Archive for November 22nd, 2011

HOPEWELL JUNCTION, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 2011: Thanks to Metric Halo, this pre-holiday shopping season offers something more than loss-leader cuts on boring stuff. The “You’ve Been Really Good This Year And You Just Gotta Have It Sale” shaves 25% off the price of the TEC Award-winning LIO-8 (was $3,995 now $2,995), the flagship ULN-8 (was $5,995 now $4,495), the +DSP license for the LIO-8 or 2d Expanded interfaces (was $699 now $524), a 1-4 Mic Pre upgrade for the LIO-8 (was $700 now $525), and a 5-8 Mic Pre upgrade for the LIO-8 (was $625 now $469). But you must hurry because the savings on the LIO-8 and ULN-8 end after one hundred interfaces are sold. And the savings on the +DSP and Mic Pre Upgrades end on December 5th.

“It’s that time of year again,” said Metric Halo field operative Allen Rowand. “We’re certain you’ve been very good, so before you start shopping for those on your list, grab a little something for yourself… but act fast, because these savings won’t last!”

Sale prices apply at all authorized Metric Halo dealers and distributors, as well as at the manufacturer’s online sales site (https://www.mhsecure.com/mhdirect/). Note that the +DSP license requires an existing 2d Card (all 2d Expanded and LIO-8 interfaces ship with 2d Cards; older interfaces can upgrade to a 2d Card). Note also that the 5-8 Mic Pre Upgrade requires an existing 1-4 Mic Pre Upgrade.

ABOUT METRIC HALO
Based in New York’s Hudson Valley, Metric Halo provides the world with high-resolution metering, analysis, recording and processing solutions with award-winning software and future-proof hardware. www.mhlabs.com

See projectiondesign at I/ITSEC 2011, Booth #2563, OCCC, Orlando, FL, 28 November – 1 December 2011

Industry’s most comprehensive visual display systems offering sets new standards in high-resolution imaging

Cementing the company’s reputation for the most extensive visual display systems product line, targeted for use in real-world applications, projectiondesign® will use the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference to launch two projectors specifically designed for training and simulation applications.

Mike Raines, Visual Simulation Manager at projectiondesign underscores the company’s message at I/ITSEC: “This event is really all about WQXGA resolution, as the market is broadly accepting this solution for new and legacy simulator visual display systems. As well as our new product introductions at the show, we will be announcing several real-world applications of the latest simulation and training technology using projectiondesign.”

World’s highest resolution LED projector for simulation and training: FL35 wqxga ReaLED™ projector

The FL35 wqxga is the latest addition to the projectiondesign range. It combines 4.1 million pixel resolution and 2nd Generation LED illumination technology offering the benefits of low cost of ownership, operation for up to 100,000 hours, highly accurate color reproduction and unmatched reliability and system up-time. Unlike 4K resolution systems, the FL35 wqxga uses industry-standard single channel IG inputs and is designed for multichannel systems.

At I/ITSEC, an impressive six-channel ImmersiveDome™ system supplied by Immersive Display Solutions, and driven by the FlightSafety VITAL X IG will highlight the benefits of the FL35 projectors in real-life applications.

FS32 IR projector for NVG stimulation

Also launching at I/ITSEC is the new FS32 IR projector. Introducing 2nd Generation LED illumination, and pairing it with IR illumination in a highly versatile and proven opto-mechanical projector platform, the FS32 IR provides the most realistic RGB+IR projection solution available. A single chassis solution simplifies installation and maintenance over any competition, and contributes to unbeatably low total cost of ownership. Visitors to I/ITSEC will be able to see NVG demonstrations on the projectiondesign booth.

Projectors for real-world applications

Four channels of the 4 Megapixel F35 wqxga, the world’s highest resolution projector for professional use will show on a legacy FlightSafetyDisplays WASP fast jet display, as driven by the RSI Visual Systems XT4 IG. The solution targets the upgrade potential of fielded fast jet displays, dramatically increasing visual fidelity for increased training effectiveness.

For 3D visualization in simulation and training, projectiondesign’s F35 AS3D is the world’s highest resolution active 3D stereoscopic single-chip DLP® projector. Designed for multichannel systems, it introduces a simple and cost effective way of adding 3D realism to simulation applications.

