Paris, France, August 7, 2015 -- SolidAnim, a leader in virtual production products, is introducing its new framing software, SolidFrame, at Siggraph 2015.  In addition, it announces its partnership and distribution agreement with INRIA.  INRIA is a Public Scientific and Technical Research Establishment (EPST) under the double supervision of the French Ministry of National Education, Advanced Instruction and Research and the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry.

 

 

SolidFrame is a new interactive tool designed for animators and cinematographers to interactively explore a large collection of shots over their 3D animation, and rapidly create and compare multiple edits of the same animation.  Designed in mind for virtual production and rapid prototyping of synthetic movies, the tool assists the filmmaker in exploring the cinematographic possibilities of the 3D scene.  It is easy to use, is flexible and offers a quick set-up.

 

SolidFrame offers a quick and user-friendly set-up of a cinematographic sequence based on several framings selected and arranged. SolidFrame is based on a selected frame, to manually reframe and play with the zoom directly in the screen-space. The software enables users to change the focal lens by freezing the framing and using focal types from the main camera/lens brands. Recording camera moves starting from framings selected in SolidFrame & creation of a database of preferred camera moves that can then be reapplied to other virtual animations. It offers the ability to scale the camera motion (for instance 1m with the virtual camera = 10m in the 3D animation).

 

INRIA originally developed Director's Lens technology for animators and film directors to explore and manipulate a large collection of shots over 3D animation and quickly create a first cinematographic edit over these shots.  By combining Director's Lens with SolidAnim's Solidtrack markerless virtual camera system technology, Director's Lens became the new SolidFrame.  SolidFrame is complementary to SolidTrack's virtual camera, Mr Méliès.  By combining both technologies the user can record free camera moves without any infrastructure.

 

In addition to joint technology development with INRIA, SolidAnim will distribute SolidFrame worldwide in conjunction with its SolidTrack system.

 

The SolidFrame engine generates shots encoding classical framing rules related to shot size long/medium/close-up/extreme close-up shots), shot type (internal, external, apex, parallel, subjective) and shot composition (gaze room, rule of the thirds).

 

The engine also selects shots according to continuity editing rules (jump-cut, 180 rule, change in size, and motion continuity). SolidFrame is developed as a plug in for Motion Builder 2014 & 2015, and will shortly be compatible with Maya, 3Ds Max and Unity.  The tool connects with Vicon Streaming plugin in order to let the user reframe selected shots, and shoot free camera motions using a Virtual Camera System.

 

 

* Recording camera moves starting from framings selected in SolidFrame

* Creation of a database of preferred camera moves that can then be reapplied to other virtual animations.

* Possibility to scale the camera motion (for instance 1m with the virtual camera = 10m in the 3D animation)

* Selection of predefined filters that can be applied on the camera motions (smooth, peak removal, ...)

* Connecting buttons and cursors of Mr Méliès to the SolidFrame features

 

 

The virtual camera offers a new virtual experience without any constraints (no markers, no mocap equipment). Mr. Méliès, has a full stabilizer HD monitor with system. With Mr. Méliès, users can frame the real world to the virtual world.

 

Mr Méliès is an ergonomic and smooth tool with a stabilized rotating screen that allows shooting in any position without losing the view screen. The system has been designed to offer to the end user a complete comfort. The wireless tool is flexible and easy to use for the previz on set of movies or broadcast shows.

 

 

SolidTrack is a real time camera tracking solution for recording camera moves and data logging of camera moves on the virtual set.  This simple yet versatile markerless camera tracking system for the film and broadcast industries addresses virtual production needs.  SolidTrack's flexibility allows filmmakers to shoot both indoors and outdoors with the same high quality results.

 

SolidTrack brings a revolutionary approach of shooting providing a more ergonomic and intuitive solution. SolidTrack combines real-time camera tracking and augmented reality previzualising VFX while shooting. Producers achieve greater control of VFX budgets and timescales, minimizing wastage and ensuring efficient delivery, from previz to the final movie or television show.  Comparing to traditional shooting methods, producers save approximately 30% time on a film or television show utilizing SolidTrack.

 

SolidAnim's SolidTrack system was utilized on Emmy-nominated and Visual Effects Society winner Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, the upcoming Alice in Wonderland 2: Through The Looking Glass film and The Walk, Robert Zemeckis' latest film, as well as other productions such as Da Vinci's Demons television series.

 

 

SolidTrack, Mr. Méliès, & SolidFrame will be demonstrated in Booth 737, which is the Cap Digital Paris Region booth. CAP is the French business cluster for digital content and services.

 

 

SolidAnim was founded in 2007 by Isaac Partouche and its two co-founders Jean-François Szlapka and Emmanuel Linot who put together their different skills in VFX, Animation and Cinema fields to build a highly efficient and passionate team.

 

The company launched SolidTrack, an innovative real time camera tracking solution for fitting to virtual production needs. The solution has built a reputation for building simple yet versatile markerless camera tracking systems for the film and broadcast industries, growing into a multi-faceted business.

 

www.solidanim.com, www.solid-track.com, www.solid-frame.com

 

 

 

INRIA is a French national research institution focusing on computer science and applied mathematics. It was created under the name Institut de recherche en informatique et en automatique (IRIA) in 1967 at Rocquencourt near Paris, part of Plan Calcul. Its first site was the historical premises of SHAPE (central command of NATO military forces). In 1979 it got its current name, INRIA.

 

INRIA is a Public Scientific and Technical Research Establishment (EPST) under the double supervision of the French Ministry of National Education, Advanced Instruction and Research and the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry.

 

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SolidAnim Contact:
Lamia Nouri,
Marketing & Communications Manager

Email Contact
+33 1 46 70 96 43