Pixar Back at Annecy

Pixar is back again this year at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival which runs from the 8th to the 13th of June 2009.

All this week I’ve been trying to find more information on their presentation aside from the tiny snippets on Annecy’s official website. Turns out I totally missed the advertisement on Pixar’s Jobs page.

Anyhow, it’s indicating that the best way to catch Pixar at this year’s event is to attend their discussion on recruiting and hiring. You’ll find Peter Sohn and Kevin Reher, the Director and the Producer of Partly Cloudy, respectively, headlining the event. Also in attendance will be Animator Carlo Vogele and Senior Recruiter Pamela Harbidge. The discussion will be located at Ravel A&B on the 5th floor of the Imperial Palace on Wednesday, June 10th starting at 5:00 PM. It’s open to all (with festival passes?) but seating is limited so come early.

Furthermore, Bob Peterson and Peter Sohn will also have their presentation on the making of Up and Partly Cloudy, respectively. You can learn more about that event, taking place Friday, June 12th, over at the official Annecy website.

The Conference of Interior Ministers of Germany's 16 federal states in Bremerhaven has decided to ban so-called "killer games" as quickly as possible.

OK, “Up” just wrapped its opening weekend and the real debate isn’t whether the film is worth seeing — it’s whether it’s worth the additional charge ($2 to $5, depending on the theater and city) to see the it in Disney Digital 3-D.

I’ve seen both the 2-D and 3-D versions and now I’m here with my thoughts, likely to muddle the debate even more.

First, there’s a difference in the lead-in promotions. “Up” in Disney Digital 3-D offers audiences a teaser trailer for “Toy Story 3” in 3-D. By now, you’ve likely seen a 2-D version of it from the various links posted on the Internet, including here.

While it’s great to see the Toy Story gang all back together (and I loved Hamm rolling through the scene), it does little other than to remind us of those beloved characters and let us know about the film’s June 2010 release date. There’s also a new 3-D logo for Pixar, with P-I-X-A-R at an angle vs. straight on facing the audience.

“Up” as it is shown in traditional 2-D film format includes a wonderful trailer for “The Princess and the Frog,” reminding the audience of all those great hand-drawn films from Walt’s days to the resurgence of great Disney animation some 20-plus years ago in “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” etc.

In addition, we get a few scenes from “The Princess and the Frog,” a glimpse of the voodoo villain, its New Orleans’ setting, the prince and Disney’s first black princess, who becomes a frog herself after planting a kiss on the toady prince. Talk about a fractured fairy tale. This holiday 2009 offering looks promising and we get a few laughs and more entertainment value than we do the 3-D “Toy Story 3” trailer.

Actually, I think it may have been a mistake not to prime audiences for the 3-D double-bill theatrical release of “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2.” Think about all those children who’ve yet to see Pixar’s first feature and its “more-than-equal sequel” on the big screen. Once they see some advertising or know about the special limited engagement, they’ll be a lot of them hounding their parents for the chance to see these two great films in Disney Digital 3-D.

Still, it’ll be interesting to see how well “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2” in 3-D do at the box office given the millions of VHS home video and DVD copies out there. In this economy, how many people want to shell out $40 or more to take their family to see something they already have in their home video library or can rent for a few dollars?

Now, as to the feature presentation of “Up,” there really are things I liked about both.

As “Up” director Pete Docter and producer Jonas Rivera told me, the 3-D is used to help support “feelings” and “moods” in certain scenes, much in the same way that Pixar uses colors, lighting, scene composition and the interplay of various shapes: angularity and squares vs. circles.

But, should you decide to pay the additional charge to view “Up” in 3-D, take a look at each lens in those special glasses. Hold them up to a wall or ceiling light source and see just how much of that projected image will be blocked from your eyes. It’s like watching a film wearing sunglasses, something that reduces the light by 20 percent or more and slightly changes the colors received by your eyes.

The scene with the reflected lighting off the balloons holding the house aloft is glorious in 2-D; a bit less so in 3-D. But then, the scene of the house flying above the city and rural landscapes seems a bit more special in 3-D.

While there are no “hugga bugga” moments to “sell” 3-D, its use by Pixar in “Up” seems appropriate and adds a bit to the overall emotional experience. Still it’s like adding 10 more pounds of muscle to a 300-pound gorilla which already has a knockout emotional punch.

