Computer Graphics • Behind the Scenes Look at Development for VFX & Gaming Industry

Tuesday, March 10, 2020 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

Mark Elendt and Jeff Lait are two Academy Award winning developers at SideFX who have a long history in the industry. They will be discussing the unique challenges involved in developing 3D tools for artists and what it’s like to be a software developer in this very exciting industry.

At SideFX they develop Houdini — a 3D graphics software that’s used world-wide for animation and visual effects. Houdini has been used by large studios like Disney to create complicated shots for movies, smaller studios like Rodeo FX to create visual effects for Game Of Thrones. Houdini has also been used by companies to create games like Far Cry 5 and Ghost Recon Wildlands. Because of its versatility and procedural techniques, Houdini has a wide range of applications from TV motion graphics to scientific visualization.


Biographies

Mark Elendt is a Senior Mathematician at SideFX, where he has spent over 25 years developing high-end computer graphics software. He has received four Scientific and Technical Academy awards, including an Academy award of Merit for his work developing procedural modeling and animation techniques in Houdini.

Jeff Lait is also a Senior Mathematician at SideFX. In 2018 Jeff received a Scientific and Technical Academy Award for his contributions to the dynamics framework and management tools in Houdini. The dynamics engine in Houdini is an industry leading tool used for creating natural phenomena, destruction and other digital effects.