Softimage XSI has been re-branded Autodesk Softimage in the first new release since Autodesk completed its acquisition from Avid last November
PRESS RELEASE
25 February 2009—Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) has launched Autodesk Softimage 7.5 software for visual effects and game production. With this release, Autodesk has renamed the SOFTIMAGE|XSI software, acquired from Avid Technology, Inc. — Autodesk Softimage. The 7.5 version offers timesaving new features, such as UV unfolding technology, a multithreaded Syflex cloth simulator and an integrated mental ray 3.7+ renderer. Artists have used Softimage to create numerous movies, commercials and video games, including the Oscar-winning film Happy Feet, Coca Cola’s Heist Super Bowl ad, and the Fable II video game.
“Our mission at Autodesk is to deliver integrated pipelines for digital entertainment creation and Softimage is an important addition to our portfolio,” said Marc Petit, Autodesk Media & Entertainment senior vice president. “It has been three months since we acquired substantially all of the assets of Softimage and its integration into Autodesk is going extremely well. The team has kept Softimage 7.5 on plan and it has shipped without delay. We remain committed to delivering solid future releases of the software.”
Key New Features in Autodesk Softimage 7.5
UV unfolding technology: Softimage now features UV unfolding technology that enables artists to unwrap polygon models with just a few clicks. This technology works well on complex organic models, which would be difficult to unwrap manually. Softimage 7.5 also provides UV editing tools that help artists quickly create and edit UV maps.
mental ray 3.7+: Version 3.7+ of the mental ray renderer is now integrated into Softimage 7.5. Highlights include improvements to binary space partitioning for faster render times, multiple final gathering refinement passes and new motion-based displacement. These enhancements help users create high-fidelity images faster than ever before.
Multithreaded Syflex cloth simulator: The production-proven cloth simulator in Softimage is now multithreaded, enabling artists to use the cores on their machine to iterate faster.
Scene compatibility with version 7.0: Scenes saved in Softimage 7.5 will load into Softimage 7.0.
Availability
Version 7.5 of Autodesk Softimage (formerly SOFTIMAGE|XSI Essentials) and Autodesk Softimage Advanced (formerly SOFTIMAGE|XSI Advanced) are now available. Autodesk Subscription is available for purchase with the product licence purchase or upgrade.
Migration Promotion
Until 15 April 2009, existing SOFTIMAGE|XSI Essentials and Advanced customers, not on Softimage maintenance, can receive up to 50% discount and no back-subscription fees when migrating to Autodesk Softimage 7.5 with Autodesk Subscription.** This offer is available only through Autodesk Value Added Resellers. Locate a reseller at http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=12590867
** Conditions apply. International pricing may vary. Autodesk reserves the right to cancel, suspend or modify part of this promotion at any time without notice, for any reason, at its sole discretion.
About Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc., is a world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk has developed the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art Digital Prototyping solutions to help customers experience their ideas before they are real. Fortune 1000 companies rely on Autodesk for the tools to visualise, simulate and analyse real-world performance early in the design process to save time and money, enhance quality and foster innovation. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.
Tuesday February 24, 2009
N-Sided announces the coming release of Quidam 3
PRESS RELEASE
Paris, FRANCE, February 24th 2009: N-Sided announces the coming release of QUIDAM 3, the new version of its unmatched 3D character creation program.
Known for its high productivity and originality, QUIDAM is unique in being able to generate thousands of different characters instantly. QUIDAM‘s Studios (combining, sculpting, posing, painting…) are totally dedicated to personal creation, offering very natural and intuitive methods. One of the most recognized advantages of QUIDAM is its use in professional work environments. QUIDAM is the only character generator able to perfectly export multiresolution models, ready to be animated into all major 3D applications.
Coming with a lot of great new features and top quality 3D and 2D content, QUIDAM 3 is even more professional and creative!
In a few words:
QUIDAM 3 offers an advanced Catalogs system to help saving and reusing all kind of 3D component (characters, morphs, lights, props…).
The 3D Paint Module has been fully rewritten to be much more accurate and to provide a direct bridge with 2D paint editors (like Photoshop).
An automatic UV projection system has been added to automatically prepare imported objects so that they can be textured. N-Sided innovates again with an amazing approach that allows you to retouchs UV maps directly onto the 3D model.
Many other new features dramatically improve QUIDAM: Self shadows in real time, major improvements in edition of skeletons and proportions, an extended QUI format…
This new version comes with a huge amount of new 2D and 3D : custom characters, textured multiresolution 3D objects, paint and bump brushes, high resolution textures, backgrounds and floor images, skeletons, poses, camera presets, etc.
QUIDAM Prime
A new product is launched to complete the line: QUIDAM Prime. Greatly expected by development studios, this new package includes QUIDAM 3 Studio features, all export plug-ins and, above all, adds licensing rights for the generated 3D models. Therefore the license of QUIDAM 3 Prime allows the use of an unlimited number of QUIDAM models into video games and applications.
QUIDAM 3 in detail
CATALOGS
QUIDAM 3 comes with an advanced Catalogs System, a major new feature! Natural, powerful and efficient, these catalogs allow to save and select in one click the transformations you made, the poses, the brushes and the textures you created, etc. Pick in the multitude of new presets that these catalogs offer, to select paint brushes, background images, floors, props, complete environments, etc.
2D/3D CONTENT
To help you creating great scenes and models, QUIDAM 3 is loaded with dozens of textured multiresolution objects. In its rich libraries, QUIDAM 3 offers a multitude of new custom characters, new high resolution textures, paint and bump brushes, background and floor images for the scenes, poses, skeletons, camera presets etc.
PAINT
The Real Time 3D Paint module has been fully rewritten with advanced algorithms to be much faster and more accurate. More flexible too… in a single click, you can send the textures of the 3D model to your 2D software (Photoshop, etc.), retouch them and see your modifications automatically updated in QUIDAM.
