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A whimsical lamb figurine dressed in a beige coat, standing on a wooden pedestal. Behind it, a collection of pottery and decorative items are arranged on shelves, creating an artistic backdrop.

Autodesk adds generative 3D to Flow Studio

News

05.03.2026

tyFlow 2 adds CUDA fluid solver and 20 Infernos

topnews

05.03.2026

A digital 3D scene in Blender showcasing a futuristic environment with abstract geometric shapes, vibrant pink lighting, and a gun-like object in the foreground. The title "OMNISTEP 2" is prominently displayed at the bottom.

OmniStep 2.0 adds modules and dynamic collisions

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topnews

04.03.2026

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356 posts

Longform for subscribers: deep dives into VFX and post workflows, tool and pipeline analysis, real-world constraints, integration notes, licensing and performance realities, and what actually holds up in production. Less hype, more usable detail you can bookmark and share internally.

Firefly_Banana+Pirates Birthday on a big yellow steampunk sailing ship made of bananas

3 min

Firefly –AI for the Creative Cloud?

Everyone is talking about AI, and even in the general interest One of the points of criticism is copyright, as most programmes simply use the internet to learn how to generate images and text. Adobe has now also released an AI image generator with the beta version of Firefly, but it has a slightly different approach. I was one of the first beta testers to see how well it works.

25.04.2023

A close-up view of a bicycle, featuring sections of the handlebar with controls, the frame junction, the chain and rear wheel, and a bike pedal. The image highlights the intricate design and materials used in the bike's construction.

8 min

Direct Modeling (R)evolution für Houdini

For most people, the idea of modelling directly in Houdini causes them to break out in a sweat at the very least, and some are even said to have thrown the mouse out of the window in sheer horror. The reasons for this are understandable at first glance.

20.04.2023

A man wearing a VR headset gesturing with a controller in front of a green screen.

10 min

EMIL

The pan-European network for the next generation of extended reality projects

Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg

17.04.2023

Abstract digital image of interconnected particles and light beams.

5 min

Behind the FMX..

... are Mario Müller and his team. And we wanted to ask what they see as trends.

17.04.2023

A Poly conference speakerphone with buttons and a USB dongle.

5 min

We need to talk..

... is the phrase that makes some people break out in a cold sweat. Not because it's about the subject, but because laptops in particular have notoriously poor microphones and speakers. Of course, integrating audio alongside the hardware only works to a limited extent. Wouldn't it be great if there was a device that could turn mumbling into an intelligible conversation?

17.04.2023

8 min

Got you a Present!

“Present” stands for “Photoreal REaltime Sentient ENTity”. During FMX 2022, Manne Öhrström, Global Head of Film Software at Framestore, delivered a talk about the Present project, where machine learning translates high-end film character rigs into real-time. A conversation with Manne Öhrström – and with Epic Game’s Research and Development Technology Producer, Emelia Fiell.

16.04.2023

A plastic bottle drifting underwater, surrounded by marine life in an ocean environment. Light rays penetrate the water, illuminating the scene with a serene blue hue.

12 min

The Beauty

This year's FMX trailer is "The Beauty" - if you're thinking "that looks familiar", you're right. The 2019 project won a number of awards, including an Animago "Jury Prize" of the Jury". So it's all the better that we can now show this film to even more people!

Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg

12.04.2023

A stage featuring animated characters as a band: a guitarist with a notable hairstyle, a singer with a microphone, a drummer, and a bassist, set against a backdrop of artwork depicting musical elements.

12 min

The Puppet Groove

The animated film "The Puppet Groove", which looks like a music video, shows a rocking puppet band on stage. In the background, the singer narrates their success story in an animated film sequence. But whether the musicians really have everything under control is only revealed at the end.

08.04.2023

4 min

Creation Effects – Kreative Templates!

Creation Effects at DP reader price: As announced in the article, Noel has sent us a code for a 25% discount on the templates presented in the test!

17.03.2023

9 min

The power of the crowd

Looking back: In DP 03 : 2015, Lighting Boy Studio realised the film project Le Gouffre. A Kickstarter campaign brought the animated film over the finishing line. An animago AWARD-nominated short film.

