much the same, regardless of the actual space used in the file." More recently he said, "WTF, why is this so dark?" So, I spent some time iterating through a lot of the possibilities, doing comparisons of things that some of what I’ve read absolutely insists should look the same. (But never seems to have checked…) A screenshot of some of my comparisons is attached.

Incidentally, my current theory is that rendering a gamma 2.2 QuickTime out of Nuke seems to match closely with what my editor buddy sees in FCP on Mac OS X 10.6.

Meh, just frustrated. Needed to rant for a bit. Hopefully, the rest of you guys here in the pad are having a more exciting day. 🙂

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15 selected as semifinalists for VFX Oscar

Quote:

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 15 films have been selected as semifinalists for Achievement in Visual Effects for the 83rd Academy Awards®. In early January, the members of the Academy’s Visual Effects Branch Executive Committee, who selected the semifinalists, will narrow the list to seven. Those seven will go to the “bake-off” on January 20th where members of the Visual Effects Branch will be invited to view 15-minute excerpts from each of the seven shortlisted films. Following the screenings, the members will vote to nominate five films for final Oscar consideration.

The films are listed below in alphabetical order: Alice in Wonderland
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Clash of the Titans
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Hereafter
Inception
Iron Man 2
The Last Airbender
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Scott Pilgrim vs the World
Shutter Island
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Tron: Legacy
Unstoppable

The 83rd Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

BY FXGUIDE.COM


so , winch one you guys think that will win???
i think i will go with:
1st-tron legacy , (based on the trailer, cause i haven’t seen the movie)
2nd-Inception (it has the best history of 2010 for me, and it should also win best picture)
3rd-Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (i think they had really nice matte paintings and the dynamics where also great..)

Dreamworks comp department?

I came across a job add the other day for a Nuke Comp Supe which sparked my interest a bit. To my knowledge Dreamworks has always done its lighting/comp in their 3D package aside from paint fixes. What I am now wondering is if DW is in the process of migrating their pipeline towards nuke.

Is there anyone who can shed some light on this?

Cheers,

Web Series – Digital Matte Paintings – Model Construction

Western X – A sci-fi/fantasy western web series.

There are a lot of digital mattes used and model work. All the landscape shots were constructed.

The series is really getting a lot of attention with only 3 episodes. The footage shot was used to get investors involved for episodes 4-16.

http://www.westernxtheshow.com

You can watch the episodes individually on the YouTube Channel.

http://www.youtube.com/user/mflores57?feature=mhum

Please check it out.

New Softimage Modeling Video Starring Ubisoft’s very own…

cmiVFX Releases New Softimage Advanced Modeling Techniques Training Video
High Definition Training Videos for the Visual Effects Industry

Princeton, NJ (December 19, 2010) – cmiVFX launches its next highly anticipated Softimage Training Video…. or should we say "More than just" Training Video.
This visual adventure goes way beyond button clicks and tool locations, by captivating the viewers creative side. This video creation was designed to showcase talent at work. Featuring Ubisoft’s very own 3D Modeler, Sebastien Giroux, the journey begins with a simple polygon, and turns into a complex mechanical warrior right before your eyes. Edited for time, so that your not waiting around for answers to your questions, we trimmed all the fat and added a killer soundtrack to inspire the mood even further. When it comes to training, AND entertainment, there is clearly only one choice. cmiVFX! Say it to yourself or scream it from a mountain top. It just feels right!

When it comes to high end CG and VFX training, there is only once choice… cmiVFX!

Don’t forget about the cmiSubscription plan! Get one today. cmiVFX launched the most affordable subscription plan in Visual FX Training History for only $299 USD, and if you were a subscriber, this New Training Release would already be in your account. This video is also available a-la-cart in our brand new HTML5 player system. (WE JUST ADDED FIREFOX 4 beta SUPPORT!)

Softimage Advanced Modeling Techniques
http://www.cmivfx.com/tutorials/view…ing+Techniques

Blocking
Since the advent of new computer graphics tools like Mudbox or Zbrush, many new artist are missing the core fundamental principles of constructing something. The ability to solve problems when digital data doesn’t want to comply with the end user. Polygons, edges, vertices, all mucking about without purpose or proper parameterization is just not the best way to understand your job as modeler or texture artist. Sebastien takes you through a very cool way of building your objects in proxy so that you can understand the form for later retopology. Don’t mistake the fact that everything good in life comes in stages. Wether is crawling before walking, or in our case blocking before modeling details, recognize the journey for what it is and what it can do for you. Basically, DON"T PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.

Rebuilding
One a prototype is built, and tested for visual satisfaction, it can then be constructed for proper use. Just like a clay model of a car shape, it will need to go to tool and die. We show you how to rebuild your model with the proper geometrical parameterization that is required for highly detailed renderings. There is no fun in seeing jagged edges, unwanted creases, and odd moire patterns from poor surface generation. Sit back and relax while we show you how its done.

Details
It’s ALL in the details. This is what makes a Toyota turn into a Lexus luxury sedan. DETAILS. We wont be adding leather and 5 position seats, but we will show you how to increase the visual experience by detailing your models with topology enhancements. Each part should integrate accordingly and run smoothly as the eye passes over it. If you see an area that is just not as good as the rest of your model, then you know your missing detail. Watch as Sebastien solves intricate problems to detailing situations.

