KROMATH: Realtime Keyer/Compositor @iPhone Available NOW!

KROMATH IS AVAILABLE NOW!!!:happydevi

Kromath is a real time 3D keyer based in the same foundation of 3D Color space as primatte and some other high-end keyers do.

Also is programed over OpenGL and GLSL shaders, to allow a maximum performance on "low profile " devices like iPhone or iPods.

Kromath is capable to process chroma keys and make pre compositions over custom images, offering a frame rate over 20fps, for the real time processing.

So when you are using Kromath you can directly touch over color areas (on live video) to sample and pic the key colors and instantly see the key results, no render, no further process, everything on real time.

Also features a quick shape tool to create basic garbage masking, and add it to render tree of the keyer pipeline.

I`ve made some video captures but framerate is slowing down due to video being captured and compressed at the same time on my iPhone, but it could help you wonder the way Kromath will work.

This is a first release but im pretty sure that if this tool is useful and adopted by our community , we can make it even better and useful.

Take a look at this sample video :

http://vfxwarrior.com/kromath/videos/demo1.mov

And checkout Offical Kromath site (WIP):

http://www.kromath.com

If someone have good reason to ask for a promotional code, contact me at contact@kromath.com !!

GRETTINGS !

hassan.

Chinese VFX shop hiring ROTO/PAINT LEAD

Job Title: Roto/paint Department Supervisor
Location: Beijing China

Overall Purpose and Objective

Roto/paint team leader will be essential to Beijing based VFX subcontracting company looking to create a super efficient roto team. Individual must be skilled in honing the skills of junior artists and improving the workflow of the whole team.
This is a management position with heavy responsibilities!

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
– Develop training program for junior artists (teaching roto/paint and basic compositing in Silhouette and Nuke)
– Supervise large roto/paint team
– Analyze and delegate large workflow
– preview color-overlay roto checks while communicating with off-site clients.

Requirements
– 3-4+ years industry level roto and paint experience
– Experience as department head a big plus
– Strong interpersonal and communication skills
– Positive attitude and ability to direct a team under tight deadlines
– Must be hyper attentive to detail
– Knowledge of Nuke, Shake, Silhouette …roto and comp software a must
– Sophisticated shape creation and editing – teach
– Shape animation (by hand and with trackers) -teach

Very interested in candidates from India or Singapore.
This is an exciting job in that we are creating a new department, starting from scratch.
Multi-year contract with travel and benefits negotiable.
Compensation and responsibilities will depend on experience and qualifications.

Please send resume and simple cover letter introducing yourself to:
alittleredguard@gmail.com

WELCOME TO CHINA!

Capturing the Guardians

Capturing the Guardians

003_Canadian

Vicon House of Moves recently helped bring to life 30 animated superheroes for an NHL and Stan Lee venture known as The Guardian Project. Here’s my article at fxguide where I find out how they used mo-cap and the Epic Games Unreal Engine to make it possible.

Luma shows True Grit with the Coen Brothers

Luma shows True Grit with the Coen Brothers

Truegrit_featured

With over 350 visual effects shots, True Grit represents the fourth collaboration between Luma Pictures and directors Joel and Ethan Coen. Here’s my article at fxguide that takes a look at some of Luma’s key invisible effects for the film.

Python script button to grep a file on disk?

Any help would be great.

I would like to have a Python button to grep a file on disk and print the result in a sticky note.

Thank you!

Beautiful Hand-drawn Animation

The Octopus

facebook.com/octopusfilm

I’ll say no more than this…so far three people have broken down in tears after seeing it.

Its that bad. Ha, just kidding.

Looking for reviews, criticisms, people interested in screening, and people interested in giving me money to make another one…as if!

Thanks..

Mi Utilizes Craft Director Studio to Create Trailer for “NASCAR The Game 2011″

The promotional video game trailer may indeed be the most important aspect of a video game package. Created to link potential players to the overall story line, cinematics and features of a game, the trailer itself serves as the first impression. So, why shouldn’t an animated trailer be completed in the same way the product is intended to be played?

Manchester-based animation and visual effects studio Mi took this exact approach while creating the fully CG trailer for Activision’s NASCAR The Game 2011. Integrating Craft Animations’ Craft Director Studio (CDS) toolset, Mi was able to animate over 40 NASCAR cars involved in the trailer using an Xbox controller. Based on cutting-edge research in autonomous control systems, CDS tools simulate the complex physical behavior of 3D vehicles and cameras in real-time. Their ability to be controlled by various input devices such as video game controllers, 3D mice and interactive pens, adds a high degree of control, while eliminating the time-consuming tasks of keyframing, scripting and rigging.

“Not only did CDS make animating as fun as actually playing the game, the tools themselves provide a very high level of control which adds even more realism and quality to our end product,” says Mi Technical Director, Gareth Thatcher. “We were able to create shots from day one, immediately experiencing time and cost savings.”

Combined with both Autodesk 3ds Max and Autodesk Maya, Mi utilized the CDS 4-Wheel Extended tool in Autonomous mode to simulate the dozens of race cars running in formation at approximately 190 mph over the one-mile Dover NASCAR track. For the hero cars, Thatcher’s team layered keyframe animation using relocators, or proprietary custom rigs, in order to achieve precise control of the car’s placement. “CDS allowed us to simulate every car as it rounded the track, and we were able to reuse that simulation in every shot, therefore, parameter changers were quick and painless,” says Thatcher. “When compared with traditional animation processes, I estimate that CDS saved us around 60% of our animation overhead. CDS has proved to be a brilliant tool for us and we are already putting it to use on our new stereoscopic race car project.

