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Contents Zoom In Zoom Out For navigation instructions please click here Search Issue Next Page ComputerTHE MAGAZINE FOR DIGITAL CONTENT CREATION AND PRODUCTION June 2006 www.cgw.com WORLD On CG Location Setting the virtual scene in prime-time shows Young Again Digital artists reverse the aging process for X-Men CSI: CGI Uncovering the clues for an immersive game experience The Wheel Deal Team Disney/Pixar shifts into high gear to create cars with character $4.95 USA $6.50 Canada Contents Zoom In Zoom Out For navigation instructions please click here Search Issue Next Page A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS &''&$54108&3)064& &OFSHJ[FZPVSTUVEJPXJUIUIF%#0995.4FSJFT XPSLTUBUJPOTQPXFSFECZ*OUFMT¡OFX%VBM$PSF9FPO¡ 1SPDFTTPST &OKPZFYDFMMFOUQFSGPSNBODF BOEIFBESPPNGPSUPEBZTCJU BQQMJDBUJPOT"OEQSPUFDUZPVS JOWFTUNFOUTBTZPVUSBOTJUJPO UPCJUDPNQVUJOH #099 888#0995&$)$0.________________ 4"-&4!#0995&$)$0.__________________ *OUFM UIF*OUFMMPHP 9FPO BOEUIF9FPOMPHPBSFUSBEFNBSLTPSSFHJTUFSFEUSBEFNBSLT PG*OUFM$PSQPSBUJPOPSJUTTVCTJEJBSJFTJOUIF6OJUFE4UBUFTBOEPUIFSDPVOUSJFT A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS June 2006 • Volume 29 • Number 6 THE MAGAZINE FOR DIGITAL CONTENT CREATION AND PRODUCTION Also see www.cgw.com for computer graphics news, special surveys and reports, and the online gallery. Computer WORLD 10 Features Departments Cover story Editor’s Note 2 Car Talk 10 CHARACTER ANIMATION | Team The Ticket to Summer Fun Disney/Pixar builds the ultimate Will this year’s anticipated summer concept cars for the newly released blockbusters shine or fi zzle? vehicle-centric fi lm. Spotlight 4 By Barbara Robertson Products On Virtual Location 18 18 Luxology’s Modo 201 DIGITAL SETS | All is not what it seems AMD’s energy-effi cient processors nowadays on TV, as more and more NewTek’s SpeedEdit, 3D Arsenal city-specifi c locales are built digitally. News By Martin McEachern CAD/CAM/CAE mergers and acquisitions Face-off 28 Investment group purchases Digital Domain MODELING TECHNIQUES | A studio specializing in digital cosmetic User Focus enhancements for music video stars FIRST Robotics Competition applies its craft to mutants on the big Seeing the effects of global warming screen by reversing the aging process Portfolio 34 for a fl ashback sequence. SIGGRAPH Electronic Theater By Barbara Robertson Products 38 CSI in 3D 32 28 Backdrop 42 INTERACTIVITY | Game artists use Living a Nightmare mocap to bring crime-solving, CSI style, into a full 3D world. Compositors integrate live actors into the eerie digital world of Silent Hill. By Karen Moltenbrey On the cover: Pixar’s model shop shifted into overdrive crafting the unique characters and their motions (and emotions) for the CGI feature Cars. See pg. 10. 32 www.cgw.com___________ JUNE 2006 Computer Graphics World | 1 A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS Karen Moltenbrey Chief Editor note KAREN MOLTENBREY: Chief Editor [email protected]_______ The Ticket to Summer Fun 36 East Nashua Road Windham, NH 03087 (603) 432-7568 According to the calendar, summer doesn’t actually begin until June 21, but CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: for children and adults, the Memorial Day weekend is the “real” start of the Jenny Donelan, Audrey Doyle, Evan Marc Hirsch, George Maestri, season. That is when many open their swimming pools, uncover their grills, Martin McEachern, Stephen Porter, Barbara Robertson editor’s and head to the beach. It is a time for parades, barbecues, and backyard fun. It is also when studios kick off their summer box-offi ce bonanza. KATH CUNNINGHAM: Production Director [email protected]__________ Years ago, a summer night at the movies meant packing up the pajama-clad children (818) 291-1113 in the family station wagon and heading to the local drive-in for a double feature that CHRIS SALCIDO: Account Representative usually included less-than-stellar titles, since major studios avoided summer releases on [email protected]_________ the premise that moviegoers would rather occupy themselves with outdoor activities. (818) 291-1144 However, the whole concept of the summer movie changed in 1975, evolving into what COMPUTER GRAPHICS WORLD Editorial Offi ce: we call the summer blockbuster and transforming Hollywood in the process. The phe- 620 West Elk Avenue nomenon surfaced in June 1975 when Jaws took a giant bite out of box-offi ce revenues by Glendale, CA 91204 (800) 280-6446, x1105 becoming the fi rst to reel in $100 million in domestic sales (today’s defi nition of a block- buster), slaughtering then-ruler The Godfather, with $85 million, and turning all