“OpenGL ES 3.1 provides the most desired features of desktop OpenGL 4.4 in a form suitable for mobile devices,” said Tom Olson, chair of the OpenGL ES working group and Director of Graphics Research at ARM. “It provides developers with the ability to use cutting-edge graphics techniques on devices that are shipping today.”

Key features of the OpenGL ES 3.1 specification include:

Compute shaders – applications can use the GPU to perform general computing tasks, tightly coupled with graphics rendering. Compute shaders are written in the GLSL ES shading language, and can share data with the graphics pipeline.

Separate shader objects – applications can program the vertex and fragment shader stages of the GPU independently, and can mix and match vertex and fragment programs without an explicit linking step.

Indirect draw commands – the GPU can be instructed to take draw commands from its memory rather than waiting for commands from the CPU.

Enhanced texturing functionality – including multisample textures, stencil textures, and texture gather.
Shading language improvements – new arithmetic and bitfield operations, and features to enable modern styles of shader programming.

Optional extensions – per-sample shading, advanced blending modes, and more;
Backward compatibility with OpenGL ES 2.0 and 3.0 – programmers can add ES 3.1 functionality incrementally to working ES 2.0 and 3.0 applications.

At this year’s GDC (Game Developers Conference) there were sessions on OpenGL ES 3.1 where Khronos was showing the new kit.

“The certain future of graphics is mobile and with multiple advanced features the Khronos OpenGL ES 3.1 specification takes a significant step forward for mobile and embedded graphics; bringing mobile platforms closer in line with performance and feature set expectations of the very capable desktops and consoles of years past,” said Jon Peddie, president of JPR.

Conformance – Enhancing the User Experience

The OpenGL ES working group at Khronos expects to update the OpenGL ES Adopter’s Program to provide extensive conformance tests for OpenGL ES 3.1 within three months, enabling implementers of the specification to gain access to source code for Conformance Tests and to use the OpenGL ES trademark on products that pass the defined testing procedure. This ensures that conformant OpenGL ES implementations provide a reliable, cross-platform graphics programming platform.

“We returned yesterday from a week of meetings with Khronos members and key industry figures in the well-established Chinese smartphone market; and we expect to see an increased adoption of OpenGL ES in China,” said Erik Noreke, VP business development of Khronos Group. “There are a growing number of Chinese SOC companies providing the Chinese market with mobile platforms supporting high performance 3D graphics; and with OpenGL ES 3.1 they are able to continue supporting the growing consumer demand for high resolution 3D enabled devices.”

For more about The Khronos Group

The post Khronos Releases OpenGL ES 3.1 Uses Royalty-Free 3D Graphics API appeared first on Architosh.

“On Ender’s Game we hooked massive Houdini swarm simulations up to V-Ray Proxies and rendered the most geometry we’ve ever attempted at Digital Domain,” said Linghao Li, Technical Director at Digital Domain. “In one shot alone there were 333,443 ships on screen. 27 billion polygons rendered out for Deep Compositing and V-Ray handled it no problem.”

V-Ray 3.0 introduces a powerful new path-tracing engine (Progressive Image Sampler) that provides artists with instant feedback during the look development process. Essentially Ray 3.0 is faster allowing drastic changes in all physically-based lighting, shading and rendering. When developing character or creatures, the speed can be seen 15x faster hair rendering, improved Ray-Traced Subsurface Scattering (SSS), and a new VRaySkinMtl with built-in SSS and layered reflections. It even now supports MARI’s UDIM and Autodesk Mudbox’s UVTILE formats for users to incorporate textures from their favorite programs.

“We rely on V-Ray every day to help us craft big projects like ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Warm Bodies’ and ‘Noah,’” said Dmitry Vinnik, CG/Technical Supervisor at LOOK Effects. “Faster ray tracing and hair rendering is exactly what we need to turn around big shots before a deadline.”

01 – Vray 3.0 for 3ds Max and Maya now out. Both support dozens of new features.

V-Ray 3.0 has become even more versatile by adding support for common open source formats like OpenSubdiv, Alembic 1.5, Deep Images and OpenEXR 2.0, OpenColorIO, and in the near future, programmable shaders with Open Shading Language [OSL].

Blake Sweeney, DFX Supervisor at Method Studios says, “The built-in shaders and render elements give us solutions for almost every situation imaginable. For the rare corner case that requires something extra, Chaos Group collaborates and brainstorms with us to find a solution, and it’s generally included in updates almost immediately. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Chaos Group invites all V-Ray users participating in the beta to send in their thoughts on what would make for the best final product. For the complete list of new features and upgrades.

V-Ray 3.0 for Maya Public beta is available now for all V-Ray users- here.

The post Chaos Group Announces V-Ray 3.0 for Maya Beta
 appeared first on Architosh.

In particular they can now:

• Create any kind of vegetation, from simple grass to super elaborate hero trees
• Create vegetation by painting it, assembling simple building blocks, or completely graphing all plant properties
• Generate procedural geometry and materials of unlimited detail
• Animate all plant aspects using precise wind and breeze algorithms
• Export 3D vegetation to any 3D application as standard .OBJ, .3DS or animated .FBX
• Render stills and animations for compositing jobs or for use as billboards
  Expand their plant library through a dedicated 3D plant model store

The Plant Factory Nursery currently has over 100 plant species that continues to grow just like a community garden. Most of the plants available are fully animated with wind and breeze and contain health and age settings.

01 – e-on software’s Plant Factory is a wunderkid type of tool for artists who need to customize and create digital nature.

Artist can join the Cornucopia3D Brokering program to share and sell their plant content. With current TPF compatible products the entire Plant Factory product lines are available for all VUE 11 and VUE 2014 users and other e-on software applications are in the works. Any users of standard 3D applications such as 3Ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D, Lightwave, Modo etc can benefit from the TPF content with the use of the Plant Factory Converter, a simple affordable application the converts TPF to standard 3D formats.

For simple direct access to all Plant Factory contents, free or paid visit here.

For more info on the Plant Factory.