08.03.2023

9 min

Planet B

"There is no Planet B". A slogan from various climate protection campaigns, which refers to our current situation of not having a second planet on which to live on which the inhabitants of Earth could live. The film Planet B shows a scenario in which exactly that is attempted. On a planet afflicted by drought and toxic gases, a young woman sits in her underground bunker and controls the construction process of a new planet in space.

HFF Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film München

28.02.2023

13 min

Trash, Dance & Robots

In winter 2021, we decided to make a film as a group of three under the guidance of our professor Jürgen Schopper about a robot whose purpose in life is to pick up rubbish. A lot has happened in the meantime: the robot is now controlled by an old lady and can - surprise! - dance very well. We have spent many enjoyable, stressful and also funny days at the HFF with our robot and the old lady. The original idea resulted in a four-minute animated film. We - three visual effects students (Valentin Dittlmann, Hannes Werner, Felix Zachau) at the University of Television and Film in Munich - developed, realised and completed this film in the course of our first year of study.

HFF Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film München

28.02.2023

SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star sharing a joyful moment at a vibrant carnival, surrounded by colorful lights and attractions, with SpongeBob excitedly singing while Patrick looks amused.

14 min

A sheen of simplicity

Playing an instrument when you’re in the profession of animation helps – especially in regard to timing. For Animation Director Andrew Overtoom, it’s the guitar.

24.02.2023

14 min

Video Packaging Unveiled: Netflix goes GPAC

This article is a conversation with Motion Spell’s Founder and CEO Romain Bouqueau. Anne Aaron (see on the right), Director of Encoding Technologies at Netflix, recently said: “As part of our strategy to build a flexible and efficient packaging platform, we needed a strong partner with deep expertise of the best encoding and packaging tools.” In November 2022, Motion Spell, a media technology software and consulting company based in Paris, concluded an 18-month transition phase with streaming provider Netflix – resulting in: the integration of GPAC Open-Source Software into Netflix’s worldwide content operations.

22.02.2023

Baseball pitcher throwing a ball in a sports game with CPU usage displayed.

10 min

Daniel2 Dynamo? Next-gen Codecs!

„The fastest codec in the world“ is how the Munich-based broadcasting and production software developer Cinegy advertises its video codec Daniel2; it uses the computing power of the graphics processor to speed up image processing specifically and workflows in general. The codec promises: real-time film editing with Adobe Premiere CC, at a resolution of of 8K - without any drop in frame rate. A conversation with Cinegy boss Jan Weigner about Content Creation with Power Codecs.

22.02.2023

7 min

Flight of fancy | Retro article

Review: In DP 06 : 2014, the second instalment of Planes rotated its way into the inbound flight path. Disneytoon Studios increased the budget for software licences and personnel at the time - but does the film come close to Disney-Slash-Pixar major productions such as Frozen or Brave?

22.02.2023

A woman working on a computer in an office with graphs on the screen.

5 min

Trust is good, control is… QScan?

While gazing across the internet in search for DCC-related news items, we stumbled across a report released on the 24th of October on postperspective.com titled “LWKS Offers Updated QScan for Automated QC”, announcing the launch of QScan 2023 – the most recent version of the automated quality control (AQC) platform, manufactured by Lightworks (LWKS). We got in touch with Daniel Roques, Product Manager for QScan to answer our questions about what improvements users can hope for with QScan 2023.

21.02.2023

8 min

What’s New in Nuke 14?

"The next generation of Nuke" - the British developers from Foundry are confidently announcing their new version. Let's take a look at what's new between Copycat and Scanline Renderer, what's changed, what's completely new or what remains the same?

Christoph Zapletal

20.02.2023

Three people working on computers in a modern office space

19 min

Collaboration with Blackmagic Cloud

With the introduction of Blackmagic Cloud, Blackmagic Design offers a simple workflow for online collaboration with DaVinci Resolve. Despite the ongoing beta phase, we dared to use Blackmagic Cloud productively a few weeks ago - with very positive results overall.

19.02.2023

Hair care products displayed on a neutral background

4 min

Nuke Tools Vol. 3 – Channels, Passes and Mattes

While looking at the UI previously, we are now finally moving on to the node tree. More specifically, into Nuke's channel management. Here too, artists can make their lives much easier with a few tools and scripts. Because especially with a view rebuild, you want to make life a little easier than constantly repeating the same steps.

