Optical Mocap Set-up Used by Underworld: Awakening Animation Team and Directors as a Previs and Animation Tool; Behind the Scenes Video Just Released

Corvallis, Ore – April 10, 2012 — Translating concept art and storyboards into the animated mannerisms of a larger-than-life CG monster is challenging for even the most talented animators. Luma Pictures – the team responsible for character development, animation, and film VFX for the Über Lycan in Underworld: Awakening – addressed this challenge with the assistance of an OptiTrack motion capture system, installed on-site at their Santa Monica studio.

Luma’s animators utilized their OptiTrack system to record the movements of actor Kris Holden-Reid, as he brought the film’s most notorious creature, the Über Lycan, to life. Mocap was employed both to fine-tune performance points during previs and quickly create realistic reference animations that could be used as starting points for the final keyframing process. As Luma prototyped character animation and virtual cinematography alongside the film’s directorial team, new ideas could be fleshed out in real-time and then baked onto a character’s control rig for further post-animation in Maya. A just-released short was created by Filter Foundry to document this process and can be seen here on OptiTrack’s website.

One of the film’s most high-profile shots, in which Quint Lane (Holden-Reid’s human character) violently transforms into a 13 ft. werewolf, was captured using 12 OptiTrack S250e cameras and a 24’ x 24’ stage designed specifically for the project. Observing the data as it was retargeted in MotionBuilder, in real-time, enabled the team to immediately identify the movements that could be most convincingly translated into the final transformation sequence.

“OptiTrack data gives our team the freedom to experiment and iterate on our ideas quickly,” said Steven Swanson, Visual Effects Producer for Luma Pictures. “With mocap at our disposal, our ability to make decisions on final direction and export animator-ready scenes to our team has accelerated significantly. The system has already proven itself and this is only our first project with it.”

Besides being able to track nuanced actor performances with convincing realism, Luma required a mocap platform that could be easily incorporated into their existing ecosystem. “It had to be a system that was simple to set-up and pipe into MotionBuilder and Maya,” added Swanson. “OptiTrack fulfilled this need and gave us a quality of output that would keep pace with the most demanding of film projects.”

Underworld: Awakening is the fourth film in the popular vampire-werewolf saga. The films depict an on-going war between vampires and Lycans, usually through the character of Selene (Kate Beckinsale). Underworld: Awakening was the first film of the series to be presented in 3D and was released on January 20, 2012.

Shanghai, China and Burbank, California (April 10, 2012) – The Walt Disney Company in China, the Ministry of Culture’s China Animation Group, and Tencent, China’s largest internet service provider, have formed a partnership, “The National Animation Creative Research and Development Cooperation,” to advance the country’s animation industry. The organization, announced at a signing ceremony in Beijing today (Tuesday), will serve as an incubator to train local talent and develop original content that will entertain audiences in China and worldwide.

“The National Animation Creative Research and Development initiative is focused on nurturing local talent and recognizes the importance of developing original local animation content,” said Andy Bird, Chairman of Walt Disney International. “Disney’s involvement builds on our expertise and long term commitment to nurture the local original animation industry. As founding partner we look forward to working with this new creative partnership in creating content for the Chinese and international marketplace,” he added.

Mr. Bird was joined at the ceremony by Liang Gang, Chairman of the Board for China Animation Group, Ren Yuxin, a senior executive of Tencent, and Gao Zheng, deputy director general, Cultural Industry Department for the Ministry of Culture.

As part of the initiative, Disney will provide its expertise in storytelling from concept creation and story development to market research. Disney will work with the China Animation Group and Tencent to foster local content across mediums, including television, motion pictures and digital platforms, for distribution in China and internationally. Tencent, one of China’s largest Internet service portals, will provide online marketing support.

BURBANK, Calif. – April 5, 2012 – D23: The Official Disney Fan Club is celebrating the once-in-a-lifetime diamond anniversary of one of the most universally beloved and singularly unique film genres in the world—at DESTINATION D: 75 YEARS OF DISNEY ANIMATED FEATURES, Aug. 11 and 12 at the Disneyland Resort.