Last but not least, projectiondesign’s F82 sx+ three-chip projector for large screen simulation applications will be shown. The Swire Marine Training Centre in Singapore uses 24 F82 sx+ projectors alongside WB1920 Multiple Image Processors for marine training and simulation.

projectiondesign’s I/ITSEC wide presence

Demonstrating projectiondesign’s market acceptance and suitability for legacy systems, several projectors will be deployed across several I/ITSEC partner booths including:

• Cogent3D/Diamond Visionics, #2201
• FlightSafety International, Inc., #1701
• IDS International, #523
• Immersive Display Solutions, #1249
• Rockwell Collins, #1501
• RSI Visual Systems, #2700
• Zedasoft / Immersive Display Solutions, Inc, #1973

Dates for the diary: projectiondesign’s Innovation Showcase and Exhibitor Hospitality activity

projectiondesign will participate in the Innovation Showcase education seminars with Håkon Andersen, Visual Simulation Manager, EMEA at projectiondesign highlighting how easy it is to Maximize performance of visual display systems whilst reducing costs at 5:15pm on Monday, 28 November, Booth #3201.

Famous for Norwegian hospitality, projectiondesign is set to entertain exhibitors at the Exhibitor Hospitality Event on Tuesday, 29 November, Booth #2563 between 16:30 to 19:00.

projectiondesign will exhibit their unrivalled product portfolio at I/ITSEC 2011 on Booth #2563 at the OCCC, Orlando, FL between 28 November – 1 December 2011.

See projectiondesign at I/ITSEC 2011, Booth #2563, OCCC, Orlando, FL, 28 November – 1 December 2011

New FS32 IR infra-red enabled LED-illuminated projector acts to stimulate Night Vision Goggles (NVG) for unrivalled night-time vision and brighter day-time vision

Another striking innovation set to attract the attention of visitors to this month’s Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference is the new FS32 IR ReaLED™ projector from projectiondesign®. The FS32 IR is set to be the most powerful projector available in its class and is designed for stimulation of Night Vision Goggles in night-time training and simulation scenarios as well as critical, bright and full daylight operations.

ReaLED™ technology: enabling night vision

The high resolution FS32 IR uses projectiondesign’s 2nd Generation solid-state ReaLED™ illumination system that works to improve and assist the creation of deeper black levels and brighter visual light output over any other competing LED projector.

Typically, LED projectors have red, green, and blue LED light sources. The FS32 IR adds a fourth LED that emits infrared light beyond the range visible to the human eye, thus enabling the projector produces brighter night vision imagery when stimulated by Night Vision Goggles.

LED illumination removes the need to use more traditional lamps and colour wheels, ensuring no recalibration and delivering a completely stable image, with an unmatched typical service life of 100,000 hours. Maintenance costs are drastically reduced ensuring the FS32 IR is the most cost efficient IR projector available.

The FS32 IR is available in HD (1,920 x 1,080) or WUXGA (1,920 or 1,200) resolutions.

Full Spectrum

The FS32 IR offers user configurable IR wavelengths to optimize alignment according to customer-specific requirements.

The flexibility of the FS32 IR projector is matched with its use in real-world simulation training scenarios. Often those that operate NVGs adapt their vision to unaided eye vision, alternating as needed to night vision. The FS32 IR has been specifically engineered to accommodate the Full Spectrum technique of light illumination for simulation and training applications, displaying RGB and IR simultaneously

When combined with today’s leading Image Generators in integrated systems, the FS32 IR ensures that training scenarios requiring day and night vision produce simultaneous viewing for day-time and with infra-red light for limited visibility. What’s more, infra-red power adjustments of the projectors can be made ensuring system flexibility and connectivity, which, unlike competing projectors, allows 0 – 100% output control.

The FS32 IR Smear Reduction Processing feature ensures the ability to reduce motion artifacts in high-speed imaging, while dramatically increasing the effectiveness of NVG stimulation, even in the darkest of simulated night scenes.

Mike Raines, Visual Simulation Manager at projectiondesign says: “The FS32 IR projector is the result of an intense period of receiving key customer feedback and our focused engineering effort to develop a product which sharply addresses the critical need of NVG training applications. Our efforts have gained considerable momentum and interest as the technology was previewed throughout the year.

“We’re delighted to now be able to announce its availability for effective, true-to-life simulation of low-ambient light operations. The projector is brighter than any competing product in day mode and the LED technology actually works to improve the night vision system capability. As such it is designed for full mission training, air-traffic control, ship-bridge simulation, and any application where the trainee is wearing Night Vision Goggles (NVGs).”

projectiondesign will exhibit their unrivaled product portfolio at I/ITSEC 2011 on Booth #2563 at the OCCC, Orlando, FL between 28 November – 1 December 2011.