UV EDITION
QUIDAM 3 offers its own UV projection system that, in a few clicks, will add UV coordinates to your imported objects so that they can be painted. On top of that, N-Sided innovates again by inventing an advanced system for UV retouches. It lets you modify the placement of the textures directly by clicking and dragging on the 3D model. Work on the final result as if you were deforming the texture!
SELF SHADOWS
The Real Time 3D display of QUIDAM gets better again. It proposes Self Shadows in addition to projected shadows. See in real time the shadow effects of a lock of hair, a hand in front of the mouth, a prop… on your character, for a much more realistic visualization.
AND A LOT MORE… QUIDAM 3 features a lot of other new improvements:
A smart SCRATCH system replays morph sequences as if you were sliding your finger on a piano keys. Indispensable and precious to prepare animation sequences. The proprietary QUI and QDM formats have been extended to support more features… Major improvements has been made in skeletons and proportions edition modules. The creation of characters of any size and proportions, giants, gnomes, cartoon heroes… is now child’s play. A leap forward in creativity! Already recognized as a very stable application, QUIDAM includes a lot of corrections and optimizations to be even more productive and pleasant to use.
Prices
QUIDAM and QUIDAM Studio
Products from the QUIDAM and QUIDAM Studio lines do not include Licensing.
Therefore the models are created for 2D images and animations. They cannot be used into applications (video games, simulation, virtual worlds etc.).
Prices exclude VAT
Products QUIDAM 3: €199 QUIDAM 3 Studio: €449
3DS MAX export plug-in: €75
Maya export plug-in: €75
Cinema 4D export plug-in: €75
LightWave export plug-in: €75
Carrara export plug-in: €75 COLLADA export plug-in*: €99 CAD-CAM export plug-in*: €99 MP Pro Boy: €79 MP Pro Girl: €79 MP Pro Woman: €79 MP Pro Boy & Girl & Woman: €159
Argile: €59
Upgrades QUIDAM 1 to QUIDAM 3: €129 QUIDAM 1 to QUIDAM 3 Studio: €379 QUIDAM 2 to QUIDAM 3: €99 QUIDAM 2 to QUIDAM 3 Studio: €349 QUIDAM 2 Studio to QUIDAM 3 Studio: €169 QUIDAM 3 to QUIDAM 3 Studio: €279
*Included in QUIDAM 3 Studio
EDUCATION:
Students, professors and universities can purchase N-Sided’s products with very important discounts from 40% to 65%.
QUIDAM Prime
Products from the QUIDAM Prime line include Licensing. Therefore the models can be integrated into applications (video games, simulation, virtual worlds etc.).
Prices exclude VAT
Products QUIDAM 3 Prime: €4250 MP Pro Boy Prime: €595 MP Pro Girl Prime: €595 MP Pro Woman Prime: €595 MP Pro Boy & Girl & Woman Prime: €1395
Site Licenses
3 seats of QUIDAM 3 Prime: €7950
5 seats of QUIDAM 3 Prime: €11950
10 seats of QUIDAM 3 Prime: €16900
Upgrades QUIDAM 2 Studio to QUIDAM 3 Prime: €4.050 QUIDAM 3 Studio to QUIDAM 3 Prime: €3.950
Special Pricing for INDEPENDENT DEVELOPERS (“INDIES”)
To be eligible as “Indie”, a customer shall have had a turnover lower than $250.000 (USD) during the last fiscal year. All details are in the End User License Agreement.
Prices exclude VAT
Products QUIDAM 3 Prime – Indie: €895 MP Pro Boy Prime – Indie: €195 MP Pro Girl Prime – Indie: €195 MP Pro Woman Prime – Indie: €195 MP Pro Boy & Girl & Woman Prime – Indie: €495
Upgrades QUIDAM 2 Studio to QUIDAM 3 Prime – Indie: €695 QUIDAM 3 Studio to QUIDAM 3 Prime – Indie: €595
About QUIDAM
Known for its high productivity, the 3D character creation software QUIDAM is unique in combining and merging various anatomical elements and clothes into one seamless model. One sole QUIDAM base is capable of creating thousands of unique 3D characters! QUIDAM‘s features are totally dedicated to personal creation, offering very natural and intuitive methods to sculpt and paint models. One of the most differentiating and recognized advantage of QUIDAM is its use in professional work environments. QUIDAM is the only character generator able to perfectly export multiresolution models with meshes, textures, UV maps, bones and skinning to Maya, 3DS MAX, LightWave, Cinema 4D, Carrara, COLLADA, etc.
“QUIDAM excels at building professional custom characters saving you the time of building up from scratch, which then allows the artist more time to concentrate on more intimate details of the model.“
“QUIDAM‘s import plug-ins are a nice surprise. With other modeling programs, interactivity seems to be the real sticking point, especially when it comes to rigged and textured models. Their model of “export it in a rich native format and make importers for other software“ seems to be a good idea because the models looked great and kept all their rigging when I moved ‘em around to other modeling apps.“
Joe Woynillowicz, Gamedev
“QUIDAM‘s main point of difference is that offers the direct exporting of figures to your 3D app of choice, complete with bones, weight and UV maps in place, ready to be reposed or animated.“
Steve Jarratt, 3D World Magazine
“The software offers a large set of innovative tools. Powerful and professional, they allow to sculpt body and faces geometries as if we were drawing them.“
Computer Arts
“QUIDAM is one of the fastest means to create unique characters with customizable anatomy, clothes and textures. It provides fast posing and incredible sculpting controls. Export plug-ins for the most famous 3D software that supports low-poly model transferring bring this application to the top list of fast character modeling software.“
Gleb Kobzar, 3DM3
“The speed in which you can create a character is exceptional making QUIDAM perfect for generating all kind of creatures whether with a human form or an imaginary form instantly.”
Patrice Leymarie, It’s Art Mag
Video games, Internet, multimedia production, video and cinema, illustration… for each of these domains, the needs of 3D content do not stop growing, stimulated by the desires of the public and the increased graphic performance of computers. With QUIDAM, N-Sided answers in an extremely productive way to this demand for 3D content. The days of spending hours creating characters from scratch, polygon by polygon, in overly complex programs are over: a few clicks suffice with QUIDAM! Artists are going to rediscover the pleasure of creating!
