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Interview with Curry Tian, Student Academy Award Winner, Director and Versatile 3D Artist

Fox Renderfarm, as the world premier cloud rendering services provider, is beyond excited to have an in-depth conversation with MoGrapher/ Director/ Fashion Photographer and also our beloved client - Curry Tian.Curry TianMographer/ Director/ Fashion PhotographerFrom: ChinaWon the 2020 Student Academy Award for "Simulacra"She won the 2020 Student Academy Award for “Simulacra”, and other 10 international awards.!2020 Student Academy Award-!2020 Student Academy Award for “Simulacra”Meanwhile, her portfolio is quite contentful and impressive, such as Mercedes-Benz, Canon, and Beats, etc.!Mercedes-Benz, Canon, and BeatsShe is open-minded and always willing to try new things. Her NFT artwork sells quite well on SuperRare, a marketplace to collect and trade unique, single-edition digital artworks. Moreover, her latest NFT creation, CCisDreaming, which debuted during Art Week in Miami in December, 2021 and was rendered with Fox Renderfarm has earned her a great reputation, even Grimes reposted the artwork to root for her. !CCisDreamingFor her popularity in the MoGraph industry, Maxon, Motion Plus Design, Motion Design Awards and many other brands and events sent their invitation to Curry to ask her to share the production of her artworks and insights about CG creations.!Curry Tian - Motion Plus Design + MaxonLuxury Italian maison, Tod’s teamed up with Curry to reimagine their bag - the Skirt Bag, resulting with striking images which speak to the versatility that both Curry and the bag embodies.!Curry Tian - TodIn our interview with Curry, she talked about how she grew to be an artist stepping foot in various fields, the production details of her award-winning artwork and NFT artwork, her opinion on NFT art, and her sincere advice to CG artists. This is definitely an interview you should not miss. Fox Renderfarm: Could you introduce yourself?Curry: Hi Fox Renderfarm, I’m Curry. I’m a research scholar at Harvard CAMLab as a CG artist lead. Beforehand, I also do 3D motion design and directing. Fox Renderfarm: Could you share with us your education and working experience? How did you become a slashie holding various roles including director, 3D artist, fashion photographer, and so forth?Curry: My educational background is very ordinary and typical. I was born in Shijiazhuang, China. I majored in Design and Visual Communications, and Journalism and Communication when I took my undergraduate in Tsinghua University. At that time, I worked on a lot of narrative and graphic design content, realizing that storytelling would bring more possibilities in design when I was researching journalism and media images. So I started to learn Cinema 4D, fashion photography and live-action filming.!Curry Tian!TAI KOO LI - Curry TianPhoto by Curry (2016)After I undergraduated, I took my Master‘s degree in Animation & Digital Art at the University of Southern California. And that is when I officially stepped foot in motion design. Since I thought the film market in the US was better and I was eager to find a job, I got the chance to get in touch with Motion Plus Design and some top-tier artists in this industry, earning a bit reputation with my labels on.Curry Tian x Motion Plus Design!Exquisite Corpse 2020 © Curry Tian-1!Exquisite Corpse 2020 © Curry Tian-2!Exquisite Corpse 2020 © Curry Tian-3!Exquisite Corpse 2020 © Curry Tian-4Exquisite Corpse 2020 © Curry TianI chose to work in an advertising agency in the US after graduation. Since I didn’t have much vision about my career, I went back to China and worked in the ad industry. However, due to the high pressure in the ad industry and my lack of motivation in the highly intensive input & output process, I got some fresh air in Harvard at the moment.!Detective Chinatown Main Titles, 3D Design Curry Tian-1!Detective Chinatown Main Titles, 3D Design Curry Tian-2!Detective Chinatown Main Titles, 3D Design Curry Tian-3!Detective Chinatown Main Titles, 3D Design Curry Tian-4!Detective Chinatown Main Titles, 3D Design Curry Tian-5Detective Chinatown Main Titles, 3D Design: Curry Tian Fox Renderfarm: What is the inspiration of Simulacra?Curry: Frankly speaking, Simulacra is about an elderly Buddhist woman recalls a ritual from her past, undertaking a journey of duality expressed through her many identities.!Simulacra!Simulacra -1!Simulacra -2!Simulacra -3!Simulacra -4But from what I’m seeing now, Simulacra is not that integral fundamentally. It is based on the denial of my proximity - I didn’t feel like expressing myself through Simulacra, instead, I created something fictional and metaphysical. Thus, Simulacra is a combination of what I’m fond of with multiple sections, such as, Won Buddhism, Butoh, an integrated context of Eastern and Western culture, and so forth.!Simulacra -5!Simulacra -6!Simulacra -7!Simulacra -8Of course, there were some practical intentions behind it. I did want to make my name, want to try the integration of live-action shoots and 3D art, and want to show my skillsets in 3D creation. Meanwhile, the core of its narrative ought to bond with my cultural background.!Simulacra -9!Simulacra -10!Simulacra -11!Live action Motion captureLive action / Motion capture Fox Renderfarm: How was the pipeline