George Lucas 1983 Vs. 2005

Is this Pixar parody a good parody for VFX peeps?

Is this prank good for VFX peeps?

What do you talk about OUTSIDE of work?

I sometimes finds myself in the position where my co-workers/friends will talk about visual effects, and when ever we are outside. Wether it be lunch time, or going out to the movies or to drinks, somehow the topic always ends up going back to work. And I find myself usually having to sway the conversation to another topic all together. Video Games. A concert they went to. A book they read. A movie they watched (and NOT talk about the effects). Or a girlfriend in their lives. Yet the topic will always seem to go back to work. Including such mundane things as how the last movie messed up the LUT and all our shots look like ass.

One of my friends in vfx told me he likes hanging out with me because I don’t talk about VFX outside of the office. And I while I think my co-workers/friends rock… the last thing I want to talk on the way to the movies is a roto shape that needs to be kicked back because it wobbles. I don’t even like talking about VFX after we watch the movie. I just want to watch the movie as an overall package, and the vfx should just blend into the story.

What about you guys? What do you talk about in your spare time outside of the office with your fellow VFX chum? Or are you guilty of talking VFX non stop?

books for technical directors (TD)

does any one there know any books for TDs??

Sand for a Miniature

I’ve been working on a miniature for a piece I’m working on and I can’t find a realistic option for a sand dune landscape. Any suggestions would be fantastic.

I’m currently using woodland scenics fine buff ballast, and it seems to be what has been recommended numerous times. As you can see it looks more like beach sand than sand from dunes.

I have attached a few photos.

Attached Thumbnails

Click image for larger version

Name:	Miniature_3.jpg
Views:	N/A
Size:	956.7 KB
ID:	8396
 

Click image for larger version

Name:	Miniature_7.jpg
Views:	N/A
Size:	817.3 KB
ID:	8397
 

VFXTalk Blogs

We are pleased to announce a new feature that you can use to help yor fellow VFXTalkers stay up to date with what you arre doing and any cool projects you are working on… VFXTalk Blogs!

This feature is in the mini header for now and will be moved into the main header one we make some space for it!

Take a look at:
http://www.vfxtalk.com/forum/blog.php

Siimple click on ‘your blog’ in the left column to view yor blog and use the handy ‘post to your blog’ button to post quick updates!

Since the blog engine uses the same wysiwyg editor that is used for regular poosts you should already be familiar with adding images, files, attachments etc

Let us know what you think and please try it out!

The Team
VFXTalk.com

Desktop Wallpapers – Got Any?

Hi,

I’v been searching for a while for wallpapers. Does anyone know of any good links? I’m looking for those neat backgrounds, CG if possible, but not exaggerated.
I’v looked on DeviantArt and Google Images, I’v found a lot, but none that I’v really liked.

Thanks, 😀
Zevie

Prime Focus Announces New Technologies and Global Brand Vision

Prime Focus Unites Worldwide Facilities Under Prime Focus Brand, Builds New Vancouver Studio and Announces New Asset Management and 3D Stereo Solutions


Prime Focus, one of the world’s leading visual entertainment services groups with facilities across India, the UK, the US and Canada, is hosting a gala event this evening at The Music Box @ Fonda in Hollywood to present its new global initiative and North American presence.

Prime Focus is announcing the transformation of its 15 global facilities, including Post Logic Studios and Frantic Films VFX, into a single global company under the Prime Focus brand. Unveiled at the event is the company’s new visual brand identity, which will be bolstered by innovations that include the announcement of CLEAR, a media asset management system; View-D™, a 2D-to-3D conversion pipeline; and a new state-of-the-art visual effects production facility in Vancouver.

Said Namit Malhotra, founder of Prime Focus, “The recent hires of industry veteran Rob Hummel and Academy Award-winner Michael Fink to oversee our post production and VFX operations in North America, along with our launch events in Mumbai, London and Hollywood, reinforce our commitment to the global filmmaking community. This rebrand represents the coming together of all our companies around the world. Our goal is to communicate our ability to provide entertainment producers with a Hollywood-caliber experience, whether they’re working at a Prime Focus facility in Mumbai, LA, London or New York City.”

Prime Focus is also expanding with a new visual effects facility in Vancouver, which will become Prime Focus’ primary VFX hub in North America. Designed to meet the growing number of feature productions coming to shoot and post in the region, the new Vancouver facility is four times larger than its previous space and able to house up to 200 artists and support staff. Located in the city’s thriving downtown district, the office boasts the most up-to-date technological pipeline, a 50-seat HD screening room with stereoscopic 3D viewing capabilities, luxurious client meeting rooms, studios for 3D, 2D, matte painting, creature and character animation, R&D and other digital departments important to an efficient workflow.

All of the Prime Focus offices around the world will be seamlessly interconnected via the company’s proprietary web-based media asset management service, CLEAR – a service which manages the entire lifecycle of content from production to distribution, and offers a secure, fast and reliable digital delivery platform. And through its “Worldsourcing” business model, Prime Focus is able to offer an expansive range of post production and visual effects expertise for projects of any magnitude, from character animation, digital environments, matte painting, fluid simulation, particle animation, and digital intermediate to custom R&D development via Prime Focus Software.

