Visual effects in the age of the cloud

Abstract

The Visual Effects industry is presently grappling with how to best take advantage of cloud computing, a technology which has transformed the practice of software in many industries. The ability to treat the provisioning and configuration of render farm hardware with the flexibility of software is highly attractive, but the learning curve can be challenging to juggle with busy production schedules. Fully managed web services have also taken hold in some parts of the production pipeline, with more likely to come. Software vendors creating web services need to enable studios with the right combination of security, backwards compatibility, ease of use, and programmability, so they may adopt these technologies without interrupting their Visual Effects production. In this panel, we will discuss current usage of cloud computing in Visual Effects, how it is trending, and how it interacts with other factors like the growth of VFX-oriented open source software. Studios range in their use of render farms from full on-premises setups through hybrid setups blending their premises with the cloud to all-in cloud rendering. We will explore how fast internet connections and efficient streaming desktop technology are enabling full end-to-end production to move to the cloud with Zero Client workstations. Our panel consists of a diverse group of technologists, representing both Visual Effects studios and the creators of software for the industry.