Buy Lloyd a Beer
Lloyd Alvarez has updated his BG Renderer script for After Effects CS3, and it now resides in its own panel, ready for use at any time. As I also just noticed, this new version seamlessly allows you to overlap processes; even if one render is already underway, another one will open, which was not the case by default with the previous script. You can get it from Lloyd’s site, which also includes a movie showing how to install and use it and a link to buy Lloyd a beer for his efforts.
This plug-in has been in heavy rotation at my studio, where it allows an artist to render in the background, locally, while continuing to work, and without the need for a copy of Nucleo Pro or the ability to set up a command-line render (which is what BG Renderer is actually doing for you). On a multiprocessor machine, if you un-check Use Multiprocessing and leave the priority Low, you can render in the background, gradually, and continue to work. Or you can crank it up to full render power, damn the consequences.
As Michael Bay would say, “Awesome!”
fxPhd July08 Term
In case you haven’t checked out the new offerings at fxphd.com, the O-Week overview is available, and this week and next you can sign up and freely audit the first 2 classes of any of the amazing courses.
I’ll be helping out with a class called “After Effects Masters” (afx302) that will feature the amazing UI work of Mark Coleran. I’m psyched!
Yesterday’s Second Biggest Story?
Well, for some perhaps. I’ve been working and - news flash - sharing office space with Kontent Films and they were prominently featured in our local San Francisco Chronicle, with several pictures of Mr. Prep Shoot Post, Eric Escobar.
Prouda these guys.
Visual Reference: The Architecture of Authority
This is brilliant and fantastic resource if you’re telling a visual story with elements of authority in it (and how many stories don’t have that?).
The choices are in some cases provocative, and if you’re anything like me it’s the ones you wouldn’t have clearly identified as authority-driven that will particularly resonate. The way that the images are composed also supports the authoritarian feel - there is, for example, the eerie Kubrick symmetry everywhere (you know, like showed up in There Will Be Blood).
Brad Bird on Innovation
It’s over a month old but I missed it when it appeared on my birthday, and maybe you did too. This one is a keeper.
The Assistant Editor
What is this thing? Let’s hear a real-world tale or two - or email me.
I love the concept.
Apple Pro Apps will not leave the Rumor Mill
I recently posted an open question about Apple’s intention with Pro Apps to ProVideoCoalition (where you can find me writing slightly more often than here) in light of their firm denial that they intend to sell them. My thesis is that any time a company with a firm policy of not responding to rumors responds to a rumor - something’s up.
Now comes speculation on this topic from that prime silicon valley speculator, Robert X. Cringely. He’s not always right, but he’s an insider reporting with certainty that Apple was talking to anyone and everyone at NAB who would buy Pro Apps.
So that Apple could buy Adobe.
Gulp.
fxphd Term 8 - the best yet
I am so proud to have been associated with fxphd.com for the last couple of years. I am late posting this but have had a chance to look at the first couple classes in several courses for this term and am impressed. A few highlights:
- The RED101 course focuses on postproduction usage of R3D files. This is The Postproduction Camera and Mike and the guys at fxphd have had their RED since autumn, so they are seasoned veterans on the topic. If you’re in a facility where there are hot debates about how to post-process those R3D files, this course alone could justify the price.
- Gareth Edwards, hero to After Effects artists everywhere for singlehandedly turning around 2 shots a day for months on end in his bedroom for a BBC feature, shows you how he did it.
- Tim Clapham shares his legendary Cinema 4D skills.
- There is a full DOP course that, again, anyone who works with shot footage should see for how well it covers the fundamentals of shooting.
- Victor Wolansky, whom I had the opportunity to meet at NAB, has designed a Syntheyes course - learn to use the world’s most economical 3D tracker beyond RTFM.
- not to mention classes just on Assimilate Scratch, a great series on Nuke, the best Intro to Maya course I’ve ever seen (and I’m not alone in thinking so), and a host of other application-based courses for nerds like us. And a fine art photography course for the less nerdy.
Although the 2 week intro period where you can pick and choose has already come and gone, it’s not too late to sign up.
NAB and More from Me
Wondering where I went? I am alive and more or less well, although Flowseeker might have to become Balanceseeker for a while. You can find me:
- at NAB this week where I’ll be appearing daily in the Artbeats booth giving a “dry for wet” presentation along the lines of a tutorial I designed for StudioDaily (but free of charge)
- on the VFX Show Podcast where I’ve recently been acting as host or co-host
- on Digital Production Buzz where I was interviewed a couple of nights ago about the book
- at ProVideoCoalition where I will be posting observations about NAB and other musings about production and post (and there will no doubt be a good deal of information from colleagues such as Adam Wilt and Mike Curtis about RED’s 3 big announcements, which are creating a Steve Jobs-worthy buzz
As for this blog, I’m annoyed that its appearance disappeared after upgrading Wordpress (but not enough to delay posting further in order to fix it). Flowseeker LLC was born a few weeks ago and re-branding will evolve over the next bit… when I can find time…
Adobe’s Magical 3D Lens
Check out this video in which Adobe engineers debut some much rumored hardware designed to interface with a future version of Photoshop (and, perhaps, other of our favorite Adobe apps?) to provide persective and depth of field in post.
Not only is it a stunning demo, such a lens might not require mechanical controls for changing focus or aperture; the lenses are the fixed focus type found in your point and shoot camera.
It’s possible to recreate depth of field in post, or do without it entirely, Gregg Toland-style (but since we all know that DOF is crucial to a cinematic look, that ability may be more useful for 3D artists who need that kind of image fidelity).
Adobe has vastly increased its investment in research and development so this is hardly the last innovation we’re likely to see, particularly in cases where the proof of concept comes from academia.
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