Innovative music learning app adds audio effects
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See projectiondesign at I/ITSEC 2011, Booth #2563, OCCC, Orlando, FL, 28 November – 1 December 2011

Lower cost of ownership, near eye limiting resolution, double the brightness and 100,000 hours of typical service life are just some of the benefits of the next generation FL35 wqxga projector for visual display systems

Norway’s projectiondesign® is using the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference as the launch pad for the latest addition to their unrivalled product range of WQXGA 2,560 x 1,600 resolution projectors.

The FL35 wqxga is the world’s highest resolution LED projector for simulation and training applications. It is based on the highly successful F35 platform, and combines ultra-high resolution of 4.1 Megapixels with 2nd Generation solid-state ReaLED™ illumination technology. In practice, it near doubles the brightness of first generation projectors, resulting in unparalleled performance and 100,000 hours of typical service life.

At I/ITSEC, the FL35 wqxga projector will be integrated in a six-channel ImmersiveDome™ system supplied by Immersive Display Solutions, and driven by the FlightSafety VITAL X IG.

Mike Raines, Visual Simulation Manager at projectiondesign explains: “The next generation of our LED projectors are based on the mantra of providing our customers with the best quality and innovation. Users will benefit from an image consistent over time. The higher resolution FL35 wqxga projector reduces the number of channels needed to configure simulation systems with clarity beyond eye-limiting resolution. In addition, the ReaLED engine has no restrictions on operation orientation which provides a dramatic increase in installation flexibility.”

The powerful feature set of the FL35 wqxga projector is designed for total predictability and low total cost of ownership. As with all projectiondesign professional projectors, the FL35 wqxga has a standard 3-year warranty and options for 5 year 24/7 warranty.

Unlike 4K resolution projectors, the FL35 wqxga uses industry-standard single cable IG inputs and has expandable inputs and outputs ensuring interoperability with exports and image processing interfaces.

The high resolution enables higher acuity systems or reduced channel counts, and makes it ideal for integration in multi-channel systems. For simplified integration, the FL35 wqxga is a single chassis solution, with five precision optical lenses, providing sustained high contrast, accurate color rendition and sharpness for unrivalled image quality.

projectiondesign will exhibit their unrivalled product portfolio at I/ITSEC 2011 on Booth #2563 at the OCCC, Orlando, FL between 28 November – 1 December 2011.

The digital invades the real world in this spot for Nintendo Wii’s “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swords” directed by Tool Director Geordie Stephens via GS&P.

In “Falling Swords,” the forecast takes a turn for the fantastic as a sunny, urban landscape sees a shower of glimmering CG weaponry. Thousands of swords and shields rain down on the city, until we see a young gamer pull a blade from the wreckage of his coffee table. As he takes a few practice swings at his TV, the sword morphs into a Nintendo Wii controller – our gamer is now transformed.

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Credits
Client: Nintendo
Product: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Swords
Title: Falling Swords
Air Date: November 2011

Agency: Goodby Silverstein & Partners
Co-Chairman: Jeff Goodby & Rich Silverstein
Creative Director: Christian Haas
Assoc. Creative Director(s): Vince Lagana / Mike Duckworth
Art Director: Kristin Graham
Copywriter: Mitch Gage
Account Director: Kelsey Weaver
Account Manager: Laura Szu-Tu
Executive Producer: Chris Moore
Producer: Timothy Plain

Production Company: Tool
Director: Geordie Stephens
Executive Producers: Brian Latt, Dustin Callif, Oliver Fuselier

Editorial Company: Cut+Run
Editor: Steve Gandolfi
Asst. Editor: Sean Stender
Producer: Christie Price
Executive Producer: Michelle Burke

Visual Effects Company: The Mission
VFX Supervisor: Rob Trent
VFX Producer: Diana Cheng
VFX Executive Producer: Michael Pardee

Music Company: The Elements

Sound Design Company: Barking Owl
Sound Designer: Michael Anastasi
Executive Producer: Kelly Fuller
Mixed by Tim West @ Pop Sound
About Tool
Bicoastal Tool is an award-winning production company, representing top live-action directors and interactive directors for advertising projects. From funny… visually engaging… and/or interactive, Tool’s diverse roster of unique talent creates unforgettable commercial and digital content across all platforms.