of Simulacra?Curry: I used Cinema 4D and Redshift mostly. Some simulations were done in Houdini. The composition of the live action and 3D is made in Nuke. Then, character design in Daz Studio, clothing design in Marvelous Designer, texture design in Substance Painter.!Simulacra -12!Simulacra -13!Simulacra -14!Simulacra -15 Fox Renderfarm: Have you met any difficulty when creating Simulacra?Curry: In hindsight, there aren’t many obstacles narrative-wise. The problem was that I was a one-girl team in 3D production, I had to make all the CG work on my own. Thus, I decided not to do all the craft myself anymore, but to cooperate with others in my later career planning.!Simulacra - Curry TianOn the other hand, my workflow took many forms and I usually break down my time. For example, if I was about to make one shot tonight, I may not even have a very clear picture of what I was going to make. Therefore, my later creation will focus more on visual narrative instead of solving technical problems. Fox Renderfarm: Please introduce your NFT artwork Illuminate the Void.Curry: I was invited to participate in the NFT art program themed “Ignition” initiated by Motion Plus Design. Personally, I am obsessed with the term “duality”. In this perspective, ignition connects with darkness. Besides, that the elements of the female body and language and power were added in this creation which is also very visually driven. In my imagination, it will be like what Samuel Beckett and Thomas Stearns Eliot would create, giving off an aura as Roland Barthes described that artwork has, even though its audiences don’t really care about the story behind.Much emphasis was put on the lighting and texturing. The pipeline was much the same as the one applied on Simulacra. One Houdini artist helped me with the simulations, like the growth of the body and the fog. After the simulation in Houdini, we exported it directly into Cinema 4D using Redshift's proxy. There are many SSSs in it, so I asked a friend to help with the rendering which was quite time-consuming.!Motion Plus Design - Curry Tian - 1!Motion Plus Design - Curry Tian - 2 Fox Renderfarm: As an artist, what’s your opinion on NFT art?Curry: To be honest, I am quite new to the business operations behind it. Whereas, I’ve met many excellent artists and seen plenty of crossover artworks while attending the events. I don’t know if this is brought by my strangeness to this new field or its innate order of value. I’ve sold 6 pieces of artwork without much promotion, and the first few pieces were sold relatively quickly. Plus, I don’t know the buyers in person so far. Therefore, as an artist, I treat NFT art as a good business to earn some money.!Supreme Pole-02, Owner veritaskami(Left) Supreme Pole-02, Owner: veritaskami(Right) Supreme Pole-01, Owner: veritaskami!SIMULACRA-01, Owner veritaskamiSIMULACRA-01, Owner: veritaskamiBesides that, the value of art is something worth contemplating both by me and the whole society. Some people asked me why I only took out 6 pieces to sell since I have numerous personal works and my pieces sell well. I’ve always been pondering on NFT art. It provides a platform to let us realize that digital artists have their own social context, at the same time, digital art has the aura as Roland Barthes mentioned, and the value of artworks.!SIMULACRA-02 - Supreme PloeSIMULACRA-02, Owner: veritaskamiSupreme Pole-03, Owner: aoi_vault!THE IMITATION STONE 01-The Impurity of the Body, Owner aoi vaultTHE IMITATION STONE 01-The Impurity of the Body, Owner: aoi_vaultAfter consideration, I selected the pieces which I thought were appropriate to be presented as artworks and put them on sale. Selling my daily practice is not something I would agree on. Now, NFT art has also become my creative motivation, inspiring me to think about what I want to create and what I am pursuing. So, maybe after twenty or thirty years, I hope my NFT artworks are still valid but not something ironic. Fox Renderfarm: How to improve CG techniques and artistic sense?Curry: When making CG, I think one essential thing is taking shortcuts. Many people are surprised at how simple it is when they see my project file. I rarely use Substance Painter to draw texture, but choose procedural texture to make it seem organic. Of course, this won’t be feasible if you are making something with high-definition requirements. But for beginners, it is a considerably effective way.!Supreme Pole © Curry TianSupreme Pole © Curry TianDuring making Simulacra, many of the files were left unorganized, and the scanned data was very heavy. A rigorous pipeline is necessary, such as what I mentioned before, Redshift’s proxy. You can make each object a proxy and connect them into Cinema 4D instead of the redundant transferring between software which also results in heavy files. All this is to get a light file before rendering.!Simulacra © Curry TianSimulacra © Curry TianTechnically, I encourage artists to think bottom-up. That is, if you are able to master a skill in a short period of time, it will greatly boost your confidence. After strengthening your skill sets, the top-down thinking pattern seems more viable.!Supreme Pole © Curry TianSupreme Pole © Curry TianSpeaking of artistic sense, I find it a bit intangible and not easy to describe. It is something beyond the shape and form. You