CG artist Greg Zaal has announced that he plans to release a new free HDRI each week through his website HDRI Haven.
Signing up is not required although you’re encourage to do so in order to support the artist.
The first of the files, a shot of a bridge over a pond at night, can be downloaded here.
The HDRIs on HDRI Haven are typically outdoor scenes spanning a range of weather conditions, shot with a high number of exposure values, and are available at up to 16,384 x 8,192px resolution.
Feel free to check out HDRI Haven and their large library of HDRIs.
In an era of emoji’s, 140 characters, and Snapchat, the art of verbal communication appears to be a lost art. But for those whose voice has been diminished not by technology – and through not fault of their own, but by health, birth or accidental means, the ability to improve their speech is a vital concern regarding quality of life.
Dr. Kennetha Mentor is a highly regarded Speech Pathologist based out of Detroit, Michigan who sees her mission, improving quality of life, as a core message. With that in mind, she charged us with building a website and branding identity that spoke to the core mission but also to a diverse clientele.
Logo
Playfulness and colorful artwork dominate the speech pathology market. In large part to many of its clientele being infants and children. Dr. Mentor loved the colorful aspect of many of the logos she saw, but she also wanted something that was clean and gave the impression of a well thought of design. Our approach, to take the best aspects of the samples and infuse function and best practice design principles to create a clean design that spoke to the freshness of her business but also created a sense of trusted organization.
We went away from the scripted, cursive type that seems to be a well used choice in this industry and tapped Bubbler One as the logo font. It gives the design a sense of light hearted fun while maintaining a readable, balanced form, stated project manager Chris Kennedy.
Print
Business Cards Mockup
The brand identity extended into business cards and a trade show sell sheet where we saw a chance to drive the fresh, colorful palette combined with a modern design reminiscent of an interactive interface.
The primary deliverable for Dr. Mentor, the web page is a fun, responsive scroller built to educate and drive engagement with potential clients.
“One thing we wanted to do was drive a sense of unified thought and showcase the diversity of Dr. Mentor’s services. Since she works with not only children but also the elderly, it needed to drive that message”, states designer Joddy Eric Matthews
Website Design
The site included animated image scrolling and image gallery which drives the them of diversity. To see the finished site, be sure to check out Dr. Mentor at www.speechmatterstoo.com
Solid Angle has released Arnold 5, the latest update to its production renderer, updating the API and sampling algorithms, and adding new physically based Standard Surface, hair and volume shaders.
The release also introduces support for Light Path Expressions and a number of workflow and performance improvements – but not for GPU rendering: a feature that many users had hoped to see.
Most of the key changes in Arnold 5 are beneath the hood, notably to the C++ API, which Solid Angle describes as having been “cleaned of legacy features, refactored, extended and simplified”.
Arnold 5 Sampling
Arnold’s sampling algorithms have also been updated in version 5. Solid Angle claims that the changes should result in reduced render noise for both direct and indirect illumination.
Arnold 5 Hair Renders
There is also a Standard Hair shader, which again, is physically based and replaces the old hair shader.
It comes with a wide range of parameters, including two representing melanin, the pigment in human hair and skin, making it the only hair shader we’re aware of with biologically plausible controls.
Ohio based RJK roofing company has grown significantly over the last 15 years… now providing construction services to a large portion of Northeast Ohio. Increasing the demand for more staff. – RJKco.com
Roofing is a seasonal field that only becomes active during the spring and summer. It’s because of this that roofing has a high turnover rate from year to year which constantly brings inexperienced workers in that need to be trained from scratch.
“Our old way of teaching new workers just wasn’t cutting it. We needed a new way to show them the basics.” stated Greg Tomasic (Production Manager, RJK).
“RJK wanted to get away from three to four hour long orientation and training sessions that took them away from their main focus, which is being on roofs.” Remarked Producer Chris Kennedy. “We proposed an interactive eLearning course, which would allow the new hires to orient themselves and gain compliance in one of the session’s most crucial areas, Fall Protection training.”
Fall Protection Harness Instruction courseware on iPhone
The courseware would be available via smartphone and laptop, and once a new hire completed the course, an email is sent to Human Resources and Management for compliance.
Ladder Safety Graphic
Fall Protection training is a requirement for all new hires and workers at RJK, and the need to have attendees attest to the training is mandatory, therefore any courseware needed to include an attestation phase. “Employees would not be cleared until that phase was passed.” Stated Kennedy.
Greg Thomasic of RJK conducts Fall Protection Course
To learn more about RJK Construction, visit them at rjkco.com
All you need to know – The ALEXA SXT W is totally wireless. Wireless Video, WiFi and wireless camera/lens control are all built in.
For those lucky enough to be able get your hands on these beauties, the candy shop is open.
ARRI has integrated a high-quality, low-latency (no delay) HD video transmitter and a WiFi radio into the new ALEXA SXT W model. Having a video transmitter built in makes the camera smaller, lighter and less cluttered than having an external transmitter. Fewer cables is nice because how many times have you rummaged through equipment cases looking for the essential one that you just cannot find? Camera setup can now be quicker, and the AD might even thank you for saving precious production time.