About Craft Animations
Founded in 2006 and based in Gothenburg, Sweden, Craft AnimationsTM AB is a leading developer of a new era of professional real-time 3D animation technology, Craft Director Studio™ (CDS). Based on cutting-edge research in autonomous control systems, CDS and its add-ons simulate the complex physical behavior of cameras and 3D vehicles such as helicopters, cars, airplanes, boats and motorcycles. Utilized by high-profile companies worldwide such as Disney, Pixar, NAMCO BANDAI, Lockheed Martin, Ford and Toyota; CDS streamlines production, enhances realism and increases creativity for users in the visual effects, game development, forensic reconstruction and architectural design industries.

For more information, please visit www.craftanimations.com.

About Mi
We are Mi. We produce outstanding imagery, animation and visual effects from our Manchester studio.

If you work with digital imagery you can now create anything you can imagine. The creative opportunities open to you are endless. We are an award winning animation and visual effects production studio. Our staff have been creating outstanding digital imagery for nearly 10 years. We are part of a new era of digital possibilities.

Our clients include Activision, BBC, Distiller Records, Eutechnyx, Land Securities, Marketing Manchester and many others.

We work with advertising agencies, games companies, production companies, record companies, property developers, architects and Tv companies.

We have the technology and expertise to achieve incredible results for you, and a clear staged working system – Mi Method – which simplifies what can be a complex process.

For more information, please visit www.wearemi.com.

OptiTrack Introduces V120:Duo and V120:Trio Tracking Bars for Desktop Motion Capture

As the role of motion capture in virtual production expands, OptiTrack™ continues to offer game developers and animation studios optical tracking technology that is priced to meet an independent budget, but powerful enough to drive AAA development. GDC 2011 marks the release of a new advancement in accessible motion capture: the OptiTrack V120: Duo and V120:Trio tracking systems.

Designed for desktop-friendly motion capture, the Duo and Trio offer the power of multi-camera, six degrees of freedom (DOF) object tracking in a single, plug-and-play package. Each tracking system is self-contained and factory calibrated for out-of-the-box tracking that is simple to use, but still offers the leading accuracy and flexibility of optical tracking technology.

“As game developers are increasingly under pressure to create compelling content within shorter development cycles, motion capture technology offers animators a tool for rapid, realistic content creation,” said Jim Richardson, NaturalPoint® president and OptiTrack’s lead engineer. “But only OptiTrack provides that production efficiency at a price that is accessible to studios of all sizes. And with our new tracking bars, we are offering users our most affordable and convenient motion capture system to date.”

Additional Features
– Free license of Tracking Tools™ motion tracking software (a savings of $799)
– Compatibility with OptiTrack’s Insight VCS virtual camera plugins
– Simple I/O, with a single cable for power and data transmission
– Stream (VRPN, trackd, NatNet) or save (.C3D, .CSV) motion capture data
– External sync in/out via the included I/O-X sync box, for compatibility with shutter glasses and other hardware devices
– Support for OEM integration via the Tracking Tools API

Key Specifications:

V120: Duo
– Resolution: 640 × 480 × 2
– Frame Rate: 120 FPS
– Lens FOV: 56°
– Interface: USB 2.0

V120:Trio
– Resolution: 640 × 480 × 3
– Frame Rate: 120 FPS
– Lens FOV: 56°
– Interface: USB 2.0

Pricing and Availability
Live, hands-on demonstrations of the V120:Trio as part of a virtual camera pipeline will be available at the OptiTrack GDC booth (#1132) from March 2-4, 2011 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, Calif.

The V120: Duo and V120:Trio will ship in Q2 2011, and are priced at $1,499 and $1,999.

About OptiTrack
OptiTrack™ is the leading brand of affordable, high-performance motion capture technology. The OptiTrack product line includes motion capture software, high speed tracking cameras, the Insight VCS virtual camera system and the GEARS golf performance measurement system. Used by facilities worldwide in a variety of markets ranging from film and games to sports training and biomechanics, OptiTrack customers include Under Armour, Halon Entertainment, Nvizage, Electronic Arts, Microsoft Game Studios, Method Studios, Lockheed Martin, NASA, John Deere and other top studios and developers around the world.

OptiTrack products are manufactured by NaturalPoint®, one of the foremost companies specializing in optical tracking technology. For more information, visit www.optitrack.com.

About NaturalPoint
Based in Corvallis, Ore., NaturalPoint® is the creator and manufacturer of the OptiTrack™, TrackIR™ and SmartNAV™ family of brands. NaturalPoint specializes in providing innovative control solutions through optical tracking technology, and has developed tracking systems for computers, video games, military simulators and unique display systems. For more information, visit www.naturalpoint.com.

Sky 360: Stereo Film

MPC has joined forces with Sky Creative to create a stunning stereo campaign to promote their film channel

Mi utilizes CDS in trailer of Nascar

Now, Animating is as Fun as Playing the Game; Complex, Yet Easy-to-use Toolset Allows Real-time Animation Using Xbox Controllers