The two-day event will offer a panorama of some of the most celebrated films and characters ever brought to life on screen and provide attendees with an unforgettable Disney experience.  

From Walt Disney’s groundbreaking Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to the upcoming Wreck-It Ralph, guests will go on a “behind-the-magic” journey filled with classic cinematic moments of heart-tugging emotion, laughter, and song that have captivated generations the world over. Renowned historians, authors, and animators of today will host this trip through the artistry and imagination of Disney animated features, each day ending with an unforgettable nighttime concert featuring two incomparable Disney Legends.

Highlights of DESTINATION D: 75 YEARS OF DISNEY ANIMATED FEATURES will include:

• Salutes to the great Disney animators and artists of the past
• A Saturday-evening concert by the incredible Dick Van Dyke and The Vantastix performing beloved Disney songs and pop standards
• A Sunday-evening concert showcase starring eight-time Oscar^®-winning composer/songwriter Alan Menken, who will perform some of his most memorable songs from many modern-day Disney film classics and more
• A glimpse at how Disney animated features have influenced Disney Parks
• Rare and never-before-seen artwork and film footage
• A special salute to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the “fairest of them all”
• An extraordinary reunion of Disney animation voice talent through the years
• More screenings, presentations, and panels, to be announced in the coming weeks

The weekend event will take place in the Grand Ballroom of the newly “re-Imagineered” Disneyland^® Hotel in Anaheim, Calif. Tickets, available Wednesday, April 18, are $225 each and available exclusively to D23 Members and their guests. A limited number of “Diamond Level” tickets will be available featuring VIP seating, a third day of experiences on Monday, Aug. 13, at the Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, Calif., special gifts, and more.

More details about the program and tickets for D23’s DESTINATION D: 75 YEARS OF DISNEY ANIMATED FEATURES can be found online at www.disney.com/D23.

GLENDALE, Calif., April 6, 2012 — DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) today announced that the Company’s first quarter results will be released on Wednesday, May 2, 2012, after the market close.

DreamWorks Animation will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the results on Wednesday, May 2, 2012, at 4:30 p.m. (ET). Investors can access the call by dialing (800) 230-1059 in the U.S. and (612) 234-9959 internationally and identifying “DreamWorks Animation Earnings” to the operator. The call will also be available via live webcast at www.dreamworksanimation.com.

A replay of the conference call will be available shortly after the call ends on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. To access the replay, dial (800) 475-6701 in the U.S. and (320) 365-3844 internationally and enter 244157 as the conference ID number. Both the earnings release and archived webcast will be available on the Company’s website at www.dreamworksanimation.com.

Flower Mound, TX – April 6, 2012 – FUNimation Entertainment announced today at Sakura-con it has acquired the rights to 2 anime series: Sankarea and Shangri-La. In addition, FUNimation has acquired the simulcast rights for Sankarea. A brief synopsis for each series is listed below:

Sankarea- Furuya’s not interested in the living, he’s got zombies on the brain! When Furuya’s cat dies, he decides he’s going to try and bring it back to life. In the process, he stumbles across a girl whose failed attempted suicide has turned her into a real zombie! What’s Furuya going to do now that the thing he loves the most is right in front of his eyes? Watch what happens in this romantic comedy about the undead.

Shangri-La – In the distant future, earthquakes and the effects of global warming have splintered Japanese society. Some struggle hand-to-mouth in the jungle-tangled ruins of civilization. Some live comfortably within the closed-off city of Atlas. Others lurk online, anonymously hacking the global economy. As nature grows more violent and the divide between classes expands, one spirited girl – Kuniko – must face her destiny and lead her people into the utopia of Atlas. The city’s ruthless government isn’t going to welcome them with open arms, but Kuniko won’t give up until the gates of Atlas are kicked open for good – even if it means discovering that the promised land she dreamed of is built upon a foundation of twisted secrets and lies.