Accessories
Everything that humans know is accessorized. The very clothes that you wear, can be considered accessories. Our model needs some as well, and all the models you create will too. This section of the video shows off the modeling skill of a veteran production modeler as he banks every turn through to the end of the video. So many cool ideas will be popping up in your minds as you watch, that we wouldn’t be surprised one bit if you pause the video and start working on one of your projects immediately. Watch the finishing of the model and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing it completed.

About The Author
Sebastien Giroux has been working for 8 years in the field of 3D Animation field while residing in Montreal, Canada.
His career started in the movie and publicity industry and later switched to the gaming industry to give him a chance to diversify is skill workflow and optimize technical approach by changing his perspective on work with the help of his colleagues. He is currently a Modeling and Texture artist at Ubisoft Montreal and worked previously on actors/actress 3D models for movies like 2012, Surrogates and games like Dead Rising 2, Kane and Lynch 2. At a young age, Sebastien was passionate about the CG world. His main focus was to to keep a healthy balance between the technical and artistic side of his work. His love for his career made him always look for ways to push the bar higher and higher by looking for new challenges to improve is skill set.

This video is available today at the cmiVFX Store: http://store.cmivfx.com/

About cmiVFX
cmiVFX is the leader in High Definition Video Training for the Visual Effects Community. Register for FREE and receive hours of FREE content at the cmiVFX Video-on-Demand Player. ( http://store.cmivfx.com/login ) For additional information about cmiVFX, visit http://www.cmivfx.com. © 2010 cmiVFX | cmiStudios. All rights reserved.

hi there… about animation studios in london…

im a beginner animator (just finished studying) and i want to go to studios around london and ask for a job even as an intern or something like this, and i wondered if i should do it this way…i just thought it might be more effective way to get to talk to the right people instead of doing it online….but im scared some studios wont like it and it will eliminate my chances…. so what do u think people out there who works in studios or tried it themselves??:google:

* VIDEO GAMES July 6, 2010 | by Ross Miller Titanic 3D Confirmed for 2012 Relea

James Cameron’s multi Oscar-winning film Titanic will be coming at us in 3D when it gets re-released in the Spring of 2012. But is it necessary?


If you didn’t think Roland Emmerich’s disaster spectacle 2012 had enough destruction in it – and lacked a pivotal third dimension – then here’s some news you’ll be interested in. James Cameron’s Oscar-winning and box office behemoth, Titanic, will be getting a 3D re-release in the Spring of 2012.
We’ve heard rumblings for a long time that Titanic would eventually get a 3D release and more recently Cameron said the aim was to release it in spring of 2012 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the titular ship’s sinking. Now Los Angeles Times – in a piece celebrating Titanic actress Gloria Stuart’s 100th birthday – has confirmed the aim by saying that Cameron is, “converting the [COLOR=#999999 ! important][COLOR=#999999 ! important]blockbuster[/COLOR][/COLOR] into 3-D for re-release in April 2012, the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking.”

Now that we know that Titanic will be coming at us in more than two dimensions, it begs the question does it really need to be converted? Aren’t we overrun already with new 3D movies without delving more than a decade into the past and converting a film for re-release? That’s the way I look at it. However, with Titanic being the second highest-grossing [COLOR=#999999 ! important][COLOR=#999999 ! important]movie[/COLOR][/COLOR] of all time (behind Cameron’s own Avatar – he really IS the king of the world! ), I’m sure Cameron is confident it can add a lot more to its $1.8 billion gross, especially with the extra cost of 3D ticket prices.

The thing that bothers me most is not the fact that Titanic is getting a 3D re-release but that it’s being converted into 3D. Now I know that’s an inevitability – unless Cameron can utilize some of the Terminator time travel technology – but this will likely mean the crappy kind of 3D that comes from adding the extra dimension after-the-fact. Those of you unlucky enough to catch Clash of the Titans, for example, will know just how bad post-production 3D conversion can be. Yes it’s Cameron, the Avatar pioneer himself doing the converting, but still…
We’ve now gotten to the point where it’s not just new movies that are in danger thanks to the 3D craze – old movies can’t even hide under the cover of the past. Watch out Wizard of Oz…
What are your thoughts on Titanic getting a [COLOR=#999999 ! important][COLOR=#999999 ! important]3D[/COLOR][/COLOR] re-release? Up for sinking once more, this time in 3D or is this taking things too far? Sound off in the comments below.
Look for Titanic 3D in theaters sometime in April, 2012.

Western X Web Series Eps 1-3 Available Now

Western X episodes 1-3 are finally available to view on the website www.westernxtheshow.com.

This series utilized several different types of VFX. An actual model was made for all the desert valley shots, green screen etc..There is also an Introduction at the beginning, which I believe most of you on the forum might be interested in watching.

There is also a coming soon trailer for eps 4-16 right after episode 3.

