1. By Hannah, Eliot, Maisie and Alec
What significance does the continued development of digital media technology have for media institutions and audiences?
By Hannah, Eliot, Maisie and Alec

2. Pixar was started under George Lucas, not Steve Jobs.
In 1986 Steve Jobs purchased the Computer Graphics Division from George Lucas and Establishes and Independent Company called ‘PIXAR’
This was also the year when LUXO Jr. was completed as a short film and was John Lasseter’s directorial debut.

3. Timeline: 1988: PIXAR’S new animation system ‘Menv’ comes online.
1989: First commercial version of Renderman is released and becomes an industry standard.
1991: Disney and Pixar announced that they agreed “to make and distribute at least one computer animated movie”

4. Timeline:
1995: Toy Story (first computer animated feature film) is released. It makes $192 million domestically and $362 million worldwide.
1997: Walt Disney Studios and PIXAR Animation Studios agree to make 5 movies over 10 years.
1998: Bugs Life is released on Thanksgiving and breaks all previous Thanksgiving box-office records.

5. The water they made for ‘Finding Nemo’ was too real
With every new movie, Pixar try to improve their animation software or technique. Finding Dory’s animation supervisor (Dylan Brown) said that “we couldn’t tell the difference between the re-created footage and the original. It blew us away.” They told the animators to re-draw because they didn’t want the audience to think they were staring at real footage of the ocean.

6. Live-action and PIXAR
Animation companies are now using this real-time technology to develop workflows like live-action movies.
Traditionally, studios would have to animate the characters and the set before a shot could be lit and rendered, which delays them of weeks or even months before a director could offer feedback.
Now, smart graphics processors enable everything to be previewed much earlier in production.

7. Progress.
Pixar is also looking forward to how it can better the use the colour palettes. Where physically correct lighting tends to be dull and greyish in darker areas of a rendered frame.
The company is also working on new methods for non-photorealistic rendering for stylising an image .
Opening up the possibility of animated movies that resemble graphic novels or watercolour paintings.
The result could be new animated features that don’t look anything like what has been done before.

8. Global Illumination
PIXAR had to double the size of their computers because of ‘Global Illumination’ a lighting system.
Sources of light are accurately simulated creating realistic light/shadows for greater verisimilitude.
Artists don’t draw it, it takes computer power but its much quicker/easier.

9. Audiences
The increase in Hardware and software has satisfied audiences. More devices – can be entertained anywhere. High quality content - meets expectations

10. Multiplier effect Better films More money Better technology
Example – UP
Challenge: to animate more than 10,000 helium balloons, each with its own string and each interdependent on the rest, which are collectively lifting a small house.

11. Audiences Demand More!
New technology means that audience have higher expectations that institutions must supply. This is hard for most independent institutes.

12. Independent films/institutes
Benefits:
Better access to independent films – Netflix, Amazon Prime
Better technology – better films they can make
Whiplash:
Production Companies :
Bold Films
Blumhouse Productions
Right of Way Films
Budget - $3.3 million
Box office - $49 million

13. Independent films/institutes
Problems:
Can’t always afford the technology
Can’t get anywhere to show the film or advertise it
Can’t get producers or distributors
Max Steel:
Production Companies -
Dolphin Films
Mattel Playground production
Ingenious Media
Budget – $10 million
Box office - $6.3 million

14. Independent film producers are left behind!
Indie producers are left behind with old tech
Limited budget means lower production value!
Independent films drop off the radar
Forced to pay if you want to produce commercial films (Very Expensive)

15. Independent Vs Major Conglomerates!
- Continued development causes more conflict between indie and conglomerates
-Conglomerate gain access to advanced tech faster
-Indie film institutes left behind due to limited budgets
-Major bias in the tech industry

16. Conglomerates Take Advantage!
Pixar take advantage of these new developments
Satisfies audiences need for content they cannot create themselves
New software can be released due to improved hardware
Conglomerates can afford to buy full versions of Renderman

17. Audience subjected to bias industry!
Audiences miss out, unbeknownst to them, on incredible indie films (Waltz with Bashir)
Lack of variety in content – independent producers go for a more complex narrative
Complexity is missed due to over saturation by major conglomerates
Disney known for dumbing down narratives (Cinderella, Rapunzel & The Little Mermaid)

18. Audiences Want More! But what does that mean?!
It is hard to tell what an audience truly wants
Do they want more complexity from producers like Disney?
Do they want to see more great indies put into cinemas?
Will anyone listen or will they continue to over saturate the industry?

19. Interaction -Better technology more interactivity
-Remember the product better
E.G
interactive adverts at bus stops
-It can take a photo of you which you can then upload onto social media: Advertises the product
28:32 – 29:10

20. Online piracy The unauthorized use or reproduction of another's work
-Advance in digital technology easier to pirate movies
-Rise 23%
-Disney take the opinion that it is “not possible” to release all of their films on DVD
-Online piracy sites e.g Putlocker, Ymovies
-Death of DVD’s

21. Quicker Hyper-Threading in the Intel i7
-As technology improves you can do things faster
-Time better spent
-Time is money
-Videos can render faster
E.G
Hyper-Threading in the Intel i7
Hyper-Threading Technology uses processor resources more efficiently, enabling multiple threads to run on each core.

22. Better Quality Animation
From phenakistoscope disk (spindle viewer) or flipbook, to the invention of the zoetrope and current creations of graphic animation, technology has helped animation evolve from two — to three-dimensional format
-Make animations look more realistic and life like
-Higher customer satisfaction
E.G Sully’s hair has 5.5 million individual strands