Christoph Zapletal

15.02.2023

7 min

The law of the series | Retro article

Review: In DP 05 : 2010, we sought an expert discussion with Blue Byte, the German gaming industry giants. We asked Managing Director Odile Limpach and Producer Benedikt Grindel about the 7th instalment of the building strategy series The Settlers.

15.02.2023

9 min

War of the Worlds | Retro Articles

Review: In DP 05 : 2005, ILM chased special effects through a brand new pipeline for Steven Spielberg's War of the Worlds film. A test run with time pressure - in the middle of a big-budget production.

08.02.2023

A sleek, black 3D mouse designed for computer modeling, featuring a large central scroll wheel surrounded by programmable buttons and a digital display at the top. The layout is ergonomic for ease of use.

5 min

Flying in the Unreal Editor!

If you work all day in 3D software such as Unreal, sooner or later you will either configure your workstation or go mad - pushing and rotating the mouse is easy, but neither efficient nor comfortable. Not to mention the ergonomics. But wouldn't it be great if there was a device that was built to move in 3D? And that would work natively with Unreal?

01.02.2023

11 min

Between HFF and VHS | Retro article

Looking back: A special film school opened in Mannheim in DP 06 : 2014. The non-profit organisation Flimmermenschen views film as a holistic cultural phenomenon. An educational programme for students, hobbyists and newcomers to the industry.

01.02.2023

15 min

VERTAGT – VFX for a dystopian satire

What does the cultural programme actually look like in a dystopia? The short film Vertagt depicts the end-time scenario of a humanity that has not achieved its climate goals. What could our future look like - if human life still exists?

HFF Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film München

29.12.2022

Road with yellow lines and text overlay

14 min

XPresso in Cinema 4D

XPresso in Cinema 4D is a node-based programming and an important way to build or programme small circuits, to build or program small circuits that can help you simplify complex processes without writing a line of code. Today we will look at a few small examples and create a small setup to build a road configurator.

Daniel Mozbäuchel

23.12.2022

A 3D rendering of a blue cube with circular cutouts and a pink sphere placed on top. The background is a light gray grid, indicating a design software interface. Tools and options are visible on the left and top of the screen.

6 min

Womp: Simple 3D for everyone?

"No downloads or grey apps with 1,000 buttons. Just your browser and your creativity". The website www.womp.com presents itself colourfully and confidently and promises to make 3D modelling easy for everyone. Womp, an online 3D application, is currently still in the alpha phase and is still free to try out. The Womp team promises that Womp Alpha will remain 100% free. A "Pro version" with a wider range of functions is planned for later - the current version has only been released for about a month. A price does not yet seem to have been set.

21.12.2022

A figure in a dark hooded cloak illuminated by a bright light emanating from their chest. The background is a dimly lit, cavernous space with rocks visible.

6 min

Black Adam!

The DC Universe has a new “Hero” – well, not really a hero, but you’ll have to watch the movie for that. What is one of the best entries into that universe though, is Digital Domains work in the beginning – the “Introduction” of Black Adam is a superpower-extravaganza, with super-speed, bullets everywhere, punching through walls and a healthy dose of electricity – and we asked DD’s Supervisor Nikos Kalaitzidis how that was done.

30.11.2022

An animation software interface showcasing a colorful octopus swimming among aquatic plants. The background is blue, simulating an underwater scene, with timeline settings visible at the bottom and tools on the left.

12 min

Cartoon Animator 5 (CTA5) Cartoon Dynamics & Vector Animation for everyone?

Reallusion promises with the release of of the "revolutionary" Cartoon Animator 5 (CTA5), Reallusion promises to further develop the possibilities of animation production for cutout and bone-based 2D animations with the "unique" techniques of CTA.

23.11.2022

6 min

More locations, more VFX!

Looking back: In DP 03 : 2015, we found out that Rise Visual Effects Studios has been around since 2007 - eight years later, in 2015, it even had four locations. Founder Florian Gellinger explained to us how the expansion of the VFX business was achieved.

23.11.2022

10 min

Saving audiovisual cultural heritage with Topaz Video AI 3.0

In DP 04:20, we have already tested the artificial intelligence for upscaling video. Topaz Video AI (TVAI for short), as it is now called in version 3.0, has, according to the manufacturer, been developed from scratch developed from scratch to incorporate additional capabilities and enable the stacking of AI models with filters and parallel operation.