Designed for the independent artist as well as production studios, QUIDAM offers an exceptionally ergonomic interface at the same time as precise professional results.
Unique Characters
The principle of the program is simple. When starting a new file, QUIDAM gives the choice of a new base character or starting point, from a variety of types: men, women, cartoons or creatures. These bases are not just fixed models. Each character can be varied at will with each body part: hands, ears, chest and eyes…
Moreover: hair, clothes, shoes and jewelry can also be added to enhance them. With the diversity of the available body parts, one can mix and match to create thousands of different characters.
3D Modeling becomes like Working with Clay
Full of intuitive and innovative tools, QUIDAM is an invitation to give the model a personal touch. With QUIDAM it is the artist who creates his character, not the program!
A few more clicks to set the pose, and the character is ready for the show! In no time, QUIDAM produces a high quality render, ready for print or editing in any image software or export the character ready to be animated in other specialized 3D programs.
Unique Advantages
QUIDAM offers original 3D sculptures: entire characters, precise and anatomically realistic. Real professional resources, within everyone’s reach!
QUIDAM is extremely easy to use: in less than an hour one can understand the program and be exporting your first characters! Forget the unnecessarily overly complicated programs, incomprehensible dashboards... everything in QUIDAM is made to let one express his artistic talent!
QUIDAM offers advanced tools for sculpting and retouching to personalize the creations to the last detail, explore a range of expressions, from portrait to caricature...
A real time 3D Painting palette allows to apply colors, textures, transparency, bump or normal maps directly onto the model.
QUIDAM, with its immersive real time interface, takes full advantage of OpenGL and the latest generation of graphic cards. Compatible with all the 3D applications used by professionals (3DS MAX, Maya, LightWave, etc.), QUIDAM is easily integrated into the workflow of 3D production.
QUIDAM can quickly calculate high quality final images. Its export of multi-channels to your favorite image editing program responds to the needs of any professional.
Multiplatform, QUIDAM will be soon available for both Microsoft Windows and Apple MacOS X.
About N-Sided
N-Sided is a French company founded in 2003 by Pierre Bretagnolle and Sébastien Berthet with the ambitious goal of giving 3D back to the professionals of creation: the artists. QUIDAM is the first step in this direction… the first because other technologies are ready, which promise to open 3D to new creative horizons.
For more information, visit www.n-sided.com.
N-Sided, QUIDAM and n-sided.com are trademarks of N-Sided.
Maya PLE to return soon
Late last year, Autodesk released a 30-day trial version of Maya 2009 and removed the free Personal Learning Edition, which enables you to use Maya without a time limit while imposing other restrictions, including adding a watermark to renders, from its website.
Maya PLE‘s disappearance has been a hot potato since then: 3D World, among other venues, has received emails and forum posts protesting the move.
We‘ve now received word via one of Autodesk‘s PR reps that the removal of Maya PLE was a mistake made when the 30-day trial was posted, and that it should be re-appearing on the Autodesk website soon. Good news all round.
Visual Effects Society announces recipients of 7th annual VES Awards
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button takes home four awards, including Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture
PRESS RELEASE
Los Angeles, CA, February 21, 2009: The Visual Effects Society (VES) this evening announced the recipients of the 7th Annual VES Awards in a black-tie event at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, California. The annual event recognizes outstanding visual effects in over a dozen categories of film, animation, television, commercials and video games. Filmmakers, producers and guests joined more than 1100 professionals from the visual effects industry for the gala.
“This year’s recipients exemplify true excellence in the field of visual and special effects,” said VES Executive Director Eric Roth. “On behalf of the VES Board of Directors, I congratulate all of this year’s nominees on their incredible work.”
Recipients of the 7th Annual VES Awards:
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Eric Barba, Edson Williams, Nathan McGuinness, Lisa Beroud
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Motion Picture
Changeling
Michael Owens, Geoffrey Hancock, Jinnie Pak, Dennis Hoffman
Outstanding Animation in an Animated Motion Picture
Wall-E
Andrew Stanton, Jim Morris, Lindsey Collins, Nigel Hardwidge
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Miniseries, Movie or Special
John Adams – Join or Die
Steve Kullback, Erik Henry, Robert Stromberg, Jeff Goldman
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Series
Battlestar Galactica Season Four – BSG Space Battle
Gary Hutzel, Michael Gibson, Doug Drexler, Kyle Toucher
Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Broadcast Program
Fringe – Episode 101 – Pilot
Kevin Blank, Jay Worth, Andrew Orloff, Barbara Genicoff
Best Single Visual Effect of the Year
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Benjamin’s Secret
Eric Barba, Lisa Beroud, Steve Preeg, Jonathan Litt
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Commercial
Bacardi – Sundance
Alex Thiesen, Nikos Kalaitzidis, Jay Barton, Zsolt Krajcsik
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Special Venue Project U2 3D – Selected Shots
Peter Anderson, Steve Schklair, David Franks, Jeremy Nicolaides
Outstanding Real Time Visuals in a Video Game
Crysis Warhead
Zoltan Pocza, Gabor Mogyorosi, Tamas Schlagl
Outstanding Pre-Rendered Visuals in a Video Game
World of Warcraft – Wrath of the Lich King – Intro Cinematic
Jeff Chamberlain, Phillip Hillenbrand
Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Motion Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Benjamin Button
Steve Preeg, Matthias Wittmann, Tom St. Amand, David McLean
Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Motion Picture
Wall-E – Wall-E and Eve Truck Sequence
Ben Burtt, Victor Navone, Austin Lee, Jay Shuster
Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Broadcast Program or
Commercial
Brains Dance
James Sindle, Jesus Parra, Josh Fourtwells
Outstanding Effects Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture
Wall-E – Effects in Wall-E
Jason Johnston, Keith Klohn, Enrique Vila, Bill Watral
Outstanding Matte Paintings in a Feature Motion Picture
Changeling – 1928 Downtown L.A.
