Intel Investors - IBM's Intel-based workstations and servers were used for creating a new animated movie in Hollywood !
"All characters will be created using IBM's IntelliStation Z Pro workstations. Rendering will be facilitated through a combination of IBM's high capacity Netfinity® 4000R server line and the IntelliStation Z Pro and M Pro products. This combination offers high reliability and extreme performance that allows the highly detailed rendering for FOODFIGHT! to be possible. Over 200 IBM IntelliStation workstations will be deployed for the project."
The Intellistation and NetFinity Servers are Intel-based !
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Monday July 24, 10:13 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Threshold Digital Research Labs
Threshold Digital Research Labs Teams With IBM For Digitally Animated Feature Film, 'FOODFIGHT!'
IBM IntelliStation(R) Workstations Part of Ground Breaking Animation
NEW ORLEANS, La., SIGGRAPH, July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Threshold Digital Research Labs (TDRL), a subsidiary of Threshold Entertainment, continues to work with IBM for its first digitally animated feature film, ``FOODFIGHT!'' IBM's IntelliStation Z Pro workstations are being used to create groundbreaking animation for the $50 million film. Done in full digital 3D, the animation will be the next step in the marriage of computer and the animation arts. IBM will also supply new generation scalable rendering hardware -- the key technology that makes a feature film of this scope possible. TDRL is heading up the 3D digital effort using its worldwide network of animators working from its Santa Monica headquarters.
``FOODFIGHT!'' reveals the mayhem that takes place in a supermarket at night when all the people leave. Product icons come alive in a ``wild city'' and head towards the hottest club in town, the Copabanana. All's well until Brand X moves into town. The film follows the epic adventures of hundreds of branded characters from the familiar packages of products including Dex Detective, Daredevil Dan, Mr. Clean, Twinkie the Kid and others as they battle for control of the store.
``This is the most complex digitally animated film ever undertaken, with thousands of different characters and hundreds of sets. After auditioning dozens of workstations we've found the perfect technology partner in IBM and are proud to be working with them to make 'FOODFIGHT,''' said George Johnsen, Chief Technology Officer of TDRL.
The Lawrence Kasanoff/Threshold Digital Research Labs production in association with Natural Image will be executive produced by Joshua Wexler and George Johnsen, co-executive produced by Daniel Suh and Gregory Cascante, produced by Larry Kasanoff and Alison Savitch and written by Brent V. Friedman and Rebecca Swanson from a story by Kasanoff and Wexler.
``FOODFIGHT!'' has the exclusive rights to use products and character icons in the film from some of the biggest consumer products companies in the world, including Proctor & Gamble (Mr. Clean, Mr.Pringle), Interstate Foods (Dolly Madison, Twinkie the Kid), International Foods (Chef Boyardee), Hormel (Hormel Chili, Dinty Moore, Spam), Chiquita (Chiquita Banana Lady), Post Cereals (Sugar Crisp, Alphabits), Lipton Foods (Imperial Margarine, Ragu, Cup-A-Soup), Aurora Foods (Mrs. Butterworth, Duncan Hines, Log Cabin), Kal Kan (Pedigree, Whiskas), M&M Mars (M&Ms, Skittles), Uncle Ben's, Triarc Beverages (Snapple, RC Cola), Mott's USA and many more.
All characters will be created using IBM's IntelliStation Z Pro workstations. Rendering will be facilitated through a combination of IBM's high capacity Netfinity® 4000R server line and the IntelliStation Z Pro and M Pro products. This combination offers high reliability and extreme performance that allows the highly detailed rendering for FOODFIGHT! to be possible. Over 200 IBM IntelliStation workstations will be deployed for the project.
``We were very excited when Threshold chose the IntelliStation as their preferred workstation platform,'' said Jay Ornellas, IBM Global Segment Manager for Digital Content Creation. ``TDRL has a very demanding production environment and we knew it would be a great testing ground for our systems. With their input, we're constantly improving the IntelliStation to make it the best, most reliable animation platform on the market. The material the TRDL artists have created for ''FOODFIGHT!`` sets a new standard for 3D animation. I think people will be amazed when they see the film.''
Threshold Digital Research Labs (TDRL), a subsidiary of Threshold Entertainment, creates and produces digital visual effects and animation for movies, TV and websites. The company has created and produced digital visual effects for movies such as ``Scary Movie,'' ``I Still Know What You Did Last Summer,'' ``The Faculty,'' and ``Dogma;'' for TV commercials such clients as Korbel Wineries; and General Motors, and for TV series like ``Mortal Kombat: Conquest.''
Threshold Entertainment is the leading innovator in Intellectual Property Management specializing in Digital Media and representing some of the best-known entertainment properties in the world. The company develops brands for production and publication in film and television and on the Internet, retaining ownership of the digital assets.
Larry Kasanoff is chairman and CEO of Threshold Entertainment and producer of the $5 billion ``Mortal Kombat'' franchise. Formerly president and co-founder with James Cameron of Lightstorm Entertainment, he supervised production of ``Terminator 2: Judgment Day'' and executive produced ``True Lies.''
Alison Savitch, President of TDRL, is one of the best visual effects supervisors in the motion picture industry. Her credits include ``Terminator 2,'' ``Dracula,'' ``The Shadow'' and ``The Last Action Hero.'' Savitch served as Associate Producer and Visual Effects Supervisor for the movie ``Mortal Kombat,'' and Executive Producer of Threshold's feature films ``Mortal Kombat: Annihilation'' and ``Beowulf.'' Her skill at combining technology with entertainment, as evidenced in Threshold's cutting edge animated video ``Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins,'' is virtually unparalleled.
About IBM IntelliStation: The IBM IntelliStation series of Windows NT-based workstations deliver high-performance to all digital media creation applications. Combining Intel's most advanced processors with Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, IntelliStation workstations deliver the highest levels of productivity for nonlinear video editing, and special effects, image processing, pre-press, Web design, and 3D modeling/animation/rendering. For more information on IBM IntelliStation, visit pc.ibm.com.
IntelliStation and Netfinity are trademarks of International Business Machines, Corp. All other brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
SOURCE: Threshold Digital Research Labs |