For more info on Cornucopia3D

The post Cornucopia 3D Introduces a New Community Garden appeared first on Architosh.

[Editor’s note: see also, Architosh, “Autodesk talks to Architosh about Octane Cloud Workstation: Autodesk Edition at Amazon,” 20 March 2014.]

An Autodesk and Mozilla Collaboration

Designed in collaboration with Autodesk and Mozilla, the new format houses comprehensive computer-generated scene data at the subatomic level for perfect rendering across mediums. The general update to OctaneRender also introduces numerous new features and flexibility for artists and animators.

Version 1.5 of OctaneRender is now available as a standalone client and also via OTOY’s Octane Cloud Workstation with updated plugins for 3D applications rolling out shortly. The new .ORBX file format improves considerably on traditional 3D formats such as .OBJ, .CAD, or .STL, going beyond storing simple geometry to include all aspects of a 3D scene, such as materials, properties, textures, lighting, transform hierarchies and cameras, all in a self-contained file format.

01 – OctaneRender 1.5 from OTOY offers many new features and new .ORBX format.

Unlike the Alembic file format, .ORBX was designed in close collaboration with Autodesk and Mozilla to be a flexible container for a wide range of uses beyond computer graphics, including video, 3D printing, holography, design and engineering.

Down to  Atomic Level Precision

The .ORBX format allows for incredible granularity, supporting the modeling of physical properties of a scene or object down to two hundredths of a nanometer, or a quarter of the size of a hydrogen atom.

OctaneRender™ 1.5 and related plugins allow artists and animators to perfectly import and export extraordinarily complex 3D scenes in .ORBX format across 15 modeling programs, appearing in the same final render quality as the program they were originally created in. The flexibility of the .ORBX format has implications for media and entertainment companies who can now effectively use their computer-generated assets and IP across a variety of mediums, from feature film and television development, to video games, web sites, and toy production for example. The format is expected to be open sourced in the second half of this year.

New Node System

The node system, an essential part of OctaneRender’s scene management and user interface, has been rebuilt to allow simpler management and navigation of all elements in a scene, particularly as more intricate elements such as Alembic or .ORBX files are used with greater frequency. Users can now seamlessly and intuitively group and ungroup nodes, edit nodes, and nest and copy nodes, while benefitting from a cleaner, more compact user interface in OctaneRender 1.5.

OctaneRender 1.5 supports the importing of .ABC Alembic files and users can set visibility properties for objects, useful for creating fade-in and fade-out effects. The new Time slider allows artists to scrub through the camera animations of Alembic files and version 1.5 now supports viewing of animated geometry and camera data with camera motion blur.

OctaneRender 1.5 has an  scriptable API giving users and third-party developers the ability to add functionality to the standalone edition, such as the creation of widgets, using a scriptable API based on Lua.

“The new version of OctaneRender introduces one of our most significant developments yet: the .ORBX file format,” said Jules Urbach, Founder and CEO, OTOY. “.ORBX solves the longstanding challenge of asset interoperability, not just among 3D graphics applications, but with a view to expanded use across a wide range of mediums. It presents an incredible amount of scene detail and complexity in a simple, self-contained, and versatile format, one that we feel will come to play an increasingly important role in the modern 3D ecosystem.”

OctaneRender™ 1.5 is available now for 199.euro or at no charge to paying users of previous versions. It can be downloaded at http://render.otoy.com/shop/

OctaneRender 1.5 runs on Mac OS X (10.5+) and Windows and Linux. Fully integrated products include ArchiCAD, CINEMA 4D, Lightwave, Rhino, Maya, Poser and many more, including SketchUp in development.

For more information on OctaneRender™ 1.5, visit http://render.otoy.com.

The post Mac 3D: OTOY introduces ORBX — Powerful Interchange File Support System appeared first on Architosh.

“…the world’s largest electronic media show covering filmed entertainment and the development, management and delivery of content across all mediums…”,

on April 7 – 10, 2014, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

What’s going to be cool about it?

There will be Digital Artists Showcasing the Role of CINEMA 4D in Visual Effects, Motion Graphics and Design; Booth Presentations Streaming Live on www.c4dlive.com

MAXON will address the changing workflow needs of creative professionals working in broadcast, film, and interactive media. NAB will host 3D industry expert guest presenters from motion graphics, visual effects and visualization fields. Many of which will appear at the MAXON booth main stage to share their insights on how CINEMA 4D helped to streamline workflow and meet complex production demands from films, to medical/architectural/product visualization projects.

Krakatoa C4D

Additionally, representatives from Thinkbox Software will showcase Krakatoa C4D, the newest version of its powerful particle renderer now available as a plug-in for C4D. Krakatoa is commonly used to create CG dust, smoke, silt, ocean surface foam, plasma, abstract images and solid objects in films etc. There is also rumor that Thinkbox will reveal their latest developments to Deadline – its cross-platform high-volume data management solution that can be used to submit Krakatoa jobs.

MAXON will kick off its 2014 NAB Show presence with its sixth annual “First Day of NAB” press luncheon on Monday, April 7th. President/CEO of MAXON US, Paul Babb, will provide journalists with company updates and discuss advancements in the 3D product line up. There will also be a showcase the CINEMA 4D motion graphics workflow on one of the year’s most exciting live broadcast events. The press luncheon is an invitation-only event. Members of the press interested in attending, please contact Vicky Gray-Clark, indicating name and media outlet for consideration.

MAXON MAIN STAGE: Guest Presenters at NAB 2014

Hazel Baird, an Emmy Award-winning design director at Your Mother Ate My Dog, will demonstrate the complex CINEMA 4D design and animation techniques she and her creative team used for the Emmy Award-winning documentary, World War 2 From Space.

Casey Hupke, VFX designer/animator and art director at Zoic Studios LA, will show the powerful features he relies on in CINEMA 4D with an emphasis on the X-Particles plug-in and the Krakatoa particle rendering application now available in CINEMA 4D to create unique looks for games, film and television projects.