Simulcasts will begin on www.niconico.com/anime & www.funimation.com during spring 2012.

Disney XD is set to premiere Motorcity, a turbo-charged animated series set in futuristic Detroit, controlled by an evil billionaire who bans personal freedoms, including automobiles. Now it’s up to The Burners, a group of rebels led by 17-year-old Mike Chilton, to customize their fleet of cool hot rods and set out to stop Kane from taking over their last oasis of freedom, a subterranean refuge dubbed Motorcity. The series, created, executive produced and directed by noted animation veteran Chris Prynoski (Metalocalypse), premieres MONDAY, APRIL 30 (9:00–9:30 p.m., ET/PT).

As part of Disney XD’s outreach to kids and families, the 2012 Global Rallycross Championship (GRC) season will feature champion rally car driver Stephan Verdier racing a customized Motorcity vehicle in a matching suit and helmet. Verdier will participate in several Disney XD and Radio Disney fan experiences between May and September and will guest star in an upcoming episode of “Motorcity. Beginning in May on Disney XD, viewers are invited to join the action through a series of interstitials with Verdier and members of the Motorcity creative team. DisneyXD.com will also feature game performance tips from Verdier.

The series features the voice talent of Reid Scott (My Boys) as Mike Chilton; Nate Torrence (She’s Out of My League) as Chuck; Katie Micucci (When in Rome) as Julie; Kel Mitchell (Kenan and Kel) as Dutch; Jess Harnell (Drawn Together) as Texas; Brian Doyle Murray (The Middle) as Jacob; Jim Breuer (Saturday Night Live) as Tooley; and Mark Hamill (Star Wars) as Abraham Kane. Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) is also a reoccurring guest star as The Duke of Detroit.

Motorcity: Drive, a six-level, 3D racing, shooter game for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch recently launched and raced to the top of the download charts. In just a few weeks, it reached the top 10 for free iPad games and the Top 25 overall free iPad apps. It is available for free from the App Store at www.itunes.com/appstore and can be played online at DisneyXD.com/Motorcity.

The multiplatform premiere schedule is as follows:

Monday, April 16

Motorcity series premiere episode will be available on iTunes as a free download.

Monday, April 30

(9:00 p.m., ET/PT) – Motorcity Series Premiere

In the premiere episode, “Battle for Motorcity,” Kane attacks Motorcity and nearly cripples it, prompting Mike and The Burners to go head-to-head with him in his own territory, Detroit Deluxe. However, when they unexpectedly fall into Kane’s trap leaving Motorcity defenseless against his latest technological horror, they must find a way to escape before it’s too late.

Directly following the premiere on air, the series premiere episode will be available on DisneyXD.com.

Motorcity is a production of Robin Red Breast, Inc. (a subsidiary of Titmouse, Inc.) and Disney Television Animation. It carries a TV-Y7 parental guideline.

LOS ANGELES, CA – Render Rocket , an advanced cloud-based rendering services company, announced that it has added Free, Unlimited Test Rendering and a new Referral Program to its list of services. The free unlimited test renders include support and training, giving customers the ability to test up to five frames of their project before they pay for it. In addition, Render Rocket has just launched the Rocket Referral Program, which enables customers to get 100 free credits per month for an entire year for every customer they bring to Render Rocket. Render Rocket will be showcasing both new programs at this year’s NAB (CloudMediaHUB booth #N3222I – North Hall, Middle of the Cloud Computing Pavilion).

The Free, Unlimited Test Renders option, which is the only cloud-based, self-service test option for rendering on the market, gives customers a number of advantages, including:

– Getting familiar with Render Rocket’s cloud-based service and rendering interface, Mission Control, for free;
– Identifying any potential issues or needed tweaks to a project before spending any money;
– Enabling Render Rocket’s sales team to assist customers in scoping a project’s costs and finding the best pricing options;
– Giving customers confidence that Render Rocket is the right fit for their workflow and project needs.

