SIGGRAPH 2014 sets educational lineup
VANCOUVER, B.C.–Every year, teachers and students look forward to the in-depth educators sessions at SIGGRAPH. This year’s program (with the SIGGRAPH confab in Vancouver) includes student-run pipeline productions, augmented reality in education, animatronics, strategies and tools for teaching online, WebGL, and virtual worlds for therapy. And on Sunday, Aug. 10, the SIGGRAPH Education Committee presents an all-day training course on Unity3D just for educators.
Meet with educators over coffee during the Morning Meet and Greet on Monday and Tuesday (8/11 and 12) from 8-9am, then stay for presentations and discussions during Birds of a Feather sessions on topics including:
Augmented Reality in Informal and Formal Education
Collaborative Content Creation in 3D Digital Design
Scientific Visualization Using 3D Printing
Strengthening the School-Industry Continuum
Teaching Intro and Advanced Graphics With WebGL
The Dyslexic Advantage in Computer Graphics
The Zen of Collaboration
Talks, Panels, Studio Projects and Courses are offered every day of the week at SIGGRAPH 2014, and all include topics with an education focus. Here is a sampling:
Talks
Charismatic and Eleoquent Instructor Avatars with Scriptable Gesture
Introducing a new approach that allows users to create animation stimuli for research on instructor gesture without the prerequisites of artistic talent or programming expertise. The approach has been used to support experiments that investigate the benefits of instructor gesture in the context of mathematical equivalence learning.
Presenters: Jian Cui, Nicoletta Adamo-Villani, Voicu Popescu, Purdue University
Stina and the Wolf — Feature Film Production in Education
Staff from the University of Porstmouth in the UK will cover the making of Stina and the Wolf, a feature-length CGI film, driven by Performance Capture, and will discuss how this novel approach in higher education is giving their students that extra edge.
Presenters: Alexander Counsell, Paul Charisse, University of Portsmouth
Panels
An Evaluation of University Education as it Relates to the VFX, Animation, and Game Industries
This ever-changing digital age requires individuals with different perspectives to coalesce around ideas to create new techniques and paradigms that enable both academia and industry to thrive. This intelligent, spirited, creative panel will examine how education and industry can work together to unite their visions in an era of profound change.
Panelists: Margaret Lomas Carpenter, Texas A&M University; Frederic Parke, Texas A&M University; Donald House, Clemson University; Jerry Tessendorf, Clemson University; Dave Walvoord, DreamWorks Animation Studios; David Parrish, Reel FX Creative Studios; Jack Stenner, University of Florida; Gracie Arenas Strittmatter, BioWare; Michelle Robinson, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Cultivating Creative Thinking Across Disciplines: Stories From the Field
Creative thinking across disciplines is what distinguishes the perfunctory from the inspired. Hear reflections from renowned individuals whose work depends on successful integration of art and science in different ways. Inventors, artists, engineers, leaders all, will reflect on organizational and individual creativity and what factors nurture and inspire it.
Moderator: Ginger Alford, Trinity Valley School and Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
Panelists: Paul Dietz, Microsoft Research; Mk Haley, Disney Research; Roger Malina, University of Texas at Dallas; Ramesh Raskar, MIT Media Labs
Studio Projects
Arduino Drawing Machines
Participants design, program, and build drawing machines that will be showcased in a live crowd-sourced voting event.
Presenters: Erik Brunvand, Paul Stout, University of Utah
Courses
Creating Next-Gen 3D Interactive Apps With Motion Control and Unity3D
Through a series of live-coded examples, this course grounds attendees in the fundamentals of using the Unity3D engine for game and application development, integrating the Leap Motion Controller into an application, and designing and developing a next-generation 3D interactive application with motion control.
Presenters: Elizabeth Ruscitto, David Holz, Daniel Plemmons, Leap Motion, Inc.
Introduction to 3D Gestural Interfaces
With the proliferation of inexpensive motion-sensing technology, 3D gestural interfaces are becoming common in applications such as video games and mobile computing. This course provides an introduction to design and development of 3D gestural interfaces, covering topics from user tracking to gesture recognition and evaluation.
Presenter: Joseph LaViola, University of Central Florida
VER creates CINEVERSE
LOS ANGELES–VER has added to its global platform the motion imaging and production tools innovator PACE. The move complements VER’s recent acquisition of Fletcher Camera & Lenses, bringing together PACE’s wherewithal, Fletcher’s service and VER’s logistics, inventory and worldwide reach to form CINEVERSE, a full-service film and digital equipment rental provider.