subse- SALES quent releases that year—including the classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest—into TIM MATTESON: Publisher/West Coast Sales mere fi sh food. With its big thrills and chills, most of which were accomplished by an [email protected]________ (310) 836-4064 animatronic great white shark and suspenseful camera shots, the fi lm kept people out of the water and in the theaters as they returned for a second, third, and fourth viewing. JEFF VICTOR: Midwest/East Coast Sales [email protected] Soon after, the summer fi lm lineups began shining as bright- (847) 367-4073 A typical summer ly as the summer sun, thanks in no small part to the use of LA Sales Offi ce: blockbuster fi lm spectacular effects. Just as Jaws redefi ned the summer fi lm 620 West Elk Avenue and made a fairly unknown director, Steven Spielberg, a house- Glendale, CA 91204 (800) 280-6446 is heavy on hold name, so, too, did a science-fi ction fl ick called Star Wars, action, light on which made Spielberg’s friend George Lucas a movie legend. Star plot, and big on Wars remains the highest grossing summer movie and the sec- ond highest grossing movie of all time (nearly $460 million in cutting-edge domestic box offi ce). Lucas further capitalized on the season, digital effects. and continued to kick off a sequel and prequel of summer hits, WILLIAM R. RITTWAGE particularly with the VFX-packed trio Episodes I, II, and III. President and Chief Executive Offi cer The typical summer blockbuster formula is simple: heavy on action, light on plot and Computer Graphics World Magazine is published character development, and big on digital effects—eye candy that may be sweet enough by Computer Graphics World, a COP Communications company. to recoup today’s huge budgets...or not, as was the case with June 2004’s Around the Computer Graphics World does not verify any claims or World in 80 Days (produced for $110 million; lost $115 million) and July 2001’s Final other information appearing in any of the advertisements Fantasy (produced for $137 million; lost $124 million). Yet, year after year, studios con- contained in the publication, and cannot take any responsibility for any losses or other damages incurred tinue to stream big bucks into projects, hoping that with enough spectacular effects and by readers in reliance on such content. edge-of-your-seat action, any property can be turned into a huge fi nancial success. Computer Graphics World cannot be held responsible for the safekeeping or return of unsolicited articles, Last year saw a weak crop of summer fi lms, no doubt contributing to the year’s 7 manuscripts, photographs, illustrations or other materials. Subscriptions: Address all subscription correspondence to percent drop in movie attendance. While the 2006 summer premiere is only begin- Computer Graphics World, 620 West Elk Avenue, Glendale, ning, the lineup thus far looks promising, with mutant superheroes, pirates with CA 91204. Subscribers June also contact customer service at [email protected].________ For change of address please include panache, talking animals, cars with personality, and daring spies on impossible mis- the old and new address information, and if possible, in- clude an address label from a recent issue. Subscriptions are sions—all containing cutting-edge CGI. Indeed, the new digital techniques are spec- available free to qualifi ed individuals within the tacular enough to warrant coverage within the pages of Computer Graphics World. United States. Non-qualifi ed 1 year rates: USA $4.95. Canada & Mexico $6.50. All Airmail Delivery is available for But, will the fi lms themselves attract lines of moviegoers that snake around the block an additional $75.00 annually. (a telltale sign of a true blockbuster)? If the Memorial Day weekend was any indica- Postmaster: Send address changes to Computer Graphics World, tion, then it should indeed be a summer of hot hits. Do you have your ticket? 620 West Elk Avenue, Glendale, CA 91204. 2 | Computer Graphics World JUNE 2006 www.cgw.com___________ A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS A CW Previous Page Contents Zoom In Zoom Out Front Cover Search Issue Next Page BEF MaGS "Þ iV ÝÌÀii >à - >` >>} ViVÌà >` - vÀ Þ fxt / i iÜ iV ÝÌÀii vi>ÌÕÀià LÌ 7À`½Ã } iÃÌ +Õ>ÌÞ - >` >>} É" ViVÌÃ Ì >Ì ÃÌ>ÌÞ iV ÝÌÀii ÜÀà >ÌÛiÞ £ä LÌ ÃÜÌV LiÌÜii >` - ° 1Ãi ÜÌ Ì i >ÌiÃÌ {\Ó\Ó >` vi>ÌÕÀiÃ Ì i `ÕÃÌÀÞ½Ã Þ ÌÀÕi £{ LÌ * Ý«ÀiÃà >V >` 7`Üà V«ÕÌiÀà vÀ >>} VÛiÀà ÜÌ ÕV«ÀiÃÃi` Û`i Ì i ÜÀ`½Ã } iÃÌ µÕ>ÌÞ i`Ì}] ivviVÌà >` V>«ÌÕÀiÉ«>ÞL>V° 7Ì ÕV«ÀiÃÃi` £ä LÌ V>«ÌÕÀi >` «>ÞL>V] LÀ>`V>ÃÌ «>Ì ÃÕÌ° ÞÕ½ >Ü>Þà ÀiÌ> Ì >Ì «ÀÃÌi w ° iVÌ Ì >Þ iV] >iÀ> À ÌÀ «>ÌLi ÜÌ *«Õ>À 6`i -vÌÜ>Ài iV ÝÌÀii ÃÕ««ÀÌà ÃÌ>`>À`