Silverdraft, pioneering maker of Devil and Demon super-computers for rendering, VFX transcoding, animation, Virtual Reality (VR) and visualization applications, will showcase the firepower of its products to enable groundbreaking, collaborative VR and accelerated VFX postproduction during SIGGRAPH 2016. Highlights include demonstrations of Demons running Autodesk’s VRED and Immersive Design Studios’ Canvas visualization software at the partner booths of NVIDIA Corporation (#509) and PNY Technologies (#627), along with the launch of the industry’s fastest-ever Autodesk Flame at B&H Photo (#767).
Silverdraft’s custom-tuned Devil supercomputers and fast Demon workstations unleash unparalleled computing muscle in small footprints, delivering breakthrough technology that is optimized for software and task, which can easily scale from single users through to small, medium and large entertainment, industrial design and visualization facilities. Bluechip users include Tesla, Honda, Audi, GE, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, WWE, and Zimmerman Advertising.
Devils and Demons fit seamlessly into existing workflows and are available in several “flavors” which maximize software performance through custom-configurations of processor speeds, core counts and CPU/GPUs using the very latest technologies from Intel, NVIDIA and Micron.
At SIGGRAPH, Silverdraft is teaming up with NVIDIA to showcase how the powerful combination of dual Demon VR workstations, fitted with the latest NVIDIA M6000 24Gb cards, support the first true collaborative VR experience using Autodesk VRED visualization software. Visitors will be able to participate in a unique, remote shared-volume room-scale VR session, in which real-time raytracing and the display frame rate of 90fps of VRED CAD models rendered in OpenGL, deliver the highest-quality immersive VR experience, that is also comfortable for viewers.
At PNY’s booth, Silverdraft will showcase dual NVIDIA super-charged Demon VR systems supporting Immersive Design Studios’ Canvas image-processing software designed for large projection surfaces such as experience centers, concert venues and sports stadiums. Also showing is an Autodesk VRED demo on a single Demon VR system.
Over at B&H Photo, Silverdraft will reveal the industry’s fastest Autodesk Flame, showing an optimized Demon delivering unprecedented speed for interactive 3D compositing, visual and editorial finishing. Historically, computationally-intensive effects, such as blur, de-noise and rack defocus, and operations including 3D composting of 4K footage, have slowed Flame sessions to a crawl. Since Autodesk decoupled from the hardware for Flame, Silverdraft has spearheaded the delivery of Flame on Demon, with the result that artists can now work with an instantaneous U/I, on the most complex effects in realtime, making client-attend sessions a reality.
“Silverdraft sets creative people free by providing the fastest technology solutions on the market, customized to their needs. If you want to see the best VR solution in the industry, or a smoking-hot Flame-optimized machine, then come to see us at SIGGRAPH and experience the huge difference that Silverdraft technology makes,” said Amy Gile, CEO/founder of Silverdraft. “We’ll show you what can be done with our wickedly fast, pre-configured, high-performance Demons optimized for industrial-strength professional VR visualization and design, as well as blisteringly fast VFX composting.”
Sneaky Big Studios, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, has standardized its postproduction services and has incorporated Silverdraft technology, including Da Vinci Resolve color grading, Adobe Premiere editorial, plus Nuke, Fusion Maya and Flame VFX all running on Demons.
“We’ve developed a world-class studio that rivals any facility, including those in N.Y. and L.A., said Stephen Brain, vice president and general manager, Sneaky Big Studios. “Silverdraft’s Demon is a solid, super-fast platform that will help us to deliver quality work with unrivaled speed and efficiency.”
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More