Test renders are limited to five (5) frames, and all final rendered images are watermarked. All test renders come with access to training and support. There is no limit to how many tests a customer can run. In addition, test renders do not use pre-paid Render Rocket credits, nor will a customer’s credit card be charged for these tests.

“The creative process is iterative, and sometimes takes a bit of trial and error to get it right,” said Ruben Perez, CEO of Render Rocket. “For our customers, the new Free, Unlimited Test Renders give them a way to test their creative ideas before they spend any money. Those new to Render Rocket can test our rendering service without having to pay upfront for their project. Either way, it’s a win for the customer.”

Render Rocket is also launching the new Rocket Referral Program, which kicks off immediately and gives Render Rocket customers a great way to load their account with free render credits to use on current and future projects. Under the program, customers who are currently using Render Rocket’s service can gain access to 100 extra render credits per month (which equates to 100 monthly core hours of processing) just by bringing a new customer to the cloud-based service. Referring customers get the same amount of credits every month for a year for each customer they refer (1200 core hours of processing per year / per customer). The 100 credits are monthly credits and do not carry over from month to month.

MARDEN, Kent – The Pixel Farm, developer of innovative image processing systems for VFX, DI and restoration, announced PFDepth — a new, fully integrated toolset for spatial scene reconstruction, depth creation and 2D to 3D conversion. The Pixel Farm will publicly debut PFDepth at NAB 2012 April 16th to 19th at the Las Vegas Convention Center, booth #SL13408.

Benefiting from the unique technological capabilities of PFTrack already being used by facilities globally, PFDepth is a radical evolution of the processes involved in representing the perceived geometric shape and depth of two-dimensional objects in 3D. Performing 2D to 3D conversion by assigning accurate depth cues relative to the camera’s position over time, dynamic adjustments to the perceived dimensionality of the scene are animated automatically, making PFDepth truly distinctive amongst stereoscopic post production tools.

“Through speaking to our users who do this type of work, we’ve learned a lot about the significant complications encountered when trying to build a workflow around various loosely-connected applications,” says Daryl Shail, VFX Product Manager at The Pixel Farm Ltd. “When we set out to develop PFDepth, we approached it as a total solution to directly address the specific challenges of 2D to 3D conversion, with an emphasis on productivity, intuitiveness, and flexibility. As a result, you can literally drop PFDepth into any existing post production pipeline, and start cranking out shots from day one.”

Like all ‘PF’ products, data is designed to be interoperable, making PFDepth a natural extension to PFTrack’s Geometry Tracking, Image Modelling and Z-depth tools. Elaborate models, detailed aggregates and accurate topography are easily created, achieving a degree of realism in shots previously considered to be too time consuming using previous piecemeal processes.

PFDepth has further reaching market opportunities, such as restoration and remastering, due to its ease of use and unified working environment. New doors have opened to facilities who once considered 2D to 3D conversion to be a cost prohibitive service offering, and has created ‘sell-up’ opportunities for facilities looking to expand beyond traditional restoration and into the growing dimensionalisation market.

“At The Pixel Farm, we have gained a reputation as a company that can both innovate and deliver technologies, then package them into game changing, usable applications that constantly produce class leading results,” Says Michael Lancaster, Managing Director at The Pixel Farm Ltd. “We feel confident that PFDepth is set to continue that trend.”

Whether converting monoscopic footage to stereo, or reconstructing entire environments in 3D for VFX purposes, in PFDepth, even the most labor-intensive tasks become fast and painless. Entire sequences can be created in minutes, as opposed to hours or days marking a revolutionary advance in stereoscopic filmmaking.

STOP & GO 3-D Premieres this May/June 2012 in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Leiden, Berlin, Pula and Zagreb

Stop-Motion Animation Festival + Exhibition

EUROPE— Stop & Go 3-D screening premiere with the Doppler Stop Exhibition.

