Posted on June 28, 2024July 26, 2024 by Stacey

Director Mini -new from Magewell

Magewell's Multi - input switching, graphics, streaming, recording and monitoring device

Combining multi-input switching, graphics, streaming, recording and monitoring in one compact device, Director Mini enables a single operator to easily create visually compelling productions for live event coverage, remote production feeds and more.

New features include instant replay, support for live HTML graphics overlays, network bonding with Speedify technology and much more.

Posted on May 7, 2024May 7, 2024 by adminjaco

CTIAF 2024 Review

Overview of the 2024 Cape Town International Animation Festival (CTIAF)

The CTIAF (Cape Town International Animation Festival) got off to an exciting start with an engaging presentation by Autodesk. Thirty fortunate attendees were thrilled to receive gift bags filled with fantastic surprises. Roland Reyer, Autodesk EMEA Technical Specialist, took the stage to unveil groundbreaking features in animation and modeling within Maya and Attendees got an exclusive sneak peek into Autodesk Flow, which connects people, workflows, and data across the media and entertainment production pipeline for faster content creation in the cloud. Adding to the excitement, Annie Award nominee Animation Director, Andre De Villiers, renowned for his contributions to Disney+ projects such as “Moremi” and “Stardust,” shared invaluable insights into Maya Animation Workflow. His professional tips and expertise as a Character animator, spoke about Keyframe Economy and Andre gave us a peek of the studio library and current project with Sunrise studio’s “Young David “ these were a highlight of the event, leaving attendees inspired and eager to apply his wisdom.

The creative energy didn’t stop there. One of our esteemed M&E (Media and Entertainment) Customers, Polycat, wowed the audience with their creation of a captivating Noodle & Bun ident specifically for the festival. Their innovative work added a delightful touch to the festivities, showcasing the boundless creativity within the animation community. Modena M&E invited Chaos to CTIAF where they launched the Talent League- This is a worldwide talent & ideas accelerator. CTIAF partnered with Chaos and THU to host their regional finals with 21 cities in Africa. This will be held later this year in Cape Town. Chaos are open for applications now

Posted on February 23, 2024March 5, 2024 by adminjaco

Chaos Partners in Art

We’re on the lookout for fresh talent in the CG industry.

Struggling to get your dream project off the ground? Whether you’re an indie artist, a content creator, a student, or a researcher you can apply for a Chaos grant and get the resources you need. Take a look at some Partners in Art projects:

SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT

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In My Heart

“In My Heart” charmed artists and musicians alike, created by the almighty Brazilian duo, Pedro Conti and Fernando Peque.

The Leviathan

Internet phenomenon “The Leviathan,” from Ruairi Robinson, captured imaginations and grabbed the attention of Hollywood.

CONSTRUCT

Rendered completely on GPUs, Kevin Margo’s engrossing short “CONSTRUCT” is as innovative as it is captivating.

The Ningyo

Miguel Ortega and Tran Ma’s upcoming short explores fantastical cryptozoology and the search for a mythical creature known as the Ningyo.

Posted on January 15, 2024January 15, 2024 by adminjaco

Noodle and Bun’s Epic Journey in Animated World Domination

Noodle and Bun's Epic Journey in Animated World Domination

The Noodle and Bun series, the brainchild of Polycat Animation, found a home with Canal Plus+, a distribution giant in France. Beyond the digital realm, Noodle and Bun ventured onto the international stage as contestants on talent shows such as “France, Britain, and America’s Got Talent.” With a substantial following of over 1.48 million on YouTube, the duo has not only entertained but also ventured into the exciting world of merchandise. Currently, the studio is actively engaged in the creation of their animated film project.

Noodle, the mischievous wobbly cat, and Bun, the odd-looking Pug, embark on a new adventure in the film project. The narrative weaves through encounters with ancient evil, new friendships, and acts of kindness, all while navigating the humorous escapades that define their characters.

Polycat Animation faces challenges such as a tight timeline and budget constraints, all while working with a smaller team than typical for a full-length animated feature. Their goals revolve around optimizing the production pipeline, fostering collaboration, and creating sustainable, globally recognized animated film projects in Africa.

