Tokyo, Japan just can't get enough of cebas' thinkingParticles!

  

Sponsered by TMS corporation and Indyzone CO.,LTD - thinkingParticles user event is a seminar featuring a demonstration working with tP and ThinkboxSoftware’s Krakatoa MX 2.
Lecturer Kei Yoneoka, Effect TD at PIXOMONDO Berlin, will display some special techniques in using tP and provide scene files for attendees. 

 

 

 

 

 

   Date: 2nd of May, 15:30~18:00 

   Place: Tokyo - Akihabara, Japan

 

   Agenda:

   1. Demonstration of thinkingParticles and Krakatoa by Indyzone

   2. thinkingParticles effect techniques by Keo Yoneoka

   2-1. Pinart animation with movie texture using tP Memory operator

   2-2. Semi-automatic assets system with most useful and

   powerful nodes Value To Time helper and PAttach operator,

   some tips for working with FumeFX + tP

   

 

  

 

  

 

 

 

  

The technical seminar's main lecturer - Kei Yoneoka of Pixomondo - shares his personal views about why tP is doing amazingly well and talks to us about what attendees should expect in the event.

  

cebas: How did you get involved in the event taking place in Tokyo, Japan on May 2nd?

Mr. Miyata from TMS – one of cebas’ licensed resellers in Japan – came up with the idea of creating this event when he found out that I was returning to Japan for a brief period of time in April. After reading the interview I did with cebas about my work using tP in the Japanese movie “Space Battleship Yamato”, Mr. Miyata was very impressed and wanted to share the article with all Japanese users. So he got it translated into Japanese and posted using different media channels as well as printed flyers. We’ve known each other since then.

cebas: How long have you been using thinkingParticles professionally? Do you think the more you use it the better it helps you extend your abilities and talent in delivering unique visual effects?

I have been using tP for more than 2 years now. It is definitely an essential tool to use in finishing a hero shot, which is very important in VFX. I can say that tP is the most powerful plug-in in 3dsmax and this is because it is not a mere, normal particle and RBD solution. tP also has a strong connection to third party plug-ins such as FumeFX.

Certainly, the more I study the tool, the more my effect techniques progress.

cebas: What can you tell us about the event?

This event is an opportunity for me to demonstrate and explain to artists how effective tP really is as well as introduce some practical methods to using tP and integrating it immediately in their workflow. I am planning to provide attendees with sample scene files that I made, so they can review and explore the contents on their own – I would like to be able to offer them that experience.

 

cebas: Who will be amongst the guest speakers and attendees? And is there a special guest you are looking forward to meet?

Mr. David Lin, who is a member of IndyZone – another cebas licensed reseller in Japan – will be attending as a guest speaker. I invited Mr.Michał Maciejewski who is an ex-co-worker of PIXOMONDO, but it’s not yet confirmed. In addition, I will be inviting a few other artists such as: Mr.Hristo Velev, Mr.Goran Pavles (both are ex-co-workers of PIXOMONDO and tP Gurus), and Mr. Mohsen Mousavi (co-worker of PIXOMONDO).
My skills in using tP have been majorly advanced thanks to them and it’s with their support that I am able to present in such an important and highly technical seminar.

 

cebas: Tell us about the work done using thinkingParticles in these 2 videos. And also what made you choose these tP features for your presentation in the event?

In “tP PinArt” video, I use Memory Operator to control pin animation. Memory Operator is one of the most powerful functions in tP. However, it can be a bit tricky to understand what Memory Operator actually is – especially - for tP beginners. And for that, I will be explaining how Memory Operator works.

  

 

In “tP SandBlast Asset” video, my intention is to focus on how to do smoke effects – which we happen to have very often in production. I want to explain how to connect my FumeFX theory with tP’s workflow. In this workflow, it’s important to understand the concept of Reference and PAttach as well as the Value to Time helper. These can also be tricky to understand for beginners but they definitely need to know them if they want to advance to higher levels.

 

 

cebas: Of all your work, what has been your most favorite up till now? And why?

“Space Battleship Yamato” and that’s because the opportunity to take full charge of a hero shot in movies with such huge scale SF works rarely happens.

 

cebas: As you know, thinkingParticles 5 is to be released very soon – what are your expectations for it?

I’m expecting a bunch of Bullet physics functions. Softbody dynamics such as rope simulations as well as Cloth functions would also be great! Last but not least, I’m expecting Object helper and Geometry helper that can access faces and vertex of objects in a scene.

cebas: Given the fact that you are working as a FX TD at Pixomondo, which is linked to many of Hollywood’s major movies (HUGO 3D is one example) and also having had the chance to work on tremendously successful Japanese movies; such as “Space Battleship Yamato” - How well is the Japanese market performing when it comes to Visual Effects and Movies industries, in your opinion? And where do you see it heading in the future?

Currently, the Japanese movie market is not as big as the Hollywood market because movies are not distributed or marketed to English-speaking countries that much. So there is, indeed, a chance for the Japanese industry to contribute more to and be a part of movies with bigger VFX scale facilitating the way to Hollywood and other parts of the world.

In Japan’s case, a 3dsmax based FX workflow like tP is surely a very cost effective and well-suited solution.
There has been an increasing number of extremely talented FX artists using 3dsmax and producing high quality VFX works in Japan for a long while now. I think the more we show our work, locally and internationally, the more we get chances to demonstrate our talents.
In this sense, I can predict for the Japanese VFX to grow tremendously in the near future.

 

******* 

 

You can view more of Kei's videos and tP experiments on his Vimeo channel.

Stay tuned for updates on this event and more coming very soon!