14.11.2022

A futuristic starship navigating near a large planet with visible rings, illuminated by glowing lights under a starry sky. The ship's sleek design contrasts sharply with the celestial background, showcasing the vastness of space.

6 min

Strange New Worlds in Norway

When we talked about the Virtual Production of Strange New Worlds, we only talked about one side – the interiors and strange planets. But Star Trek is called STAR Trek – so who made the Spaceships?

11.11.2022

A solitary figure standing in a wide expanse of sand, facing a large, illuminated tree against a dark, starry sky. The scene conveys a sense of isolation and tranquility.

13 min

The Wild Wild Witcher

Grabbing two Bafta (British Academy Television and Craft) Awards in 2022, the second season of "The Witcher” has tons and tons of eye candy. Winning in the categories Make-Up & Hair and Visual & Graphic Effects, this colossal fantasy saga is filled to the brim with magic effects – but who did put the magic on the screen?

10.11.2022

12 min

A memorable VFX project

Review: In DP 06 : 2013, we spoke to VFX supervisors Thilo Ewers (Pixomondo) and Paul Lambert (Digital Domain) about the science fiction film Oblivion - and about Tom Cruise's 3D model.

26.10.2022

An aircraft artificial horizon gauge displaying a blue sky above and brown terrain below, with a central yellow pitch indicator and white roll reference lines. Additional colored indicators and test buttons are visible on the sides.

10 min

“Gyroscopes” for image stabilisation in post-production

Why do I put the term in parentheses? Because it actually refers to classic gyro stabilisation. The word is based on the Greek word for "circle" or "turn" - which is why the meat from the spit is also called Gyros in Greek.

21.10.2022

11 min

Maljaʼ tayʼ Avid

Review: In DP 05 : 2013 we learnt Klingon: "Cut with Avid" is called "Maljaʼ tayʼ Avid". J. J. Abrams made the sequel to the reboot - could Starship Enterprise nostalgics and blockbuster fans be satisfied at the same time?

18.10.2022

9 min

Back to the 70s – Cloud Atlas

Review: In DP 02 : 2013, we tracked down the mega-production Cloud Atlas - with export director Tom Tykwer and the Wachowski siblings in the director's chair. How did Rise manage the massive visual effects of the three-hour epic - and how did the VFX artists transform today's Glasgow into the San Francisco of the 1970s?

14.09.2022

5 min

Interview zu Cloud Atlas

Review: In DP 02 : 2013, we spoke to Florian Gellinger, founder of VFX studio Rise, about the David Mitchell film Cloud Atlas. The sci-fi epic was realised by: the Wachowski siblings.

07.09.2022

4 min

Colourful balls

Review: In DP 01 : 2013, a world-famous manufacturer of sugar water commissioned a commercial from Bent Image Lab. Grading artist Jalal Jemison was responsible for the bright red colour typical of the beverage brand. An interview.

31.08.2022

4 min

Medieval murderer

Ubisoft built on the success of Assassin's Creed with a second installment in the series. The content mix for the sequel: Renaissance Italy, modern 3ds Max technology and a pompous trailer debut. The reward: an animago AWARD in the "Best Postproduction" category!

17.08.2022

14 min

A new journey begins

Review: In DP 01 : 2013, Weta Digital went back to Middle-earth with Peter Jackson. For the prequel trilogy "The Hobbit", the New Zealanders transferred fantasy author J.R.R. Tolkien's prequel to the big screen.

03.08.2022

Cracked stone letters 'DP' breaking through grass

12 min

Houdini 19.5: I/O – UI – RBD -FLIP – PYRO – UX ..

There are no completely new features in the Houdini 19.5 update this time. Rather, there are fundamental revisions to the most important functionalities of Houdini: RBD Rigid Body Dynamics and Fluids Simulations. I/O, i.e. input & output, is another topic that extends across all tools. And as expected, there are some user interface standardisations and improvements - especially in the interactive tools. Let's dive right in!

Olaf Finkbeiner

13.07.2022

11 min

Back in Dinoland

Review: In DP 01 : 2016, "Jurassic World" celebrated its opening. We asked VFX supervisor Martyn Culpitt from Image Engine for a chat - about impressive CG environments and even more impressive CG dinosaurs. Who is the biggest pipeline eater?