Canon expands offerings
MELVILLE, N.Y.–Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, has announced two new wide-angle lenses and a new white color model of the EOS Rebel SL1 Digital SLR camera, just in time for summer. The introduction of the new Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM and the EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM wide-angle zoom lenses provides Canon digital SLR camera users with the ability to capture stunning photographs and videos of spacious landscapes and many other iconic scenes. The EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM lens is the first L-series wide-angle zoom lens equipped with image stabilization, providing professional photographers with expanded creative options, especially in low light. The EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM wide-angle lens is an affordable option for entry-level DSLR users looking to enhance their images and videos with unique and creative perspectives.
Since its introduction in March 2013, the EOS Rebel SL1, the world’s smallest and lightest digital SLR camera[i], has provided photographers of all levels with a high-performance digital SLR in a small, compact camera body. The new white EOS Rebel SL1 Camera Kit is complemented by a matching white EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens and offers a stylish alternative for photographers who like to stand out from the crowd.
“Having just reached a milestone of producing 100 million EF lenses, Canon is dedicated more than ever before to its heritage of creating outstanding optics for photographers of all levels,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM and EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM ultra-wide zoom lenses, when paired with Canon EOS Digital SLR cameras, are powerful tools that can enhance any photographer’s creativity. And new to the U.S. market, the white EOS Rebel SL1 Digital SLR camera with its companion white lens, provides users with high-quality images in a small, compact body that is easy to bring along on all their summer adventures.”
Fully compatible with all EOS Digital SLR cameras including full-frame models like the EOS 5D Mark III and EOS 6D Digital SLR cameras, the compact and lightweight EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM ultra wide-angle zoom lens offers high image quality and an Optical Image Stabilizer (IS) for shake correction up to four shutter speed steps[ii], making handheld shooting possible in dimly lit scenes where camera shake can occur. In addition, an intelligent CPU in the lens automatically selects the optimal IS mode by recognizing differences between normal handheld shots and panning. This technological advancement supports a greater range of creative expression for photographers in otherwise difficult shooting situations, such as dark indoor scenes where flash photography is prohibited, or in places where a tripod cannot be used, or when shooting at low ISO speeds.
The EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM ultra wide-angle zoom lens features newly developed, high quality Canon optics that incorporate three GMo (Glass-Molded) aspheric lens elements, including a large-diameter aspheric lens, which help improve image quality by correcting aberrations. Two additional UD lens elements help reduce chromatic aberration from edge to edge throughout the entire zoom range for excellent image quality with high resolution and contrast. The lens also features enhanced fluorine lens coatings on the front and rear lens surfaces to repel dust particles and help ensure superb color balance while minimizing ghosting. The inner focusing and ring USM offer silent, fast and accurate autofocusing. Full-time manual focus adjustment is available in autofocus (AF) mode. A nine-blade circular aperture creates beautiful, soft backgrounds. A new compact four-group zoom system provides a minimum focusing distance of 0.28m/11 inches throughout the zoom range and a maximum magnification of 0.23x at the telephoto end for outstanding performance.
Created to be a great companion lens for the Canon EOS 70D, EOS Rebel T5i, EOS Rebel SL1 and other EOS Digital SLR cameras with APS-C size image sensors, the EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens expands Canon’s line of Stepping Motor (STM) lenses. For entry-level users, this affordable wide-angle lens offers the ability to shoot creative, high-quality images and video in tight indoor locations such as a cozy corner table in a restaurant or unique vacation photos where the subject is close up, yet the surrounding area can still fill the frame.
The EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM ultra wide-angle zoom lens features a compact and lightweight design with an Optical Image Stabilizer for shake correction up to four shutter speed steps[iii], enabling handheld shooting in low light. The lens’ stepping motor and newly designed focus mechanism are ideal for Canon EOS Movie Servo AF (available on EOS 70D, EOS Rebel T5i and EOS Rebel SL1 cameras) to provide smooth, quiet and continuous autofocusing during video shooting, as well as when taking photos.
The EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM ultra-wide zoom lens features one UD lens element to help reduce chromatic aberration throughout the zoom range for excellent image quality with high resolution and contrast. It also features enhanced multi-layer lens coatings to help ensure superb color balance while minimizing ghosting and flare, while a seven-blade circular aperture creates beautiful, soft backgrounds.
Compared to the EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM wide-angle lens, the EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM ultra wide-angle zoom lens is nearly 20% smaller and 38% lighter. When combined with a compact digital SLR, such as the Canon EOS Rebel SL1 camera, the smaller size makes it very convenient to carry with the camera when traveling. The compact four-group zoom optical system provides a maximum magnification of 0.15x at the telephoto end. The wide-angle zoom range of the new EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM is a perfect complement to the currently available EF-S 18-55mm IS and EF-S 55-250mm IS STM zoom lenses.
The Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM and the EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM ultra-wide zoom lenses are scheduled to be available in June for estimated retail prices of $1,199.00 and $299.99, respectively.
The Canon EOS Rebel SL1 and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens kit in white is scheduled to be available at the end of June for an estimated retail price of $749.99.
Shotgun announces 1st Pipeline Awards to be held at SIGGRAPH 2014
LOS ANGELES–Shotgun Software, the creative industry’s production pipeline partner, announces the first Shotgun Pipeline Awards, recognizing excellence in pipeline tool development, integration, engineering and usage for creative production. Awards will be presented at SIGGRAPH 2014 in Vancouver, Tuesday, August 12, at the Shotgun User Group meeting, and announced publicly on the Shotgun Blog.
As a standardized but highly customizable toolset for production management, asset management and review, Shotgun is developed collaboratively by Shotgun Software and its user community of more than 500 visual effects, animation and games studios worldwide. The Awards will recognize tools that save time and mix creative genius with a clear grasp of how to make a laborious process better and faster–whether or not they involve or use the Shotgun platform or toolkit.
Shotgun CEO Don Parker said, “We want to shine a spotlight on those who well deserve it and rarely find themselves in it–the tool builders inside studios. They’re unsung heroes. We see people building amazing stuff that is helping their productions succeed and their studios move to new models even though that work never makes it onto the screen. We want to acknowledge the coolest, best pipeline tools in the industry and credit those who have built them. Honestly, too, it’s just going to be a lot of fun.”
Shotgun will select projects to be recognized with awards from among the following categories:
— Review tool/pipeline
— Artist-facing tool
— Business-side/ROI tool
— Coolest hack
— Tool/implementation for games
— On-set/motion capture tool
— Open-source virtual production
— Most creative use of a game engine
— Mobile app
There will also be an Outstanding Pipeline Achievement award for the flat-out best implementation of Shotgun, and a Pipeline Hero Award for an individual who regularly shares best practices on the dev list and/or a customer-developed tool that has been adopted widely across the Shotgun user base.
The Shotgun team will determine award recipients, and is asking its users to let them know about projects or tools that should be considered–both self nominations and nominations of other tools are encouraged. Email suggestions to pipelineawards@shotgunsoftware.com by July 10. Note that while awards will be presented at SIGGRAPH/Vancouver, those recognized for their work do not have to be present to receive them.
ARD-aktuell takes its news HD with Quantel
NEWBURY, U.K.–German broadcaster ARD-aktuell went on-air in April with a full HD service for all its news broadcasts, with production powered by a Quantel Enterprise sQ fast-turnaround production system. ARD-aktuell, whose flagship ‘Tagesschaü’ program is the most-watched daily news show in Germany, has relied on Quantel technology for news production since 2006. The move to all-HD production required a major upgrade of ARD-aktuell’s Quantel system, all carried out while daily news production operations continued unaffected.
The new HD Enterprise sQ system supports around 100 sQ Cut desktop editors on the journalists’ desktops, which are fully integrated with ARD-aktuell’s NRCS. In addition, 10 Quantel craft editing workstations handle production of high production value news packages. The Enterprise sQ system is split into two zones to provide additional redundancy and has storage for 600 hours of HD–more than enough to keep a full week’s media instantly available to all users of the system, including journalists and editors working on the weekly Sunday news round-up show, ‘Wochenspiegel’.
“We carried out extensive checks to ensure that the system would continue to perform faultlessly with the higher data load of HD,” said Andreas Lützkendorf, Head of Programming for tagesschau24. “It was very important to us that the production workflow wasn’t compromised during the four months’ changeover period to HD, and the Quantel system met this requirement and is delivering very stable performance at HD.”
“We have chosen to stay with a two-zone model not only to ensure that broadcasting can continue even in the event of a major failure but also to allow upgrades to be carried out without taking the system off air. For a broadcaster who is transmitting around the clock it is not possible to go off-air to install an upgrade,” explained Detlef Kopp, ARD-aktuell’s Technical Head. “We’re producing 14 hours of programming a day with the Enterprise sQ system; for our news production users, it’s a real success story.”
The ARD-aktuell upgrade also entailed the construction and commissioning of a new 320m² HD news studio, which includes a 17.5m media wall behind the news anchors’ desks, featuring a constantly changing panorama of pictures and graphics. The studio includes two galleries–one for the daily news shows such as ‘Tagesschaü’ and ‘Tagesthemen’, the second for tagesschau24, ARD-aktuell’s 24 hour news channel.