Autodesk’s suite of tools, particularly Maya, played a pivotal role in overcoming challenges. The robust animation toolkit in Maya streamlined the process, requiring less training and enhancing collaboration. The Autodesk Media and Entertainment Collections, coupled with their Arnold packages, not only optimized costs but also contributed to a more efficient workflow. The teams favorite features include the Animation graph editor, Arnold integration, Maya’s Rigging capabilities, Plug-in and Alembic support.

According to Wilgen, the M&E 5-pack Arnold packages that were included saved about 20% of the budget versus if they had to purchase a renderer separately. Scheduled for delivery in early 2026, the film will be 85 minutes long. Meanwhile, the ongoing Noodle and Bun web series utilizes the same software solutions, with the Polycat team producing an episode every six weeks. This dual approach showcases the versatility and effectiveness of their chosen tools in both short-form web content and feature-length animation.

The implemented solutions not only conquered challenges but set a precedent for future endeavors. Cutting-edge tools not only optimized workflow but also fostered a collaborative environment, proving instrumental in achieving artistic milestones. The success of the project lays the foundation for continued innovation and excellence in the animation production process

Case Testimonial: Noodle and Bun’s Epic Journey in Animated World Domination

Background: Having graduated with top honors in 2012, Roodt and Wilgen garnered recognition at the New York Film Festival for their exceptional graduation short films. The inception of Polycat Animation in 2014 was fueled by their combined expertise in computers, networking, and a profound love for animation. Their commitment to providing optimal working conditions for artists laid the foundation for a studio that prioritizes excellence.

Noodle and Bun’s Success Story: The Noodle and Bun series, a brainchild of Polycat Animation, found a home with Canal Plus+, a distribution giant in France. Beyond the digital realm, Noodle and Bun ventured onto the international stage as contestants on talent shows such as “France, Britain, and America’s Got Talent.” With a substantial following of over 1.48 million on YouTube, the duo has not only entertained but also ventured into the exciting world of merchandise. Currently, the studio is actively engaged in the creation of their animated film project.

Project Summary: Noodle, the mischievous wobbly cat, and Bun, the odd-looking Pug, embark on a new adventure in the film project. The narrative weaves through encounters with ancient evil, new friendships, and acts of kindness, all while navigating the humorous escapades that define their characters.

Challenges and Goals: Polycat Animation faces challenges such as a tight timeline and budget constraints, all while working with a smaller team than typical for a full-length animated feature. Their goals revolve around optimizing the production pipeline, fostering collaboration, and creating sustainable, globally recognized animated film projects in Africa.

Solutions: Autodesk’s suite of tools, particularly Maya, played a pivotal role in overcoming challenges. The robust animation toolkit in Maya streamlined the process, requiring less training and enhancing collaboration. The Autodesk Media and Entertainment Collections, coupled with their Arnold packages, not only optimized costs but also contributed to a more efficient workflow. The teams favorite features include the Animation graph editor, Arnold integration, Maya’s Rigging capabilities, Plug-in and Alembic support According to Wilgen, the M&E 5-pack Arnold packages that were included saved about 20% of the budget versus if they had to purchase a renderer separately.

Conclusion: The implemented solutions not only conquered challenges but set a precedent for future endeavors. Cutting-edge tools not only optimized workflow but also fostered a collaborative environment, proving instrumental in achieving artistic milestones. The success of the project lays the foundation for continued innovation and excellence in the animation production process.

Delivery and Duration: Scheduled for delivery in early 2026, the film will be 85 minutes long. Meanwhile, the ongoing Noodle and Bun web series utilizes the same software solutions, with the Polycat team producing an episode every six weeks. This dual approach showcases the versatility and effectiveness of their chosen tools in both short-form web content and feature-length animation.

For more information, please visit the Polycat website https://www.polycat.com/

About Poly Cat

For more information, please visit the Polycat website https://www.polycat.com/

Polycat is a Cape Town based animation and visual effects studio. With Corporate and broadcast clientele such as DSTV, MTN , Nestle and more Specialising in computer animated media for television, games and film; they pride ourselves on their quick turnaround time and high quality content. Polycat runs independently due to its access to Ultraware – their in house computer hardware department. Ultraware provides Polycat with all the hardware and technical insight necessary to optimize both content and production time.