15.06.2022

6 min

400 MPH

Blast from the past: In DP 06 : 2019 we went apeshit for the Planet of the Apes movies – and then the animated short "400 MPH" from students of "Supinfocom" came along. Ready for a chimpanzee aping Icarus?

08.06.2022

5 min

Resolve 10 on tour

Review: In DP 01 : 2014, Resolve 10 went into open beta. We spoke to London-based videographer James Tonkin, who was on tour with Resolve 10 and Robbie Willliams. The perfect topic for the festival season!

25.05.2022

9 min

New CG villains for Spider-Man 3 |

Review: In DP 04 : 2007, Spidey made his third appearance on the big screen and had to fight three villains at the same time. Imageworks created characters made of air, sand and black mass.

11.05.2022

5 min

Capturing Reality in Houdini

Review: In DP 02 : 2019, we take a closer look at photogrammetry in Houdini. Our Houdini expert clarifies whether this has resulted in a production boost for game developers.

06.04.2022

4 min

My Dear Gnome

Review: In DP 06 : 2016, the animated short film "My Dear Gnome" impressed with a humorous board game of checkers. We spoke to the two makers.

23.03.2022

11 min

Germany in Baselight

A look back: In DP 01:2019, we took a look at high-end grading with Baselight. We also spoke to Rotor Film about HDR material and the Amazon series "Deutschland 86".

09.03.2022

8 min

Bigger & Better

Review: In DP 04 : 2009, effects company ILM realised gigantic robots for Michael Bay's second part of the tin-and-bending brothers from Transformers. "Mindbending" or "sand in the gears"?

02.03.2022

9 min

Thousands of parts

Looking back: In DP 05 : 2007, the ILM team was looking for new ways to bring the Transformers to the big screen - and came up with a solution that had a decisive impact on the industry.

23.02.2022

9 min

Framestore kills Tom Cruise

Review: In DP 06:2014, we looked to London - and to the effects of sci-fi gem "Edge of Tomorrow", in which Tom Cruise dies a thousand deaths.

16.02.2022

Collection of fire animations displayed in a grid.

23 min

Element-ary Asset Management

There's something with AI and industry relevance for asset management - and it's also from Munich. Do you already know the element?

15.02.2022

9 min

glTF – the new standard for products | Retro articles

Looking back: In DP 01:2022 we presented a new standard for assets - that can do real-time? It can! That masters PBR? It masters it! That is open source and prominently supported? Yes, and again: Yes! Is glTF the file format prodigy?

10.02.2022

9 min

UVPackmaster 2 for 3ds Max

A look back: In DP 05 : 2020, 3ds Max expert Mike Kuhn dealt with UV unwinding. An annoying task for many, but a meditative puzzle game for Mike.

26.01.2022

10 min

Adventures in the alien ghetto

Review: In DP 06 : 2009, the sci-fi surprise hit "District 9" flashed us - with big green aliens that look like a cross between a shrimp and a grasshopper.

19.01.2022

9 min

Magical effects

Review: In DP 05:07, Harry Potter 5, to which eleven studios contributed effects, was enchanting. These included heavyweights such as DNEG, ILM, Framestore and MPC.

12.01.2022

6 min

Bloody ice magic

Review: In DP 06:2012, we visited the Polish studio Platige Image. Could the Poles, who are spoilt for success, manage the major project "The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings"?

05.01.2022

10 min

17 Souls

Since October 2020, the Munich University of Television and Film has been offering a new specialisation in VFX as part of the Image Design course. In their first year, the students have already been able to realise an animated film in teams of three; from a reinterpretation of the werewolf myth (from page 102) to mysterious radio messages from a lost plane.

HFF Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film München

29.12.2021

12 min

The Matrix Reloaded

Looking back: In DP 03 : 2003 we hacked into the source code of "Matrix Reloaded". Ready to go back to the Matrix?

29.12.2021

5 min

Noisy Night, Senseless Stuff

Review: In DP 01 : 2017, we discovered the true spirit of Christmas with the animated musical "More Stuff" from London. But how is Brexit affecting everyday animated life?

22.12.2021

10 min

Dystopia – Sundays again and again

Review: In DP 07:2015, the sci-fi short film "Sundays" from Amsterdam bundled high-quality VFXs into a 15-minute film. An interview with the makers of the animago AWARD-winning project.