Rob Garrott of Bendingpixels, is a veteran motion designer and content manager for video at Lynda.com. He returns to the MAXON booth to show an animated piece from his Cycling Science series to illustrates the X-Particles workflow in CINEMA 4D that address the aerodynamics of drafting.

Nick Campbell, the motion graphic and tutorial artist behind the online training and community resource for creatives – Greyscalegorilla – will again captivate audiences at the MAXON booth with his engaging presentation style to illustrate how CINEMA 4D can be used to create beautiful motion graphics in minutes.

Chris Schmidt creates tutorials and develops many of the tools from Greyscalegorilla. His 45-minute presentation will span a wide range of ‘rapid-fire’ tips and tricks from all areas of CINEMA 4D to include the Delta setting in Noise, using Sketch & Toon to create custom glows, and maximizing the potential of MoGraph Effectors with weight transform.

01 – Tom Cruise stars in Universal’s Oblivion. The film utilized Maxon’s CINEMA 4D software for some critical elements.

Jeremy Cox, a designer and animator at Imaginary Forces, a preeminent creative studio and production company, will demo the role of CINEMA 4D in recent projects, including the brand new South Park intro and virtual location scouting for a live action God of War commercial.

Kevin Aguirre, lead animator at Cake Studios, returns to the MAXON booth to breakdown two recent broadcast projects for the DirecTV Box Score open animation that highlights the use of several tools in CINEMA 4D including PoseMorph, Constraints and Xpresso. Techniques for creating a typical camera rig setup as well as camera mapping techniques for texturing will also be explored.

Brandon Parvini, creative director and Gabriel Perez, art director, at Ghost Town Media, will showcase nontraditional routes in the concept and design process using CINEMA 4D and explore the art of 3D scanning and acquisition on recent music video projects for Linkin Park and Swedish House Mafia.

Kanen Flowers is a filmmaker and oversees the creative content produced at That Studio. He will examine a range of topics that include the CINEMA 4D and Adobe Creative Cloud workflow used to create the teaser on the upcoming time-travel fantasy adventure film, 18:20. Kanen will also share tips and tricks on the project that included environment replacement, projection maps, bumpy terrains and character animation as well as collaborating with a dozen CINEMA 4D artists around the world.

E.J. Hassenfratz, multi-Emmy-award-winning freelance 3D/motion graphic artist, and founder of Eyedesyn, a resource for CINEMA 4D tutorials, will breakdown the creative process on several projects to highlight how he uses CINEMA 4D and Cineware in Adobe After Effects to create complex animations in a 2D/3D workflow.

Andy Needham, freelance motion designer and Lynda.com author, will share his experience breaking down projects as a solo artist and team member using the MoGraph toolset in CINEMA 4D to stay organized with layers, and more.

Jason M. Diaz, student technical director and Sekani Solomon, student creative director at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), will show how the intuitive animation and MoGraph toolset in CINEMA 4D made it easier for the student team working with FOX Sports to help conceptualize and design the animated opening concepts for this year’s Super Bowl XLVIII game-day broadcast.

Thomas Brown, founder and creative director at Vessel Studios, an acclaimed medical animation studio, will demo a streamlined approach in CINEMA 4D that is used to create high-end and dynamic cellular and molecular animations in cardiovascular pathology, DNA modeling and immunology.

Other guest artists currently confirmed to showcase recent work created with MAXON software include: Josiah Taylor – senior animator, Charlie Company; Michael Delaney – 2D/3D animator, Fusepilot; Athanasios Pozantzis – Noseman Productions and Brock Boyts – character animator and motion graphics designer, Brockoli.

MAXON will also be broadcasting a live online video stream daily from its NAB booth to audiences around the world with expanded coverage of product demonstrations, guest artist presentations and news from the show floor on its C4D Live website.

MediaMotion Ball 2014

There will also be a MediaMotion Ball 2014 on Monday, April 7, 7:00 p.m. – 9:45 p.m. (doors open at 5:30 p.m.) at the Monte Carlo Hotel. The MediaMotion Ball (MMB), celebrating its seventeenth year at NAB, is produced by the International Media Users Group (IMUG). The ‘must attend’ event is geared to digital production and post production professionals in the video production, motion graphics and 3D fields and is billed as “…a rare opportunity for people in our digital community to get together in-person and meet face-to-face.”

Las Vegas SuperMeet will be Tuesday, April 8, 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. (doors open at 4:30 p.m. for Super Meet Digital Showcase), at the Riviera Hotel & Casino. The Las Vegas SuperMeet reconvenes at NAB for its thirteenth year. Hosted by the Creative Pro User Group Network (CPUG), the event is one of the largest gatherings of postproduction and broadcast community professionals offering opportunities to learn about the latest technology trends, network and share industry news and opportunities in a fun and social setting.

Broadcast Education Association (BEA) Annual Convention – April 6 – April 12, will be at Las Vegas Hilton. The BEA works with the National Association of Broadcasters in creating the next generation of media professionals. The annual co-located conference attracts over 1000 attendees and features sessions geared to educators and students. MAXON will host a satellite booth at the conference.

MAXON Booth Hours

The MAXON booth #SL 8620 will be open during 2014 NAB Show exhibit hours, as follows:

Las Vegas Convention Center
3150 Paradise Road
Las Vegas, NV 89109
— Monday, April 7 – 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
— Tuesday, April 8 – 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
— Wednesday, April 9 – 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
— Thursday, April 10 – 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

For more info see MAXON

The post MAXON 3D Software Solutions and Creativity Take Center Stage appeared first on Architosh.

The suite of Augmented Reality (AR) products for Trimble SketchUp pre-visualizes buildings, materials, fixtures by allowing professionals to use their phones to effectively communicate scale and context. All of Limitless Computing’s SightSpace products now support SketchUp 2014.

Product Descriptions

SightSpace 3D: AR software allows users to virtually explore digital spaces created in Trimble SketchUp, the Trimble 3D Warehouse, and Google Earth. It is the only mobile app that loads SketchUp files (8+) in the native .SKP format. Annotate, bookmark views, take screenshots, and share notes and photos. In English, Spanish, French, and Chinese. Apple and Android versions available from 39.99.USD. The Pro versions unlocks more features (see below).

