No doubt you’ve heard about Rockstar’s latest release LA Noire - apparently a completely new type of video game. Up until recently, most games have been all about hand eye co-ordination but in LA Noire, which is set in the late 40s, the main skill is about being able to judge body language and characters’ faces to figure out if they’re lying or not - or ‘emotional perception’ as some are calling it.
Free Tutorial: Effects in V-Ray for Max
For those of you who want to learn V-Ray for Max, you’re in for a real treat this month. We’ve released a tutorial from our new V-Ray course which will be launched over the coming weeks. The tutorial has been taken directly from one of the major case studies within the course and this video is designed to demonstrates the power of V-Ray.
Augmented Reality... Kelly Brooks... Angels Fall...
OK, so hopefully the title got your attention, and we can get past the Kelly Brook distraction - she's currently "fronting" a new marketing campaign from Lynx "Angels will fall" which is all relevant, honest!
Dogboarding. Confused? So Were We.
Something fun for a Friday. I'm sure most of you have seen this by now as it has been shared on lots of social networking sites. For those who haven't, here is a cool short film by the directing duo Daniels - called Dogboarding. It's a quirky, original idea and great fun to watch.
Stunning Imagery in "Inside the Human Body"
Did any of you watch the first episode of a brand new BBC1 series called "Inside the Human Body"? It aired last night for the first time and I watched in total amazement. OK, so most of you who follow my posts will know that I avidly watch any science programs... I know I am a captive audience, but seriously, the visual effects were absolutely beautiful and the program captivating.
Harry Potter and Black Swan Case Studies Detail How mocha Pro Was Used
Just wanted to make you all aware that we have two new case studies available. They describe how mocha Pro was used in both Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Black Swan. The details are interesting and worth the read.
Desktop Engineering Reviews The 3DBOXX 8550 XTREME
I just finished reading through an excellent review about the 3DBOXX 8550 XTREME. If you are looking for a fast workstation, you should read this too.
Games Escapee Ross Garfoot Secures Job at Playground Games
Another one of our Games Art Production course escapees has just landed a job. This time it is Ross Garfoot who just secured a job at Playground Games - well done Ross!
The Pixar Podcast
I stumbled across 'The Pixar Podcast' recently, I just thought I would share it with you in case you had not seen it.
Employment Opportunities in VFX and 3D Sectors to Rise in India
In recent years we’ve seen massive leaps forward in entertainment technology. 3D TV is all the rage and the release of the Nintendo 3DS has given us our first, glasses-free, 3D console. But what does this advance in entertainment technology mean for the Visual Effects industry? According to the latest statistics, the industry in India is set to grow at 18.5% a year - in short, it’s a great time to be working in VFX and 3D in the Indian subcontinent.
Calling all Escapees: Enter the C4 E Stings Competition
C4 are running their E Stings competition once again. This is the perfect opportunity for CG artists to show off their skills. We'd love to see some escapee work go through to the final, even if it isn't selected it's a great opportunity to demonstrate your showreel and the skills that you have.
Games Course Escapee Tom Harle Lands a Job at Rebellion
It's always great to hear when escapees land jobs - especially if it's one that they've always dreamt of getting. Tom Harle, who studied our Games Art Production course has just secured a job at top games studio Rebellion. He's worked really hard on his portfolio and it's clear that it's really paid off.
V-Ray Online Training - Shhhh.... Keep It Secret
Shhhh, don't tell anyone but the images in this blog have been 'lifted' from our brand spanking new self directed course: VRay 2 for 3DS Max... We are very happy with it... But keep it quiet as it may help improve your skills ;-)
James Cameron on Great Underwater Adventures
Those of you who are fans of The Terminator, The Abyss, Avatar or even Titanic, will enjoy watching this video of James Cameron in which he explains what actually drove him to film making and the people and things that provided inspiration to him along the way.
Amazing Mick Ebeling
I was sent a link to this the other day by one of the Fireflies riders in LA. Mick Ebeling has a great company and has done something pretty amazing with the resources he has to hand. Enabling a close friend suffering from a life destroying disease to use his creativity again after complete paralysis shows amazing resourcefulness and generosity.
Breaking into the VFX industry – Escape Studios Featured on The Guardian’s Latest Careers Q&A
You may remember last month that Lee Danskin and Paul Wilkes were featured on The Guardian’s careers blog about the film industry. This month, the topic was ‘Breaking into the Visual Effects’, and as it’s our specialist subject we had no less than three spokespeople on the panel this time.
Using 3D to Good Effects in Teaching
It’s not often that I see something that just makes me pause and wonder in amazement, but a few days ago, I came across a short video that did just that.
Mentored Courses Students Tell All
The students on our Mentored Courses have been talking to us about their experiences through out their study with us and we thought we'd share their feedback with you.
Professional VFX & Compositing Freelancers Are in High Demand
Are you looking for a job in the CG Industry? Here at Escape Studios Recruitment, we’ve never been busier. It’s a great time for the UK Post-Production industry and we have been inundated with requests for professional artists.
Just Another Comic Book Hero Movie? Maybe Not...
Ok, so there I was, happy in my comfort zone, knowing that the Green Lantern could never be a great movie and that nothing could ever live up to the comic book.