Animating is a Long and Expensive Job. From early hand-drawn feature films like Disney’s Bambi (1942) to the more recent computer-generated productions by Pixar Studios like Inside Out (2015), the creative process has evolved significantly in terms of technology but remains similar in structure. For months, hundreds of artists design settings and characters for a story, supported by a multimillion-dollar budget.
At the School of Design and Visual Communication (EDCOM), methods are being researched to reduce the time and cost of these productions. Among them is the new rendering service called EDCOM's Multimedia Cloud, a resource that functions as a “render farm” and is the first of its kind in the country.
The EDCOM Multimedia Cloud reduces the rendering time of animated audiovisuals by 75%. It leverages the processing power of the servers at the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL). This project is developed by EDCOM faculty members Diego Carrera and David Jurado, in collaboration with the Technology and Information Systems Management (GTSI) and the Information Technologies Center (CTI).
At EDCOM, the challenge for Graphic Design and Audiovisual Production students is to generate animation projects within short timeframes. Diego Carrera, a faculty member, explains this. He and Professor David Jurado are the developers of the EDCOM Multimedia Cloud, a project available to ESPOL students for internet-based use.
“We are in the initial stage, and the service is currently available only for 3D Studio Max because it is free for the academy,” says Carrera. It is expected that by the first semester of 2016, the service will be extended to include Maya modeling software. Over time, with increased demand, the unit may invest in adding other programs to the service.
© Photography and Writing: EDCOM Writing Club
02/02/2016
