Interface[s] Montréal :: [Digital Animation]

[Digital
Animation] Limitless illusion
Montréal, the international centre of digital creation, distinguishes
itself through its ability to stimulate not only the imagination but the imaginary.
Where will the latest digital tools take the world of illusion today? Has the
art of illusion become limitless?

Speakers:
Gareth Morgan – Softimage
Louis-Martin Duval – Groupe Image Buzz / Buzz Lab
Francisco Del Cueto – Toonboom
Michel Fleury – Darwin Dimensions
Simon Clavet – Université de Montréal, Laboratoire
d’informatique graphique (LIGUM)

[Gareth Morgan] Softimage
A reality without limits…
In today’s digital universe, the lines between reality and illusion are
becoming increasingly blurred. Over the last 20 years, 3D animation technology
has developed as digital artists’ needs have evolved. Modern 3D graphics
software lets artists create rich virtual sculptures and environments, employing
form, space, and time as creative inspiration.

Softimage
continues to push both technical and artistic limits with our products. Each
new version elegantly harnesses the latest technologies, opening doors to new
creative expression with digital tools, in response to a discerning community
that demands quality combined with artistic openess. This year, Softimage launched
XSI version 5.0, the industry’s leading digital character and visual effects
software, available in a range of configurations to suit every project and every
purse.

Features
in SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.0 like Ultimapper, GATOR and advanced mental ray rendering,
allow 3D artists to concentrate on their creativity Version 5.0 is also now
available in a native 64 bit configuration, which enables artists to create
highly detailed, extensive scenes that be rendered faster than ever before.

The
revolutionary technology that powers SOFTIMAGE|FACE ROBOT allows 3D artists
to achieve realistic, lifelike facial animation for high-end film, post and
games projects. Based on extensive anatomical research, Face Robot uses a groundbreaking
new computer model of the soft tissue of the face to mimic the full range of
human emotion.

[Michel
Fleury] Darwin Dimensions
The Darwin project and the beginning of a virtual humanity
The presentation will focus on new area of development that open the Darwin
Selector in numerical animation of virtual characters. How can the Darwin Library
launch a real virtual evolution and open new domains of applications for 3D.
We will discuss the role of virtual character in those territories. We will
question the strategy of development of the Darwin library and its role in the
launching of a real virtual evolution. We will look also at the pleasure associate
to play with the Selector this game of evolution.
We will also present the concept of the l’Darwin Agency in showing a first actor,
very realistic and able to project emotions. The fundamental question: an agency
of virtual actors can it be viable commercially?

Finally
we will discuss the issues of real time and the future of interactive characters
in this new land of opportunities.

[Francisco
Del Cueto] Toon boom
How to create digital animation of the highest quality
Creating digital animation of the highest quality requires a masterful blend
of art and technology. Toon Boom’s software solutions provide all the input,
output and integration tools that animators need – including digital animation
with virtually no clean-up. Come and learn how Toon Boom’s
innovative tools can unleash your creative potential.

[Simon
Clavet] Université de Montréal, Laboratoire d’informatique
Graphique (LIGUM)
State of the Art in Fluid Simulation
This presentation will provide an overview of the various ways to simulate smoke
and liquids. We will demonstrate that it is possible to greatly simplify hydrodynamic-based
methods to obtain interactive results. Is it only a matter of time before we
see the first water-gun video game?