News Stories

Enter the Tablet (SMPTE News Watch)

1.31.2011

SMPTE just distributed a story on the impact of table computers on studio workflows.

…“A prime example of the way tablet computers have infiltrated production and post is Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging (MPI)—an on-lot post-production facility that works closely with emerging technology,” Cooney says….

…The Hungarian post-production company, Colorfront, is also experimenting with importing 3D look-up tables (LUTs) into tablets and other mobile devices. Colorfront is even attempting to calibrate tablet monitors in a sense by passing standard photometers across their surfaces as a metering method for checking the individual device’s specific color and density characteristics before importing LUTs into them. …

Read the entire story on the SMPTE site here: http://www.smptenews.com/newswatch/smpte_tech_2011-01.html

Big Games of 2011: 2K Sports’ Top Spin 4 Goes Stereo 3D

1.31.2011

Now PlayStation 3 fans will have two 3D tennis games to choose from this year

Tennis, anyone? While the top hockey players in the world gather for the 58th NHL All-Star Game at the RBC Center, 2K Sports was talking tennis. NHL 2K11 was playable on Wii at the NHL Fan Fair in downtown Raleigh, but Mike Rhinehart, senior brand manager at 2K Sports, was talking about other sports, as well. Rhinehart said that 2K Sports had enough success with its stereoscopic 3D version of the PlayStation 3 NBA 2K11 game that it’s adding 3D gameplay to Top Spin 4 this year. While MLB 2K11 won’t have stereo 3D this year, Rhinehart said the studio is open to adding that in the future. He also believes the NHL 2K franchise could benefit from stereo 3D.

On the tennis front, 2K Sports has hired Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Andre Agassi for the cover of the new 3D game. This will mark the first time in a decade that Andre Agassi will be featured in a game. Top Spin 4 ships March 15 for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii.

“Tennis has been in my life for as long as I can remember,” said Andre Agassi, former No. 1-ranked player in the world, winner of eight Grand Slam singles tournaments and 17 ATP Master Series tournaments. “I hope that with Top Spin 4 players can enjoy the sport as much as I have.”

In development at 2K Czech, Top Spin 4 brings the competitive action of tennis to life like never before with redesigned controls, jaw-dropping player models and enhanced TV-style presentation elements. Each of the title’s top athletes and legendary pros will be equipped with 2K Sports’ Signature Style animations, including player-specific swing styles and behavioral AI, custom celebrations and outfits.

“Top Spin 4 does a phenomenal job capturing the unique authenticity and highly competitive skills of these 25 world-class athletes,” said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. “When playing Top Spin 4, we wanted consumers to feel they are playing more than a tennis game, we wanted them to feel like they are in a world title prize fight.”

Top Spin 4 features the largest roster in the franchise to date, including Andre Agassi, Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer, Jim Courier, Rafael Nadal, Boris Becker, Serena Williams, Patrick Rafter, Michael Chang, Dinara Safina, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Ana Ivanovic, Ivan Lendel, Pete Sampras, Andy Roddick, James Blake, Caroline Wozniacki, Nikolay Davydenko, Gilles Simon, Bernard Tomic, Eugenie Bouchard, Stanislas Wawrinka, Vera Zvonareva, and Jelena Jankovic.

To commemorate this fourth entry in the Top Spin series, 2K Sports is offering an exclusive vintage Andre Agassi playable character for free in North America only when gamers pre-order and reserve their copy of Top Spin 4 at GameStop.

Original post here: http://www.gamerlive.tv/article/big-games-2011-2k-sports-top-spin-4-goes-stereo-3d

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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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