As you may know I’m just finishing up a 1 year course of Computer Animation/Modeling at college and I’m currently working on my year end demo reel.

Before I started school I decided that I would un-install Linux and work primarily using MS-Windows because that’s what the school would be using and I wanted my system to “just work” as they say.

Well now that the year is over let me tell you that I made a huge mistake.

Here is the list of problems that I’ve had with my computer this year:

First I had WinXP crash into an un-bootable state just a few months after the original install which required a reformat and reinstall, so i decided I’d upgrade to Vista x64 which I had hoped would be more stable.

After installing Vista x64 I had driver issues for several weeks, and then my video card died, and then one of the two internal hard-drive in my computer died (not the OS drive thankfully) and then finally Vista crashed into an un-bootable state just like WinXP, requiring a reformat and reinstall, so I decided to switch back to WinXP which at least has less driver issues.

Finally, to top it all off after reinstalling WinXP and getting my system back up to good working order I was unlucky enough to pick up a Windows Virus which set me back to square one.

So enough is enough I am tired of playing the Windows Game, it is time to reinstall Ubuntu Linux.

The first thing I installed after getting the system setup was of course Maya 2009 x64 and I can tell you it was incredibly fast and easy:

#rpm -ivh –nodeps

That’s all it took, and then I inserted my old windows License file and Maya was good to go.

I did have to change 2 things: the desktop uses the ALT key for some of its hot-keys and so I had to switch this over to the Windows-Logo key so that Maya could use ALT (pan, rotate, etc, etc).

Next I had to edit the xorg.conf file which manages the desktop display and add these lines:

Section “Extension”

Option “Composite” “Disable”

EndSection

Because Xorg tries to do some fancy screen display stuff which Maya doesn’t like so these lines just turn off the Compositing feature of the desktop.

Now I’m using Maya 2009 x64 in Ubuntu Linux, the program loads in under 5 seconds (compared to between 30 to 45 seconds in WinXP) and everything simply works the way it should Ubuntu took care of all my drivers and setup everything else so that it all really does “just work”.

Now, I can finally get back to work and finish my demo reel!

HONG KONG (May 18, 2009) — Taking another step forward in its quest for global domination, the LEAGUE OF SUPER EVIL, a.k.a. L.O.S.E., will now air across Asia, thanks to a far-reaching deal with Cartoon Network.

Produced by the evil masterminds at Nerd Corps Entertainment, this hilarious comedy series follows a team of bumbling super villains in their ongoing quest for total neighbourhood domination. The series will launch next year on Cartoon Network in more than 25 countries, including India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, China and several others in South East Asia. The net will handle all rights, including merchandising, for the 26 x half hours, which will be aired as two consecutive 11-minute segments. Additionally, Nerd Corps has created 30-second shorts tied to each episode for use as bonus on-air or online content of evil.

Collaborating on The League’s plan for complete world domination is Cartoon Network in the U.S. and YTV in Canada, which both launched the series in March, as well as the BBC’s children’s channel in the U.K., CBBC, Jetix in Latin America and Canal +, Canal J and Gulli in France.

via AWN Headline News.

Congrats to Nerd Corps Entertainment on another hit series, its always nice to see a local Vancouver company making headlines especially in this difficult ecconomic sitiation, not to mention after hearing about their recent legal problems with Kids Ent which hit the blog networks about a month ago.

Beyond Good & Evil 2 Footage?

via Kotaku - Is This New Beyond Good & Evil 2 Footage? - Beyond Good & Evil 2.

Hoestly I dont know what to think, this is clearly a combination of mo-cap plus hand keyed animation but is this really in-game footage? If so then I am absolutely flabbergasted.

Pixar to open Vancouver studio

Walt Disney Studios, with whom Pixar merged in 2006, is scouting locations in the city, concentrating on the downtown area. It hopes to have the new studio up and running by this fall.

The studio will hire 75 to 100 people, most of them Canadians, and will make all of Pixar’s three-dimensional, computer-animated short films, which usually run three to five minutes. All Pixar theatrical features will continue to be made at its main studio in Emeryville, Calif., which employs almost 900.

via Pixar to open Vancouver studio.

WWWOOOOOOOOOOWWW

I wouldnt have believed it if I didnt see it with my own eyes!

This is incredible news! Pixar coming to VANCOUVER!

I’ve been meaning to post this up for a few weeks actually do its not really my “latest” wip but it is certainly the closest thing to finished that I have at the moment.

Rendered with renderman in Maya-2008

The rig came from Stop Staring by Jason Osipa, a really great book which I highly recommend.

The audio Hugo Weaving in the movie V for Vendetta.

Ok enough blogging for now gotta get back to work.