DD

So there has been a boom of conversation the last week since the news that Digital Domain has defaulted on a loan. On Friday the DDMG company closed its much controversial[to Artists] studio in Florida. Also on Friday John Textor the CEO of DDMG resigned his post. While The Venice studio still stands the artist there are most likely looking for other work as the venice studio has a very high chance of closing as well.

It's a sad day for the 300 artist that either volunteered to go over there and work and or train others.

The best thing for DD to do is to tell all their artists the truth and let them make a decision on what to do about work. The worst thing they can do is pretend that everything is ok and this will get better. Dragging this out over months and months is both unfair and makes unhappy workers.

I challenge other post houses to start contacting these awesome artists and make offers before they fall off the grid. If your looking for great [Insert Needed Artist Position Here] heres your chance.

Ask any recruiter and they will tell you, Good artists are hard to find.

Here are some links if you would like to get more information.

Digital Domain Media Group Initiates Strategic Realignment

Via finance.yahoo.com

Digital Domain Media Group, Inc. (DDMG) today announced that it has initiated a strategic realignment that will enable it to focus its resources on its core business, Digital Domain Productions, Inc., a company focused on creating digital visual effects, CG animation and digital production for the entertainment and advertising industries. As a key part of this strategic realignment, DDMG has begun the cessation of its Port St. Lucie operations by reducing virtually its entire Port St. Lucie workforce, retaining approximately 20 employees who will remain as part of the wind-down.

Financially Beleaguered Digital Domain

Bill Desowitz:

After defaulting on a $35 million loan and to avoid bankruptcy, Digital Domain Media Group has initiated a strategic realignment to protect its core VFX and CG animation business. The beleaguered John Textor is out as CEO and chairman of DDMG; and long-time Digital Domain exec Ed Ulbrich has been promoted to CEO of Digital Domain Prods.

Nuke User Group Meeting with Nuke 7 →

Via gnomonschool.com:

Join RFX, The Foundry, and Gnomon for the Fall Nuke User Group Meeting and learn about the new features in Nuke 7. This event will include presentations and demos of Nuke 7 from Deke Kincaid of The Foundry, as well as workflow demonstrations from Gnomon’s own Martin Hall. If you’re interested in learning more about the next generation of 2D/3D compositing, this event is not to be missed!

See you there.

John Textor's letter of resignation from Digital Domain Media Group →

John Textor, Published on tcpalm.com

As you are aware, I am in profound disagreement with the decision to close our animation and visual effects studio in the wonderful community of Port St. Lucie, Florida. The people of Florida welcomed us with open arms and we certainly owed them greater consideration. We were able to hire and train local residents and have them mentored by the very best of our industry. Our incredibly talented artists and filmmakers were building something truly special in Port St. Lucie, not just our favorite first film, The Legend of Tembo, but also our first home, Tradition Studios. I am deeply saddened and heartbroken by this decision

Were have I heard this before. Oh right.

7.0

Nuke 7

The Foundry:

Set to be our biggest NUKE release to date, NUKE 7.0 comes with a host of polished and perfected tools to streamline your day-to-day workflow, as well as new additions to complement it's highly acclaimed feature set.

Looking forward to the new roto and paint. Good to see a updated 2d tracker. Basics, I'm liking this. The filters and Kronos will be great on the GPU.

The new 3d system stuff always powerful in the right hands.

Here is a link to the beta

Visual Effects Positions

Scott Squires:

I'll be listing some of the default practices but these will vary with companies and locations. Depending on the company structure and size they may be combining some of these roles and some may split them even finer.

Another good look at visual effects. Could not agree more. Having a good understanding of how to answer "So, your a [insert position here].

Sometimes they don't know they are looking for you.

Interview with Jack Binks

Frank Rueter writing for nukepedia.com:

In my day to day job I’m mainly involved in the product side of things, rather than engineering. J_Ops is a way to dust off the uni programming skills in my own time (yes, I am that sad!), as well as play with tools which are more driven by what I want, than by what clients specifically say to the Foundry they want.

Frank, thanks for putting that together.

Fxphd live: practical effects digital integration

Ian Failes writing for fxguide.com:

You’ll be shooting explosions, pyro elements, in-camera effects, smoke, greenscreen, cloud tanks and more on 32TEN’s stages – all high speed – with these leading practitioners from the special and visual effects industry. You’ll learn how to rig effects and light them practically for the best results, and you’ll see how to combine live action with digital.

More of you should get out there and shoot stuff. You'll learn a lot. It will inspire you, trust me​

End of an era: Matte World Digital and Fuel

Ian Failes writing for fxguide.com:

The challenging visual effects climate has again become reality for two leading players in the industry, with announcements today that Matte World Digital is closing its doors and that Fuel VFX has gone into voluntary administration.

Sorry to all involved.

Fear envelops visual effects biz

Karen Idelson, David S. Cohen writing to variety.com:

The Siggraph computer graphics conference earlier this month should have found the visual-effects biz on top of the world: Visual effects blockbusters and CG-animated family pics dominate the annual box office, and vfx have become the strongest marketing hook for the majors' biggest pictures.

But beneath its justifiable pride, the business is full of fear.

Everyone's feeling squeezed. Vfx companies say the major studios are shaving their margins down to nothing, but fear retaliation if they try to form a trade organization. Artists, who receive no health or retirement benefits, say salaries are falling though demand for their craft increases, but worry that vfx companies would retaliate if they try to unionize.