Puffin Designs ships Commotion for Windows NT and Macintosh
Commotion, the award-winning visual effects application, is now available for Windows NT. Commotion version 2.1 marks Puffin Designs' first release for Macintosh and Windows NT. This highly anticipated release is a direct result of requests from thousands of NT-based effects artists who wanted to use Commotion on their platform of choice. Both versions are functionally and visually identical, enabling users to work in either environment without having to find work-arounds for interface or workflow differences.
Vicon reveals real-time optical motion capture
Vicon has announced the latest in motion capture technology - Vicon 8Rt. The final reduction in the production pipeline has been achieved with the Vicon 8 system, producing accurate optical motion capture in real-time. This marks a significant breakthrough in motion capture technology as Vicon 8Rt is not a previewer, but actually produces full body motion capture data without the wait.
Silicon Graphics to reorganize and cut jobs
San Jose, California-based Silicon Graphics Inc. has announced that it willcut up to 3,000 jobs and spin off its Cray supercomputer division.According to SGI, the cuts and reorganization will help it focus on sellingsoftware and computers related to the Internet. SGI bought Cray ResearchInc. in 1996 for $740 million. Since its acquisition by SGI, Cray'ssupercomputers have competed with SGI's own powerful systems in a smallmarket. Earlier this year SGI reorganized and divided Cray off into a
CDIS to launch Visual Effects Digital Animation certificate program
One of the fastest growing areas of the booming entertainment technology industry is special effects, and with standards being raised daily by innovative uses in TV, film, and computer games the need for qualified effects artists increases. The Center for Digital Imaging and Sound (CDIS), a private technical arts college celebrating 20 years in operation in British Columbia, has jumped on the opportunity.
Don't miss this rare screening of experimental animation!
Dr. William Moritz, noted authority on experimental animation and visualmusic, will introduce a selection of 16mm and 35mm films from TheiotaCenter's collection of experimental and abstract films. The programincludes: a hand-painted film record from 1903 of a dance by visual musicartist, Loïe Fuller, the darling of Paris' Folies Bergère, a film record ofCharles Dockum performing live on the visual music instrument he inventedin 1939, the Dockum Mobilcolor Projector, HIGH VOLTAGE by James Whitney and
Pratt Institute begins development of virtual world research lab
Pratt Institute's Department of Computer Graphics & Interactive Media (CGIM) has begun the development of a Research Lab to explore the development of virtual worlds, stereoscopic 3D imaging, and other outside-the-box possibilities.
CGIM is also pleased to announce that Professor Claudia Herbst joined our fulltime faculty. Prof. Herbst's previous position was at the Walt Disney Company, where she trained the company's computer graphics artists.
Don't miss the US premiere of PERFECT BLUE
The US premiere of PERFECT BLUE, a 1997 Japanese film directed by SatoshiKon takes place at the Cinema Village theater. PERFECT BLUE is the story ofa soap opera actress who finds it difficult to distinguish between her TVpersona and real life. The film won the public prize for best Asian film atMontreal's Fant-Asia festival. The trailer can be viewed online atwww.sputnik7.com. The premiere takes place Friday, August 20 in New YorkCity.
Pratt Institute's extensive slate of SIGGRAPH 99 participation
Key members of Pratt Institute's Department of Computer Graphics & Interactive Media (CGIM) faculty and student body will be participating at SIGGRAPH 99 as follows:
Prof. Michael O'Rourke has been invited to conduct a full-day 3d computer animation workshop at SIGGRAPH 99.
Two of Prof. Don Ritter's interactive installations have been accepted into the Millennium Motel program at SIGGRAPH 99. The installations are "Intersection" and "TV Guides," described at:
Rotterdam calls for entries
The Rotterdam International Film Festival includes a shorts and animatedfilm section. The categories are Fiction, Documentary, and Experimental.The entry deadline is October 1, 1999. The festival takes place inRotterdam, The Netherlands from January 26 to February 6, 2000. For moreinfo contact Rotterdam International Film Festival, P.O. Box 21696, 3001 ARRotterdam, The Netherlands; Tel: + 31 10-8909090; Fax: + 31 10-8909091;E-mail: tiger@iffrotterdam.nl; or visit www.iffrotterdam.nl.
Post Graduate animation available at the University of the West of England
The six month Bristol Animation Course is now available at the University of the West of England, Bristol. It is supported by several animation studios in the region, including Aardman Animations. The course aims to train animators in the craft skills of character and performance animation, enabling them to work in a professional animation studio. The course delivers a Post Graduate Certificate in Extension Studies. According to UWE, 85% of past students have been employed in the industry. There are five places for 2D and five for model animation.
Cartoon Network supports college club
Gary Albright, vice president of creative services and off air promotionsfor Atlanta, Georgia-based Cartoon Network, has awarded The ClassicalAnimation Society of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) a $500grant on behalf of Cartoon Network. The society will use the money to helpfund its activitites such as last February's MULAN Event which included ascreening of Disney's MULAN, clips of various stages of animated scenes,and a workshop in layout design by Disney artist Bill Hodman. The Classical
2D and 3D animation courses available at Austin Community College
The Visual Communication Design department of Austin Community College offers a work intensive program in the areas of Graphic Design and Multimedia production. The two year Associate of Applied Science degree includes classes in Computer Production Art, Typographic Design, Illustrative Techniques, Graphic Design and Basic Drawing. The Applied Multimedia Technology certificate offers extensive training in 2D and 3D Computer Animation, Motion Graphics, World Wide Web Design, Multimedia Authoring, Interface Design and Photoshop Techniques.
