« First GeForce GTX 295 Single PCB Direct2D: 2D Drawing APIs in Windows 7 » May 15 2009 MSI GeForce N260GTX Lightning 1792MB is Hot and Loud! Posted

This GeForce GTX 260 (with 216 shader cores) from MSI is cooled by the Twin Frozr, a GPU cooler with five heatpipes, dual slot heatsink and two big fans. From the name and the images, this GPU cooler seems to be really efficient but the reality is different. When the GPU is stressed, the cooler is loud: 52db! Unbearable! But besides being noisy, the cooler seems to have some difficulties to do its job:

When the video card is stressed by FurMark, the temperature reaches 100°C, which is a very high temperature for a GPU. One possible explanation is that the graphics card is pre-overclocked by MSI, and that explains such a high temperature.

RED GIANT STUDIOS Announces its 1st Animated Film

RED GIANT STUDIOS ANNOUNCES ITS 1ST ANIMATED FILM, THE WAY TO HEAVEN

The CG-animated short film will wrap all production in Summer 2009

Red Giant Studios, LLC., a new animation and visual effects studio founded by Dalton Grant, Jr and Cindy Rangel, announces its plan to release it's first CG-animated short, The Way To Heaven, in July of 2009.

The film is the result of the collaboration between Red Giant Studios and that of Guilin Jieli Digital Animation, an offspring company from the founder of Jieli Publishing, which is one of the largest children's book publishers in mainland China. The Way to Heaven, which is Directed by Dalton Grant, Jr and Co-Directed/Executive Produced by Mier Tang, is a film for all ages and, though the story is rooted in the beautiful, Chinese region of Guilin, the message is global. The Way to Heaven is the result of a small group of highly-talented Chinese and international artists

(some of which having worked at some of the largest studios in the field) that came together to create a film that would not only be shown on a world stage but would help to represent a new standard in Chinese animation.

The two companies officially began work on the project in May of 2008, when production was green-lit by Guilin Jieli Digital Animation and Red Giant Studios officially opened its doors. However, the project has been in development since June 2007 when Dalton and Mier first discussed the possibility of such a venture. “Since the beginning of this film, our initial idea has always been to not just have a pretty film but, most importantly, to have one that tells a good story and this myth, in particular, just felt like the right story for us to do as our first project” says Dalton Grant. Upon its completion this summer, the film will be traversing the international festival circuit.

Currently, a teaser trailer for the short can be viewed on Red Giant Studios' website, www.redgiantstudios.net. Also in the works, Red Giant Studios has another short film in its pipeline and is currently in the process of developing its first feature-length film.

Thea Render Announces New Commercial Renderer Release Schedule

Greece (May 15, 2009) - Thea Render is pleased to announce their new commercial renderer. Thea Render comes from the effort and experience of many years and it has a rich set of strong and innovative features. Particularly, it is a rendering system that can produce both photoreastic and unbiased images, thus it is appropriate for users of various different "schools", such as architects, illumination engineers, artists, illustrators and gamers.

Thea Render is a new physically-based renderer with the unique ability of producing both biased and unbiased photorealistic renders, using state-of-the-art and in-house developed techniques. It comes with a rich set of standard and innovative features, a powerful material layer system never seen before in another renderer, and its own advanced standalone studio.

For more information please visit: www.thearender.com/

Bournemouth's NCCA launches Games Animation, Animation Arts courses

The National Centre for Computer Animation (NCCA) at Bournemouth University is proud to be launching two new undergraduate courses.

BA (Hons) Computer Games Animation and BA (Hons) Computer Animation Arts will join the already highly-renowned BA (Hons) Computer Visualisation & Animation in the Centre's suite of undergraduate courses.

Ranked as number one in the UK in the 3D Training Directory by 3D World magazine, the NCCA is enthusiastic about expanding its undergraduate portfolio.

Steve Hubbard, Associate Dean said, "These new pathways will be commencing in the NCCA's 20 th anniversary year, and will build upon the strong foundations of its success in its first two decades, to continue to innovate and progress into its third decade".

While both the courses can lead to a wide range of careers in computer animation, each course focuses on a particular aspect of the industry.

With specialist units in programming, maths and systems in computer games, BA (Hons) Computer Games Animation (2010 entry) will create graduates who are particularly suited to careers such as Technical Director/Artist in Computer Games Production.

BA (Hons) Computer Animation Arts (2009 entry) contains specialist units in art practice, visual studies and aesthetic theory, and graduates will be especially suited to roles such as director, environment artist, concept artist, character animator or compositor.

The NCCA also offers masters courses in MA Digital Effects, MA 3D Computer Animation and MSc Computer Animation and Visual Effects. It achieved a research grade 5 in the latest national research assessment exercise and is internationally renowned as a leader in the research of Computer Animation.

Related links:

• BA Computer Animation Arts
• BA Computer Games Animation
• BA Computer Visualisation & Animation
• MA 3D Computer Animation
• MSc Computer Animation and Visual Effects
• MA Digital Effects
• NCCA

More at:http://media.bournemouth.ac.uk/about/news/2009/apr/ne005_ncca_launches_new_courses.html

Kung Fu Panda class at Gnomon

The Making of: Kung Fu Panda | May 12th, 2009

Thursday, May 28th, 2009
6:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m.

Special Guest: Markus Manninen,
Visual Effects Supervisor of “Kung Fu Panda”

A presentation of the visual strategies, the production approaches used, and the execution of “Kung Fu Panda”. Learn how the film was shaped from early pre-production to final execution through the Visual Effects Supervisor’s point of view.

Presenter:

Markus Manninen
Visual Effects Supervisor
Markus Manninen, VFX Supervisor currently wrapped on the 2008 DreamWorks Animation, Academy Award Nominated Feature Film, “Kung Fu Panda”. He is in pre-production as VFX Supervisor on a “soon to be disclosed” 2013 DWA release.

Markus grew up in Stockholm, Sweden, and later attended Kungliga Tekniska Hogskolan (Royal Institute of Technology), Stockholm (M.Sc.E.E) and the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. While studying in Massachusetts, Manninen was introduced to computer graphics animation and soon developed a passion for it; he continued to pursue his career choice when he returned to Sweden. His first job in the field was as a project manager for the Media Laboratory at Stockholm’s Royal Institute of Technology.

He then began working as a freelance animator in his hometown, soon launching his own company. He then segued to the position of CG supervisor at the studio Filmtecknarna. Relocating to London, Manninen went to work for Framestore CFC as head of 3D commercials. His first motion picture credit is for the vampire/werewolf thriller “Underworld,” serving as a digital effects artist.

And also for DWA Markus worked on the animated film “Over the Hedge” as CG Supervisor and consulted during pre-production of “Bee Movie.”

Event Details:

When: Thursday, May 28, 2009
Meet & Greet: 6:00PM
Presentation: 7:00PM – 9:00PM
Place: Gnomon School of Visual Effects
1015 N. Cahuenga Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90038

This event is FREE of charge!

Please visit the Gnomon Store – extended hours during special events.

More at:http://www.gnomonschool.com/?p=348