SightSpace PRO: This software unlocks the advanced power of SightSpace 3D with features and capabilities including connecting an external GPS for accurate AR, location markers for AR that are ideal for indoor use, photo markup and annotation, animated bookmarks, dimensions, and more. Apple and Android versions available for 39.99.USD/month; 199.USD/6 months; 399.USD/12 months, 499.USD/lifetime.

01 – Limitless Computing’s Augmented Reality technology powers three levels of mobile apps that work with SketchUp 2014.

SightSpace View Plugin and Mobile App: SightSpace View plugin can connect to any Trimble SketchUp digital model with a QR code for the ultimate mobile AR experience. When scanned with the free View mobile app, users experience the 3D design overlaid onto the real-world using the live camera feed of the device. View service starts at 39.99.USD/month with a free mobile app viewer.

For more about Limitless Computing

The post Limitless Computing adds Augmented Reality (AR) Products for SketchUp Community appeared first on Architosh.

“Readdle Documents — we love this app because it brings a wealth of capabilities to the iPad in general and also fills a niche in the markup equation between a tool like Revu–for drawings–and say Kindle for iPad or iBooks. While more hardcore annotation tools exist (see our excellent selection here) Documents provides the core basics you really need that are not drawing document specific. If they are–use Revu! (2190 reviews, 4 1/2 stars) Free”

That’s why Readdle has come out with Documents 5.

Version 5.0 has some new features such as a clean, flat and razor sharp design. Readdle has applied iOS 7 design philosophy to Documents 5 so that it fits the new iPad and iPhone.

01 – Documents by Readdle is a free iOS application that was highly noted in our Ultimate iPad Guide: Apps for Architects series.

There are of course many more good things about Documents 5 than just the new iOS 7 graphic look-and-feel goodness! For instance, there is a completely new File Manager. And Documents 5 works with Adobe PDF files stored on your iPad or iPhone.

Highlight Features Include

• Drag & Drop Files, anywhere Move files and folders with your finger to any destination: to the parent folder, to subfolders, combine with other files to create a separate folder. Even drag files directly to Dropbox or iCloud to upload them to your accounts.

• FavoritesStack frequently opened documents and folders on
 a sidebar for instant, one-tap access.

• Color Tags Attach color tags to files
 and folders allowing you to prioritize or simply give your documents a unique look.

• Background Downloads Downloading documents from online services like Dropbox now works in the background.

• Windows Shares (SMB) support Windows Shares allow you to connect to shared folders on your Windows computer 
and sync files between your iPad or iPhone PC.

• Add-ons

Add-ons extend Documents capabilities, allowing you to sign documents, fill in forms, print files and convert them to PDF and even scan paper documents.

For more info or to buy go to iTunes  to Download.

The post Readdle updates noted Documents 5 for iPhone and iPad appeared first on Architosh.

Winner of Short- Live Action: Helium by Anders Walter and Kim Magnusson

Winner of Short- Animation: Mr. Hublot by Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares

Winner of short- Documentary: The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life by Malcolm Clarke and Nicholas Reed

ShortsHDTM is the global home to short film. Since 2006, Shorts International has produced the OSCAR® Nominated Short Film theatrical release, distributing it to cinemas across North America and Europe. In 2008, Shorts International became one of the earliest iTunes movie partners, bringing hundreds of the world’s best independent shorts to the iTunes audiences years before the iTunes Movie Store launched. The films are now available in 54 countries worldwide.

Check out the 2014 Oscar Short Film trailer. Or if you want to see what select theaters are playing near you.

A List of Oscar Nominees

LIVE ACTION

DO I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING?
FINLAND / 7MIN
Director: Selma Vilhunen
Producer: Elli Toivoniemi, Tuffi Films Ltd.
Mother Sini wakes up in a panic: she has slept in and the family is late for a wedding. She wakes up her husband Jokke and daughters Ella, 6, and Kerttu, 4. They start to prepare themselves in a hurry. Mother is going crazy since nobody else seems to be able to do anything right. Who has messed father’s shirt, hid girls’ dresses and the wedding gift?

HELIUM
DENMARK / 23MIN
Director: Anders Walter
Producers’: Kim Magnusson, Tivi Magnusson and M&M Productions
Executive Producers’: Andreas Rostock, Lasse Marcussen and Henrik Gugge Garnov
A hospital’s eccentric janitor helps a young dying boy regain the joy and happiness of life.

JUST BEFORE LOSING EVERYTHING
FRANCE / 30MIN
Director: Xavier Legrand
While her children pretend to go to school, Miriam hurries to pick them up and take them to her work place. She explains
to her boss that she has to leave the region in a rush.

THAT WASN’T ME
SPAIN / 24MIN
Director: Esteban Crespo
Executive Producer: Jose Luis Matas-Negrete
The short film AQUEL NO ERA YO, written and directed by Spanish director Esteban Crespo, tells the story of Paula and Kaney. Two characters, an African child and a Spanish woman, who could have nothing in common, but will get to join their lives forever through a life-giving shot.

THE VOORMAN PROBLEM
UNITED KINGDOM / 13MIN
Director: Mark Gill Producers: Baldwin Li and Lee Thomas
Doctor Williams is called in to examine the enigmatic Mr Voorman, a prisoner with a peculiar affliction: he believes he is a god. The doctor must decide on the sanity of Mr Voorman: is he a faker or a lunatic? Diagnose him insane and they can ship him off to the asylum. But before making a decision, the doctor has several questions in relation to Voorman’s claim: why would a god choose to be straitjacketed in a prison, is there a way he can validate his boast and what has any of this got to do with Belgium?

ANIMATION

FERAL
USA / 13MIN
Director: Daniel Sousa
A wild boy is found in the woods by a solitary hunter and brought back to civilization. Alienated by a strange new
environment, the boy tries to adapt by using the same strategies that kept him safe in the forest.

