SpeakeasyFX Delivers “Abby’s Flying Fairy School” Computer-Generated Series for TV and Web
For the first time, a 3D animated series is part of the “Sesame Street” television program. The program’s 40th anniversary season debuted today, including computer-generated (CG) segments delivered by SpeakeasyFX and made with Autodesk Softimage software from Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK: NASDAQ). The series features a digital version of the favorite Muppet fairy-in-training, Abby Cadabby. “Sesame Street” is the longest running children’s program on television. more
Many of This Season’s Most-Watched Programs Feature Autodesk Technology
Post-production houses regularly turn to digital entertainment creation software from Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK), to help bring movie-like visual effects into millions of homes in this season’s most-watched television programs. Highlights include a 3D video game universe in “House,” the evocative color finishing of “Mad Men” and the UEFA Europa League rebrand.
Ascent Media, which provides creative and technical services through its worldwide network of media facilities, including Encore Hollywood, RIOT and Level 3, uses a combination of Autodesk Flame and Autodesk Inferno visual effects software, Autodesk Lustre color grading software, Autodesk Smoke editorial finishing software and Autodesk 3ds Max 3D animation, modeling and rendering software on more than 25 shows this season, including “NCIS,” “CSI: NY” and “House” (comprehensive more
Production Facility Uses AJA Solutions for CBBC Series ‘Shaun the Sheep’ and Playhouse Disney’s ‘Timmy’
AJA Video Systems, a leading manufacturer of professional video interface and conversion solutions, announced today that 15 KONA video capture and playback cards are in use at the UK’s Aardman Animations, producers of the Academy Award-winning “Wallace and Gromit” films and television series. The KONA family is AJA’s line of 10-bit uncompressed capture and playback cards for video and audio input and output on the Mac platform, including KONA 3, AJA’s top-of-the-line video card for SD, HD, Dual Link 4:4:4 HD and 2K formats.
Recent Aardman projects using AJA’s KONA 3 include the second season of the stop-motion animated children’s series, “Shaun the Sheep,” a “Wallace and Gromit” spin-off airing in late 2009 on CBBC, the children’s arm of the BBC more
66,000 Square-Foot AJA Campus Designed to Streamline Operations and Future Product Development
AJA Video Systems, a leading manufacturer of professional video interface and conversion solutions, today moves into its new corporate campus, custom-built to AJA’s specifications in the heart of Grass Valley, California.
AJA, founded in 1993, worked closely with local architects Jeff Gold and Associates for two years to design a facility tailored to serve the company’s unique needs. The new purpose-built 44,000 square-foot main building comprises manufacturing on the lower floor, with corporate, sales, and administrative offices on the main floor. A second 22,000-square-foot custom building houses the engineering, QA, and technical support teams.
“Grass Valley has been a well-established hub for broadcast technology innovation for over 20 years. We are really pleased that AJA Video Systems is committed to staying more
DP and Colorist Andrew Huebscher Selects AJA HDP2 HD-SDI to HDMI Mini-Converter for True 10-bit Signal, Performance and Picture Quality
DP and Colorist Andrew Huebscher has been working on commercials and independent films for the past fifteen years. He recently started using the AJA HDP2 converter with an HP DreamColor LP2480zx 24-inch display as part of the monitoring solution in his color-grading bay. The HDP2, which has undergone extensive testing in conjunction with the HP DreamColor LP2480zx Display, is a miniature HD-SDI/SDI to DVI-D converter for digital display devices such as LCD and DLP, and will automatically size 4:3 or 16:9 inputs to many DVI-D monitors.
