Company Partners with Dell, Intel and Wacom to Provide Opportunity for 3D Artists Worldwide to Connect

Autodesk, Inc., will host its annual 3December event to celebrate 3D computer graphics, and the artists who create them. Running from December 1–10, the event will include live and virtual activities that connect thousands of 3D artists from around the world. Attendees will be able to share their work, learn from top digital entertainment professionals, and network with other artists. more

Contributes 175 Shots to Chris Weitz-Directed Follow-Up to Hugely Successful ‘Twilight’ Film

Prime Focus VFX, formerly Frantic Films VFX, has completed 175 visual effects shots for the Summit Entertainment release, “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” directed by Chris Weitz. Prime Focus contributed a majority of the film’s most frequently featured visual effects, including CG water, atmospherics, CG matte painting and environment work, and the “Diamond Skin” effect on Edward and the other vampire characters. “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” is based on the popular series of novels by Stephenie Meyer. The film stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner and hits theaters Nov. 20th. more

Autodesk Consulting Provides Linux Pipeline Implementation for Mudbox Digital Sculpting and Texture Painting Software

Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) has announced that DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (NASDAQ: DWA) and Sony Pictures Imageworks are integrating Autodesk Mudbox software into their Linux-based production pipelines. Autodesk Consulting’s custom development team worked collaboratively with teams at Imageworks and DreamWorks to port the digital sculpting and texture painting software to the Linux platform. Mudbox for Linux is available through Autodesk Consulting services. more

Prime Focus, one of the world’s leading visual entertainment services groups, has named Mark Intravartolo Creative Director for North America.

Based in Hollywood and reporting to Prime Focus President of Worldwide Visual Effects, Michael Fink, Intravartolo will drive the company’s efforts to expand its services, team, and client base in television visual effects. Mark joins Prime Focus from Modern VideoFilm where notable projects included effects for “Grey Gardens,” “John Adams,” “Taking Chance,” “Max Payne,” “Tropic Thunder” and nine seasons of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”. more

One of Hollywood’s hottest producing duos turns to Troika to rock its theatrical debut

Troika Design Group, a strategic branding and design agency for media and entertainment companies, has been tapped by Polsky Films, an independent feature film production company, to produce its signature logo animation. The production tag debuted at the LA premiere of Werner Herzog’s “The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,” starring Nicolas Cage. more

Author Darrell Van Citters will also appear at events in San Francisco and Portland

GLENDALE, Calif. —Special screenings of the holiday classic Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol will be presented at the Paley Center for Media in New York on December 1st and at American Cinematheque (Aero Theatre) in Los Angeles on December 19th to mark the publication of Darrell Van Citters’ new book on the making of the first animated Christmas special. The screenings will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Van Citters and members of the original cast and production team, as well as screening of rare video. Van Citters will also sign copies of his book, Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol: The Making of the First Animated Christmas Special (available here). more

Recreate holographic effects with just a few clicks

San Francisco, CA, November 17, 2009 – Red Giant Software has released Holomatrix, a new After Effects plug-in that lets you control your reality and offers a new dimension in effect generation. Many science fiction feature films and TV shows feature holographic communication and interfaces. Red Giant Holomatrix allows you to easily recreate that effect with just a few clicks. The package includes 30 presets that turn ordinary footage into animated sci-fi holograms, mimics bad TV reception and creates realistic looking digital signage. more

Atlanta, GA – Halogen, a new integrated web/TV network owned by the South Carolina-based Inspiration Network, came to RIOT for a unique, attention-grabbing look for their on-air IDs, bumpers and other network branding that would also integrate seamlessly online. more

Digitally Enhanced Faces of Assassin’s Victims Haunt Viewers in Commercial for New Ubisoft Release

Digital Domain forces viewers to stare deep into the faces of the freshly deceased in “Eyes,” a television commercial for “Assassin’s Creed II,” the new third-person action-adventure video game from Ubisoft. Directed by Andrew Douglas of Anonymous Content via ad agency Cutwater, the spot demonstrates Digital Domain’s expertise in working with the contours of the human face. But instead of creating a fully computer-generated version à la The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Digital Domain applied digital production techniques to give the live-action actors a haunting, hyper-photorealistic quality. “Eyes” breaks Nov. 9, 2009. more

Blur Studio recently completed a ten-spot series of commercials for Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers via Young & Rubicam, NY. The campaign is entirely computer generated and was directed by Blur’s Leo Santos.

This work represents the campaign’s fourth season featuring the adventurous animated Goldfish characters, and is the first time the campaign presents a progressive story arc spanning 10 commercials. At the end of Season 3, “Gilbert” is separated from his friends when he gets sucked up by a vacuum cleaner. Season 4 is dominated by the search for Gilbert by his Goldfish pals. more