The Chaos Group has announced V-Ray 3.0 for Maya. Included in the initial round of enhancements will be a new Progressive Rendering Engine, support for several open source technologies, and up to 5x faster ray tracing and rendering performance.
Wilcon has completed new fiber optic network build to Los Angeles Center Studios. The ultra-broadband network infrastructure can deliver high-capacity data services and scalable bandwidth for Los Angeles Center Studios’ growing base of media and entertainment tenants.
Indian post-production house Trinity Digy Labs — owned by sound engineers J. Prakash and A. S. Lakshminarayan — has recently installed the Auro-3D Studio System. To date, Lakshminarayan and his team have already mixed the successful 2014 thriller Jilla (R. T. Neason), Aarambham directed by Vishnuvardhan, Vizhi Moodi Yosithaal directed by KG Senthil Kumar and the much-anticipated historical drama Ramanujan, directed by Gnana Rajasekaran, in Auro-3D.
Director and executive producer Jay Silverman has just wrapped principle photography on his first feature-length film, a dramatic project entitled The Secret Place.
Real-time tracking technology company BlackTrax recently appointed two-time Academy Award-winner Christopher Jenkins to be general manager, BlackTrax Audio. The newly formed division’s mandate is to focus on developing the company’s 3D and spatial audio applications and installations. Jenkins is keeping his job as president and CEO of Bisby Productions, a full service post-production sound company. Bruce Freeman, chairman at parent company Cast said Jenkins is working to incorporate BlackTrax in future projects that he is working with Bisby, as well as to introduce BlackTrax to the audio market. I recently spoke with Jenkins about his new role.
Aaton has introduced the Cantar X3, the successor to the Cantar X2 audio field recorder.
[Editor’s Note: Robert Berger is part of the creative team that made the acclaimed independent 3D film Charlie Victor Romeo. Here, in an article written exclusively for Digital Cinema Report, he talks about the challenges of making a movie on a tight budget, in particular dealing with DCPs and the value of Archimedia Master Player.]
Panasonic has unveiled a 4K camera/recorder, VariCam 35 that incorporates a newly developed super 35mm MOS image sensor and the company’s AVC-ULTRA family of video codecs. The new camera handles multiple formats including 4K, UHD, 2K and HD and is designed for high-end filmmaking, and commercials and episodic production as well as live 4K events.
Matthews Studio Equipment will feature the Minivator ll camera stand at the National Association of Broadcasters show next month in Las Vegas. The company says that the Minivator ll is a stronger and taller version of the Minivator ll, which was first introduced over 10 years ago.
In the 86-year history of the Academy Awards, no best picture winner has ever been made without motion picture film technology – a streak that continued with 12 Years a Slave winning the 2014 Oscar.