15.12.2021

24 min

Putting the „Ace” in ACES

The fact that ACES is more than just another buzzword in the VFX industry should have t should have got around by now. And anyone who works at a major studio in a reasonably up-to-date pipeline will already have had contact with ACES. But what about one-person dancing bands, freelancers with mobile workstations and those who like to dance at several weddings?

Christoph Zapletal

26.11.2021

Disassembled handheld gaming consoles arranged on a work mat. The image displays circuit boards, buttons, and tools alongside empty game cartridges. A magnifying glass is also visible on the mat.

24 min

Loveletter

Who doesn't know it: the portable games console that saw the light of day at the end of the 1980s and gave us endless hours of fun and games for many years. We are, of course, talking about the Gameboy. A time when the potential of computer-generated graphics was in its infancy. But what if a creative team back then had had access to today's production pipelines and technologies?

21.10.2021

A keyboard with various keys and a large control knob.

11 min

Cut faster – The Blackmagic Speed Editor

In DP 02:20, we already presented the Editor Keyboard from Blackmagic Design (BMD for short). It used to be close to 1,000 euros, but when it didn't become a big seller, it was lowered to around 600. Meanwhile, the manufacturer has removed the regular keys in the centre, moved the side panels closer together and added a few extra keys. The result is called Speed Editor (SE for short) and is still being offered at the competitive price of 380 euros including a licence for DaVinci Resolve Studio. Some folks are even marketing the device for 199 euros without the licence, but it remains unclear whether this is permissible on the part of BMD.

16.10.2021

6 min

The Witcher by Platige

Blast from the Past: In 2020 we conversed with Platige Image about the hit-series “The Witcher”.

29.09.2021

11 min

Smartes Rapid FX Prototyping in 3ds Max 2019

Review: In DP 05 : 2018, our author Rainer Duda stated that shape-shifting is possible with 3ds Max 2019. But what do the X-Men have to do with it?

21.07.2021

6 min

Assimilate Live FX

Assimilate Live FX brings post to set: live keying, LED walls, and DMX lighting, all in real time. It’s not quite StageCraft, but it’s definitely stage-crafty.

28.06.2021

7 min

Engine-Safari

Review: In DP 06 : 2018, our author Alexandra Kaschny focussed on the Big Three (not Five): Unity, Unreal, CryEngine. Which other engines are roaming the jungle?

Alexandra Kaschny

09.06.2021

7 min

Kyno as an editing assistant for Resolve

Review: In DP 04 : 2020, our author Uli Plank took a look at the management app Kyno - and its support for Blackmagic Design.

12.05.2021

6 min

VR Deep Diving | Retro-Article

Review: In DP 06 : 2017, our author Mirja Fürst immersed herself in a VR experience for the "Ghost in the Shell" film adaptation.

28.04.2021

A character overlooking a futuristic landscape with a sun setting behind a tall structure.

13 min

Legendary Scaling – Mass Effect Returns

It is no secret that we are massive Mass Effect Fans – and when the info about the remastering came out, we were quite certain that we NEEDED to talk to the guys behind the new release.

27.04.2021

11 min

4K production – what do you really need?

Review: In DP 02 : 2014, our author Michael Radeck went into the practical test with True 4K.

07.04.2021

3D rendering of an explosion with fiery effects

8 min

Houdini becomes hyperactive

Once again, SideFX doesn't do things by halves. The new Houdini 18.5 is packed with classic updates, but also with completely redesigned tools.

Olaf Finkbeiner

17.02.2021

10 min

Sleep Tight – A modern horror tale

"From the edge of a forest, the werewolf steps into the moonlight; in front of him lies a small settlement by a forest lake." This sentence comes from an early version of our script. A lot happened from there to the final film. The old-fashioned settlement became a big city, the forest lake became a hill with modern flats and the werewolf became a werewolf.

HFF Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film München

19.12.2020

18 min

Dune

Good things come to those who wait – and fans of the “Dune” series had to wait for a very long time. But Denis Villeneuve took on the gargantuan source material and made one of the most highly anticipated films of the last few years.