Romain Bayle, Abel Milanes , Allan Lee, Debora Dunphy
Outstanding Matte Paintings in a Broadcast Program or Commercial
Doctor Who – Series 4 – Silence in the Library
Simon Wickers, Charlie Bennett, Tim Barter, Arianna Lago
Outstanding Models and Miniatures in a Feature Motion Picture
The Dark Knight – Garbage Truck Crash Models and Miniatures
Ian Hunter, Forest Fischer, Scott Beverly, Adam Gelbart
Outstanding Models and Miniatures in a Broadcast Program or Commercial
New Balance – Anthem
Ian Hunter, Jon Warren, Matt Burlingame, Raymond Moore
Outstanding Created Environment in a Feature Motion Picture
The Dark Knight – IMAX Gotham City Scapes
Peter Bebb, Stuart Farley, Philippe Leprince, Andrew Lockley
Outstanding Created Environment in a Broadcast Program or Commercial
John Adams – Join or Die – Episode 1 – The Boston Harbor
Paul Graff, Robert Stromberg, Adam Watkins
Outstanding Compositing in a Feature Motion Picture
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Benjamin Comes Together
Janelle Croshaw, Paul Lambert, Sonja Burchard, Sarahjane Javelo
Outstanding Compositing in a Broadcast Program or Commercial
John Adams – Join or Die – Episode 1 – The Boston Harbor
Paul Graff, Joshua LaCross, Matt Collorafice
Outstanding Special Effects in a Motion Picture
The Dark Knight – Overall
Chris Corbould, Peter Notley, Ian Lowe
Outstanding Effects in a Student Project
Plastic – Transformation Sequence
Sandy Widyanata, Courtney Wise
In addition, director David Fincher (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) presented producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall with the VES Lifetime Achievement Award, while ILM’s Dennis Muren presented Phil Tippett with the Georges Melies Award.
About the VES
The VES is a professional, honorary society, dedicated to advancing the arts, sciences, and applications of visual effects and to upholding the highest uniform standards and procedures for the visual effects profession. The VES is the entertainment industry‘s only official organization representing the extended community of visual effects practitioners including supervisors, artists, producers, technology developers, educators and studio executives.
Its 1,800 global members contribute to all areas of entertainment from film, animation, television and commercials to music videos, games and new media. VES strives to enrich and educate its members and the entertainment community at large through many domestic and international events, screenings and programs. Visual effects professionals constitute a vital creative force in content creation and are literally shaping the future of entertainment.
The UK prepares for 3D cinema as Vue Entertainment adds RealD 3D screens
Press release
Los Angeles and London (February 23rd , 2009): Vue Entertainment, the UK’s leading developer and operator of state-of-the-art multiplex cinemas, and RealD, the world’s leading outfitter of 3D-enabled theatres, announced today that Vue Entertainment will add 200 RealD 3D screens to its circuit.
The rollout of RealD 3D-enabled screens has already begun with an installation at Vue’s flagship location in Leicester Square. Additional RealD systems are ready for installation immediately as new screens are added monthly at Vue cinemas.
“Vue prides itself on providing the most compelling cinema experience available and RealD 3D will give our audience a new and exciting way to experience movies,” said Tim Richards, CEO of Vue Entertainment. “RealD 3D is the market-leading choice for its remarkable track record of providing a superior viewing experience, something we can’t wait to bring to our many locations across the UK.”
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Vue to bring tens of millions of moviegoers the unmatched RealD 3D experience,” said Michael V. Lewis, chairman and CEO of RealD. “This alliance with the UK’s leading exhibitor furthers RealD as the market-leader in the UK and is a reflection of our continued expansion across Europe.”
RealD’s next-generation 3D technology is deployed across the world’s largest 3D platform in 34 countries with over 1,700 screens today and an additional nearly 6,000 screens under contract. Bob Mayson, RealD Europe Ltd. managing director and head of the company’s recently opened European headquarters added, “With a packed slate of upcoming films being released in RealD 3D, we’re delighted to be working with Vue Entertainment to bring this global entertainment phenomenon to their circuit.”
Vue has 62 cinemas with 607screens and 134,413 seats which attract over 32 million customers a year. The company is the largest operator of modern multiplex cinemas in the country. It is also the market leader in the critical London market and has the second largest market share in terms of box office in the UK.
About RealD
RealD is the global leader in 3D, bringing the most advanced and enjoyable digital 3D experience to cinemas worldwide. RealD’s next-generation technology provides a stunningly realistic viewing experience. Beyond cinema, RealD is the worldwide inventor and provider of key stereoscopic technologies used in science, manufacturing, marketing, and other industries, with thirty years of scientific development behind its systems. RealD’s mission-critical 3D technologies are used by organizations such as NASA, Pfizer, BMW, Boeing and more. www.RealD.com
About Vue Entertainment
Vue Entertainment is one of the UK’s leading multiplex developers and operators of state-of-the-art multiplex cinemas. Formed in May 2003, Vue is one of the fastest growing cinema companies in the country. Having acquired the Ster Century cinema chain at the end of April 2005, Vue announced a management buyout in June 2006 in partnership with Bank of Scotland Corporate, through its Integrated Finance Team in a deal valued in the region of £350 million. Vue now owns 59 multiplexes across the UK and Ireland, with over 570 screens, and it continues its expansion with a programme of building new multiplexes across the UK involving plans to open 15 to 20 new sites in the next two to three years. The company has the most modern cinemas in the UK, with over 90% stadium seating and as a result it won the prestigious award for International Exhibitor of the Year at Cinema Expo 2005.
CEO Tim Richards was awarded the title of the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006 and he also won the Leisure Report Individual of the Year award.
The art of the pitch - Animate Projects
In an extension to issue 115's article on pitching 3D projects, Gary Thomas, co-director of Animate Projects, explains the pitching process used by the artist commissioning scheme
3D World: What’s the submission criteria for Animate Projects?