Cinedeck expands business development in North America
NEW YORK–Cinedeck LLC, a developer of capture systems for digital cinema, broadcast and postproduction, has exclusively partnered with Aarmadillo Inc to expand business development and technical consulting in the media and entertainment industry across North America for Cinedeck’s range of HD/2K/4K media record, ingest and transcode platforms. Along with Aarmadillo, Cinedeck has also recruited Miles Thomas to support business development among government agencies and houses of worship.
Run by Colin Ritchie, Aarmadillo is known for introducing ground-breaking hardware and software products across North America from its Los Angeles base. The formidable Aarmadillo line-up also includes Michael Demucci, formerly director of business development at The Camera House in Los Angeles, and Gary Thomson, who was most recently VP of engineering at EFILM Hollywood (a Deluxe company).
For over 10 years Aarmadillo has played a significant and successful role in introducing private media networks, on-set recorders and dailies systems, 3D workstations, mobile video and rendering trucks, as well as DI color correction suite design, to facilities across North America. The company has a wealth of knowledge in 2D/3D digital pipeline development, and provides innovative solutions that solve production challenges in HD/2K/4K production and post.
Thomas began his broadcast career in the satellite distribution industry with IDB, now GlobeCast NA, before moving into equipment sales at Harris Corp, Evertz and, most recently, integration solutions company Advantage Video Systems. Thomas, who is based in Los Angeles, will work in tandem with Aarmadillo and Cinedeck’s Atlanta-based sales engineer Daine Pearson.
“Content creators across the media and entertainment industry wrestle daily with the issue of how best to transition assets from production into post, and need fast, keenly-priced reliable technology to assist them,” said Charles D’Autremont, founder and CEO of Cinedeck. “With the addition of Aarmadillo and Miles Thomas, Cinedeck has a team that brings more in-depth technical knowledge to support each customer’s quest for greater efficiency and productivity with our systems.”
Cinedeck products include the RX3G and MX recorders, supporting 4K, JPEG2000 workflows plus the latest international broadcast delivery standards. Cinedeck platforms keep editorial processes simple and efficient by simultaneously capturing and creating edit-ready deliverables. With Cinedecks in the workflow, 4K and HD broadcast content creators can eradicate time-consuming and costly transcoding processes, and start post-production processes faster than ever.
Samsung apologizes to sickened chip workers
By Youkyung Lee, Technology Writer
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Samsung Electronics Co. apologized and promised compensation to chip factory workers who suffered cancers linked to chemical exposure, a rare win for families and activists seven years after the death of a 23-year-old employee from leukemia galvanized a movement to hold the company to account.
Samsung said the apology does not mean it concedes a link between the chemicals used in its chip factories and cancer and other diseases. Still, the company’s statement Wednesday that it should have sought a solution sooner is an abrupt shift in Samsung’s stance and a form of vindication for workers and their families.
Samsung vice chairman Kwon Oh-hyun said the company, the world’s largest maker of smartphones and memory chips, will compensate workers and their families.
“We feel regret that a solution for this delicate matter has not been found in a timely manner, and we would like to use this opportunity to express our sincerest apology to the affected people,” Kwon, who oversees Samsung’s semiconductor and display panel businesses, said in an emailed statement. Local news channels showed Kwon reading the statement before reporters.
The Samsung statement comes a month after opposition party lawmaker Sim Sang-jeung urged the government and Samsung to come up with measures to help victims and prevent workplace diseases. The resolution proposed by Sim in April said 114 of 243 workers sickened since the 1990s were former Samsung semiconductor employees.
For the past few years, Samsung has resisted calls to apologize. The company also provided assistance to a government compensation agency in legal battles over the agency’s refusal to pay compensation to workers. In South Korea, companies pay levies that the government uses to fund compensation for workplace accidents and illnesses.
Courts have ruled in favor of compensation in three of about a dozen cases. The government agency, Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service, appealed.
Kwon said Samsung will no longer be involved in the lawsuits.
Former Samsung workers, their families and civil groups struggled for years to raise awareness about the cancer cases.
Last year, the story of Hwang Yu-mi, who died aged 23 from leukemia in 2007 and her father’s legal battles, was made into a movie funded by donations and brought more attention to the possible link between conditions at Samsung’s older factories and cancers in workers.
Sim, the lawmaker, and SHARP, the advocacy group that helped Hwang’s father and the families of other victims, welcomed Samsung’s apology and urged the company to begin discussions about compensation.
Samsung watchers say the cancer controversy is a sticking point that Lee Kun-hee, Samsung’s chairman and son of the group’s founder, wants to resolve before passing leadership to his own son. Lee, 72, is in hospital in a stable condition after suffering a heart attack on Saturday.
Samsung Electronics is a publicly traded company, but its founding family still exerts considerable influence through shareholdings in it and other companies that make up the larger Samsung Group conglomerate.