GET A HORSE!
USA / 6MIN
Director: Lauren MacMullan Producer: Dorothy McKim
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ innovative new short “Get A Horse!” is a contemporary homage to the first animated shorts featuring Mickey Mouse, with all-new, black-and-white, hand-drawn animation that’s paired with full-color, 3D, CG filmmaking—in the same frame. Mickey (voice of Walt Disney), his favorite gal pal Minnie Mouse and their friends Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow delight in a musical haywagon ride—until Peg-Leg Pete shows up and tries to run them off the road. This groundbreaking short takes a sharp turn when Mickey finds himself separated from Minnie and must use every trick up his sleeve to find his way back to her. Directed by Lauren MacMullan and produced by Dorothy McKim, “Get A Horse!” is in theaters in front of “Frozen”.

MR HUBLOT LUXEMBOURG
FRANCE / 11MIN
Director and Producer: Laurent Witz
Co-Director: Alexandre Espigares
Mr Hublot lives in a world where characters are made partially of mechanical parts, driving huge vehicles, rub shoulders with each other. A world where the giant scale of machines and the relentless use of salvaged materials reign supreme.
A withdrawn, idiosyncratic character with OCD, Mr Hublot is scared of change and the outside world. His solution: he doesn’t step foot outside his apartment! The arrival of the dog Robot Pet will turn his life upside down: he has to share his home with this very invasive companion…

POSSESSIONS
JAPAN / 14MIN
Director and Writer: Shuhei Morita Producers’: Yasumasa Tsuchiya, Daisuke Uchiyama, Motoki Mukaichi
The 18th Century. On a stormy night, deep in the mountains, a man has lost his way and comes across a small shrine. When he enters, the space suddenly turns into a room in a different world. One after another appear abandoned umbrellas, discarded kimonos, and such spectral things. The man painstakingly mends these paraphernalia, which harbor deep-seated bitterness, and brings them comfort. “How well you served people before you turned to rags. Your rest is earned.”

ROOM ON THE BROOM
UNITED KINGDOM / 25MIN
Director: Max Lang & Jan Lachauer Producer: Michael Rose and Martin Pope
A half hour animated film based on the wonderful children’s picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. Room On The Broom is a magical tale about friendship and family from Magic Light Pictures, the producers of the hugely successful The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo’s Child.
A story about a kind witch who invites a surprising collection of animals to join her on her broom, much to the frustration of her cat. The gang ultimately saves the witch from a fearsome dragon, and in gratitude she rewards them with a magnificent new broom which has room for everyone. Featuring the voices of Gillian Anderson (Witch), Rob Brydon (Cat), Martin Clunes (Dog), Sally Hawkins (Bird), Simon Pegg (Narrator), Timothy Spall (Dragon), David Walliams (Frog).

DOCUMENTARY

CAVEDIGGER
USA / 39MIN
Director and Producer: Jeffrey Karoff
Ra Paulette digs cathedral-like, ‘eighth wonder of the world’ art caves into the sandstone cliffs of Northern New Mexico. Each creation takes him years to complete, and each is a masterwork. But patrons who have commissioned caves have cut off nearly all of his projects due to artistic differences. Fed up, Ra has chosen to forego commissions altogether and create a massive, 10-year project, his Magnum Opus.

FACING FEAR
USA / 23MIN
Director and Producer: Jason Cohen
The worlds of a former neo-Nazi and the gay victim of his senseless hate crime attack collide by chance 25 years after the incident that dramatically shaped both of their lives. They proceed to embark on a journey of forgiveness that challenges both to grapple with their beliefs and fears, eventually leading to an improbable collaboration… and friendship.

KARAMA HAS NO WALLS
YEMEN, UK & UNITED ARAB EMIRATES / 26MIN
Director: Sara Ishaq Producers: Setara Films and Hot Spot Films
‘Karama Has No Walls’ is a documentary film set in Change Square, in Yemen’s capital city Sana’a, where members of a heavily armed population set aside their weapons, and peacefully assembled in early 2011 to demand the fall of Ali Abdullah Saleh’s 33 year autocratic rule.
As pro-government snipers shot dead 53 protesters and injured a thousand more, the Yemen nation was shaken to its core and the masses flocked to the square in solidarity with their fellow citizens. The film illustrates the nature of the 2011 Yemeni uprising in stark contrast to the gross violations of human rights that took place on the Friday of Dignity (Juma’at El-Karama), marking a turning point in Yemen’s revolution. Through the lenses of two cameramen and the accounts of two fathers, the film retells the story of the people behind the statistics and news reports, encapsulating the tragic events of the day as they unfolded from a prayer gathering into a barrage of bullets.

PRISON TERMINAL: THE LAST DAYS OF PRIVATE JACK HALL
USA / 40MIN
Director and Producer: Edgar Barens Coordinating Producer: Greg Rhem Editor: Geof Bartz Senior Producer: Lisa Heller Executive Producer: Shelia Nevins An HBO Documentary Film
Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall, an HBO Documentary Film, is a moving cinema verité documentary that breaks through the walls of one of America’s oldest maximum security prisons to tell the story of the final months in the life of a terminally ill prisoner, Jack Hall and the hospice volunteers, they themselves prisoners, who care for him.
HBO’s Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall draws from footage shot over a six-month period behind the walls of the Iowa State Penitentiary and provides a fascinating and often poignant account of how the hospice experience can profoundly touch even the forsaken lives of the incarcerated.
The film debuts March 31 on HBO.

THE LADY IN NUMBER 6
CANADA / 38MIN
Director and Producer: Malcolm Clarke Producers: Nick Reed and Chris Branch
The Lady In Number 6 is one of the most inspirational and uplifting stories of the year. 109 year old, Alice Herz Sommer, the world’s oldest pianist and Holocaust survivor shares her story on how to achieve a long and happy life. She discusses the importance of music, laughter and how to have an optimistic outlook on life.