May 3^rd – June 3^r, 2012 the San Francisco Bay Area conceived stop-motion animation festival will travel to the Netherlands, Germany and Croatia for the world premiere of  Stop & Go 3-D. The Stop & Go program was developed in 2008 and showcases animations that use stop-motion techniques to explore visual language, tell stories and make social commentaries.

Stop & Go 3-D features a new series of stop-motion animations by 27 contemporary visual artists and filmmakers from around the world.  The program dramatically plays with our visual senses through the artist’s use of strobing effects, afterimages, anaglyphic experiments, optical elements and three-dimensional spoofs. The animations in this program were chosen from a world-wide open call for submissions and by invitation. Five of the animations in the program require the audience to wear red/cyan-colored glasses to fully engage with the work.

In Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Berlin and Zagreb Stop & Go 3-D will screen alongside Doppler Stop an exhibition of optically and perceptually challenging artworks. Pairing the screening alongside an exhibition is designed to illuminate a deeper connection between the artists’ primary practices of painting, drawing and sculpture and the processes used in their animations.

The Stop & Go 3-D screening program is curated by Sarah Klein, an artist, educator, and curator whose own practice includes animation, and the Doppler Stop exhibition is curated by Mel Prest, an artist and educator.

Stop & Go 3-D includes work by Abbey Luck & Sean Donnelly (Brooklyn, New York, US), Albert Roskam (Leiden, NL), Bendik Kaltenborn (Oslo, NO) & Kalle Johansson (Stockholm, SE), Brian McClave (London, UK), Claudia Molitor (London, UK) & Gavin Peacock (Brighton, UK), David Daniels (Portland, OR. US), Erik van Huisstede (Paris, FR), Gilbert Hsiao (New York, NY, US), Iemke van Dijk (Leiden, NL), Jeanne Stern (Austin, TX, US), Jennifer Schmidt (Brooklyn, NY, US), Jodie Mack (Lebanon, NH, US), Joey Fauerso (San Antonio, TX, US), Johan Rijpma (Utrecht, NL), Kate Nartker (San Francisco, CA, US), Laen Sanches (Amsterdam, NL), Mark de Weijer (den Haag, NL), Mel Prest & Andrew Kleindolph (San Francisco, CA, US), Molly Schwartz (Brooklyn, NY, US), Santiago Caicedo de Roux (Cali, CO), Sarah Klein & David Kwan (San Francisco, CA, US),  Tal Rosner (London, UK),

Doppler Stop exhibition artists are Albert Roskam (Leiden, NL), Brent Hallard (San Francisco, CA, US), Debra Ramsay (New York, NY, US), Gay Outlaw (San Francisco, CA, US), Gilbert Hsiao (New York, NY, US), Gracia Khouw (Amsterdam, NL), Guido Winkler (Leiden, NL), Henriëtte van t’Hoog (Amsterdam, NL), Iemke van Dijk (Leiden, NL), José Heerkens (Zeeland, NL), Karen Schifano (New York, NY, US), Kevin Finklea (Philadelphia, PA, US), Mel Prest (San Francisco, CA, US), Nancy White (Redwood City, CA, US), Patricia Zarate (New York, NY, US), Richard Bottwin (New York, NY, US), Ruth van Veenen (Amsterdam, NL), Sarah Klein (San Francisco, CA, US), Steve Baris (Philadelphia, PA, US)

VIZ MEDIA OFFERING POKÉMON FANS TWICE THE ADVENTURE WITH THE RELEASE OF POKÉMON THE MOVIE: BLACK AND POKÉMON THE MOVIE: WHITE

Two Full Length Pokémon Films Packaged as a Special 2-Disc DVD Set!

San Francisco, CA, April 3, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced the release today of a special Pokémon movie double feature set, including the latest Pokémon films, Pokémon The Movie: Black — Victini And Reshiram and Pokémon The Movie: White — Victini And Zekrom. The 2-Disc DVD set is now available under the company’s VIZ KIDS imprint and carries an MSRP of $19.97 U.S. / $19.98 CAN. Both movies are rated ‘A’ for All Ages.