cannot reluctantly pursue it, however, it can be improved without that much effort. The most important thing is to be focused. No matter you are a dancer, a Buddhism scholar, or a CG artist, the fundamental truth beneath is that, being successful means you’ve sacrificed many things, and have dedicated yourself to that specific field. There doesn’t require following any trend but your true passion. That’s also something I will keep on doing. My advice is to do more and say less if possible.!Supreme Pole © Curry Tian -1Supreme Pole © Curry Tian Fox Renderfarm: Any new step?Curry: I’m working on some personal projects, commercial ones where I am mainly responsible for directing, and also some projects combining 3D and live action.!CANON EOS R5 8K Promotional Video © Curry TianCANON EOS R5 8K Promotional Video © Curry TianOther than that, my current work is more about academic research, thus, I want to do something academically valid with abundant visual language. However visual language is a tool to present texts and narratives. Of course, this tool has to be sharp and worth-seeing and can make the audiences wow about it. Daily practice is something I won’t miss. I’d like to explore new things, like theatre. But I will mainly work on the combination of 3D and live action. Fox Renderfarm: Any artists that inspire you?Curry: Given the fact that my thinking pattern is much based on the storytelling and the texts, I am more into classic artworks. Rem Koolhaas in architecture, Robert Wilson, Peter Greenaway, and Dimitris Papaioannou in experimental theatre, Pina Bausch in performance, Jacques Lacan and Nietzsche in philosophy are all the artists that offer me a lot of inspiration. Learning is the most effective way for a person to “take advantage of” this society, you can gather a big amount of information about this society in a short period of time.CCTV Headquarters, designed by Rem Koolhaas!Shakespeare-s Sonnets, directed by Robert WilsonShakespeare's Sonnets, directed by Robert Wilson!The Baby of Mâcon, directed by Peter GreenawayThe Baby of Mâcon, directed by Peter Greenaway!The Great Tamer, directed by Dimitris PapaioannouThe Great Tamer, directed by Dimitris Papaioannou!The Rite of Spring, choreographed by Pina BauschThe Rite of Spring, choreographed by Pina Bausch!Jacques Lacan (left), Nietzsche (right)Jacques Lacan (left), Nietzsche (right)Recently, it occurs to me that my surroundings are something that left a great impact on me. So I am also writing now, which is a practical way for me to get myself organized. I gradually gained a more profound understanding about the environment where I grew up. Whether good or bad, my surroundings shape my thinking pattern. Fox Renderfarm: How do you feel about Fox Renderfarm?Curry: Many of the artists around me mentioned Fox Renderfarm. As for my experience, the pipeline in Fox Renderfarm really makes sense. Their staff is really patient, helping me solve technical problems. Fox Renderfarm: Any other things you want to share?Curry: It is important to be objective. Creation doesn’t seem to have a strong connection with your life and other methodology you adopt in your life. I gradually discovered that they do have a relevant connection. You can use creation as a way to get yourself together if you haven’t formed a well-organized order in your life. Reversely, when you confront a big challenge in creation, you may find solutions in some other aspects other than creation itself. Since a challenge may not be the challenge itself, it can be a projection of something not going on well in your life. Don’t rush if there is an obstacle, check out from some other perspectives, don’t push yourself too hard.!Design-Semi Permanent 2019 © Curry TianDesign-Semi Permanent 2019 © Curry TianSurely, you should always keep on creating. Saying without practicing doesn’t make sense in the CG industry. I learned my skills through persistence. Again, don’t rush, you can definitely make it if you want.!Saṃsāra © Curry TianSaṃsāra © Curry TianLast but not least, communicate with others. There are tons of excellent artists out there. Reach out to them and see how they think and create. And thank Fox Renderfarm for inviting me today. Let’s learn and progress together!ContactsWebpage: https://currytian.com/INS: https://www.instagram.com/curry_tian/ Behance: https://www.behance.net/currytian Superrare: https://superrare.com/currytian/creations

SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 Successfully Concluded Its Very First Hybrid Edition in Tokyo, Japan

Over 3,000 attendees from 41 countries and regions attended the physical event in Tokyo, Japan, as well as virtually. SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 inspires conversations about the future of computer graphics and interactive techniques with heavyweights from Sony, Akili Interactive, BANDAI NAMCO Studios, Weta Digital, DNEG, Kamizake Douga, MacLean Visual Effects, Sola Digital Arts, SQUARE ENIX, Toei Animation, Ubisoft & more. Artists and creators were presented with various awards in recognition of their top-notched works at SIGGRAPH Asia 2021.!