Building on the Nuke 12.0 release, Nuke 12.1 brings updates across the entire Nuke family with an emphasis on enhancing the artist experience through UI and tool improvements, the largest update to Blink and BlinkScript in recent years improves Cara VR node performance and introduces new tools for developers, and extended functionality in the timeline-based applications speeds up and enriches artist and team review.

Blackmagic Design today announced that ViSo Video Solutions has upgraded its virtual reality studios, relying on Ultimatte 12 compositing processors and URSA Broadcast cameras, to produce national television commercials and shows, for clients such as Sky Italia, Mediaset, ESL and Netco Sports.

Founded in 2010, the company not only offers clients its VR services, it also creates all computer generated (CG) and 3D assets needed in house, and provides all post production which includes editing and grading in DaVinci Resolve Studio.

“Augmented and virtual studio environments bring so many benefits to productions,” begins Luigi Nino, general manager at ViSo. “We chose to develop our VR system in house so that we could control every aspect, and customize materials, lighting, animations and effects for each clients’ specific needs.”

The studio’s VR set is 130 square meters and uses three tripod mounted URSA Broadcasts as well as a dolly mounted 4.5m jib on a six meter track. An ATEM 4 M/E Broadcast Studio 4K, with ATEM 1 M/E Advanced Panel, is used for live vision mixing.

Blackmagic Design today announced that Grid VFX relied on Fusion Studio throughout its in house compositing pipeline to deliver newly released children’s animated feature, Latte & The Magic Waterstone.

Directed by Regina Welker, the team’s latest project ‘Latte & The Magic Waterstone’ involved the completion of more than 1,200 visual effects shots, including the complex compositing of background and foreground plates and CG render layers for 3D assets, lighting, procedural effects, and more.

“Latte was a huge project for us. It’s a feature animation with a limited budget, so we knew we had to work as efficiently as possible,” begins compositing supervisor at Grid, Laurens Bekaert.

“Fusion’s GPU accelerated render engine was amazing at being able to handle geometry and 3D space compared to alternative compositors. We could add smoke and particles behind our characters and see a good representation of how they would look in 3D instantly, without needing to re render.”

Red Giant today released Trapcode Suite 14, a major update to the industrys most essential tools for creating 3D motion graphics and visual effects in Adobe® After Effects®. With a total of 11 powerful tools for 3D motion graphics and visual effects, release highlights include Trapcode Particular 3.0 and Trapcode Form 3.0, which have both been completely overhauled to offer faster rendering speeds and an incredibly intuitive user experience when building particle effects. Also included is a free update for Trapcode Tao, giving users depth of field effects for more realism.

Rodeo FX produced 240 stunning visual effects shots for Angelina Jolie's World War II biopic Unbroken. Partnering again with Industrial Light & Magic, the Montreal-based VFX studio crafted photorealistic images, creating the breathtaking air combat between the B24s and the Zero fighter planes, among other spectacular sequences. Unbroken has been nominated for three Academy Awards, which will be handed out this Sunday.

Rodeo FX has won a Visual Effects Society (VES) Award for its work on Birdman. The award is for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal/Live Action Feature Motion Picture, and is one of the preeminent awards in this industry. Rodeo FX continues its recent run of industry honors, including the Emmy and HPA Awards the facility won in 2014 for the visual effects it created for the TV series Game of Thrones.

VP creative director/director and visual effects studio Rodeo FX to create the high-energy opening for Super Bowl XLIX, held last night. The open, featuring Carrie Underwood in a virtual Phoenix stadium, set the thrilling and star-studded stage for the matchup between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at Arizonas University of Phoenix Stadium.

Rodeo FX, which has contributed visual effects to over 70 films and recently won an Emmy Award for its work on Game of Thrones, has opened an office in Venice, CA. The Montreal facility has signed on the Hatch FX team, renowned matte painter, Deak Ferrand, and long-time executive producer, Cheryl Bainum, to lead the Rodeo FX Los Angeles team. The new office offers Hollywood studios and creatives direct access to all Rodeo FX services.

Rodeo FX was rewarded with a prestigious Emmy Award for its contribution to the visual effects on Game of Thrones. Acting as one of the main VFX vendors on the series, the Montreal-based company created a total of 150 visual effects shots for the 4th season of HBO's most popular show of all time.