Computer Arts Institute unveils revised 3D animation curriculum
The Computer Arts Institute in San Francisco is unveiling it's revised 3d animation curiculum for this fall. Courses offered will include 3D Studio Max, Character Studio, Photoshop for Animators, Animation Design & Storyboarding, VRML And Real Time Animation, 3-D Special Effects, Character Animation Workshop, 3d Texture Workshop, and PhotoShop for Artists & Illustrators.
Complete contact information for CAI can be found in AWN's Animation School Database.
Vicon reveals real-time optical motion capture at SIGGRAPH 99
Vicon has announced the latest in motion capture technology - Vicon 8Rt. The final reduction in the production pipeline has been achieved with the Vicon 8 system, producing accurate optical motion capture in real-time. This marks a significant breakthrough in motion capture technology as Vicon 8Rt is not a previewer, but actually produces full body motion capture data without the wait.
Toonz Animation India Purchases 11 Animo Licenses
Toonz Animation India Pvt. Ltd., a new animation production studio, has purchased 11 licenses of Cambridge Animation Systems' Animo 2D software. All the systems run under Windows NT.
"We selected Animo because it satisfies all of our digital animation needs, whether for commercials, television series or feature films," says Bill Dennis, president and CEO of Toonz Animation.
Puffin Designs ships Commotion for Windows NT and Macintosh
Commotion, the award-winning visual effects application, is now available for Windows NT. Commotion version 2.1 marks Puffin Designs' first release for Macintosh and Windows NT. This highly anticipated release is a direct result of requests from thousands of NT-based effects artists who wanted to use Commotion on their platform of choice. Both versions are functionally and visually identical, enabling users to work in either environment without having to find work-arounds for interface or workflow differences.
NEC Selects Oxygen GVX1 as Graphics Accelerator for Express5800 Workstation
3Dlabs, Inc. announced that NEC Corporation has chosen the 3Dlabs Oxygen GVX1 graphics accelerator as the mid-range offering for the NEC Windows NT Express5800/53Wc workstation series. Featuring Pentium III 550Mhz processors, the NEC Express5800 workstation line includes a wide range of products from entry-level to high-end systems that deliver outstanding graphics performance needed by most the complex design and engineering 3D applications.
Leonard Nimoy narrates new documentary film “The Story of Computer Graphics
Actor Leonard Nimoy, who has gained worldwide recognition portraying the legendary character Mr. Spock in the science fiction juggernaut "Star Trek," narrates the new feature length documentary film "The Story of Computer Graphics."
"The Story of Computer Graphics" which premiered Sunday, August 8th at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, will also be shown during SIGGRAPH 99 in Room 501 of the Los Angeles Convention Center.Screening times are: 9-12 August at 9 am, 10:45 am, 12:30 pm, 2:15 pm and 4 pm; and 13 August at 9 am, 10:45 am and 12:30 pm.
REALAX introduces RXscene 3D-Realtime Tool
REALAX introduces new modules and features of its powerful 3D-realtime tool RXscene.
The widely recognized and extremely easy to use 3D-tool allows the quick andsimple creation of 3D-realtime simulation. Existing 3D construction data can beimported in RXscene, combined with computation data using the RXscript-API,and simulated in realtime. The virtual test environment is ideally suited forDigital Prototyping and Digital Mockup (DMU). Different camera positions
Sierra Design Labs to demonstrate switchable multi-format video disk recorders
Sierra Design Labs will be demonstrating its industry leadership in switchable multi-format high definition and standard definition video disk recorders. Ultra SCSI and Fibre Channel connectivity, as well as 1080P /24 support will be shown for the HD1.5Plus. The new HDCAM-compatible HD270, developed in conjunction with Sony, joins the Panasonic HD D5-compatible HD360 disk recorder in Sierra's family of versatile HD/SD recorders.
Cambrige Animation Systems to show Animo 3 at SIGGRAPH
Cambridge Animation Systems will show Animo 3 at SIGGRAPH. This latest version of Animo implements a 3D backbone into the current Animo 2D system, allowing seamless integration of 2D and 3D animation. Animo 3 enables users to load animated model and scene files from 3D Studio MAX and Alias|Wavefront's Maya. Within Animo 3, 3D elements can be translated, rotated and scaled using familiar 3D tools as well as the existing 2D tools and filters; coloring effects can be controlled; and 3D models can be animated with the 2D components.
New AvatarBooth to start populating the web at Siggraph
AvatarME wants YOU! is the battle cry of London-based AvatarMe Ltd. at this year's Siggraph in Los Angeles. Unveiling its revolutionary AvatarBooth, the company plans to incubate hundreds of 3D avatars from willing public at the exhibition.
DataDirect Networks launches certified storage area network application suites
Leading the delivery of interoperable Storage Area Networks (SAN) to the marketplace, DataDirect Networks Inc. has introduced SANware, a series of certified SAN application suites that incorporate hardware, software, professional services and support to solve customers' unique storage management needs. The company's SANware Application Suites were developed as a turnkey solution to address end-user requirements of proven and tested SAN solutions that minimize system downtime and ensure smooth implementation.
Viewpoint Digital to show new Premier Catalog
Viewpoint Digital will be showing its new Premier Catalog and updated Library Program. In addition, Viewpoint will be featuring its new textures library as well as the popular Model Bank, and will also be demonstrating its Interchange 3D file format translator. For more information, contact Viewpoint Digital at www.viewpoint.com or via phone at (800) DATASET.
Conference on information technology set for September
What changes can we expect to come about in the relationship between humans and large data repositories? How will intelligent environments influence our access to information? Is there really a clear boundary between the artificial and the real? And finally, how will the latest innovations in Information Technology come together to help us turn information into knowledge that is useful and meaningful?
