News Stories

The New Branded Look: ETC Redesign

11.25.2012

The brand new look of logo identity and website is a complete overhaul for the Entertainment Technology Center(ETC), which showcased a complete 360 degrees of integrated effort in both brand and digital platform for the ETcentric and ETcenter website. The branded experience is to convey relevant, creative technology and information for the broader audience. The look and feel connotes modern, clean, simple, innovative, sleek, high tech web 2.0, professional, scalable, intuitive, up-to-date and user-friendly website on few aspects such as dynamic user experience by engaging with less clicks.

The brand identity and digital communications site, designed and developed by 24Notion, is the first step in an integrated communications program for Entertainment Technology center. It includes ETcentric/ETcenter, which is an enhanced community engagement and development of digital web 3.0 portal. ETC has been on a mission to rediscover its identity and express it better through a redesign of its logo, visual assets and content delivery. These factors are key in a successful long-term growth in the company. The redesign is to depict the company’s energy and commitment to new era in evolution to reach a broader audience of entertainment and technology enthusiasts. The first phase of digital experience includes a launch of easy to navigate interface for browsing news stories, partnership only stories, highlights, resources, event information, social media component, as well as learning more about ETC as a whole.

The brand identity reinforces and enhances brand awareness for the ETC with a cohesive digital communications strategy and visitor experience. The site functionality serves as the purpose of news worthy, educational, and a one-source repository of all things ETC content-curated subject matters expert. Meanwhile, both etcenter.org and ETcentric digital marketing tool serve a few resources component for member-only discussion in white papers, digital and video sessions, breaking news and industry at large, and consortium of students’ engagement and information gathering/research platform for unique experiences.

The website’s new features include a complete and scalable multi-media front and back end design to customize the unique experience for current and new members. HTML 5, customizable javascript, CSS, SQL and PHP programming are a few key state of the art factors that launch this portal. Social engagement is embedded within the mix to create that sense of interactivity on current and future communities. New user-control features will make customizing the pages easier for consumers. Making a use of the full engagement on the web real estate helps ETC maximize the potential of curated content merged with visual storytelling.

The new high-impact design allows easier navigation, provides enhanced functionality, and encourages global site visitors to explore the merge of entertainment, media, and technology industry experts in bringing the publications right at your fingertips.

 

 

Specification for Naming VFX Image Sequences Released

ETC’s VFX Working Group has published a specification for best practices naming image sequences such as plates and comps. File naming is an essential tool for organizing the multitude of frames that are inputs and outputs from the VFX process. Prior to the publication of this specification, each organization had its own naming scheme, requiring custom processes for each partner, which often resulted in confusion and miscommunication.

The new ETC@USC specification focuses primarily on sequences of individual images. The initial use case was VFX plates, typically delivered as OpenEXR or DPX files. However, the team soon realized that the same naming conventions can apply to virtually any image sequence. Consequently, the specification was written to handle a wide array of assets and use cases.

To ensure all requirements are represented, the working group included over 2 dozen participants representing studios, VFX houses, tool creators, creatives and others.  The ETC@USC also worked closely with MovieLabs to ensure that the specification could be integrated as part of their 2030 Vision.

A key design criteria for this specification is compatibility with existing practices.  Chair of the VFX working group, Horst Sarubin of Universal Pictures, said: “Our studio is committed to being at the forefront of designing best industry practices to modernize and simplify workflows, and we believe this white paper succeeded in building a new foundation for tools to transfer files in the most efficient manner.”

This specification is compatible with other initiatives such as the Visual Effects Society (VES) Transfer Specifications. “We wanted to make it as seamless as possible for everyone to adopt this specification,” said working group co-chair and ETC@USC’s Erik Weaver. “To ensure all perspectives were represented we created a team of industry experts familiar with the handling of these materials and collaborated with a number of industry groups.”

“Collaboration between MovieLabs and important industry groups like the ETC is critical to implementing the 2030 Vision,” said Craig Seidel, SVP of MovieLabs. “This specification is a key step in defining the foundations for better software-defined workflows. We look forward to continued partnership with the ETC on implementing other critical elements of the 2030 Vision.”

The specification is available online for anyone to use.

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