With the increasingly powerful state of computer hardware and the many new software features designed to take advantage of that power, the main themes at SIGGRAPH 2001 in Los Angeles included service, support and work-flow streamlining.

At the five-day conference, held in August at the L.A. Convention Centre, software manufacturers imparted ways to make producers’ lives easier and more efficient, while students and producers marveled at the new systems, taking tutorials on-the-spot and attempting to apply the new capabilities to their work-flow challenges.

For many, it seemed as if SIGGRAPH was a rare chance to get out from behind the computer monitor. Hundreds of flashing digital cameras, and strange mixed drinks involving Blue Curacao characterized most every gathering outside the convention floor.

Toronto, U.K.

At the media registration desk, the two women named Bettie (both spelled with an ‘ie’) were straight out of a Rick Mercer special, insisting Canada was part of the United Kingdom, and printing a Playback badge to prove it: ‘Dave Lazar, Playback Magazine, Toronto, Ontario, United Kingdom,’ it read.

Nevertheless, Canadian software companies were centrestage on the convention floor, occupying some of the liveliest spots in the house. At the Softimage booth, loud demonstrations mixed with loud music to make for a carnival-type atmosphere. Softimage used SIGGRAPH to announce the second beta cycle of XSI. Version 2.0 of the 3D content-creation product includes ‘over 2500 artist-driven new features and feature enhancements.’ New features include a fur simulator, a built-in text generator and a new, fully integrated compositor.

Softimage also announced version 4.0 of Softimage|3D, support for Panoram display technologies and an alliance with New Orleans-based Turbo Squid, an online marketplace for 3D models and digital assets. As well, Softimage announced that the next generation versions (5.0) of AVID|DS and AVID|DS HD had entered a worldwide beta-testing program.

In terms of improving work-flow, Softimage demonstrated the XSI effects tree, which builds a flow-chart-style, streamlined workflow outline, complete with built-in filters.

Alias|Wavefront used SIGGRAPH as a forum to announce, among other things, an expansion into the web 3D market, ‘the fastest growing sector in which Maya is used today,’ according to Mike Wilson, director of Maya Interactive at A|W. The company has formed alliances with Brilliant Digital Entertainment, Cycore, Mayim Visual Solutions, Pulse Entertainment, Viewpoint Corporation and Wild Tangent to provide viewer plug-ins bundled with Maya 4. As well, SIGGRAPH marked the launch of A|W’s Maya Shockwave 3D Exporter version 1.1 and the first-ever public showing of Mental Ray for Maya technology.

A|W was not left out of the service and support whirlwind that characterized this year’s conference. The company announced the launch of a Global Customer Services Division to provide consulting and training to entertainment and design customers, worldwide. This consolidation of service delivery was in response to an ‘extensive customer interview process.’

Also, A|W debuted Portfolio Wall 1.5, a digital asset management tool that employs a large touchscreen to work with clients and designers on larger-scale projects. Designed to simplify digital workflows, Portfolio Wall 1.5 transforms a large plasma screen into ‘a networked, digital corkboard.’

Toronto’s Side Effects Software, tucked away in the Houdini pod of the Hewlett Packard booth at this year’s conference, also concentrated on flexible, streamlined workflows. The company held demonstrations of Houdini’s customizable interface and panels that build a flow-chart of operations to allow for experimentation and easy tweaking within the software’s environment.

Side Effects’ main message at SIGGRAPH was its new animation product, going into beta – Houdini Select. The new package, ‘based on Houdini’s award-winning procedural technology’ is targeted at smaller operations looking for the power of Houdini at the price of David Copperfield (US$1999 – for Houdini Select, not Copperfield).

Side Effects also announced that Houdini 3D will now run on Sun Microsystems’ Solaris operating environment.

Chillin’ on the shag

Montreal-based Discreet hosted conference attendees in its fabled chill room. Covered in blue shag carpet, and bordered by several dark, metal treehouse-style cages (apparently to be used for client meetings), Discreet’s booth was clearly one of the conference’s flashiest. The company’s biggest announcement was the release of combustion 2, the latest version of its paint, animation and 3D compositing software.

The new package supports multi-format project capabilities including video, HDTV, and 64-bit color. Besides a fully-integrated 2D particle system, an expansive and interactive text and motion graphics module and garbage-masking technology compatible with inferno, flame and flint, combustion 2 also includes a ‘fully-editable, interactive, schematic view – an intuitive compositing flow-chart designed to make complex visual effects creation faster and simpler.’

On the panel scene, Size Matters: Digital Cinema Distribution, moderated by Toronto’s Charles Poynton, discussed the effects of high visual realism on storytelling, color reproduction challenges in the digital format, and the transformation from an analogue to a digital industry. Panelists included cinematographer Allen Daviau (Empire of the Sun), Bob Lambert from the Walt Disney Company, Industrial Light + Magic’s Joshua Pines, James H. Korris of USC and Allen Witters of WAM!NET.

Daviau, who says film and digital can co-exist for a long time due to the fact ‘film has a nasty habit of continuing to improve itself,’ adds the digital transformation will be an ‘evolution rather than a revolution.’ For his part, Korris says the digital switch is ‘reminiscent of the transition from vinyl to CD. Eventually, the gap closes and expectations change.’

Lambert says Disney will work to develop techniques and infrastructure, establish a common mastering format and advocate and help develop a globally interoperable d-cinema architecture.

Josh Pines spoke on color gamut, saying ‘it is improving every six months, but is still not there.’ Dynamic range is another major digital projection issue, he says.

WAM!NET’s Witters focused on digital infrastructure, saying telephone and satellite companies are facing ‘a shuffling of the cards. They all want a piece of this thing.’

SIGGRAPH 2002 is slated for July 21-26, 2002, in San Antonio, TX.

www.siggraph.org