For more info: Official Site and Press Kit

The post For Film Lovers-2014 Oscar Nominated Shorts appeared first on Architosh.

Basically, you can make any grid arrangements with different clips of video or animation and even save it to a library of built-in presets. If you want there are border styling options as well which give you various options.

Download FREE Trial of AutoSplit or it Purchase it for 49.USD.

To learn more see informational video with man with british accent.

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Users are welcome to evaluate the software by downloading a full-feature 30-day trial version of LightWave 11.6

“The news of Softimage’s retirement displaces an entire community of artists who are passionate about their creativity and the software they use. We invite all Softimage artists to join the rebels, the independents, the artists and studios that push their creativity to the limits each and every day with LightWave 3D software.” said Rob Powers, president, LightWave 3D Group.

LightWave 3D is award-winning software, “Created by artists for artists.” It offers an end-to-end production pipeline for artists and designers to model, animate, capture, retarget, render, and input and output to 3D. Some features of LightWave 3D include:

• Modeling – Robust polygonal sub-d modeler with real world units
• Surfacing – Stunning photoreal layer-based and nodal surfacing tools
• Rigging – Instant rigging presets with or without weight maps
• Object Referencing – Flexible object referencing architecture or ASCII scenes
• Animation – Procedural, nodal, flocking and keyframe animation tools
• Rendering – Integrated state-of-the-art renderer with unlimited nodes
• Viewport Preview Renderer (VPR) – Interactive shading, raytracing, DOF, motion blur, lighting and GI
• Bullet Dynamics – Fast and simple rigid and soft body Dynamics Engine
• Industry Standards – Supports Alembic, FBX, Autodesk Geo Cache, Python, DPX, ZBrush Goz, After Effects, MDD, and OBJ

For more information go here.

01 – An animation screen shot of LightWave 11.6 (courtesy of LightWave 3D Group).

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This year the SmartGeometry Conference will be held at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, China, from 14-19 July 2014. The Workshop and Conference will home a community of innovators in the fields of architecture, design and engineering. SG has been hosting this in different cities across the world since 2010. This workshop/conference attracts attendees from academia, innovative students, and professional practice to come together and work on progressing Urban Design. The workshop is open to 100 applicants who get to come together for four intensive days of design and collaboration.

The event will be in two parts, a four day Workshop 14-17 July, and a public conference beginning with Talkshop 18 July, followed by a Symposium 19 July.

01 – Smartgeometry will host its annual conference and workshops in Hong Kong this year.

CHALLENGE: URBAN COMPACTION

Large cities like Hong Kong thrive on density and diversity lending themselves to opportunity in designing stronger proximate communities. Beyond the need for clear energy and limiting pollution, there are complex issues at play such as concentrating population and building infrastructure in contemporary high-rise cities. Cities like Hong Kong are complicated urban systems that depend on predicting ways that lead to good design and high quality urban environments.

The annual Workshop is organised around “Clusters”. In these Clusters participants will work together with a common framework of knowledge, tools, materials and machines.

sg2014 has an open call to submit proposals for Clusters

sg2014 TIMELINE

March 9 Sunday
NEW Deadline Call for Clusters

March 24 Monday
Workshop Applications Open

May 11 Sunday
Deadline Workshop Applications

July 14-17 sg2014 Workshop
July 18 Conference: Talkshop
July 19 Conference: Symposium

WORKSHOP: CALL FOR CLUSTERS

DEADLINE EXTENDED BY 1 WEEK

Smartgeometry has received multiple requests for deadline extensions from those rushing to propose Workshop Clusters. The new deadline is Sunday, March 9 at Midnight.

For those who have already proposed a cluster, they may choose to resubmit with additional information no later than the new deadline. Please email your amendments to 2014@smartgeometry.org

This year SG2014 is placing a strong emphasis on multi-disciplinary partnerships between practice, academia, construction, and especially industry.

Full proposal information can be found in the
sg2014 Call for Clusters PDF

For more information on Smartgeometry.

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3D Printing with AC3D 7.2.17

New AC3D features include STL support, which means you can directly preview and edit STL files from 3D printing download sites such as Thingiverse.

There is also a Ron Jensen plugin for checking the integrity of an object prior to 3D printing. The plugin checks for holes and open edges by selecting surfaces that are at the edge of the ‘leaks’. This new function is available from the Tools menu as “Select Leaky Surfaces.”

01 – AC3D is modeling application that works on both Windows, Mac and Linux and is easy and affordable.

AC3D 7,2 works with Mac, Windows and Linux but not all of the latest features are available on the Mac platform, sadly. Though what is missing isn’t the biggest thing in the world and doesn’t stop Mac users from enjoying what the program can do. (see directly below)

Drag and Drop to AC3D

On Windows and Linux (only) you can now take a model from your desktop, or from the Windows Explorer, and drag and drop it straight into AC3D. There are even supported texture files (e.g. jpg, gif, png etc.) that can be dropped directly onto an object showing the texture instantly.

02 – Sample 3D printed models from AC3D. Edymnion’s 3D Printed Tardis.

Some improvements have been made to the Tool > Hierarchy. Groups can now be drag/dropped to adjust the ordering and newly grouped objects retain the ordering–especially useful if you are editing large structures. Other changes include compatibility improvements and general bug fixes.

Important Update – 7.2.17

Version 7.2 has an important update numbered 7.2.17. For those who have purchased AC3D after November 2012, the update to version 7.2 is free. If you already have version 7.2.14 installed, then you need to remove it and install 7.2.17 instead. You can find which version you have from the AC3D menu item, typical of all Mac programs.

Key improvements include:

• 7.2.17 fixes a bug which caused AC3D to crash when objects were deleted
• It also fixes a problem with selections (when ‘Select-Through’ was unchecked)
• Vertex > Snap-Together — now moves all selected vertices to the average position
• Vertex > Snap-to-First-Vertex — a new function which snaps vertices to the position of the first vertex that was selected.

