London,UK (PRWEB UK) 23 October 2013 -- Redboard has linked up with Shotgun Software, the leading pipeline tools developer for the visual effects and animation industry, to enable the rapid exploitation of Redboard's pre-production data.
Redboard, which is currently in use on productions like Tree Fu Tom for Blue Zoo and the BBC, Chuggington for Ludorum, Q Pootle 5 for Snapper Productions and Fireman Sam for Hit Entertainment, generates a comprehensive pre-production dataset for each completed episode. By automatically transferring this dataset to Shotgun provides ready access to elements like animatic and storyboard movies, asset population breakdowns and shot timings all within Shotgun's easily accessible interface.
Keith Pang, Redboard's Pipeline Architect explains some of the issues, "Once a storyboard has been completed for an episode or sequence, Redboard has then always generated a considerable amount of both visual information and textural metadata for each episode, which is incredibly useful for the production company and any sub contracting studio. Much of this data output can be generated automatically once an animatic edit of the episode has been completed; but putting all the resulting movies, images, layout files and animatic timings in a readily accessible structure was proving challenging. That's when we started talking to Shotgun Software. Shotgun Software already have a well established, trusted and accessible system used throughout the animation and VFX industry."
Mason Jarratt, Shotgun's UK product specialist takes up the story, "I was impressed to see how Redboard helps teams collaborate on the story so fluidly in the early stages of a production. Integrating Redboard with Shotgun provides visibility of that process to everyone on the project and helps organize and deliver storyboards and other important shot info to the rest of the team. Together we can help teams work together incredibly efficiently."
Incorporating Redboard's revolutionary pre-vis technology into Shotgun allows studios to accurately plan and manage not only the pre-production for each episode but also the production as a whole. Starting at the storyboarding stage, Redboard seamlessly transfers design, camera and scene data into the CG production workflow that use packages like Autodesk's Maya. Much more than a simple storyboard application, Redboard benefits directors and producers alike by maximising the clarity of pre-production data, thereby eliminating the need for time-consuming corrections later in the process.
Shotgun's API allows Redboard to fully exploit its pre-production data quickly and efficiently within an industry standard interface. The API also enables Redboard's dataset to be readily customised according to the specific requirements of existing Shotgun uses.
Neil Marsden, Head of Technology at Redboard, adds: "Working with the team from Shotgun Software has been very refreshing; they really understand animation and VFX production pipelines from both a technical and creative perspective. Crucially they also understood how Redboard's data set could enhance the efficiency of animation pre-production pipelines and smooth the transition from storyboard to digital layout. Integrating our pre-production data with Shotgun's comprehensive production management system creates a compelling animation production solution".
Redboard has been developed by Hibbert Ralph Animation, an award winning animation studio based in London and benefits from more than thirty years of animation production experience. Redboard has already helped to create several thousand minutes of TV series production including Tree Fu Tom for Blue Zoo and the BBC, Q Pootle 5 for Snapper Productions, Chuggington for Ludorum, Fireman Sam for HIT Entertainment, The Hive (currently airing on Disney Junior) and Tractor Tom for Contender Entertainment. Redboard is ideally suited to multi-studio co-productions, as its revolutionary technology and ability to create detailed and accurate data files facilitate good decision making early in the storyboard and planning stages.
Redboard is available immediately for CG productions as a complete service package, including software licenses, installation, training and support. Unlimited seat licenses will run for the period of the project and prices will be calculated based on the total length of the project. Film packages are also available on request. See http://www.redboard.tv for more information or contact info(at)redboard(dot)tv.
Find out more about Shotgun and sign up for a free trial at http://www.shotgunsoftware.com.
About Redboard and Hibbert Ralph Animation
Redboard is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hibbert Ralph Animation Ltd (HRA), an award-winning animation production company based in central London. HRA is one of the UK’s top animation studios producing television and cinema commercials as well as working on TV series and feature work. The company was founded in 1982 by Jerry Hibbert and has since won over 90 top awards for its work. More recently HRA has focused on producing innovative software tools for animation production. For more information visit http://www.hibbertralph.com.
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Sandra Squire, Redboard, http://www.redboard.tv, +44 7545695822, [email protected]
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