Cloud Computing and the Digital Arts Renaissance
Computer-generated animations, like their paper counterparts, are not easy to create; a lot of computing power is necessary to render the images in a typical studio-quality animation. This computing power used to only within reach of studios with deep pockets and infrastructure. Fortunately, thanks to cloud computing technology, more digital artists have the computing power necessary to give life to their animated creations.
On-demand processing power of render farms
Many of the most important animation studios have started to move their rendering needs to the cloud, and many recent blockbusters have helped cut costs by using a render farm for animations. Smaller studios are following suit, putting themselves within reach of Pixar or Dreamworks like never before.
Thanks to the cloud, these smaller studios can now lease out this processing power, only using what they need and without having to pay for thousands of computers. More digital artists are unencumbered with arbitrary limits, finally able to unleash the full creativity of their imaginations.
How cloud computing has helped the little guy
A typical smaller digital studio will have, at most, a dozen high-end computer systems. In an industry so driven by deadlines, this is nowhere near enough. Using the cloud, though, a smaller studio can access hundreds or even thousands of computers that can render an animated sequence in a fraction of the erstwhile time. Computer animations also require a lot of storage space which can be dialed up or down thanks to the elasticity of the cloud.
In animation, being able to adjust the amount of processing power is paramount since computers may only be used for a few hours. The traditional answer has been building in-house render farms, which mean an astronomical expense – ongoing due to the need for cooling, maintenance and power.
Conversely, a single high-end machine will take about a year to carry out 9,000 rendering hours (a typical project). This often meant that smaller studios would have to compromise on quality or tie up their own machines for weeks. Today, they can simply access their supercomputer on the cloud and have their project rendered in hours.
The huge demand for render farms in the Asian market explodes after Life of Pi
In Asia, firms are building data centers specifically for cloud services related to visual effects – unsurprising considering the size and scope of the Asian visual effects and animation industry. Some major locations for these centers include Taiwan, Malaysia, and India.
While this trend has steadily advanced since 2011, the success of Life of Pi, produced by Ang Lee, has led to a radical increase in the demand for these kinds of services in this area. This film’s impressive visual effects were created by Rhythm &. Initially with studios in the United States and Canada, this company’s expansion into India, Malaysia, and Taiwan is a good case study of what this market has to offer. Robust pipelines, cutting- edge technology, and a high demand for render farms and cloud computing makes these markets ideal for these kinds of services.
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About the Guest Author:
Nida Rasheed is a freelance writer and owner of an outsourcing company, Nida often finds herself wanting to write about the subjects that are closest to her heart. She lives in Islamabad, Pakistan and can be found on Twitter @nidarasheed.