If you can afford the “Up” charge, see the film in Disney Digital 3-D — it’s something that may be difficult, if not impossible, to replicate at home. (Can a Blu-ray set up be used to show 3-D films on your home theater system? I don’t know.) But if the additional $$ for everyone in your household to see “Up” in 3-D is money you’d rather spend on something else … that’s understandable.

We’ve been conditioned to watching the vast majority of Hollywood’s films in 2-D, so it’s not something like an air-conditioned theater and Dolby Surround Sound that we’ve come to expect just yet. Some cynics even think the studios are using 3-D as a carrot to get more theater screens to switch to digital projection, a “greener” and more economical way to deliver films to your neighborhood multiplex than big, bulky film cans.

Here’s something you might also want to consider: Check your area’s bargain matinee policies, which vary greatly from chain-to-chain and city-to-city. “Up” is being shown on more than 20 screens at least eight megaplexes within 30 miles of my home, including at least six 3-D screens.

Some chains have a special early bird matinee and then a couple of cheaper matinee screenings. Some chains also offer a special full-day midweek with reduced ticket prices. Some offer only one or two matinee-priced screenings per day, all showtimes before 2 or 3 p.m. — some are more consumer friendly. One chain, a favorite about 25 miles from my home, offers bargain matinees daily until 6 p.m. and then also offers a bargain price for Sunday night’s last show time, usually starting between 9:20 and 10:30 p.m. The bargain ticket price with the additional $3 3-D charge at my favorite multiplex was $10 per ticket total vs. $10.50 for a regular evening showtime ($13.50 for “Up” in 3-D).

Irreguardless of whether you see “Up” in 2-D or 3-D, count on a great time at the movies. Pixar delivers yet another wonderful film.

Maybe, after Pixar extends its string of commercial and critical hits to 15 or 20 films, the naysayers at the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere — expecting a flop with every new film — will be silenced. Maybe, a few rivals will take a good hard look at just what makes Pixar’s films so great — the emphasis on STORY, Story, story — and try to replicate that in a way that will benefit all filmgoers.

Germany trying to pass law that forbids production and sales of violent games.

The Conference of Interior Ministers of Germany's 16 federal states in Bremerhaven has decided to ban so-called "killer games" as quickly as possible. " The step is a consequence of the Amoklauf of Winnenden and prevent future running amok.

Even before the Bundestag in September, according to the will of the Interior a comprehensive distribution and manufacturing ban "for games in which an essential part of the plot of the virtual reality exercise described killing or other acts of cruel or otherwise inhuman acts of violence against human beings or human-like is, in effect.

Uwe Schürmann, CDU interior minister of Lower Saxony, based its approval on the decision against the newspaper online world: "By Killerspiele reduces inhibitions to violence. Have been running amok in front of their deeds repeatedly employs with such games."

To make the ban law takes effect, must, however, the Bundestag passed the decision of the Interior to connect.According to the minister is already a law in the coming weeks or months to the vote.

Terminator Salvation -ILM & Kerner Optical

In this week’s fxpodcast we have an amazing show - we speak in depth to both Ben Snow of ILM and Brain Gernand of Kerner Optical about Terminator Salvation. Ben discusses things such as a whole new lighting “energy conserving” renderman system at ILM and Brian discusses both miniatures and pryo - and the complex mortar tree used for the spectacular ending of the film. As we have been doing lately - we really drill down on just a couple of shots for a really in-depth discussion of both digital and physical effects. For more shots from the film click the link on this panel, there are more images after the jump of the shots we discuss in the podcast.
NB: Be warned this fxpodcast contains major spoilers.

Shots from Warner Bros. Pictures action/sci-fi feature Terminator Salvation, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. The film stars Christian Bale and Sam Worthington.

DreamWorks Animation Announces Plans to Release Five Feature Films Every Two Years

DreamWorks Animation Announces Plans to Release Five Feature Films Every Two Years

Company Adds An Additional Film Every Other Year To Its Existing Release Schedule.

Company Announces Its Next Eight Animated Feature Film Releases Through 2012

GLENDALE, Calif., May 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) announced today its plans to release five feature films every two years, adding an additional film every other year to its existing two picture a year release schedule on a going-forward basis. The Company also announced its upcoming slate of animated feature film releases through 2012.

