The Pixel Farm will unveil what it is touting as a groundbreaking advance in tracking software for digital visual effects at SIGGRAPH 2010 built around a node-based flowgraph architecture.
Employing a brand new architecture, the technology dramatically improves the fundamental processes involved in camera tracking, one of the most important areas of successful VFX creation, thus “ushering in unprecedented levels of flexibility, control, accuracy and speed.”
The new, node-based flowgraph architecture is an industry-first in camera tracking and match moving software. Easy to learn and operate, it provides a logical visual overview of tracking workflows, and gives digital artists a procedural, nonlinear environment in which to experiment non-destructively with different approaches to a shot to achieve the best result possible. In many cases this enables shots to be tackled, which were previously considered untrackable.
Optimised as a 64-bit application, and running natively on OSX, Windows and Linux, the new architecture is underpinned with metadata management, fully-integrated Python scripting, workflow customisation and a host of other features, such as in-built rolling shutter correction and image-distortion tools.
“The Pixel Farm is going to catch a lot of people by surprise. This advance represents a genuine paradigm shift in both the science and technique of matchmoving”, said Daryl Shail of Monster Matchmoves in Toronto. “The new architecture vastly improves the entire process of camera tracking. It’s easy to learn, fast, and provides extraordinary levels of control, while allowing artists to experiment and refine the track with ease, and deliver the most accurate data possible.”
“The tracking market is long overdue for an overhaul, and this is a game-changing advance from The Pixel Farm. I think they’ve just re-invented 3D tracking,” said Victor Wolansky, VFX Artist, E3post, and 3D Tracking Professor at fxphd. “New products emanating from these developments will be a ‘must-have’ for anyone involved in the visual effects business.”
The new flowgraph workflow, unique in the camera tracking/match-moving market, provides instant familiarity for digital artists who use node-based composting and effects software, and delivers the significant advantage of enabling full control over every aspect of each individual operation.
The first offering based on this new architecture will be a new low-cost matchmoving application. More will undoubtedly follow.
