AUTOMOTIVE

Autodesk's NAB 2006 theme is "Creating the Whole Picture." The company's state-of-the-art media and entertainment technology enables visual storytelling, from idea exploration and pre-visualization to final renderings. Digital artists use Autodesk's solutions to create and share assets across entire production pipelines, whether they are crafting movies, video games, television content or architectural designs. Product Announcements At its NAB booth #SL3719 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Autodesk will showcase its expanded suite of content creation solutions for the film and television markets, including Autodesk Maya 3D animation software and Autodesk MotionBuilder character animation software. The following new products will be presented at the Autodesk booth: -- Autodesk Toxik 2007 collaborative digital compositing software for feature film production, which includes a Paint system that allows interactive painting of high-resolution, high-dynamic-range imagery -- Autodesk's Discreet Inferno visual effects system on the Linux operating system, which offers up to five times the performance (per CPU) of previous SGI platforms such as the Onyx 2 -- Autodesk MotionBuilder 7.5 character animation software, which features new keyframe-centric workflows that streamline the process of keyframe animation -- 10-bit RGB versions of Autodesk's Discreet Flint visual effects system and Discreet Smoke editing system. Autodesk's Media & Entertainment Division will demonstrate its complete line, including the aforementioned products, as well as: the Discreet Flame visual effects system, Autodesk Combustion desktop visual effects software, Autodesk Incinerator functionality -- which increases the real-time performance and interactivity of the Discreet Lustre digital color grading system, and Autodesk 3ds Max animation software. Technology Demonstrations At NAB 2006, Autodesk will provide a glimpse of its future technology: -- Interoperability between Autodesk Maya animation software and Autodesk Toxik collaborative digital compositing software -- A new hardware panel with custom ergonomic design for the Discreet Lustre digital color grading system -- Graphics processing unit (GPU) performance enhancements for the Discreet Lustre system, which improve real-time color correction and format conversion In addition, Telestream -- a provider of file-based workflow automation solutions for the broadcast industry -- is developing on Autodesk's Wiretap application programming interface (API). Autodesk is pleased that Telestream is building connected workflows using Autodesk's powerful infrastructure APIs. Such connectivity will equip broadcasters with a seamless, open workflow from content creation to play-to-air. Client Demonstrations Throughout NAB 2006, Autodesk will host the industry's greatest talent as they share their "making of" stories for premium digital content. Digital artists from Brickyard VFX, CBS Corp. Boston, Cutting Edge, Industrial Light & Magic, Mokko Studio, Pixel Blues, R!OT , Sway and The Orphanage will demonstrate how their ideas were realized with Autodesk solutions. In addition, Dave Cole, senior colorist for the blockbuster film King Kong, will present how he used Autodesk's Discreet Lustre system to create the film's distinct looks. Featured client projects at Autodesk's booth will include: -- The film trailer for The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (NBC/Universal) -- Silent Hill (Mokko Studio) -- Aeon Flux (The Orphanage) -- The March of the Penguins (Eclair Laboratories) -- Commercials for Land Rover (Asylum), Toyota Camry (Topix), Toyota Matrix (Red Rover), Mezzo (Sway), Nintendo (Asylum), ESPN Mobile (Brickyard VFX) and Robin Hood (Red Rover) -- Television promotions for CBS Corp. Boston and the Olympics on NBC (NBC/Universal) Autodesk's NAB 2006 Events and Training Autodesk will hold its User Group Meeting and Training Master Classes for Autodesk's Discreet Smoke and Discreet Flame systems on Sunday, April 23, 2006. The company will also host an after-hours panel discussion on digital film workflows on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 at its booth, along with Kodak, ARRI and SGI. Partners Autodesk's solutions will be featured at both the Autodesk NAB 2006 booth #SL3719 and the following partner booths: -- HP booth #SL3744: Autodesk Maya animation software -- BOXX Technologies booth #SL534: Autodesk Maya animation software -- AMD booth #SL555: Discreet Flame visual effects software -- Maximum Throughput booth #SL610: Discreet Flame visual effects software Autodesk thanks its partners AMD, Extreme Networks, HP, IBM, Intel, Maximum Throughput, NVIDIA, Vista Systems and Wacom for supporting its presence at NAB 2006. For further information on Autodesk at NAB 2006, please visit its Web site.