For more images and video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRnPC02zDd4

Posted on December 1, 2023July 26, 2024 by adminjaco

Magewell Expands Ultra Encode Family

Magewell Expands Ultra Encode Family of Advanced Live Media Encoders for Live Streaming, Remote Production and AV over IP

November 16, 2023 — Nanjing, China: Magewell has introduced two new models in its growing Ultra Encode family of advanced live media encoders. Ideal for applications ranging from live streaming and remote contribution to IP-based production and distribution, the compact Ultra Encode HDMI Plus and Ultra Encode SDI Plus combine exceptional encoding and delivery flexibility with simultaneous multi-protocol streaming, file-based recording, NDI® HX3 support, 4K encoding at 30 frames per second, Power over Ethernet support, and advanced features for live production.

Ultra Encode HDMI Plus and Ultra Encode SDI Plus are available immediately through Magewell’s global network of authorized resellers and will be amongst the company’s featured demonstrations in stand 5E710 at ISE 2024, taking place January 30 to February 2, 2024 in Barcelona.

“While our core Ultra Encode models and flagship Ultra Encode AIO continue to be immensely popular, some customers want the higher bitrates, expanded formats, recording capabilities and multi-protocol simultaneous streaming of Ultra Encode AIO but in a more compact, camera-mountable form factor,” said James Liu, VP of Engineering at Magewell. “The new Ultra Encode Plus models fit perfectly into the middle of the product line, meeting these needs and making the Ultra Encode family ideal for even more use cases.”

The Ultra Encode HDMI Plus can encode at resolutions up to 4096×2160 at 30 frames per second from its HDMI interface, while the Ultra Encode SDI Plus encodes up to 4K at 30fps from the device’s 6G-SDI input. Both models support multiple video encoding formats and technologies – including H.264, H.265 (HEVC), NDI HX2 and NDI HX3 – and a wide array of streaming protocols including RTMP, RTMPS, SRT, RTSP, RTP, HLS, and TVU’s ISSP technology.

Video can be encoded at bitrates up to 32Mbps (62Mbps for NDI HX3), while up to eight channels of audio can be encoded in AAC format. Two concurrent encoding profiles with distinct combinations of resolution, frame rate, and bitrate can be specified. Configurable presets enable easy streaming to YouTube® Live (via RTMP or HLS), Facebook® Live, Twitch® , the Wowza Video platform (via RTMP or SRT) or custom targets. Ultra Encode Plus models can stream to up to six different target destinations simultaneously, including the ability to stream concurrently in multiple protocols. Inputs can also be recorded as files the device’s internal storage, an external USB-connected drive, or networked storage.

Ultra Encode Plus’s compact, camera-mountable metal chassis measures 4.2 inches square (106.6mm by 106.2mm) with a height of one inch (25mm). Integrated tally lights indicate program or preview usage of NDI® HX outputs in live production environments. The devices offer loop-through connections as well as line-level analog audio input and output, and can be powered via PoE (Power over Ethernet) or the included power adapter. The encoders feature both built-in Wi-Fi network connectivity and an RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet port.

Like all Ultra Encode models, Ultra Encode Plus devices can be configured, monitored, and controlled through an intuitive, browser-based web interface. Centralized remote management and control of multiple units is available through the Control Hub software. In addition to manual control, scheduled streaming and recording are also available through the web UI, while HTTP-based APIs are available for systems integrators and third-party developers to incorporate Ultra Encode Plus into their solutions.

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

Posted on December 1, 2023December 1, 2023 by adminjaco

Magewell Launches Director Mini

Magewell Launches Director Mini Portable, All-in-One Live Production and Streaming System

September 6, 2023 — Nanjing, China: For over a dozen years, Magewell has been renowned for its reliable and innovative video interface, streaming and IP workflow products. Today the company is expanding its portfolio with the launch of its first self-contained, full-featured production solution, Director Mini. Combining multi-input switching, graphics, streaming, recording and monitoring in one compact device, Director Mini enables a single operator to easily create visually compelling productions for live event coverage, remote production feeds and more.