The Company's slate through 2012 now includes eight feature films from DreamWorks Animation's talented and seasoned creative leadership team, including five original films and three sequels based on the Company's existing blockbuster franchises, Shrek, Madagascar and Kung Fu Panda. As has been previously announced, all DreamWorks Animation feature films are now being produced in 3D.

"Our exceptionally talented and highly experienced creative team is bringing to DreamWorks Animation a significant number of imaginative, original and cutting-edge ideas today," said Bill Damaschke, Co-President of Production and President of Live Theatrical. "Having achieved a high level of success and consistency in our creative process and having in our development pipeline more great story concepts than ever before, we are very confident in our ability to add one original film every other year."

The upcoming animated films on the Company's future theatrical release schedule are currently planned as follows:

How to Train Your Dragon, which is based on the book of the same name by Cressida Cowell, will be released on March 26, 2010. It is being written and directed by Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch) and Dean DeBlois (Lilo & Stitch), produced by Bonnie Arnold (Over the Hedge, Toy Story) and will star Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Craig Ferguson, Kristen Wiig and TJ Miller. Set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, the story centers around a teenager who lives on the island of Berk, where fighting dragons is a way of life. But when he encounters - and ultimately befriends - an injured dragon, his world is turned upside down.

Shrek Forever After will be released on May 21, 2010. Aron Warner (producer of the Shrek franchise films) and Andrew Adamson (Shrek, The Chronicles of Narnia) are serving as executive producers on the film, which is being directed by Mike Mitchell and produced by Teresa Cheng and Gina Shay and will feature the original all-star cast, including Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas.

Oobermind (formerly titled Master Mind) will be released on November 5, 2010. It is being directed by Tom McGrath (Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa), executive produced by Ben Stiller and Stuart Cornfeld, produced by Lara Breay and Denise Nolan Cascino and will star Robert Downey Jr. and Tina Fey. When super villain Oobermind defeats his archrival Metro Man, the world should be his oyster. But instead, Oobermind falls into total despair. It turns out that life without a rival is life without a point for him. So he creates a new superhero rival. Unfortunately, the new hero wants to be a super villain too. Who can we turn to? Who has what it takes to stand up to this menace? Who will defend the innocent? Oobermind! That's who.

Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom will be released on June 3, 2011. The next chapter of the 2008 blockbuster is directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, produced by Melissa Cobb and will feature the return of the original all-star cast, including Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu and David Cross. A new villain has emerged with a mysterious weapon so powerful it threatens the very existence of kung fu. It is up to Po and the Furious Five to protect all that they know. But first, Po must confront his long lost past.

The Guardians (working title), based on the forthcoming books by William Joyce, will be released on November 4, 2011. It was brought to the Company by William Joyce and Reel FX, and is being directed by Jeff Lynch in collaboration with William Joyce and produced by Christina Steinberg and Nancy Bernstein. The world's five unlikeliest heroes - Jack Frost, North (aka Santa), Bunnymund (the Easter Bunny), Tooth (the Tooth Fairy), and Sandy (the Sandman) - must band together to stop an ancient spirit called Pitch (the Boogeyman) from plunging the world into eternal darkness.

Puss In Boots (working title) will be released on March 30, 2012. It is being directed by Chris Miller, produced by Joe Aguilar and Michelle Raimo and executive produced by Andrew Adamson, and will star Antonio Banderas as Puss In Boots and Salma Hayek as Kitty, Puss' love interest. Swords will cross and hearts will be broken in this adventure starring one of the most beloved characters of the Shrek universe - Puss In Boots. It's a swashbuckling ride through Puss's early years as he teams with mastermind Humpty Dumpty and the street-savvy Kitty to steal the famed Goose that lays the Golden Eggs.

The next chapter of the Company's hit franchise Madagascar is due to be released on May 25, 2012. It is being directed by Eric Darnell (Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa) and produced by Mireille Soria (Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa) and Mark Swift (Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa). Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple; King Julien, Maurice and the Penguins are along for the adventure. This time the road takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent Madagascar style!