29.10.2020

12 min

More pixels in your pocket – the Blackmagic Pocket 4K

Many loved the inconspicuous Blackmagic Pocket HD despite all its weaknesses - from short battery life to fragile sockets and a very flat screen.

09.09.2020

Close-up of a sports car with red and black wheels

6 min

InstaLOD 2020: rendering and automation with InstaLOD Grid

InstaLOD automates the entire 3D workflow, including the tedious steps that no 3D artist likes to perform, such as UV unwrapping, manual retopo or baking.

27.04.2020

Word cloud with topics related to digital production and Houdini software

8 min

Blergh! Word Art! In Houdini?

Houdini is certainly not known for classic graphics and especially not for typography and fonts. And word clouds are certainly nothing new either, but somehow always chic when used correctly.

Olaf Finkbeiner

14.12.2019

3D modeling software interface displaying geometric shapes

9 min

Direct modelling: modelling without obstacles

As the saying goes: every drop wears away the stone. Wouldn't it be ideal if there was a shortcut?

13.12.2019

4 min

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Blast from the past: Who is the most iconic video game heroine ever? Lara Croft, of course. In this interview, we take a deep dive into the lost city of Paititi – and the final installment of the reboot trilogy.

09.10.2019

Cloudy to fiery – Volumetric effects in Cinema 4D (Part 2)

In this two-part series of articles, we will provide the experienced Cinema 4D user with in-depth insights into the creation of volumetric effects with the onboard tools of C4D - without any plug-ins, particles or PyroCluster. In the second part of the series, we will first deepen our knowledge of volumetric texturing of visible lights and then turn to a mograph-based technique.

01.09.2019

Schon vor der Kalibrierung war die Abweichung dieser App nicht größer als die der Messgeräte untereinander.

14 min

The best light meter ..

... is the one you have with you. And what does everyone have in their pocket these days? Sure, a mobile phone. But can an app compete with a professional light meter? We did the maths. And aren't light meters terribly old-school? Not really for cameramfolks on a film set - except perhaps for solo entertainers on YouTube.

25.08.2019

5 min

Flambé pictures – Flame Painter 4

Shortly after Flame Painter's 10th birthday, the Slovakian team around Peter Blaškovič released version 4 (currently 4.01) of the effect painting programme for flaming strokes and crazy particle effects. Flame Painter is just one of several creative tools from Escape Motions. We reported on an earlier version of Flame Painter, Amberlight and Rebelle, among others.

25.07.2019

Cinema 4D: Camera Calibration

In this Cinema 4D physical camera workshop, we will look at what we can do with a calibration result once we have calibrated the position and focal length of a camera.

20.07.2019

1 min

Color Grab – Everything is so colourful here

The Color Grab app from Loomatix clearly stands out from all the other colour palette apps I have tested. For example, it has an accessibility feature and can read out colours for people who are colour-blind. What's more, Color Grab is free of charge and has no adverts.

Olaf Finkbeiner

15.07.2019

Dell U3219Q in test

As we realised a while ago, we haven't had a Dell Ultrasharp in our test for a long time, which sounds strange because these devices have always done quite well. Reason enough to take a look at the latest model with the catchy name U3219Q.

15.07.2019

4 min

Communicating knowledge with fun: The Story of Martin Luther

Many of us first learnt about Martin Luther's story and the associated reformation of the church at school. Usually recited by a history or religion teacher mumbling to himself, which meant that the monk's revolutionary actions lost all excitement. So it was time to produce an entertaining yet accurate version of the events to mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. Tumblehead Animation Studio took up the challenge and won the animago category "Best Visualisation" with the film "The Story of Martin Luther".

15.07.2019

Hier sieht man, dass selbst auf der flachen Oberfläche der Felge Subdivisions hinzugefügt worden sind. Diese würden mit dem Maximum Angle nicht modelliert werden, da die Oberfläche zu flach ist. Um die gleiche Qualität mit dem Maximum Angle erreichen zu können, bräuchte man einen Winkel von ca 2 bis 3 Grad, wodurch dann der Rest der Szene extrem hoch tesselliert werden würde.

9 min

InstaLOD: From CAD to VR?

InstaLOD automates the 3D workflow, including the tedious steps that no artist likes, such as UV unwrapping, manual retopo or baking. But how does it work?