More info: TRUST 646 452 3388 (NY) 310 451 5153 (LA) trustcollective.com

Rainy, snowy weather is here, and you’d better be ready if you’re stepping out to face the elements. Nice Shoes comes prepared for the conditions in a new spot for Under Armour shot and edited by Producers Rip Lambert and Dave Hudson, respectively. The studio, led by Creative Director Aron Baxter and Colorist Lenny Mastrandrea, deftly captures the vagaries of menacing nature during the freezing season in promoting Under Armour’s line of cold-weather gear available at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

The spot opens with a school bus pulling up to a snowy stadium and a determined high-school football team solemnly filing out, uniforms in hand. A hard-barking narrator punctuates the visuals with motivational outbursts: “Tonight, we take respect!” The pulsating montage that follows weaves through the amped-up rituals of the pregame locker room and the swaggering, almost ferocious swaying of several teams collectively flexing on-field, ready to explode, oblivious to the rain and snow dumping over them.

Under Armour and Lambert challenged Nice Shoes to take scenes shot on an 80-degree day and transform them into menacing snapshots of winter fury. “Everyone did a great job setting us up, blowing fake snow over the live-action scene and creating small drifts for effect,” stated Baxter. “Then we took over in compositing and CG, creating a full-blast winter landscape in the background and foreground, adding or blocking snow as necessary, all against an edgy color palette true to Under Armour’s brand. We added to the tension of athletes in the midst of intense preparation by creating the breath streaming from them with a mixture of live action elements and created particle systems.”

The hero shot is a dramatic composited close-up of beading water shot at 120 frames and a CG liquid water drop (at 500 frames a second), portraying the droplet landing and then trickling down, completely repelled by Under Armour’s Charged Cotton material. “We mocked this shot up two or three times, then referenced live shots and similar shots from our liquid CG simulation arsenal to create the final,” added Baxter.

Producers and Nice Shoes have collaborated on the Under Armour account for years. “I was thrilled to team up with them once again,” noted Mastrandrea. “We didn’t have a ton of time to work on this – just a few days – and both Producers and Under Armour wanted the spot to really shine. That’s where our years working together and our familiarity with the brand ethos came together to turn out an awesome spot.”

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Credits
Client: Under Armour
Spot Title: PREPARE
Air Date: 10/24/11-12/30/11

Production Company: Producers
Director: Rip Lambert
Producers: Ross Jones, Karen Phillips
Editor: David Hudson
Sound Design: Tim St. Clair
Mix: Robert Bragg
Motion Graphics: Chris Abolt

Visual Effects: Nice Shoes
Creative Director: Aron Baxter
CG Artists: Jim Collins, Boaz Livny
VFX Artists: Jason Farber, Vin Roma
Producer: Jen Cadic

Color Grading: Nice Shoes
Colorist: Lenny Mastrandrea
About Nice Shoes
NYC-based Nice Shoes is a full service, artist-driven design, animation, visual effects and color grading studio specializing in high-end commercials, web content, film, TV and music videos. Since its inception in 1996, the studio has prided itself on consistently reinvesting in its talent, technical backbone, and client experience to set the standard of excellence both creatively and technically. Key company principals include: CEO/Partner Dominic Pandolfino, Colorists/Partners Chris Ryan and Lez Rudge, VFX Artist/Partner Rich Schreck, MD Kristen Martini, CDs Brian Bowman and Aron Baxter, CIO Bob Keske, Senior Producer Pat Portela, and Brand Director Justin Pandolfino.

More info: TRUST 646 452 3388 (NY) 310 451 5153 (LA) trustcollective.com

MPC pulled off a stunning bit of 3D magic in a promo for Nintendo’s Fossil Fighters Champions, a new game for the handheld DS videogame system. Working with Interrogate Director Vesa Manninen, an MPC team led by LA-based VFX supervisors Ryan Knowles & Ross Denner created a one-of-a-kind speech featuring a young boy rallying his platoon of dinosaur-like creatures (Vivosaurs) for battle.

Fossil Fighters Pre-Battle Speech opens on a live-action shot of the young boy standing in a stark desert environment, dressed in a king’s crown and sword, lecturing his unseen troops. The camera pans to the side, revealing the colorful behemoths looming gigantically over him, panting and rapt, ready for battle. At the conclusion of the fiery speech, the camera goes wide, and the boy’s army of titanic Vivosaurs tramples toward the screen in a roaring, frightening stampede.

“The Vivosaurs were a brilliant job from MPC,” noted Manninen. “The closer frontal shots from below are just amazing. This is the best overall quality in 3D I’ve ever had in one of my films – and this was not an easy job. Truly amazing.”