On November 2, 2012, the Company plans to release one of three original projects currently in pre-production at the studio. The first is The Croods (working title), which is being directed by Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco and produced by Kristine Belson and Jane Hartwell. An old school caveman must lead his family across a volatile prehistoric landscape in search of a new home. The outsized flora and fauna are challenge enough, but the real complication arises when the family is joined by an alarmingly modern caveman whose search for "tomorrow" is at odds with our hero's reliance on the traditions of yesterday. The second is Truckers (working title) based on The Bromeliad Trilogy by fantasy legend Terry Pratchett and written by Academy Award(R) winning writer, Simon Beaufoy. A society of tiny beings lives in a department store, right underfoot and unseen by the humans that shop there. To them, the store is the entire universe. And when they discover that the store is slated for demolition, they must embark on an epic journey to find a new home ... ultimately learning that their true home is literally out of this world! And the third is an as-yet-untitled Super Secret Ghost Project, in which DreamWorks Animation will bring you ghosts as you've never seen them before.

DreamWorks Animation Chief Operating Officer Ann Daly added, "We are thrilled with our exciting line-up of feature projects. With so many promising original ideas and new franchise chapters in our pipeline, we believe this is the perfect time to share our theatrical plans for the next few years as we continue to lead the 3D charge and push creative boundaries to bring our stories to life."

About DreamWorks Animation SKG

DreamWorks Animation is principally devoted to developing and producing computer generated, or CG, animated feature films. With world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced CG filmmaking technology and techniques, DreamWorks Animation makes high quality CG animated films meant for a broad movie-going audience. The Company anticipates releasing its feature films into both conventional and IMAX(R) theatres worldwide. The Company has theatrically released a total of eighteen animated feature films, including Shrek, Shrek 2, Shark Tale, Madagascar, Over the Hedge, Shrek the Third, Bee Movie, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and Monsters vs. Aliens. All of the Company's feature films are now being produced in stereoscopic 3D technology.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This document includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company's plans, prospects, strategies, proposals and our beliefs and expectations concerning performance of our current and future releases and anticipated talent, directors and storyline for our upcoming films and other projects, constitute forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industry in which we operate and management's beliefs and assumptions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the statements herein due to changes in economic, business, competitive, technological and/or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the operation of the business of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. These risks and uncertainties include: audience acceptance of our film and other projects, our dependence on the success of a limited number of releases each year, the increasing cost of producing and marketing feature films, piracy of motion pictures, resource constraints resulting from our expanding number of films and other projects, the effect of rapid technological change or alternative forms of entertainment and our need to protect our proprietary technology and enhance or develop new technology. In addition, due to the uncertainties and risks involved in the development and production of our projects, the release dates described in this document may be delayed. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and our most recent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. DreamWorks Animation is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.

inalRender, finalToon, finalShaders SP3 for 3ds Max 2010

cebas VISUAL TECHNOLOGY Inc., maker of finalRender®, today
announced the release of finalRender Stage-1 R2, finalToon R2, and finalShaders
R2 SP3 for 3ds Max 2010.

© by www.r-evo.ru

What's New in SP3?

• 3ds max 2010 32-Bit Support
• 3ds max 2010 64-Bit Support

Here's How to Get it!

SP3 of finalRender Stage-1 R2, finalToon R2, and finalShaders R2 is a free download and can be acquired by registered users at the cebas Shop. If you already have an account you can simply go to the My Account section of the cebas shop and then go to My Downloads to get the update. If you are unable to see the download in your My Downloads section, please contact register@cebas.com and mention that you are not able to see the download in the shop. If you didn’t purchase finalRender Stage-1 R2, finalToon R2, or finalShaders R2 directly from the cebas shop, you will need to create an account and then click the Register Me button in the My Downloads section. Within 24 hours, you will have all updates and downloads available to you for all of your cebas products.
Please be aware that the installer supplied with this download is a "re-compile only" installation assuming a previous install still being in place.

About cebas Computer GmbH

cebas Computer GmbH is a German developer of advanced 3D software for 3ds max and other 3D applications, based near Heidelberg. With 20 years of experience in software development for the 3D market, cebas has become renowned for its quality and unique software products serving graphics and animation studios around the world.
More info is available at www.cebas.com.


Autodesk and 3ds max are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk Inc./Autodesk Canada Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. ©Copyright 2009 cebas Computer GmbH. PyroCluster, finalRender are registered trademarks of cebas Computer in Germany. All rights reserved.


More At:http://www.cebas.com/news/read.php?UD=10-7888-33-788&NID=332