Spring 2020 is here and … is this the new normal? While live action production is very quiet, many VFX and Animation professionals have been able to continue working.  This has sometimes meant parlaying their skillset into other realms however, too – a case of necessity driving innovation.

“I can’t only work on films at the moment” says Colie Wertz of ILM fame. “The demand isn’t there, unless you’re one of a lucky few. Making ends meet is real here in the trenches, so brushing up on different skills for game delivery demands has been on my front burner for months now.”

The Visual Effects Society also has a great page of resources for VFX and Animation professionals in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you haven’t seen it, please check out our three-part series on Houdini System Requirements including our test results showing the best hardware for Houdini in different scenarios.  Our intention was to show how the different component groups perform with Houdini Grain, Flip and Pyro.

Houdini System Requirements – Hardware Optimization For Houdini

If you haven’t seen it, just before COVID came on we did a three-part series on Houdini System Requirements with the intention of identifying the best hardware for Houdini, and the fastest render engines for Houdini.

In Houdini System Requirements – Part I, we focused on fastest rendering for Houdini using Mantra, comparing Intel Core and Dual Xeon Mediaworkstations with AMD Threadripper Mediaworkstations.

In Houdini System Requirements – Part II, we benchmarked for the fastest Houdini workstation RAM and Hard Disk configurations, testing the influence of hard disk speed and RAM capacity on Houdini simulation caches.

In Houdini System Requirements And Benchmarks – GPU Rendering With Houdini – Part III of III, we ran several scenes to determine the fastest render engine for Houdini on a single a-X Threadripper Mediaworkstation.

How far away is that lightning? Threadripper & EPYC Mediaworkstations

Sound travels at 1115 feet per second.  If you want to know how far away the lightning is, you count until you hear thunder.  Intel doesn’t even finish “One-one thousand” after the lightning strike that is AMD until they experience a thunder that hits them like a freight train. AMD Threadripper and EPYC Mediaworkstations are outperforming Intel workstations in nearly every performance metric.  AMD CPUs are redefining the scope of content creators’ creativity and productivity, making the holy grail of real-time iteration reality.

To support you in stepping into this new frontier we’re currently offering a free Three (3) Year Parts & Labor Warranty With Next Business Day On-Site Support upgrade for all AMD Mediaworkstations through June 30.  Please visit our AMD Workstations offering for configuration options best optimized for the work you do.

To all you passionate content creators, stay safe and sound – and let us know how we might support you and the work you do today.