ALEXA SXT W will replace all previous SXT models. Life gets simpler: there is only one version of SXT W. Existing ALEXA SXT EV and SXT Plus owners can upgrade.
Also, the ALEXA SXT W is just one part of ARRI’s jump into the world of wireless video. Anyone can benefit from ARRI’s new WVS (Wireless Video System) even if they don’t have an ALEXA SXT W or an ALEXA SXT ready to upgrade.
ARRI WVS consists of a stand-alone video transmitter to be used with other ARRI or third-party cameras. A stand-alone video receiver works both with this transmitter or the one in an SXT W.
You can read Jon Fauer’s great article over at FDTimes here or if you’d like to get info on where to rent ARRI in the Ohio area, contact Scott Handel and the guys over at Ohio HD Video
Adobe unveiled enhancements to its video offerings within Creative Cloud. The “major update” for video in Adobe Creative Cloud was designed “to help filmmakers and video producers collaborate and streamline video workflows,” it said in a news release. The Creative Cloud release delivers new features for graphics and titling, animation, polishing audio and sharing assets; support for the latest video formats, including High Dynamic Range (HDR), virtual reality (VR) and 4K; new integrations with Adobe Stock; and advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities powered by Adobe Sensei, Adobe’s AI and machine learning framework.
“One of the biggest” parts of the new enhancements include Motion Graphics Templates, which he said enables After Effects users to create content and then package it for distribution so that others can “modify it, but the core essence of your creativity is simplified and shared with the masses.”
Motion Graphics Templates “now bring the power of After Effects to Premiere Pro through easy to use templates, allowing creators to add beautiful titles, animations and lower thirds to their videos and create custom motion graphics templates” that can be shared via Creative Cloud Libraries, Adobe said in the news release.
The “areas of innovation” also include greater support for HDR and 360 VR workflows, Roberts said. Machine learning and AI, meanwhile, “are a theme running through our products and you’ll see it reflected” in the updates, he said.
Adobe provided demonstrations of some of the update highlights to reporters. As examples, Patrick Palmer, senior product manager for workflows, showed how machine learning technology used in the Essential Sound Panel helps content creators improve their audio mixes. In Premiere Pro, the Essential Sound Panel “lets users make audio mixes and sound improvements that in the past would have required a dedicated session by an audio engineer,” Adobe said in the news release.
Form more information read the entire press release here
Capoeira: Live The Game, screens at oldest film festival in United States.
Mention martial arts and most people instantly recite disciplines such as Karate, Kung Fu or various fighting styles like Wushu, Akido or Tai Chi. But mention the Afro Brazilian art form known as Capoeira and glazed eyes usually follow.
“Capoeira was born of the African slaves need to develop some sense of harmony with their environment. The need to protect themselves while hiding their true intentions by cloaking it in the only creative art form available to them… dance.” Says Director Joddy Eric Matthews.
Live The Game’s program director, Anthony Santo Domingo, himself was an individual who found personal harmony, despite a somewhat troubled youth, and a positive roadmap for his life in the practice of the Brazilian martial art. He now uses the tenets of the centuries old melding of dance, whirling kicks and high flying aerial displays to change the lives of Cleveland’s at-risk youth.
“Before I started the program, I was very introverted and given the neighborhood I grew up in, I struggled to stay away from those who would offer me false confidence – like gangs.” says Demetri Tye, Live The Game student.
Live The Game Ad One Sheet
“When the kids leave the program I just want them to know that there is a community around them and their actions impact that community.” Domingo remarks.
Live the Game is directed by former MadWerkz head Joddy Eric Matthews, lensed by Yasmine Lawler and produced by CK and Obadiah Baker. The film has been officially selected for multiple film festivals across the country. The selective LA Dance Film Festival, the prestigious Columbus International Film and Video Festival and the Greater Cleveland Urban Film Festival are a just a few.
Interested in Live The Game? Reach Anthony Santo Domingo on Facebook
On our way to NAB next week, some sad news on the industry front, Canon Rumors is reporting that Sony Professional had its entire semi full of gear stolen . This includes third party manufactures that would have added their products to whatever Sony booths or workshops. Super sad news, read the article at Canon Rumor.
The EOS C700 is Canon’s no-compromise, high-end, cinematography camera. Here’s some of the first available footage from it, shot by Brett Danton, in a spectacular fashion. Australian sun, luxury cars, shot from a speeding helicopter. What’s not to like?
Brett Danton and the fellows at RedShark have written an amazing review of Canon’s amazing C700 cinematography camera. Read the article at Redshark Canon C700
Autodesk posted its latest games reel in time for GDC 2017, its all AAA titles and some VR work. The usual suspects such as Halo (Wars), Creed, Deus Ex and Battlefield are there along with indie hits such as We Happy Few and Firewatch.
In game play has gotten so good that it can be included along with cinematics giving the reel a definite appeal to the gamer. Of course our focus is on the Autodesk tools and the process.
