When most folks think of Pixar, they think of Pixar the famed animation studio, which is correct, but Pixar’s roots are really as a technology company, and one of the backbones of the animation and special effects industry is their well-respected Pixar RenderMan software. Every year we sit down with Chris Ford of Pixarand explore the state-of-the-art in rendering technology. We discuss the easier access for students seeking to learn the ins and outs of shaders, and the new licensing that allows unlimited core usability. For years serious digital artists, animators, special effects houses, and filmmakers have depended upon RenderMan to make possible the implausible, and while Siggraph is famous for a lot of things, many people feel that it’s most important quality is the bringing of people together, and the annual RenderMan User Group Meeting is no exception. If you want to learn about the tool used to create many of your favorite characters and effects, this interview is for you! Recorded at the Siggraph/ACM Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, in August 2009 by Harris Fogel.

Harris Fogel, Posted 9/12/2009 (10:05)

For more information visit: www.pixar.com

Photographs by ©Harris Fogel 2009