News from CGW.com

Video Game Museum Seeks Further Funding

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

OAKLAND, CA — The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment (The MADE) has kicked off its second fundraising campaign, with the goal of raising $20,000 to fund the operation for another six months.

Warren Spector To Receive Lifetime Achievement Award

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Deus Ex game director and producer, and Disney Epic Mickey creator Warren Spector will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 12th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards (www.gamechoiceawards.com) for his contributions to the art and science of games. The Game Developers Choice Awards are peer-based video game industry awards celebrating the industry's top games and developers.

Co3 Grades 'Underworld: Awakening'

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

SANTA MONICA — Company 3, here, recently used DaVinci Resolve with Resolve Control Surface for color grading the 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D versions of Underworld: Awakening. The film is the latest in the popular vampire series and was directed by Mårlind and Stein and shot by Scott Kevan.

Digital Domain Takes On UFC

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Zuffa, LLC, owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) brand, called on Digital Domain to create a new show open that will debut during the February 4th Pay-Per-View event, UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit.

CG In Asia

Karen Moltenbrey — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

For decades, SIGGRAPH has been the popular destination for those working in the computer graphics fields. Indeed, attendees to this popular conference and exhibition have come from the four corners of the world to learn, participate, and share. Starting a few years ago, ACM SIGGRAPH began holding SIGGRAPH Asia, bringing the excitement and information surrounding the event to the Asian communities.

Digital Domain Appoints Lipman VP Of Feature VFX

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

VENICE, CA — Digital Domain Productions (www.digitaldomain.com) has named David Lipman vice president of features visual effects production. The 30-year industry veteran has served as an executive at DreamWorks Animation, Framestore and USAnimation, and brings expertise in visual effects, animation, production and development.

COPA Launches, Brings Together Top VFX Talent

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES — VFX pros Vico Sharabani (right) and Alex Frisch (left) are launching COPA (Co-Op of Artists), a global collective of VFX artists working in the commercial and feature film space. COPA is a network of connected hubs in strategic cities around the world, though its headquarters are based in New York and Los Angeles.

There Bases Business Around Digital Sets

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

NEW YORK — Production veterans Elliott and Taylor Jobe have launched There (www.hellothere.tv), a new digital production company specializing in the capture and seamless compositing of digital sets with greenscreen production. The pair bring together 15 years experience in VFX and production. The goal of There is to provide an alternative to traditional location-based production.

HPA Tech Retreat Lineup Announced

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES — The Hollywood Post Alliance has announced the lineup for its HPA Tech Retreat, set to take place February 13-17 at the Hyatt Grand Champions in Indian Wells, CA.

Zoic Helps Jeep Battle Winter

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Zoic Studios, director Loni Peristere and Global Hue have completed two national spots for Jeep that show how the automaker’s Wrangler is equipped to take on winter.

Final Oscar Ballots Mailed

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

BEVERLY HILLS — Final ballots for the 84th Academy Awards were mailed on February 1 to the 5,783 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Completed ballots must be returned to PricewaterhouseCoopers by 5pm on Tuesday, February 21.

GDC Offering Early-Bird Rates, Reveals Schedule Highlights

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The Game Developers Conference (www.gdconf.com) will take place from March 5-9 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. Early Bird rates offer a savings up to 35 percent on full pass prices, but the deal ends tomorrow, February 2.

MPC Takes To The Streets With Chevy Volt

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

As the Chevrolet Volt moves into the mainstream American conscience, it is transporting its home base of Hamtramck, Mich. with it. MPC, teaming up with Director Nick Gordon and Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, captures the rejuvenated spirit of this proud Midwestern town behind a flawless blend of photoreal VFX and documentary-style footage of the city.

CG Used To Illustrate Graphene Ripping

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

HOUSTON — Research from Rice University and the University of California at Berkeley may give science and industry a new way to manipulate graphene, the wonder material expected to play a role in advanced electronic, mechanical and thermal applications.

Artists Embraces LightWave To Begin Film Career

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

"Abiogenesis was a labor of love. A doodle taken to the nth degree," says artist Richard Mans, describing his first animated short film. After spending several years as a freelance animator, Mans wanted more. He wanted to create art with meaning.

Pixomondo creates 546 VFX for 'Red Tails'

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Pixomondo (www.pixomondo.com), an international visual effects company with a network of 11 facilities throughout the world, recently completed work on 546 of the 1,524 VFX shots features in the new George Lucas movie, Red Tails.

Smith Micro & Wacom Partner On Multi-Touch Solution

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

ALISO VIEJO, CA — Smith Micro Software, Inc. Productivity and Graphics Group and Wacom Americas (www.wacom.com) have formed a partnership to bring the ease of multi-touch functionality to animators and digital artists.

Pixomondo's 'Hugo' Work Gets Industry Attention

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES — Pixomondo, an international visual effects company with a network of 11 facilities throughout the world, is gaining attention for its work on Martin Scorsese’s Hugo. The company has been nominated for an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award and VES Awards for its visual effects work on the film.

Plug-In Improves Maya/Mental Ray Workflow

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND — Research and development company CoreCG (www.core-cg.com) has released MentalCore, a cross-platform plug-in that’s designed to help artists achieve maximum creativity and efficiency while using Nvidia Mental Ray with Autodesk Maya.

VES Elects 2012 Board

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

LOS ANGELES — The Visual Effects Society (www.visualeffectssociety.com) recently elected its 2012 Board of Director officers.

GDCA To Present Pioneer and Ambassador Honors

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The 12th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA) have announced the recipients of two special honors.

Double Negative nominated for 'Harry Potter' work

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

LONDON — Double Negative, which won an Oscar in 2011 for its work on Inception, has been nominated for a Visual Effects Oscar for the studio’s contributions to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.

Escape Studios To Present Free Houdini Webinar

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

SANTA MONICA — Escape Studios will present a free Webinar on February 15 highlighting the capabilities of Side Effects’ Houdini application. The Webinar is geared towards pros who want to get to know the application a little better, and find out how it can enhance their VFX skills.

New Book Looks At Writing For Games

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

BOSTON — Mercury Learning and Information (www.merclearning.com) has published “Video Game Writing from Macro to Micro,” a new book that explores the challenging and evolving world of the games writer. Written by Maurice Suckling and Marek Walton, and priced at $41.95, the book is divided into four parts,and provides a detailed look into all the aspects of writing for games.

AJA Ships Thunderbolt-Enabled Io XT

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

GRASS VALLEY, CA — AJA’s (www.aja.com) new Thunderbolt-enabled Io XT device is now shipping. The video I/O device features dual Thunderbolt ports allowing users to connect it to a Thunderbolt-enabled Apple computer via a single cable.