Director Mini will make its global exhibition debut in the Magewell stand (7.A44) at IBC 2023 in Amsterdam from September 15 to 18, and will begin shipping this month.

Director Mini offers a unique combination of input source flexibility and feature richness in an exceptionally versatile form factor. Users can switch between two HDMI inputs and two USB AV inputs as well as three simultaneous live IP sources including SRT streams, RTMP streams or up to two NDI® HX sources. File-based media assets including video, audio and images can also be combined freely with live sources. Embedded audio is supported on the HDMI and USB inputs alongside a 3.5mm analog audio input.

Director Mini’s intuitive user interface is accessed through its integrated 5.44” AMOLED touchscreen. Users can define multiple scenes that combine live HDMI, USB and audio inputs with network streams, media sources and graphics, then switch or transition between these scenes on the fly. Chroma keying enables the use of virtual backgrounds, while telestration enables real-time on-screen drawing and combines with built-in scoreboard functionality to support sports productions. PTZ camera control is also available through the touchscreen, simplifying single-operator productions.

Director Mini’s touchscreen interface is complemented by the Director Utility app for iOS® and Android® devices, which provides remote configuration, audio controls, input switching, scoreboard control and more. The Director Utility can also turn the smartphone’s camera into a streaming source as a mobile input to the Director Mini hardware, further enhancing the multi-camera production possibilities of the system. Up to three mobile devices can be used simultaneously as sources to Director Mini.

Director Mini can encode video up to 1080p at 60 frames per second and bitrates up to 30Mbps, with a flexible array of output possibilities. Productions can be streamed using the RTMP protocol to popular platforms such as YouTube™ Live, Facebook™ Live or custom destinations. Live comments can be displayed while streaming to YouTube, Facebook or Twitch. The ability to output an SRT stream makes Director Mini an excellent tool for contributing high-quality feeds to an off-site location for remote production. Alternatively, the device can create one NDI® HX output to serve as a source for additional IP-based production tools. Its USB-C port can be configured to display the program output, user interface or a loop-through of either HDMI input on a connected USB-C display. Last but not least, content can be recorded to an SD card, USB flash drive or the device’s internal storage.

The compact Director Mini hardware features a 1/4″-20 thread for use with standard camera-mounting accessories and can be operated in horizontal or vertical orientation. The device can be powered with the included power adapter but also supports two NP-F hot-swappable external batteries (not included), enabling uninterrupted power for long productions.

“Director Mini is designed to make small and mid-sized multi-input productions extraordinarily easy for a single operator,” said Nick Ma, CEO and CTO of Magewell. “With support for HDMI and USB AV sources as well as NDI® HX, SRT and RTMP streams, it also gives users incredible flexibility in the number and types of inputs they can incorporate into their productions. We look forward to seeing our customers’ creativity unleashed with Director Mini.”

For more information, please visit https://www.magewell.com/director-mini

Posted on November 3, 2023July 26, 2024 by adminjaco

The Future of Architectural Visualization

The Future of Architectural Visualisation

Architizer, in partnership with Chaos, is excited to
share the results from a survey of architecture firms’
visualisation workflows and expectations for the future.

Artificial Intelligence:

A Disruptor Catching On Quickly

More than half of firms are already using AI to improve visualization

55% of respondents are either fully embracing AI (22%) or have begun
experimenting with AI (33%) in relation to architectural visualisation. Tracking
with these results, 19% of respondents indicated they utilize AI to create AI assisted or AI-generated visualisations. While that amount may not seem high,
it’s significant relative to just how recently AI visualisation tools have become
widely available, which in most cases is less than a year before this survey was
administered.

The 19% of respondents using AI to create architectural visualisations is even
more remarkable compared to a nearly identical 20% of architects using
augmented reality (AR) for the same purpose, since AR tools have already
been on the market for several years. This could be due to the practicality or
cost of using AR equipment or software, whereas many AI tools are relatively
inexpensive and remarkably simple to use. Either way, by comparison, the use
of AI among architects to assist with visualisations is taking off rapidly

Larger architecture firms are fully embracing AI more quickly than smaller firms.