Tasked with creating an epic shot that retained the hearty feel of a child’s fantasy world, MPC sought a balance between real-looking dinosaurs and Vivosaurs that retained the key characteristics and colors from the game. “This film is a warlord fantasy of the inner boy living inside all of us, filled with a getting-ready-for-battle feeling,” stated Denner. Manninen added that “the story is from a child’s point of view, so we see what the child is imagining and it looks amazing. It’s also contemporary and cinematic, sympathetic and genuine. The size differences between the boy and dinosaurs are really important.”

MPC worked closely with Manninen from previsualization through finishing on the six-week, 24-vivosaur project, handling all VFX work, character concept design, 3D modeling and texturing, 3D rigging, lighting and animation, compositing, dust and particle FX, head replacement, telecine, rotoscoping, tracking, on-set VFX supervision and finishing. By setting up a system that allowed updates of shaders, lighting, models and animation automatically without compromising the render passes or comp elements, MPC was able to finish the project on deadline.

“The test was delivering MPC’s high level of quality on an impossible deadline and being able to accommodate last-minute changes,” added Denner. “With the efficient workflow we set up, we were able to meet all client needs and the hard deadline without a problem. This is testament to the hard work and dedication of all the team involved.”

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Credits
Client: Nintendo DS – Fossil Fighters Champions
Spot Title: Fossil Fighters Pre-Battle Speech
Air Date: November 2011

Agency: Goodby Silverstein & Partners
Associate Creative Director: Vince Lagana / Mike Duckworth
AD: Sharon Chow
Copy: Gregg Nelson
Executive Producer: Chris Moore
Producer: Chris Allen

Prod Co: Interrogate
Director: Vesa Manninen
DOP: Jess Hall
EP/Owner: Jeff Miller
Line Producer: Rob Stark

Editorial Co: The Whitehouse
Editor: Rick Lawly
Producer: Kristin Branstetter

Post Production Co: MPC
MD: Andrew Bell
Producer: Nicole Fina
VFX Supervisors: Ross Denner, Ryan Knowles
Lead 3D Artist: Ross Denner
Lead Compositor/2D Lead: Ryan Knowles
Sr. Flame Artist: Stefan Smith
Lead Animator/Rigger: Jonah Austin
Sr. Animator: Tim Quarry
Sr. Lighter: Fred Durand
Sr. Compositor: JD Yepes
Compositor: Elliott Brennan
Particle Animator: John Cherniack
Lighter: Jessie Amadio
Smoke Artist: Ben Davidson
Modeller/Texture: Nathanial Morgan, Nate Healy
Concept Designer: Jim Carson
Rigger: Adam Sidwell

Telecine: MPC
Colorist: Mark Gethin
About MPC
MPC is an award winning VFX and Digital studio servicing the advertising, motion picture and television industries. From its London, New York, Santa Monica, Vancouver, and Bangalore offices, MPC’s dynamic and diverse team delivers industry-defining VFX, animation, motion graphics, color grading, production, projection mapping, social and mobile application development, online advertising, data management, software R&D and pipeline development.

With a trio of integrated divisions, MPC utilizes a unified approach that drives the use of existing or newly created assets across the whole range of today’s media landscape. MPC Creative handles client projects directly with top-notch directing, CG animation and character design. MPC FX Studio is a dedicated corps of graphic and digital designers who bring clients’ visions to life. MPC Data Lab processes the content and makes it available for editing on demand. MPC is a Technicolor Company.

moving-picture.com

More info: TRUST 646 452 3388 (NY) 310 451 5153 (LA) trustcollective.com

Toronto, Ontario, Canada – November 2011… In the past 6 months, a diverse group of TV news and entertainment program makers have snapped up ten Lawo digital audio consoles in Seoul and other Korean cities. Some are existing customers, others are new to the Lawo marquee; the market for the mc²66 and mc²56 desks is being driven by the upgrade path to HDTV as well as by brand new studio and OBV facilities.

Three of the new customers have found the Lawo solution in a joint enterprise. Privately-owned, the local broadcast stations JIBS in Jeju Island, TBC in DaeGu, and KBC in Kwang-ju worked together on researching and testing high-definition systems for their news and production studios. Together with main contractor Soundfox International, the broadcasters settled on the mc²56 model as the ideal upgrade for control rooms handling daily news and entertainment programming. All three have selected a 32-fader console, specified with DALLIS I/O frame and an 8192 x 8192 router. more