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Category Archives: Feature
602 articles found
Newton, the First Physics Engine for After Effects
Essentially, Newton turns each 2D layer in an AE comp into a rigid body within a new environment. You simply bring your comp into Newton's OpenGL preview simulation to set and control the parameters, then hit "Solve." So what's the big deal? If you tried to do what Newton seems able to do in mere minutes, you'd spend hours if not days trying to replicate the same effect.
Panasonic Releases New High-Speed Pro SDHC Memory Cards
Whatever you may have thought about recording your footage to SD memory in the past, there are some compelling stats and unexpected features inside Panasonic's latest line of high-speed SD (Secure Digital) memory cards that deserve a second look.
Scratch Drives VFX Dailies on Thor
Out of mighty Asgard comes word that Assimilate Scratch was used to automate the VFX dailies review processes on Paramount's hit superhero opus, Thor. VFX production manager Danielle Costa integrated Scratch with a FileMaker Pro database to assemble daily playlists that specified all of the media that was connected with any particular shot.
Secrets of the Boardwalk Empire Main Titles
Creating a visual metaphor that tells a sweeping story while capturing the feel of a particularly tumultuous time in history in just minutes is no easy task. But Imaginary Forces bills itself as a creative agency that likes a good challenge.
Iridas Updates, Consolidates SpeedGrade Line-up, Previews Lumetri
At NAB last week, IRIDAS announced SpeedGrade NX, a new version of its stereo-3D, dailies, and finishing tool that replaces SpeedGrade DI, SpeedGrade XR, and FrameCycler DI, rolling the functionality into a single product.
An Eclectic NAB: Dailies, NLEs, and Stereo 3D Are More Mobile than Ever
The 2011 NAB show floor was more eclectic than ever, hosting demos of single-body stereo 3D cameras and bleeding-edge DI tools alongside sexy glimpses of new Thunderbolt storage devices, iPad dailies and color-correction and, well, that makeshift tattoo booth outside the big Red tent. But if there was any overarching theme this year, it might be mobility.
Silverdraft's VFX Truck Rolls Into Town
Mobile production trucks for sports and other live events are common enough. But as tapeless workflows bring more VFX and post services on set or nearby, a newer breed of semi-permanent mobile lab is emerging. Typically these on- or near-set outposts are built-to-order satellites of a post facility or editorial house hired for the project. The latest version, pumped up on unheard-of mobile compute power, 18 wheels and five axles, is ready for hire and a drive to a film or television location near you. The
Sony's NAB Camera Lineup: Sensors Sell the Image
Sony is set to display at NAB a suite of targeted, feature-rich cameras based on its latest CMOS imaging technology. New HDCAM-SR decks and OLED monitors complete this high-res picture. Will the new gear fill a workflow void? Plus, an update on tape shortages in the wake of Sony's Sendai plant closure and how Sony employees are contributing to the relief effort in Japan.
World War Seven on Mini's 3D Monster-Truck Spot
If you want big branding, you want to see your spot on the big screen. And if you really want to make an impression, you want that spot to show in stereo 3D in front of 3D movies. The BMW-owned Mini brand employed that strategy for a large-scale cinema spot using ultra-high-speed footage to show a heavy monster truck gliding through the air above one each of the four different cars in Mini's product line. Mini says it took a crew of 120, including the stunt driver, to make the shoot happen. That figure includes stereo-3D experts Joshua Ferrazzano and David Shafei, whose World War Seven production company was brought in to figure out how to make stereo 3D happen on time and on budget. We talked to them about prepping for the day, shooting with Phantoms and Reds, and monitoring super-slow-motion footage in stereo.