Using Interactive Rendering Software to Improve the 3D CG Animation Production Pipeline

Master thesis research into the improvement of computer-generated 3D (CG) animation production pipelines by means of GPU-accelerated and interactive rendering software will be presented. While the most well-known examples of 3D CG animation are critically acclaimed and commercially films such as Shrek, Finding Nemo and this year’s Ratatouille, 3D CG animation can now be seen in a variety of media, including TV series, music videos, commercial and instructional videos. Low-budget 3D CG animation is often outsourced to Asian nations, where low-cost labor saves money on production. With new studios for the extremely low-cost mainland Chinese and South-Asian entering the market, studios in more established industries, such as the ones in Hong Kong, are forced to cut costs while enhancing differentiation. Production pipeline improvement is one major potential vehicle for achieving such goals. A key step in the 3D CG animation production process is rendering, defined as the conversion of the three-dimensional mathematical representations that computer graphics software uses internally to two-dimensional images that can be displayed on projection screens, televisions, etc. Normally a time-consuming process, new advances in graphics processing unit (GPU) hardware technology and rendering software, allow the process to be accelerated. Such acceleration has the potential to lower costs, reduce throughput time, and enhance productivity. The selection of software for production pipeline improvement, its deployment and effects are the principal topics of this colloquium. The colloquium is relevant to staff and students interested in 3D CG animation production, outsourcing of digital entertainment production (to Asia), and production pipeline improvement in general. The research was conducted at MERECL: Multimedia Entrepreneurial Research Entertainment and Creativity Laboratory, a department of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Design, under the supervision of prof. dr. ir. John Simons, prof. dr. J.T.B.M. Roerdink (UG) and dr. Gino Yu and mr. Cedrick Chan (HKPolyU).