Many of This Season's Most-Watched Programs Feature Autodesk Technology
SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Nov. 5, 2009 - Post-production houses regularly turn to
digital entertainment creation software from Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK),
to help bring movie-like visual effects into millions of homes in this
season's most-watched television programs. Highlights include a 3D video
game universe in "House," the evocative color finishing of "Mad Men" and
the UEFA Europa League rebrand.
Image Courtesy of Encore Hollywood
Ascent Media, which provides creative and technical services through its
worldwide network of media facilities, including Encore Hollywood, RIOT and
Level 3, uses a combination of Autodesk Flame and Autodesk Inferno visual
effects software, Autodesk Lustre color grading software, Autodesk Smoke
editorial finishing software and Autodesk 3ds Max 3D animation, modeling
and rendering software on more than 25 shows this season, including "NCIS,"
"CSI: NY" and "House" (comprehensive list below). "The Autodesk family of
software helps facilitate interoperability between our companies to
maximize workflow efficiency and put our best work forward for our clients.
The tools are efficient, and the cross-platform compatibility allows our
talented artists to focus on creativity," said Bill Romeo, Ascent senior
vice president, Entertainment Television.
Image Courtesy of Encore Hollywood
Los Angeles and Vancouver-based Zoic Studios contributed to a variety of
shows kicking off the fall season, including "Flash Forward" and "Fringe."
For the sci-fi drama "Flash Forward," Zoic created urban destruction with
Autodesk Maya software for modeling, texturing, fluid dynamics, solid body
and particle effects, as well as Flame for timing, retiming, rotoscoping
and element placement. Zoic also used its Maya and Flame pipeline on "True
Blood" and "V" as well as for digital prosthetics, character creation and
animation on "Fringe." In addition, Zoic used Maya on "Mad Men," "Drop Dead
Diva," "Californication," "Human Target" and "Ben 10-Alien Swarm."
“V,” Courtesy of Zoic Studios for ABC.
Entity FX, with a toolset that includes Maya, Flame and Inferno, worked on
three visual effects-intensive shows this season: "The Vampire Diaries,"
"Smallville" and "Eastwick" (along with two feature films, "This is It" and
"Law Abiding Citizen"). "Eastwick" features photorealistic effects infused
with magical flourishes, and in the premiere episode, an animated army of
hostile digital ants was created using a custom script in Maya and
composited in Flame. Dan Rucinski, executive producer, Entity FX, said,
"This year alone, our artists used our Autodesk bag of tricks on four
feature films and eight television projects, most recently to create - in a
very short time frame - 2D and stereo 3D effects for the Michael Jackson
movie."
The effects work created by CBS Digital (CBSD) this season spans the gamut
from straightforward green screen on the new hit show "Modern Family" -
where artists used Flame to help composite exterior views - to the complex
opening shot for the acclaimed bio-pic "Georgia O'Keeffe," where artists
re-created 1920s New York. CBSD transformed footage of a city block in New
Mexico using Maya to authentically model the buildings and Inferno to
combine multiple 3D layers, green screen extras and period cars.
Image courtesy of CBS Digital.
Image courtesy of CBS Digital.
Six-time Emmy-winning post house LaserPacific looked to the Lustre digital
color grading system to shape shows such as "Mad Men," "The Good Wife" and
"Eastbound & Down" as well as two made-for-television movies, "Wizards of
Waverly Place Ø The Movie" and "Georgia O'Keeffe," for which Maya was also
used.
Image credit: Courtesy of Ingredient
The London-branch of Prime Focus was commissioned by design agency
Ingredient to create opening and closing credits and bumpers for the
rebrand of Europe's soccer championship, the new UEFA Europa League
(previously UEFA Cup). The sequences feature a dusk-lit sky as the camera
moves through rural locations while giant projected images of Europe's top
players serve as the backdrop. With RED camera-captured football source
footage, Prime Focus modeled 3D architecture in Maya and used Flame to help
map the 3D camera moves. Flame was also used for compositing, color
correction, sky replacements and realistic finishing touches of moving
clouds and city traffic. Derek Moore, Prime Focus creative director, said,
"Maya and Flame allowed us to overcome many complex challenges and create
the exact look we wanted."
Image credit: Courtesy of Ingredient
Studios that worked with Autodesk software to help create content for this
TV season are:
- NY and LA-based LOOK Effects used Maya and Flame for its work on "Bones."
- The Toronto location of Spin VFX used Flame and Maya to create the
eclectic combination of live-action and animation for the Canadian tween
hit "Majority Rules."
- Ascent's Encore and RIOT used Lustre to help create the look of "Lost,"
"90210," "Medium," "CSI: NY," "Hung," "Big Love," "Heroes," "How to Make It
in America," "Fire in the Hole," "Lie to Me," "Terriers" and "In
Treatment."
- Ascent's Encore and Level 3 Post used Smoke, Inferno and 3ds Max on
"House," "NCIS," "NCIS LA," "90210," "CSI: NY," "Medium," "Monk," "Weeds,"
"United States of Tara," "Hung," "Entourage," "Big Love," "Past Life," "The
Closer," "Castle," "Drop Dead Diva," "Melrose Place," "Flash Forward,"
"Bones" and "24."
About Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc., is a world leader in 2D and 3D design, engineering and
entertainment software for the manufacturing, building and construction,
and media and entertainment markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD
software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of
state-of-the-art software to help customers experience their ideas
digitally before they are built. Fortune 100 companies Ø as well as the
last 14 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects Ø use Autodesk
software tools to design, visualize and simulate their ideas to save time
and money, enhance quality, and foster innovation for competitive
advantage. For additional information about Autodesk, visit
http://www.autodesk.com.
Autodesk, AutoCAD, Flame, Inferno, Lustre, Maya, Smoke and 3ds Max are
registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its
subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Emmy is a
registered trademark of the National Academy of Television Arts and
Sciences. Academy Award is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences. All other brand names, product names or
trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right
to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice,
and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may
appear in this document.
© 2009 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
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