When Ash and his friends enter a battle competition in Eindoak Town, they meet the Mythical Pokémon Victini, who becomes their newest friend. But disaster strikes when the misguided wanderer Damon seizes Victini for his own plans! Can Ash prove himself a hero and earn the help of the Legendary Reshiram – or Zekrom – to rescue Victini and save Eindoak Town? Two legends and two versions of the story!

“This special release includes the latest Pokémon feature films that will thrill fans with exciting new adventures from the Pokémon Black & White story arc,” says Lyn Johnson, Senior Animation Marketing Manager. “We look forward to fans of all ages enjoying twice the Pokémon adventure in this fun new release from our VIZ Kids imprint!”

Pokémon is one of the most successful international kids’ brands. The Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version video games for the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS family of systems launched in 2011 and have sold more than 13 million copies worldwide. Pokémon animated series are licensed for broadcast in more than 160 countries and 30 languages. The newest season of the Pokémon animated series – Pokémon: BW Rival Destinies – recently debuted in the United States on Cartoon Network.

For more information on VIZ Media’s Pokémon manga and anime titles, please visit www.VIZ.com/Pokemon/.

Metalocalypse Wreaks Havoc in New Season on Adult Swim

Season 4 Premieres Sunday, April 29 at 12:15 a.m. (ET/PT)

Dethklok is back and ready to shred on Adult Swim. Metalocalypse (the animated comedy) chronicles the world’s most popular entertainment act in the known universe—extreme metal band, Dethklok—as they balance their rabid popularity with the brutality of every day life.

Season 4 of Metalocalypse premieres Sunday, April 29 at 12:15am (ET/PT) on Adult Swim. Metalocalypse is created by Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha. Small serves as executive producer. The show is produced at Titmouse Inc., Hollywood CA.

Brutality wields its uncomfortable deth-hammer in the fourth season of Metalocalypse. Excruciating horrors loom, waiting for the right moment to crush us all into a smooth repugnant paste, with very few lumps. Experience the lurking blackness of dating, the vomitous torture of job insecurity, the repulsive abhorrence of reality, the emasculating woe of dating a co-worker, and the pinching, sweaty waking DETH of flying coach. Will our beloved Dethklok survive these deathly trials or will they perish like a flaming serpent cast down by Odin? The Metalocalypse indeed looms nearer.

CBeebies has commissioned Zodiak Kids’ production company The Foundation to produce Let’s Play, a delightful new series which inspires pre-schoolers to discover the world through creative role play and dressing up.

From revving racing car drivers to balancing ballerinas and early Egyptians to sky-bound space explorers, this brand new 26 x 11’ series encourages young children to explore the magic of play through dressing up, role play and pretending to be…well just about anybody.

Presented by CBeebies favourite Sid Sloane and a new female presenter (to be confirmed), Let’s Play will take viewers on an intriguing and exciting journey of exploration. Each episode will see the presenters embark on an adventure in an animated world where they take on the role of a colourful character.   Filled with fun, frolics, false hair and factual learning, who knows what will happen before the presenters head home for tea…?

Vanessa Hill, Managing Director, The Foundation said: “Here at The Foundation we’re dedicated to making quality programming which not only entertains children but also teaches them valuable life skills.  Let’s Play joins a distinguished line of programmes, including Mister Maker Comes to Town and Waybuloo, which fire children’s imaginations and inspire them to be creative and active.”

Controller CBeebies Kay Benbow adds: “One of CBeebies’ core values is to encourage children to explore the world around them through play.  Let’s Play will encourage our viewers to delve into their dressing up boxes as well as their imaginations to learn about life by transforming themselves into whoever they want to be”.

The Executive Producers for Let’s Play are Vanessa Hill for The Foundation and Michael Towner for CBeebies.  The Series Producer for The Foundation is Driana Jones and the director is Peter Eyre.

Let’s Play is produced by The Foundation, part of Zodiak Media for CBeebies.  The series will be filmed in summer 2012 for transmission on CBeebies later in the year.