“With my previous converter box, I was experiencing multiple problems, losing sync, screen flickering and was limited to working with an 8-bit signal,” said Huebscher. “Since switching over to the HDP 2, I’m getting much more more
AJA KONA 3 Video Cards and FS1 Frame Syncs Boost Tapeless Workflows for Outdoor Broadcast Events
AJA Video Systems, a leading manufacturer of professional video interface and conversion solutions, today announced that its KONA 3 video capture and playback cards and FS1 frame syncs are in use by UK broadcast systems provider Timeline Television, via AJA reseller Jigsaw Systems, Ltd., to enable HD and SD broadcasts of outdoor sports and news events. KONA 3 is AJA’s top-of-the-line uncompressed capture card for SD, HD, and Dual Link 4:4:4 HD for Apple Mac Pro systems, and the FS1 is a universal HD and SD, video and audio frame synchronizer and converter supporting virtually any input or output format.
Timeline Television Ltd., based in London’s Ealing Studios, was founded in 2007 by a group of broadcasting industry veterans that includes Timeline Managing Director more
New KUMO Line Delivers Cost-Effective LAN-Controllable 3G SDI Routers for Post, Broadcast and Mobile Production Environments
AJA Video Systems, a leading manufacturer of professional video interface and conversion solutions, announced today the new KUMO line of compact SDI routers. AJA’s KUMO 1604 and 1616 routers are small and cost-effective, while offering powerful features like SDI, HD-SDI and 3G SDI compatibility, as well as unique web-browser control over a LAN allowing easy integration into any post and production environment.
KUMO routers will be available in two configurations: the KUMO 1604 supporting sixteen SDI inputs and four out, and the KUMO 1616 supporting 16 channels in and out. “AJA has historically built best-of-breed solutions that support the editing and conversion components of professional digital video workflows, as well as the acquisition phase with our new Ki Pro tapeless recorder. Today with the more
Creative Tools Provide Improved Performance, Open Platforms and Interoperability
At IBC 2009—Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) launched Autodesk Lustre 2010 digital color-grading software and Extension 1 releases for the 2010 versions of its visual effects and editorial finishing software: Autodesk Flame, Autodesk Inferno, Autodesk Flare, Autodesk Flint and Autodesk Smoke. Autodesk will showcase these releases at Autodesk Booth #7-D21 during the International Broadcasters Convention (IBC) 2009 in Amsterdam’s RAI Convention Center, September 11 – 15, 2009.
“This year we’ve continued to increase value for our customers,” said Stig Gruman, vice president, Autodesk Digital Entertainment Group. “We are focused on providing not only a broader set of creative tools, but also a more efficient workflow with improved support for open platforms and cross-product data formats like RED and Avid DNxHD.”
New Software Promotes Collaboration, Compatibility, Flexibility and Artist Development
At IBC 2009—Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) announced strong sales worldwide for Autodesk Flare visual effects software and launched Extension 1 for Flare 2010 software (announced separately). First introduced at the National Association of Broadcasters 2009 Convention (NAB) in April 2009 Flare already has already been adopted by many customers who are using the Autodesk Flame and Autodesk Inferno visual effects systems. The software-only application shares the Flame and Inferno creative toolset and is an integral part of the Autodesk solution to bridge the gap between 2D and 3D.
“On film and TV projects, Flame and Inferno are established go-to solutions for the most demanding visual effects work,” said Stig Gruman, vice president, Autodesk Digital Entertainment Group. “As demand for high-quality visual effects grows and more
Portable Audio and Video I/O Device Ideal for File-Based Workflows
AJA Video Systems, a leading manufacturer of professional video interface and conversion solutions, today released Io Express, a highly portable audio and video I/O device that’s designed for the latest file-based workflows. AJA will be demonstrating Io Express September 11-15 at IBC 2009 in Hall 7, Stand F-11 at the RAI Convention Center in Amsterdam.
Io Express is an ideal Mac or PC interface for video professionals looking for an inexpensive monitoring and mastering solution when working with Apple ProRes 422 and Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), XDCAM HD, DVCPRO HD and more. Io Express bridges the computer and video worlds, providing professional I/O options to laptops such as the Apple MacBook Pro or to desktops such as the Apple Mac Pro or HP workstations.
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SpeakeasyFX Delivers “Abby’s Flying Fairy School” Computer-Generated Series for TV and Web
