Staying on top of the latest software developments and additions to our VFX tools can be a tall order. It’s one of the primary missions of VFX/PDX – to make sure Portland isn’t left out or behind when it comes to the latest and greatest, and that our high end workload continues to be demolished with high end tools. VFX/PDX is your man out on I-5, flagging down would-be software company passerbys as they roll up from San Fran on to Vancouver. Hey – VFX ovahh heaaaahh!
Recently some software co’s are experimenting with taking demos online. Where these types of presentations used to be only relevant to the “decision makers,” it’s becoming more relevant to the good folks like us working in the trenches as well. The game changes fast. Why not check one out? Some artists swear by the ol’ “life drawing” lunch hour to exercise a different side of their brain, why not take a look at a different compositing package or modeling program?
Nothing beats an in-person demo with a demo artist who knows what they’re doing and can answer questions tailored to our specific problems. It’s not as good as in person, but online still allows for questions and some amount of interactivity.
At the moment – The Foundry is offering occasional presentations on their latest tools and how they connect with each other, which is especially cool given the acquisition of modo. They most recently ran a round in November and are gearing up for more. Watch The Foundry News page for more info or create an account and sign up for news emails.
In a few short days, Autodesk will be showing off the latest improvements to Flame, which is always something to keep an eye on for it’s superior commercial centric compositing workflow. Check out the presentation details here, and get signed up.