While the percentage of respondents that have begun experimenting with AI is fairly consistent across firm size, larger architecture firms are fully embracing AI more quickly than smaller firms. This correlation could be a fairly straightforward issue of larger firms having more resources available for experimentation, although firm culture could also play a role. Small to medium size firms, for example, were notably more likely to say they’re actively avoiding the adoption of AI than firms with 100+ employees.

How is your firm handling the emergence of AI in relation to architectural visualisation?

Posted on May 16, 2023May 7, 2024 by adminjaco

CTIAF Creative heartbeat of Comic Con Cape Town

Cape Town International Animation Festival, the creative heartbeat of Comic Con Cape Town

Cape Town, 29 April 2023: The Cape Town International Animation Festival, in partnership with Comic Con Cape Town, delivered an engaging programme at the height of the festival at the CTICC today. Bringing together industry players, experts, aspiring animators as well as fans who just love to watch animation, the festival kept crowds engaged and entertained with special event-only offerings.

Starting the day with a Physical Theatre Masterclass, delegates learnt from multi-award-winning actor, writer, comedian and director Rob van Vuuren, who boasts a 25-year-long career founded in training as a physical performer. As physical theatre principals include precise gestures and body language, Rob shared his expertise of multiple characterisation, further expanding delegates’ knowledge on physicalising emotional states, the use of levels, facial expressions, groupings and specific body language, which they can now use in their reference videos before animating.

The Story Battle workshop offered a crash course to 50 participants in the art of visual storytelling with Triggerfish Academy in a 3-hour session where attendees worked in small teams, receiving guidance on turning a script into storyboards ready to pitch. In this crash course on story art development, delegates went from creating appealing characters in shorthand, mapping out beat boards, using a camera to establish cinematic mood, to gaining various industry insider tips. The last part of the workshop focused on finalising the boards, allowing everyone to leave with a portfolio ready project.

As a special treat to delegates, in a Comic Con Cape Town Exclusive, the Cape Town International Animation Festival offered a sneak preview of locally produced Aau’s Song, a film featured in Star Wars Visions Volume 2, an anthology of films, which will premiere on Disney+ on May 4, 2023. The directors Nadia Darries & Daniel Clarke were joined by the film’s producer Dianne Makings for an in-depth Q&A and the viewing of never-before-seen footage.

Along with talks and workshops, two screenings, Best of CTIAF, featuring some of the best short animation films submitted to the CTIAF in 2022, as well as Best of Animation School, highlighting the top animation films from the final-year students at the school in 2022.

“Being part of Comic Con has given us a chance to speak to people who consume a lot of animation and show them the behind the scenes of creating the work. We hope the delegates are walking away with a sense of pride about their country and about the industry and join us for FAME Week from the 4th to the 6th of September”, says Dianne Makings, CTIAF Director.

The final day of the festival will kick off with Simon Browne, Escape Studios’ (London UK) Houdini expert, who will take delegates on a whirlwind tour of SideFX’s Houdini software, creating anything from explosions, shattering rocks and concrete, generating terrain (and then driving a vehicle over it) to landing a helicopter in a dust storm, and even spilling a plate of noodles, demonstrating how Houdini’s industrial strength 3D procedural system empowers artists across the world to create some of the most exciting, animated images.

“This is going to be a fun and interactive session where we showcase the potential of Houdini software. I can’t wait to meet up-and-coming South Africans with a passion for VFX. Let’s see who comes up with the best plate of digital noodles and collapsing rockfalls!”

The screenings are a celebration of the partnerships CTIAF share with international film festivals in Stuttgart and Wales. CTIAF continues to create market access for local filmmakers with these strategic partnerships. Audiences enjoyed a selection of films, the best of CTIAF 2022 was sent to Stuttagrt over the same weekend showcasing local talent internationally. And the final day of CTIAF will screen films who’ve won ITFS Trickstar Nature Awards in 2022, and those regarded as the Best of CARDIFF.

Posted on December 15, 2022May 16, 2023 by adminjaco

Customer Success story for Autodesk

Customer success story for Autodesk Seal Team film

The Challenges on this project

For this film we decided to completely change our pipeline and create something that would work for artists. We wanted to leave the artists to focus solely on crafting the best artwork they could, and we would leave all the complicated heavy lifting to our tools. We implemented an ‘always rendering’ ideology, which means that at any point in the pipeline, we would be able to “build” a shot/asset and send it to the render farm and view what it will look like at render time.

