ATTN JMS: faster graphics group?

[B5JMS Poster]

Subject: ATTN JMS: faster graphics group?
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 No. | DATE        |  FROM
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s  1: Dec 30, 1996: "B5JMS Poster" <b5jms-owner at cs.columbia.edu>
*  2: Jan  5, 1997: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)

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From: "B5JMS Poster" <b5jms-owner at cs.columbia.edu>
Lines: 24

The article in V5.2 of Universe Today about the post production crew was
very interesting.  It discussed the controversy over the changing of the f/x
group.  For the first time I actually saw something written that reported
significant improvements in the way f/x were done for the show.  Every other
talk about it everywhere else (mostly the nets) was you defending against
"will quality degrade?" questions, and it was getting tiring to read them.

Specifically the article said that everyone liked it now that the group in
charge was "in house".  The easier accessibility and proximity to the
individuals resulted in faster graphics being done, fewer edits, and more
opportunity to experiment with new ideas --- as opposed to the remote way
Foundation Imaging was working.  It occurred to me that this is probably
very significant.  I recall you said in the past how you had to postpone
airing certain episodes and shuffle schedules b/c the cgi for them was so
demanding and was not ready in time.

So, my question is, do you see an improvement in the way or speed f/x are
done nowadays?  With what you have now, would you expect to ever have to
change schedules b/c f/x was taking too long?

Thanks,
Erez.



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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Lines: 28

"So, my question is, do you see an improvement in the way or speed f/x are
done nowadays?  With what you have now, would you expect to ever have to
change schedules b/c f/x was taking too long?"

No, not really, because the system is about as fast as you can get it, and
so far we haven't seen any need to rearrange episodes or put anything back
due to cgi.  (#406 is as big as anything we've ever done...usually, we do
something that big toward the end of a season, with Severed Dreams an
exception.)  

It's mainly faster now in terms of the approval process.  Foundation would
lay off a jpg image of a shot in process, but it's just one frame...when
they'd deliver, it would be on an exobyte or laser disk transfer, and it
would come down from their offices in Santa Clarita once a day.  So often
you can lose a day or so in that process.  Now, it's over at post, which
is 12 minutes away.  We zip down, see the whole shot (sometimes in
wireframe or low-res tests), and approve or make changes at that stage,
saving a LOT of time in terms of re-do's and the like.




 jms





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