The Tardis Modeled for 3D printing shown above, brought to you by AC3D Forum

For more information see AC3D

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The fifth edition continues to introduce the reader to the full range of modeling tools including extrudes, sweeps, solids, NURBS, loft surfaces and 3D primitives. Pickup’s hard-copy workbook leads the reader and user through concrete steps and tutorials and is complimented with a companion CD-ROM containing video instruction files, plus exercise files and the entire manual in PDF.

The product is 75.USD and can be ordered directly from Nemetschek Vectorworks’ website here. 

01 – Jonathan Pickup 3D Modeling with Vectorworks book now at 5th edition.

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Dimenco showcased at NAB this year its technology that extends the capabilities of 3D content-enabling software and show attendees were very interested.

@DEPTH 2.0 Details

@DEPTH 2.0, based on Philips and Dolby technology, empowers content creators and post-production companies with a cost-effective (semi-automatic) and high quality offline conversion of existing 2D video content to any 3D content format that the user requires.

The way it works is @DEPTH 2.0 uses “depth maps” in order to create 3D data. These depth maps are grey scale images in which the user can bring objects to the front by coloring them whiter and can send objects to the back by coloring them a deeper grey.

01 - Dimenco of the Netherlands showcased its @DEPTH 2.0 software at NAB earlier this year. The program and service works with "depth maps" to create 3D stereo content from 2D film data.

In addition to converting 2D content, @DEPTH 2.0 is the perfect tool to edit 3D stereo-content. It calculates the depth information from high-definition stereo content in a fully automated process, using the disparity between the left and right images. This gives the user the ability to compose shots, edit the amount of depth per frame and render for different types and sizes of 3D screens.

Depth Maps Creation Service
Via @DEPTH 2.0 the user can make use of the fully trained and experienced artists at Dimenco, who can manually create the depth maps for the user. This feature allows the user to take full control over its budget and increase the speed of the conversion.

Using the @DEPTH 2.0 software it is now possible to order depth maps of the key frames for only $5. Simply upload your chosen keys frames via @DEPTH 2.0 and order the depth maps for these frames. The ordered depth maps are finished within 3 working days. With the created depth maps @DEPTH 2.0 will calculate the depth maps in-between, enabling high quality low cost conversion.

Customers can download a free 30 day trial version, try out the experience and provide feedback to the product team. The trial version of @DEPTH 2.0 is available via the Dimenco website. Estimated license per seat per year is $2500. Educational pricing as well as volume licensing are available. For more information please visit: www.dimenco.eu/adepth or send an email to info@dimenco.eu.

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Updates include access to Bluebeam Studio and added support for connecting to WebDAV servers. With access to Studio Sessions, iPad users can now collaborate on time-sensitive projects in real-time from anywhere at any time.

This addition further fosters the immediate value of iPad implementation in the field for architects and other AEC professionals who rely on Bluebeam’s AEC software products.

01- Screen shot of Blue Beam Vu for iPad (image courtesy Bluebeam)

Just in time for the Tekla North American User Meeting, this new version of Bluebeam exhibited during the show. To learn more about Bluebeam’s products for iPad and desktop visit them online. To obtain Bluebeam Vu for iPad app go to the App Store here.

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IMAGINiT was the first Autodesk channel partner to receive this title in the Asia Pacific region and is now proud to announce it has also earned this formal designation in the United States.

“Adding this designation to a growing list of specializations underscores IMAGINiT’s approach of investing in our professionals who are trained to work strategically with clients to achieve their business goals.” said Bill Zavadil, senior vice president, worldwide services at IMAGINiT Technologies.

IMAGINiT has invested significantly in certifying members of their team. IMAGINiT Simulation Specialists are trained to work with Autodesk products to help clients improve collaboration, design better and safer products, save time and reduce manufacturing costs. By completing the required curriculum and training, as well as meeting high levels of service and standards, Autodesk once again recognizes that IMAGINiT experts are trusted business advisers to their clients.

“This coveted designation bestowed by Autodesk reconfirms our leadership position in the North American marketplace. It demonstrates our commitment to advancing our manufacturing clients through the adoption of new tools that help predict, validate and optimize their designs prior to manufacturing,” said Bill Zavadil.

About IMAGINiT Technologies

IMAGINiT Technologies is a division of Rand Worldwide, advancing the way architects and engineers design, develop, and manage projects. Having clients in the building, infrastructure, manufacturing and facilities management industries, IMAGINiT is one of the largest integrators of Autodesk 3D design and engineering software.

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KeyShotVR

So what is KeyShotVR? Well, it’s an integrated add-on to KeyShot Pro that automatically generates the code for embedding interactive 3D rendered content into any website or company intranet.

01 - This watch is exploding out by component layer while interacting with it through a web browser (Safari in this case).

KeyShotVR works by generating the VR content (images) and the HTML code for integration into a website and also the Javascript code to support progressive loading of images. Any web browser that is HTML5 capable can view the 3D content with just a mouse or a finger with touch-based (think iPad) device. KeyShotVR is not WebGL based and therefore can deliver the highest quality images possible to the widest variety of devices.

You can explore the interaction yourself by visiting the URLs in the links to the images below.

02 - Another image of the interactive watch.

03 - Image one of an interactive shower faucet.

04 - Image 2 of the interactive faucet.

Moen faucet URL is here. Watch URL is here.

To learn more about KeyShot visit: http://keyshot.com/

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“We’ve redeveloped formZ based on our knowledge of 25 plus years in the 3D industry, but most importantly, on the feedback our users gave us, and with the tasks they wish to accomplish in their work-flow on our mind,” said Dr. Chris Yessios, President and  co-founder of AutoDesSys, Inc,.

01 - AutoDesSys announces formZ 7 official release during SIGGRAPH 2012. (image courtesy of AutoDesSys, Inc.)