Gary Thomas: AnimateTV is our open submission scheme - it's been funded by Arts Council England and Channel 4, and is in its eighteenth year. It's very much for experimental work - most of the people we work with are visual artists or experimental animators. AnimateTV films are for television and online, so they need to work for a television audience - though Channel 4 has always been keen to challenge its audience. Then the films have a busy festival life, or may get shown as gallery installations. We don't think so much about distribution when we're considering proposals, but we do think about what the final film is going to be like - and what you'd get out of seeing it.
Is there a standardised format for pitches?
The AnimateTV guidelines and form have been revised over many years. We've tried to streamline the process, but there's still a lot of work that needs to be done before presenting a pitch or proposal. That doesn't mean a lot of material - it means being really clear getting your idea across effectively. On AnimateTV there's a form, and we ask for a treatment, script or storyboard if that's appropriate, and examples of previous work. Then we shortlist on the basis of the application, and a panel advises on the selection of the final projects. We always interview people before we make a final decision.
What tends to separate the good pitches from the bad?
We always get lots of proposals from people who don't seem to have read the guidelines or looked at our website and the previous films we've commissioned. Otherwise, people don't give us enough information. We might get a synopsis, but no treatment - no sense of why the project is important. Often we don't get any visual material - so we have no idea what the film is meant to look like. And people might tell us they're going to use a fantastic sounding new technique, but don't give us any tests.
Does experience, or lack of it, have any kind of impact?
What's really important is the idea, and being able to convince us that you can realise it. Previous work is really important in demonstrating this - but we work with established and emergent talent.
And how does Animate Projects work to develop projects?
We don't put production teams together, but we can help connect people. We're quite hands on - there are legal and compliance issues because it's for broadcast - but we also have several editorial meetings during the course of a production. Channel 4's animation consultant, Ruth Fielding, is involved all along the way. It's meant to be collaborative - and we think it works! We're investing more than money - we're 'curating' projects, and we want them to be as good as they can be. And on our website, there's a page for each film, and we commission a short essay on each of the films too, and organise launch screenings - at Aurora Festival in Norwich, and places like FACT Liverpool and Tate Modern.
In issue 115 of 3D World, Mark Ramshaw talks to experts from across the 3D industry to discover the tricks of the trade that can make all the difference when pitching a project to an agency, potential backer, broadcaster or movie studio.
The version of the article here includes information and quotes not included in the published version for space reasons. There‘s also an interview with Gary Thomas of Animate Projects on what makes a good pitch.
The magazine version offers 10 tips for pitching projects and further interviews with artists who‘ve gone through the pitching process
The pitching process is a vital step in the production process for animators and artists in every key sectors of the 3D industry. Whether securing work with ad agencies, obtaining funding for short films, signing up a video game with a publisher, securing commissions for TV series, or pushing to get the greenlight for an entire animated feature, the pitching process is the gateway to the development and completion of projects of all shapes and sizes. And yet it’s also something often misunderstood, mishandled or underappreciated by the creatives, directors and producers whose very success depends on it.
It’s easy to appreciate why. Without first-hand experience, the pitching process remains shrouded in mystery. Few animation programs provide any kind of teaching focused on the pitching process (Gobelins is one of the honourable exceptions), so artists generally enter the industry will little knowledge of pitching beyond vague notions of what goes in Hollywood. Through on-the-job experience some do learn what the pitching process involves, but even then there’s no guarantee of gaining a real understanding of what works and what doesn’t, what protocols to follow, and which winning techniques can truly help elevate a pitch.
Currently setting up a talent development and mentoring agency with the working title of Not From Concentrate, James Estill has extensive experience of the pitching process from six years’ managing Channel 4’s essentially now defunct 4Talent resource. “My experience in the world of pitching has been very varied, and sometimes downright amusing to be honest,” he says. “People often have great ideas but no understanding of the science of pitching. The key is to understand who you’re pitching to. If you’re pitching to a broadcaster, for example, then you need to know their audience and to consider whether your pitch will actually work within their production slate and schedule.”
While there are do’s and don’ts common to all types of project pitching, the role of the pitching process does varies from one 3D sector to another, and sometimes even from project to project. In the commercials field it tends to require a quick, dirty and highly collaborative approach, where pitching follows in response to an initial callout via a Request For Proposal (RFP) from an ad agency – the agency fielding pitches from several studios before awarding the contract to one.
“The agency will usually have been working with a client for several months and already sold them an idea that they now need to develop creatively,” explains Michael Adamo, executive producer, Passion Pictures. “Every job is different: they might have a script, some basic concepts, or ideas for key characters. So our first step will be to have a creative chat with the agency.”
Adamo says the simplest yet most often ignored tricks to making a successful ad pitch is simply to listen to what the agency creatives have to say. “When you’re handed the initial brief from an agency the answers are usually all in there, so the more you pay attention to what is being communicated the better informed your pitch will be.”
It’s a similar story in architectural visualisation, where greater competition means design and construction firms are increasingly using the pitching process to award visualisation work.
“Where long-standing relationships exist then it’s not so important, but otherwise clients are increasingly using the pitch process to look for new ideas that will wow them prior to giving out a job,” says Rob MacLeod, president of Neoscape. “And for more complex projects, especially those that feature a story of some sort, pitching becomes critical. In many ways it’s not dissimilar to the way architectural firms take on competition assignments.”
As with ads, pitches are created in response to an architectural client’s RFP, but in this field the focus is less on finding a way to develop and implement the client’s concept and more on finding the best way to present an architectural ‘product’. “When we go into to pitch it’s about more than delivering an asset,” says MacLeod. “We’re pitching our style, our approach, and our people – a complete holistic solution. Clients will often a predetermined notion of how best to tell their story or sell their project, which isn’t always the ideal solution, so part of a pitch might involve demonstrating better options for presentation and interaction, sensitively informing clients in a way that doesn’t make them feel ignorant.”
By their very nature, pitches involving video games, short films, long form animation, or series for broadcast, are a different beast. Here, the pitching is generally the first step in the selling process, an opportunity to generated excitement and interested about a project with a potential investor, production company, distributor, broadcaster, or other desirable development partner. Rather than responding to a brief, pitching here tends to be a once-only opportunity to make a positive first impression.