“We’re excited about what lies ahead as we embrace our new corporate identity and vision,” said Rob Hummel, CEO, Prime Focus, Post Production, North America. “The combined wealth of talent, resources and infrastructure of our global network of companies will enable us provide our clients, both in North America and abroad, with unparalleled expertise in digital post production and visual effects, tailor-made to meet diverse film, television and commercial projects of varying size, scope and budget.”

About Prime Focus
Prime Focus is a global Visual Entertainment Services group that provides creative and technical services to the film, broadcast, commercials, gaming, internet and media industries.

The group offers a genuine end-to-end solution from pre-production to final delivery – including previsualisation, equipment hire, visual effects, video and audio post-production, digital intermediate, digital asset management and distribution.

Prime Focus employs more than 1200 people with state-of-the-art facilities throughout the key markets of North America, the UK and India. Using its ‘worldsourcing’ business model, Prime Focus provides a network that combines global cost advantages, resources and talent pool with strong relationships and a deep understanding of the local markets.

Prime Focus is a public stock company with shares traded in the Mumbai and National Stock exchanges in India (Symbol – PRIMEFOCUS). Prime Focus also owns and operates Prime Focus London plc (Symbol – PFO), which is publicly traded in the LSE’s AIM market. For more information, please visit www.primefocusworld.com.

Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	PF_LOGO_P186.jpg
Views:	N/A
Size:	49.6 KB
ID:	8366
 

Prime Focus Launches CLEAR Media Asset Management Service

Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) has announced the launch of CLEAR, a web-based media asset management service to help film studios, broadcasters and advertisers more efficiently manage their content and workflows. CLEAR manages the entire lifecycle of content from production to distribution, and offers a secure, fast and reliable digital delivery platform for advertising and entertainment content.
PFT has also launched CLEAR Live, a video-on-demand (VOD) package and creation service which can deliver custom VOD packages from live feeds in less than three minutes to new media platforms – including web, mobile, IPTV and catch-up TV.

CLEAR is a customizable and scalable subscription service, requiring no upfront capital expenditure. Clients benefit from a single point of contact and substantially reduced production and delivery times and costs – across all media and at every stage of the process. It allows organizations to preserve content and manage workflows that span geographies, helping advertisers and ad agencies roll out global or regional print and television advertising campaigns. CLEAR provides custom support for client business driven meta data models, processes, workflows and applications.

“In the digital media world, the management of content, processes and interactions is key,” said Ramki Sankaranarayanan, President and CEO, PFT. “With CLEAR, such workflow items can be managed across locations and the platform is customized to increase productivity. This is particularly pertinent at a time when companies are looking to cut costs and generate new revenue streams, while changes in the way content is produced and managed call for increased collaboration and efficiencies.”

CLEAR ensures that content is available across time zones and geographies without the need for round-the-clock IT support staff. It’s built on open standards, enabling integration with in-house systems and software, and is composed of four main components:

Media asset management – CLEAR manages audio, video, images and documents in all formats including HD, 2K and 4K. Workflows, user management, content security and portal interfaces can all be customized. Distributed storage allows clients to share content across multiple locations, using high-resolution content for workflows in each location, and low-resolution proxies for search, browse and interaction.

Digital archivingCLEAR maintains more than one copy of the high-resolution content at any time, with one copy in the digital archive and another at a disaster- proof location under fire and earthquake resistant vaults. Content can be partially retrieved when just a small portion is needed.

Presentation – CLEAR’s web-based portal allows clients to search, browse and access content; review, approve and share content online; and create showreels and rough edits. It enables real-time input, status and tracking of campaigns at any stage of the process while providing a clear audit trail.

Digital preparation and delivery – CLEAR manages worldwide content delivery straight from the client’s desktop to email, mobile, iPhone, ftp, DVD, etc. Fulfilment services include repurposing, captioning, subtitling, language and quality control checks, and script and copy ‘transcreation’ in any digital video and print format.

Clients have the option of a completely hosted service, an in-house service, or a combination of the two with the archive stored at client locations while completely managed in a hosted environment and accessed over the internet.

Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) is a global companyproviding digital content solutions to media and entertainment enterprises, and anyone who owns audio/visual content.As these content owners embrace file-based workflows and begin to explore the multi-platform opportunities which are available to them, new challenges emerge. The PFT service provides a combination of technology infrastructure and ancillary services which not only provides solutions to these challenges, but also enhances collaboration, productivity and asset utilisation. Additional benefits include new and increased monetisation opportunities and valuable time and cost savings.

In addition to being market leaders in traditional content processing and library management services, Prime Focus also has over six years’ experience in delivering digital services to advertisers, broadcasters, studios, production houses and archives. Equipped with a scalable hosted digital asset management platform, a global infrastructure for processing film and video content, a unique distributed workflow model and an offshore delivery base in India, PFT counts amongst its clients some of the largest content owners in the world – including Doordarshan, Star TV, Getty Images, BCCI, Universal, Warner, adidas, EMI, MTV, BBC, Hindustan Unilever and HBO.

PFT is part of the Prime Focus group of companies. For more information please visit www.primefocustechnologies.tv

Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	ClearLogo_PMS312_305_BLK.jpg
Views:	N/A
Size:	61.2 KB
ID:	8365