The result of that major overhaul of formZ in version 7 is a new and leaner program with greatly improved ease of use plus more powerful features than ever. FormZ 7 combines sketching, sculpting and NURBS-based advanced modeling. It is both a surface, solids and NURBS modeler.

formZ 7 Features

Here are some key new capabilities in formZ 7:

• formZ 7 has a new intelligent smart user-interface (UI) that senses what you intend to do and protects you for unwanted actions. This includes automatic picking and automatic guides that assist you in drawing accurately.
• formZ 7 also is fully parametric and includes a “dynamic generator” for 3D forms that can be fully manipulated later at any time after their initial generation.
• formZ 7 also features a Reshape Tool that allows for real-time Boolean operations…offering more sculpting actions that produce robust solid models that can easily be fabricated
• NURBS Overhaul — The NURBS engine has been completely overhauled and now offers unprecedented power and ease of use. The new NURBS Analysis features aide in the evaluation and refinement of your design
• Components – The new components are enhanced symbols that include the ability to edit the component directly where it is placed. Components are also embedded in a project making them less dependent on an external library file
• Updated UI still is fully customizable and has a new Favorites Palette where you can drop in all your favorite functions
• New Workspaces allow the user to create related groupings of tools and palette configurations based on task types and work flows
• New unified environment for former drafting and modeling environments, allows for long-wanted dimensions, hatching and line editing within 3D
• There is a new Layout feature where sheets can be used to compose different views of a model and/sections with the ability to combine notes and dimensions
• There is a new Shaded Working modeling environment, added to traditional wire-frame, hidden line, shaded full and doodle rendering modes
• New Dynamic clipping planes allow for non-destructive cutting of models. This real-time dynamic interface allows for complete inspection of designs
• A new Sun Palette allows for sun studies at any time of the day with quick animation output. One can produce day long or year long sun studies in movie animations
• QuickTime VR is now easily produced allowing for Web-ready panoramic and 360 object movies
• There is a new Rhino import feature, enhancing interoperability
• Animation – models can be animated within formZ to produce movies for presentation purposes. Or they can be fabricated via support for 3D printing, CNC and milling machines

formZ 7 is priced at 995.USD new and there are competitive upgrade paths from previous versions or from Bonzai 3D starting at 295.USD. To learn more or download a 30-day trial of the software visit here.

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Autodesk’s Media and Entertainment division will be at SIGGRAPH hosting a variety of events and showing key software applications in the Autodesk booth. The company will be showing the latest extensions for Autodesk Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max 2013 software. You can also watch live demos from SIGGRAPH on Autodesk’ AREA website here.

01 - Autodesk will be hosting live streamed demos from its SIGGRAPH LA booth during the 2012 event.

Maxon Computer has just announced CINEMA 4D Release 14 a few days ago and the innovative leader in 3D will be showcasing this application to all visitors of its booth (#723). The company is also hosting an August special where any current licensee can upgrade to R14 for free with the purchase of a one-year Maxon Service Agreement.

Additionally Maxon has announced they have created a new Korean-language website for CINEMA 4D and BodyPaint 3D. For over 15 years professionals in South Korea have been using Maxon’s products in professional pipelines to create stunning visuals. Now these professionals can have information access to the Maxon.net website in their native language.

Also, Imagination Technologies (booth #522) made a some-what stunning announcement that OpenGL ES based GPUs will reach the one billion mark by 2014. Imagination, for those who may not know, are the folks who power hardware graphics processing units (GPU) for smaller devices like smartphones and tablets. Apple’s iPhones have had Imagination-based GPUs in them.

We have a full report on Imagination at SIGGRAPH here, including some interesting demos they are doing at the show today.

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By 2014 many of those 1 billion OpenGL ES conformant GPUs will be capable of delivering the latest capabilities of the Khronos Group’s OpenGL ES 3.0 APIs (application programming interface), thanks to Imagination Technologies’ industry-leading PowerVR Series6 GPU processors.

Research conducted by Imagination, whose PowerVR GPU technology is the technology of choice for mobile and embedded graphics, suggest that SoCs (system on chip) capable of supporting OpenGL ES 3.0, including products incorporating PowerVR Series6 GPUs, will begin to ship in products in mid-2013, and that tablets, smartphones and other products supporting OPenGL ES 3.0 will become a significant and growing part of a billion unit market by 2014.  Imagination is providing OpenGL ES 3.0 capable PowerVR Series6 GPUs to nine of the world’s leading semiconductor and electronics companies.

Tony King-Smith, VP marketing at Imagination states: “The future of graphics is mobile. With such advanced features as multiple rendering targets, instancing and more, Khronos’ OpenGL ES 3.0 is a significant step forward for mobile and embedded graphics, bringing mobile platforms another step closer to performance and feature parity with traditional desktops and laptops.”

Imagination’s Booth Showings

Imagination Technologies will be demoing new capabilities in OpenGL ES 3.0 API on upcoming PowerVR Series6 products, including:

• Leaves – featuring OpenGL ES 3.0 Transform Feedback, a storm of leaves swirls across the street as transform feedback is used for position and orientation of each leaf and then instancing, another key OpenGL ES 3.0 feature, is used to draw the high complexity leaves with close to 300 polygons each.
• Metropolis – featuring OpenGL ES 3.0 Instanced Geometry, this demo shows a high-rise futuristic urban scene that is rendered using hundreds of OpenGL ES 3.0 Instanced buildings and flying cars. Multiple Render Targets (MRT) are used to add atmospheric bloom effects adding to the cinematic feeling  of the scene. High quality anti-aliasing and anistropic filtering ensure top of the line image quality.
• Shrine – features an OpenGL ES 3.0 feature in Multiple Render Targets. An eerie night-time scene shows the benefits of Light Indexed Deferred Lighting using OpenGL ES 3.0 Multiple Render Targets. This advanced approach to rendering scenes enables up to 4 light sources per pixel selected from up to 1024 lights per scene.

Says Dr. Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research, “With Imagination already delivering PowerVR GPU technology designed for OpenGL ES 3.0 to many leading chip makers, it seems reasonable to assume that the market for such devices will grow at an even faster pace than those for OpenGL ES 2.0.”

Imagination will be at booth #522 for those who are at SIGGRAPH and want to check out these demos.

For more visit Imagination Technologies online.

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