WORK YOUR MAGIC
Given that pitches are generally produced without any kind of remuneration, one key issue for those working across all 3D industries is calculating just how much time, manpower and money to spend developing, refining, and – if necessary – reworking these materials and the overall pitch.
“I think you have to evaluate the reward to risk ratio,” says Simon Cornish, owner, Itchy Pictures. “If you’re pitching for a project worth a good few thousand then it’s probably worth spending at least week putting the pitch together, for example. And if you think you only have an outside chance of winning then it might at least be worth spending a day on something. The resulting pitch might look sketchy, but the people you’re pitching to might just love the idea regardless.”
In sectors such as advertising and architectural visualisation, where in the space of one year pitches are repeatedly used to compete against other studios for work, an expectation that not every gamble will pay off is assumed right from the start. “Unfortunately you lose many more jobs than you win, just by virtue of fact there’s almost always three or four companies pitching for the same work,” says Adamo. “You simply have to allow for a certain amount of pitching in your overall studio budget.”
“One of the challenges for us is figuring out which projects warrant pulling out all the stops, spending time and energy to come up with pitch materials,” adds Rob MacLeod. He says a typical pitch at Neoscape might involve six creatives working for two weeks on concept development and materials. “But one of the great benefits of expending so much effort up front is that if the project goes ahead then it’s easier to get it off to a rolling start.”
Perhaps the trickiest judgement call of all is deciding exactly what materials to include in a pitch. It can be difficult for those intimately involved with a project to know exactly what information to include, what to leave out, and how best to summarise a project in a way that will generate excitement and commercial interest.
Shelley Page, European representative for DreamWorks is extremely familiar with the pitching process, not via the company’s internal movie development process, but rather via her role as juror for bursary schemes such as the Jean-Luc Lagadére award and via her experiences observing pitches at the annual Cartoon Movie industry event. For a typical animation project pitch, Page suggests focusing on character designs and perhaps a few rough environment sketches to give a sense of place, together with a brief synopsis, and a more detailed treatment for longer form projects.
“The presentations that always make the least impact with me are those with very complex story outlines, especially those that focus on the universe rather than the protagonists,” she says. “A movie pitch that begins ‘It’s about a guy…’ are the ones that grab your attention, yet you’d be amazed how many people put emphasis on the environment art design rather than character work. If the characters are strong then good environments can follow later.”
Blur Studio co-founder Tim Miller, whose experience of pitching runs from the studio’s internal animated shorts programme to development of the David Fincher-produced ‘Heavy Metal’ movie project, says that pitches should be more about ‘show’ than ‘tell’. “Concept art and sample images go a long way to selling a story. One of the biggest mistakes people tend to make, especially if they don’t generally do a lot of writing, is to over-explain everything. Shorter is almost always better. It reduces any chance of boredom and lets people fill in the gaps with their imagination. It’s worth noting that all the winning pitches submitted for our own shorts featured simple outlines rather than scripts.”
In addition to being concise, text should also be crafted with a degree of precision befitting a serious piece of marketing material, stresses Cornish. “People often won’t even consider your pitch without a good strapline to draw them in and then a good treatment. Once you’ve got them looking at the pitch, then the artwork will then convey the look and feel and sell the concept.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
When it comes to selecting materials for a pitch created in response to a client’s concept, as with architectural visualisation and ad work, the Request For Proposal will often outline what’s required, as too will the nature of the project. “Sometimes we’ll got at it with thumbnail ideas, occasionally we’ll do some rendering or include renderings from other projects that are analogous to the project,” says MacLeod. “We’re usually dealing with the higher level concepts, rather than working to a shot list. With visualisation work, the initial aim is to let the client know we understand their needs, so it’s often more of a conversation rather than creating a straightforward presentation.”
“What we provide for a pitch varies hugely according to the size of the job, who the client is, and creatively what we need to communicate,” says Heather Wright, head of commercials, Aardman. “We will almost always do character sketches and very often a finished up Photoshop visual showing the world. We have been known to do animation tests or produce 3D sculpts, if there’s time.”
“It’s often vital to present mood stuff, and to paint a picture of the entire spot in the treatment – create a real sense, feel, mood of the film rather than just describing the visual elements,” adds Charlotte Loynes, executive producer, Hibbert Ralph Animation. “So, if a pitch concentrates on a character, it makes sense to back that up with sketches in key action poses, or accompanying mood pieces sourced from other stuff but things that create a sense of feeling overall rather than just showing the character model or one environment. If it’s not possible to create it in the pitch process then show inspirational material, references from other films or imagery.”
Gil James, Senior 3D producer, Golden Square, points out that materials presented in an ad pitch aren’t always solely for the agency’s consumption. “Often we are providing material for a client to present at their pitch, so we need to create something that they will be comfortable presenting, whether this is a variety of illustrations, Photoshop images or 3D sequences supplied as proof of concept.”
Time, or the lack of it, is almost always a factor when developing pitches in these sectors, often making it difficult to show the bigger picture in the pitch. “Due to the limited amount of time granted on most pitches, we’ll distill the brief and focus on a part of the job that embodies the essence,” says James. “This gives us a chance to finish something relevant to a reasonable standard. However ‘rough’ the test, it needs to be produced to a certain level to allow it to speak for itself.”
When it comes to deciding whether to focus on just one treatment or to pitch several ideas, there are no hard and fast rules. Michael Adamo at Passion says they’ll sometimes have several directors develop alternative takes from the client’s initial brief. Conversely, Adam Jenns, managing director, Mainframe, believes that it’s best to put all efforts into developing one idea, or two at the most: “Presenting three or four routes might give you better odds, but doesn‘t say much about your belief in the ideas.”