Project Goals

Solution/s

In order for our ideas to work, we needed a database. Autodesk’s Shotgrid is a database with a front-end application that people can access anywhere around the world and suited our needs very well – especially as we moved to become a mostly remote studio

We are currently using Shotgrid as the core of our pipeline. Every shot has assigned characters/props/sets that our tools read and build with. With this mentality, production can add or remove assets, change shot lengths, and shading variants that will automatically reflect in the artist’s scenes.

Our automatic rendering uploads the latest versions automatically to Shotgrid allowing the directors to view increments and variations on the fly, or even render versions to check how current versions are working within the scene.

Business Outcome

Using this method does require every user to have a Shotgrid license, but the time artists are saving on recaches/rerenders and shot fixes more than makes up the shortfall of the cost to the business.

Conclusion

Looking back on this project, we’ve had a lot of ups and downs as we tried to break new ground on our pipeline. We’ve had a lot of different iterations, concepts and theories as we worked toward our goal. I personally am very proud of what we’ve achieved in our new pipeline. Without Shotgrid and its functionality I don’t think we would have been able to achieve it.

Posted on February 23, 2022February 23, 2022 by adminjaco — Leave a comment

Autodesk acquires Moxion

Autodesk Acquires Moxion

Autodesk has acquired Moxion, the New Zealand-based developer of a cloud-based platform for digital dailies used by leading filmmakers on some of the world’s most complex and challenging productions, including The Midnight Sky, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and The Matrix Resurrections. The acquisition of Moxion’s talent and technology will expand Autodesk’s own cloud platform for media and entertainment upstream, moving beyond post-production into production, bringing new users to Autodesk while helping better integrate processes across the entire content production chain.

Founded In 2015, Moxion has rapidly become a leading cloud technology player in the M&E industry, winning accolades that include an Engineering Excellence Award from the Hollywood Professional Association, a Workflow Systems Medal from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, and a Lumiere Award from the Advanced Imaging Society.

Moxion established itself as a leader in secure digital dailies workflows. The company enables professionals to collaborate and review camera footage on-set and remotely with the efficiency and immediacy required to make creative decisions during principal photography in 4K high dynamic range (HDR) quality and with studio-grade security, reducing rework. Data protection is paramount at Moxion, ensuring security with features like MPAA compliance, multi-factor authentication, visible and invisible forensic watermarking, and full digital rights management.

“As the content demand continues to boom with pressure on creators to do more for less, this acquisition helps us facilitate broader collaboration and communication, and drive greater efficiencies in the production process, saving time and money,” said Diana Colella, senior vice president media & entertainment, Autodesk. “Moxion accelerates our vision for production in the cloud, building on our recent acquisition of Tangent Labs.”“As the content demand continues to boom with pressure on creators to do more for less, this acquisition helps us facilitate broader collaboration and communication, and drive greater efficiencies in the production process, saving time and money,” said Diana Colella, senior vice president media & entertainment, Autodesk. “Moxion accelerates our vision for production in the cloud, building on our recent acquisition of Tangent Labs.”

“We look forward to combining the efforts of our talented team with the deep resources and wealth of engineering talent at Autodesk to give customers new Moxion features and integrations,” said Hugh Calveley, CEO, Moxion. “Bringing together industry leading on-set and post-production workflows will help unite data and increase collaboration across the production process to improve project efficiency.”

Aaron Morton, a cinematographer who has worked on projects including Orphan Black, Black Mirror, American Gods, and Amazon’s new The Lord of the Rings series used Moxion for several projects.

“It’s never fun when decisions are being formed about your work if the dailies aren’t the way you wanted them to look,” said Morton, NZCS. “With Moxion, it’s what I see on the set, and the decisions I make with the dailies colorist always play out so that production people and producers are seeing what I want them to see. The images are very true to what we see while we’re shooting.”

The Moxion acquisition expands Autodesk’s customer base upstream, moving beyond post-production to on-set production, a critical point in the film and television production process. This is when the bulk of raw production data is generated, and creative decisions are made that have significant impact downstream during post-production.

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Category: News