Alexandra Kaschny

15.07.2019

4 min

Silentmaxx workstation based on Kenko S-595i in test

The company Silentmaxx specialises in silent PCs and workstations. The development of the components used, such as a passive CPU cooler that only works with heat pipes without an additional fan, takes place in-house.

Björn Eichelbaum

10.07.2019

5 min

Xi-Machines Animate X2 Advanced im Test

If an "Advanced" or "Ultra" appears in the type designation of a computer from Xi-Machines, this is almost certainly not a boast. You are actually getting an advanced workstation. If only the price wasn't so ultra ...

Björn Eichelbaum

10.07.2019

More image sharpness with Focus Chart

In order to calibrate the focus of a camera or the lens on the camera system as accurately as possible, expensive and above all manual focus chart systems are generally used, for which there is also authorisation and which are sometimes very sensitive, depending on the provider. For hobby filmmakers and young filmmakers, there is a small solution in app form.

10.07.2019

6 min

Audio post-production software: Nuendo 10

Somewhat surprisingly, Steinberg presented Nuendo 10 at this year's Game Developers Conference - and now it's here. Steinberg has dispensed with the 9 in the current version of Nuendo in favour of uniform version numbers for its top programs. Instead, over 40 new functions and features have been integrated into Nuendo, so that you could be forgiven for thinking that you had really missed version number 9.

Björn Eichelbaum

10.07.2019

8 min

Finns Fleckengang: The Stained Club

People in a club have something in common. In the case of "Stained Club", these are stains on the children's bodies that harbour a deeper meaning. The animated graduation film from the Supinfocom Rubika college in France is in the tradition of youth film classics from the 1980s such as "The Goonies" or "E.T.". With its challenging theme and touching message, it won over the animago jury last year, who awarded it the prize for best newcomer production.

05.07.2019

Notebook Alienware m15

5 min

Notebook Alienware m15 tested

In the mobile gaming sector, where it has always been about cramming as much CPU and graphics performance as possible into a notebook, Dell's Alienware notebooks are a firm favourite. Such an Alienware gaming notebook should also be suitable as a mobile workstation, right?

Björn Eichelbaum

05.07.2019

5 min

Helper for ideal green screen lighting

For the most accurate key possible, the green or blue screen must be ideally lit. If there is no light meter in the immediate vicinity, you can use the app called Green Screener from Hollywood Camera Work. For just under 12 euros including tax, we get a helper for determining the ideal lighting conditions with sophisticated functions. The helper can be installed on Android and iOS devices and is available via the respective store. What exactly the Green Screener has to offer and how the app performs in use is shown below using an example.

05.07.2019

Physically Based Rendering: Lots of realism, but with creative levers, please!

When computer-generated content is to be displayed as photorealistically as possible, we are talking about Physically Based Rendering or Physically Based Shading - hereinafter referred to as PBR. Modern, production-experienced renderers, who use this abbreviation, enable artists to create impressive visualisations of entire worlds based on physical principles. To do this, artists must learn the skills of the classical arts and combine them with a meticulous gift for observation and an understanding of physical principles in the field of optics. With the foundation gained from art and science, artistic nuances can be integrated into realistic-looking computer-generated content using physical parameters for light sources and materials, right through to the creation of surreal effects.

25.05.2019

7 min

Datacolor SpyderX in test

Colour correction is playing an increasingly important role in media production, not least because more and more recordings are being made in flat LOG formats to give colour correction more leeway. As a result, the need for calibrated monitoring is increasing, partly already on-set, but at the latest in post-production. If you want to have more control over the deliverable quality, reference displays are indispensable in post-production. Otherwise you are quickly exposed to discussions and uncertainty spreads among everyone involved.

25.05.2019

7 min

Security and VFX

While researching storage, hardware and the other topics for this focus, one topic kept popping up: with all the new ways to work on different data-sets, the security aspect plays an important role. So we asked the head of one of the most widely distributed studio groups – Henric Larsson, CEO of Chimney.

20.05.2019

Eine virtuelle Bandmaschine erlaubt die schnelle Sichtung des Rohmaterials.

13 min

Blackmagic Design: DaVinci Resolve and Fusion turn 16

For young people, 16 is considered a rather problematic age, but the roots of Resolve and Fusion go way back into the last century and you can expect a certain maturity. Does this also apply to a public beta?

20.05.2019

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