Where it can prove particularly useful is when pitching ideas completely ‘cold’. “I remember the head of a well known animation company meeting with a top Hollywood producer, getting all revved up to make the pitch for a great feature idea, and then about 20 seconds in, the producer stopped him to ask what other ideas he had, as say they already had something similar in development,” says Shelley Page. “The golden rule is always to have a plan B up your sleeve.”
MASTERS OF ILLUSION
While some studios tend to include some element of rendered material in their pitches, there are a surprising number of people who believe it’s not only unnecessary, but sometimes inadvisable. “With animation there’s generally an expectation of a style frame that shows, as much as possible, what the eventual job will look like,” says Adamo. “That’s obviously difficult to achieve in the time with any level of photorealism or complexity, so often we’ll use matte painting rather than creating full CG images.”
“Doing full 3D renders is such a big hairy deal that to do it to a level that impresses would take 15–20 days, a modeller and a rigger, and then you’d still need an environment,” says Miller. “Sometimes potential clients do ask to see that kind of pitch material, but I kind of look on it with disdain. They can look at our showreel and see how that quality of finish will translate.”
In the world of videogames, pitching is made all the more demanding by the difficulty of conveying playability as well as artistic look and feel. The ‘less is more approach’ favoured elsewhere isn’t quite so applicable here.
“Typically we would ask for as many visual materials as the developer can supply in order to get a feel for the game they want to make, including screenshots mocked up to look like final game, or even rendered movies,” says Phil Gaskell, senior producer of external development, Sony Computer Entertainment Liverpool Studios. “Of course the ultimate is a playable demo that proves the game is fun/achievable, but all these things cost money and not all developers can afford to invest in their ideas to such a stage. This is why we ask developers to include financial breakdowns in their pitches that cover not just the cost to make the final game, and when they think they can have it ready, but also costs and timescales to create a prototype or vertical slice demo. If we really like an idea then that‘s always the next stage for us.”
Supporting materials of this nature can also lend credence to pitches aimed at other markets. Depending on the sector, the nature and scope of the project, and the persons being pitched to, this might include budgetary details, schedules, plus information about team members and any other creatives or studios involved with the project.
At Mainframe, Jenns says commercials also often require both a schedule and budget during the initial round of pitching. “If not then a schedule is done at the start of the job with key sign off and delivery dates,” he adds. “And if you‘ve drafted a budget citing a certain amount of 3D artists/animators you‘ll need to have all the people you promised actually working on the project or face the wrath of the agency producer.”
“If the idea has appeal, then budgetary constraints can be factored in later with broadcast animation work, but it can still be useful to show you have a production strategy behind you, so it pays to consider what details you can give about people and studios that would be involved with the production,” says Estill.
By stressing the achievements of key players, confidence from publishers or investors can be massively increased, and fears about inability to deliver on what is actually being pitched assuaged. “If you plan to make a beat-em-up better than Street Fighter, you better be able to explain what your company or team members have done in the past that will make the publisher confident you can pull it off,” says Gaskell.
Dane Smith, producer/manager, Menithings and producer of the studio’s new movie Terra, believes that the trophy cabinet is the real weapon when pitching for feature funding. “It’s all about winning awards. If you cannot generate them then it simply won’t work. Financiers want to reduce their risk – show them you can create something incredible with very little money and they will come to you.”
It can be tempting to demonstrate that a pitch concept also has marketing potential, but Shelley Page believes such a business-minded approach can be distracting. “Producers and investors will spot any potential for marketing spin-offs straight away, so you don’t need to oversell the idea of toys or other merchandise.”
James Estill believes broadcasters are likely to welcome pitches that include such details, however. “It’s an awful expression, but they’re very much into ‘360 degree commissioning’,” he explains. “It’s not about diluting your idea, and you certainly don’t want to oversell it, but in this cross-platform multimedia world it can really help to show broadcasters where else your idea can live and survive – such as via a web community, merchandise and so on. People are looking to maximise revenue streams, so widening the scope in this way can put you in a stronger position.”
While the whole point of a pitch is to communicate a fresh and original concept, one understandable concern at the pitching stage is that commercially sensitive material is being shown before any kind of contract has been signed with the interested party. It’s important to remember that ideas themselves aren’t copyrightable, however. Images and materials that document the development that idea are, though. And by keeping a record of the people you speak to and retaining a paper or email trail of communication, there is at least some backup to show in a court of law if absolutely necessary.
But while no artist wishes to chance having their material stolen, Shelley Page believes it’s possible to be a little too paranoid: “It’s unproductive to be quite so wary, and the truth is a lot of people tend to come up with similar ideas. Ultimately, it’s how you tell the story that makes the pitch unique. One year I heard three pitches for animated versions of Pinocchio, for example. The story was obviously the same, yet each had its own unique selling point.”
Aardman’s Heather Wright agrees that overzealous policing can be counterproductive. “We have been in the situation where we‘ve suspected that an agency has potentially taken our ideas and fed them into the final execution even if they haven‘t gone with us,” she reveals. “It can be incredibly frustrating, but we don‘t make a fuss as we‘re hoping that the agency will come back to us again in the future if they like our ideas. We tend to be very open with our ideas and advice as we find that the more helpful you can be, the better the relationship with the agency and the more likely they are to come back.”
One other practical consideration to ponder when putting a pitch together is the means by which it will be communicated. The materials included in a pitch that are going to be emailed can differ from those of one sent in the post. And of course pitching in person puts a whole different ‘context sensitive’ spin on things…
THE PERSONAL TOUCH
“So much of the work is relationship-based, and you can’t establish chemistry when doing everything on paper or via email, so we always try to meet up with potential clients to pitch,” says MacLeod.
“We do prefer to present pitch materials in person if possible,” says Wright. “The director and producer will go to the meeting, which tends to be a fairly informal creative conversation so it‘s more about talking through ideas than ‘presenting’ as such.”
“Animated feature film pitches are almost always done in person,” says Kevin Geiger, ceo Animation Options and producer of animated feature Road to Home. “Investors, executives and distributors like to get a feel not only for the material, but also for the people running the show. While working from the same fundamental material, pitches definitely vary by audience. It’s crucial to do your homework on who you’re talking to, and to have an understanding of what they care about and what they don’t.”