Plus Vernon Wells of Road Warrior fame has come on board as producer and will star.

cmiVFX announces Autodesk Softimage Advanced Modeling Techniques Video for presale to

Hello everyone,

cmiVFX launches its next highly anticipated Softimage Training Video…. or should we say "More than just" Training Video.
This visual adventure goes way beyond button clicks and tool locations, by captivating the viewers creative side. This video creation was designed to showcase talent at work. Featuring Ubisoft’s very own 3D Modeler, Sebastien Giroux, the journey begins with a simple polygon, and turns into a complex mechanical warrior right before your eyes. Edited for time, so that your not waiting around for answers to your questions, we trimmed all the fat and added a killer soundtrack to inspire the mood even further. When it comes to training, AND entertainment, there is clearly only one choice. cmiVFX! Say it to yourself or scream it from a mountain top. It just feels right!

THIS ITEM IS CHEAPER TO BUY NOW DURING THE PRESALE. The price WILL go up on the day it gets released. The reason for the increase in price for this video is based on the cost it took to make the video. AND, there will be a BONUS video associated with it available later to people who purchase the video.

Softimage Advanced Modeling Techniques
http://www.cmivfx.com/tutorials/view…ing+Techniques

Blocking
Since the advent of new computer graphics tools like Mudbox or Zbrush, many new artist are missing the core fundamental principles of constructing something. The ability to solve problems when digital data doesn’t want to comply with the end user. Polygons, edges, vertices, all mucking about without purpose or proper parameterization is just not the best way to understand your job as modeler or texture artist. Sebastien takes you through a very cool way of building your objects in proxy so that you can understand the form for later retopology. Don’t mistake the fact that everything good in life comes in stages. Wether is crawling before walking, or in our case blocking before modeling details, recognize the journey for what it is and what it can do for you. Basically, DON"T PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.

Rebuilding
One a prototype is built, and tested for visual satisfaction, it can then be constructed for proper use. Just like a clay model of a car shape, it will need to go to tool and die. We show you how to rebuild your model with the proper geometrical parameterization that is required for highly detailed renderings. There is no fun in seeing jagged edges, unwanted creases, and odd moire patterns from poor surface generation. Sit back and relax while we show you how its done.

Details
It’s ALL in the details. This is what makes a Toyota turn into a Lexus luxury sedan. DETAILS. We wont be adding leather and 5 position seats, but we will show you how to increase the visual experience by detailing your models with topology enhancements. Each part should integrate accordingly and run smoothly as the eye passes over it. If you see an area that is just not as good as the rest of your model, then you know your missing detail. Watch as Sebastien solves intricate problems to detailing situations.

Accessories
Everything that humans know is accessorized. The very clothes that you wear, can be considered accessories. Our model needs some as well, and all the models you create will too. This section of the video shows off the modeling skill of a veteran production modeler as he banks every turn through to the end of the video. So many cool ideas will be popping up in your minds as you watch, that we wouldn’t be surprised one bit if you pause the video and start working on one of your projects immediately. Watch the finishing of the model and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing it completed.

About The Author
Sebastien Giroux has been working for 8 years in the field of 3D Animation field while residing in Montreal, Canada.
His career started in the movie and publicity industry and later switched to the gaming industry to give him a chance to diversify is skill workflow and optimize technical approach by changing his perspective on work with the help of his colleagues. He is currently a Modeling and Texture artist at Ubisoft Montreal and worked previously on actors/actress 3D models for movies like 2012, Surrogates and games like Dead Rising 2, Kane and Lynch 2. At a young age, Sebastien was passionate about the CG world. His main focus was to to keep a healthy balance between the technical and artistic side of his work. His love for his career made him always look for ways to push the bar higher and higher by looking for new challenges to improve is skill set.

New and Updates
By now, your wondering how many times we are going to change the website. That number is infinity. We are constantly updating and making changes, because the world is constantly updating and making changes. We are always breaking new ground with the latest technology and tools, while maintaining a consistent training delivery to our customers. Its not an easy job, so we are now opening our doors to the public for assistance. In the near future we will be asking you to update your user profiles in the account settings. By doing so, you will be given the option to apply for work for freelance contracts around the world. Employers and Artists will have a new connection based on the the largest network of independent CG and VFX artists in the world. We are updating some tools in our back end, to let you upload your show reels, upload a interview reel, and create a kick ass resume that will let employers find you fast. We take this responsibility seriously, and want to make sure those of you who are choosing Visual Effects as your career path, can have a steady flow of work coming your way.

Those of you making free tutorials out there: Get paid for your hard work. We are looking for self motivated individuals that know how to teach, and are interested in high end experimentation with hard to use software applications. We partner with individuals, software companies, college institutions, and government agencies. If your interested in something, or have a brilliant idea, email us so we can help you make it a fiscal reality for you.

All that being said, our schedule for December 26th to January 2nd will be very limited. We will announce our last new product for the month right before we take our first break in 5 years. We will give you the opportunity to catch up on our current video list so that your ready for the 2011 wave of product movement.

REMEMBER: If you make tutorials, make software, or need a job…. email us.
http://www.cmivfx.com/

thanks again and yours truly,

ChrisMaynard | cmiVFX