For less experienced animators or directors, pitching in person can prove especially daunting. So much so that Simon Cornish, owner of Itchy Pictures, believes animators can often benefit from a helping hand when making the pitch. “If you’re the originator of a project then you can be too precious and often quite nervous,” he says. “The times when I’ve been most successful is when pitching other people’s ideas rather than my own. You can be a little more objective, and more blasé about discussing any suggested changes. And of course the person being pitched to knows that somebody else has already bought into the idea.”
While on-site pitching offers the potential for presenting far more material than might be included than when pitching remotely, Geiger cautions against putting together anything that will take more than 20 minutes to talk through. “If you can’t sum up your project in 10 slides or less (coincidentally, the number of sections in an average business plan) you probably don’t know what you’re doing. Include just what you need to illustrate the heart of your film, and ditch the rest.”
Tim Miller’s own experiences pitching the Heavy Metal animated feature to Hollywood studios echo this advice. “We have developments for 28 different stories for the movie, each with their own artwork and poster, but after going for a shock and awe approach the first couple of times I quickly learned that people get numb to it all. By the second round of pitching we’d narrowed things down a whole lot.”
Pitching in person does mean that it’s not only the pitch materials that need to impress, of course. The person or people making the pitch need to be able to communicate key points clearly and efficiently, to respond to questions when put on the spot, to combine professionalism with enthusiasm, and often to possess exemplary storytelling skills.
“Everybody admires a pitch package that’s put together well, but a good storyteller can make things sound so much more exciting, while a bad one can make it sound totally boring,” says Miller. “If you sound excited about the concept then it tends to be infectious. When you’ve done 20 meetings the enthusiasm can start to wane, but you still need to amp it up and deliver the pitch with the same excitement as when you did it the first time around.”
“Don’t pitch plot, pitch ‘heart’,” says Geiger. “Don’t distribute hand-outs prior to your pitch unless you want a distracted audience, don’t get thrown if people answer the phone or leave the room, don’t keep talking once you’ve got them hooked, and don’t rely on or read from supplemental material.”
“Pitching from a script is a definite no-no,” agrees Shelley Page. “It has absolutely to be all in the head, so that the enthusiasm and knowledge comes across without prompting. Ultimately, whatever it is you‘re pitching, the real trick is to be in love with the idea yourself. It’s that passion for your project that will sell it every time.”
Toolfarm expands its library of VFX and motion graphics plug-ins
Press release
San Francisco, CA, February 19, 2009 – Toolfarm.com, Inc., the leading source of content, community and commerce for professional visual effects and motion graphics plug-ins, today announced the acquisition of assets from online plug-in retailer Pluginz.com. Pluginz.com is a full sales and service shop for digital media professionals. A complimentary offering to the Toolfarm.com product sales, service and information network, the acquisition of Pluginz.com is a natural step in growing the popular Toofarm.com one-stop shop service.
“Our unique value-add among resellers within the content creation market is our exceptional customer service. We offer more than just a list of plug-ins to buy, we provide outstanding sales support. Online help forums, detailed technology briefs and reviews, and a constant stream of industry news help our customers make informed decisions on investing in technology, and the tools to do their job,“ says President of Toolfarm.com, Jason Sharp. “The acquisition of the Pluginz.com gives us an opportunity to expand the overall offering for the Toolfarm community and better service our customers with a more diverse range of plug-ins to choose from along with the technical team to help them during their decision making process and beyond.”
About Pluginz.com
Pluginz.com is a source for plug-ins and other tools for digital artists and an online resource for information about digital content creation. Pluginz.com is a part of the larger network which includes bedagi.com, editingutopia.com, post601.com, 3dplugins.com, and vfxplugins.com.
The site serves as an online community uniting software users and developers, and is an indispensable resource for digital artists seeking the information, service and feedback they need to evaluate and select digital tools and to build their presence in the marketplace.
About Toolfarm.com Inc.
Founded in 1999, Toolfarm.com is the world‘s leading source of content, community and commerce for professional visual effects and motion graphics plug-ins. In the past ten years, Toolfarm.com has served hundreds of thousands of professionals from all around the world who make a living working with digital video. Toolfarm.com continues to provide objective, timely information for users of Adobe, Apple, Avid, Autodesk and Sony applications including the related third-party plug-ins. In addition to competitive pricing, Toolfarm.com‘s free resources include the Plug-in Finder, free tutorials, blogs, newsletters, podcasts, industry news articles and press releases, user forms, compatibility charts and a recent new launch of “MyToolfarm”, a professional video networking resource.
3D World 115's Showreel animation
An adventurous robot’s struggle to see the world reaches the end of the line when his power is cut off, but that’s life in Luke Randall’s expertly animated short 'Reach'
Being held back by invisible ties is something the majority of us can relate to, but in Luke Randall‘s short ‘Reach‘, it’s a tiny little robot that is held back by a tie that is very real: his power cable. The restrictive nature of this robot‘s tie proceeds to thwart his desire to see the world and his ambition becomes his downfall, as a curious bird on the windowsill watches the robot attempt to break free of the tether that binds him.
You can read more about the making of ‘Reach‘ in issue 115 of 3D World.
Watch 'Reach'
In most browsers, right-click on the link and select Save As to download the movie (82.4MB)
Download full-sized screengrabs for our tips on compositing for VFX projects, including Sam Osborne's trick for using pixel analysis
In issue 115 of 3D World, three video compositing experts pass on 20 tips for establishing a more efficient compositing workflow and achieving better results.
In one tip, Framestore compositor Sam Osborne explains how to use pixel analysis tools to address shots with lots of light fluctuation. The tip is accompanied by a Shake screenshot, which you can see at full size here. The bottom-right of the screenshot shows the expressions you can enter into Shake to achieve the division of PixelAnalyzer values at different frames discussed in the tip. Each expression shown, addressing the R, G or B channel, divides the value of the PixelAnalyzer at the current frame by the equivalent value at frame 3.