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Registration - TIF Lobby GalleryCongratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone at SIGGRAPH Asia 2021. As the long-term partner of SIGGRAPH Asia, Fox Renderfarm wishes Siggraph Asia a better Computer Animation Festival in 2022!!2021 Closing & 2022 Opening Session - SIGGRAPH AsiaTokyo, Japan, 22 December 2021 – This year’s edition of SIGGRAPH Asia, themed ‘LIVE!’, marked the very first hybrid edition in ACM SIGGRAPH’s history. SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 overcame all obstacles and challenges amidst Covid-19, and successfully concluded its live program at the Tokyo International Forum in Japan. Held from 14 – 17 December 2021, the event reunited over 3,000 attendees from 41 countries and regions. The onsite event was held in compliance to the Covid-19 regulations from the government, local authorities, and the exhibition industry, ensuring the safety and well-being of all in-person attendees.!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Opening + Keynotes - TIF Hall C + Online“Despite a lack of clarity as to what lies ahead due to COVID-19, we decided in summer of this year to conduct the very first hybrid SIGGRAPH Asia,” said Shuzo John Shiota, Conference Chair of SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 & CEO, Polygon Pictures Inc. “It turned out to be a massive undertaking, and COVID continued to obstruct our progress. Against adverse conditions, we were able to create an illustrious conference, providing great insights into the current world of computer graphics and interactive techniques, as well as rekindling the SIGGRAPH and SIGGRAPH Asia communal spirit, both online and onsite. I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all who have contributed to this enormous undertaking”.“I am extremely proud of what the SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 team has achieved this year, pulling off an incredible show onsite and online. The feedback from the global Computer Graphics community has been very positive, reaffirming our stand to continue holding the hybrid event despite the many curve balls being thrown at us due to Covid-19. It’s amazing how this industry is so closely knit and supportive of one another. We look forward to creating an even larger reunion for the CG industry next year in Daegu, South Korea!” added Prakash Ramajillu, SIGGRAPH Asia Chief Staff Executive & Division Director (Technology, DigitalMedia, Entertainment & Mobility), Koelnmesse Pte Ltd.A diverse range of conference program sessionsClose to 130 speakers presented at the conference in-person and around 400 presenters joined the virtual platform to discuss the latest industry developments and future of the computer graphics and interactive techniques industry. The exciting line-up featured distinguished keynote speakers such as Toru Katsumoto, Executive Deputy President and CTO at Sony Group Corporation, and Matt Omernick, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Akili Interactive. Toru Katsumoto’s session on ‘Creativity x Technology - How to fill the world with emotion’ brought us through the history of innovation in the creative industry and discussed possibilities enabled by technology made available to creators in the fields of music, movies and games. Matt Omernick’s session on ‘Video Games as Medicine’ dived into how Digital Therapeutic products like EndearvorRx are changing the face of medicine, and how cognitive health and entertainment will live harmoniously together in the future.Other highlights from the conference included the Featured Sessions program which invited industry figureheads such as Bandai Namco Studios, Weta Digital, DNEG, DNEG Animation, Kamizake Douga, MacLean Visual Effects, Sola Digital Arts, Sony Pictures Animation, Sony Pictures Imageworks, SQUARE ENIX, Toei Animation, Ubisoft Divertissements, giving the community exclusive insights on the remarkable VFX works behind films like Dune, Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Blade Runner, Apple TV's Foundation series, The Mitchells vs. The Machines, Wish Dragon, Ron's Gone Wrong, which are available on-demand on the virtual platform.!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Technical Papers - TIF Hall B5 + OnlineThe Technical Papers program continues to be the anchor program of SIGGRAPH Asia and showcased 94 specially curated papers. The Technical Papers at SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 adhere to the highest scientific standards and are chosen through a rigorous and highly refined peer-review process. This year, SIGGRAPH Asia had most of the presenters beamed onsite at the Tokyo International Forum, to take on live questions from the local and online attendees.The Trade Exhibition featured close to 30 virtual and onsite exhibitors showcasing the latest developments in hardware and software applications in the Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques space. Companies and brands include FORUM8, IMAGICA GROUP, Digital Hollywood University, KONICA MINOLTA, Amazon Web Services, BANDAI NAMCO, Carpe Diem Solutions, CyberAgent, ELSA Japan, Houdini SideFX, Huawei Russian Research Institute, NVIDIA, NHK Art, iPresence and SkyVision. iPresence created a virtual SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 exhibition tour, which allows remote attendees to travel into the exhibition hall from anywhere around the world. Experience it today!!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Trade Exhibition - TIF Hall EExhibitor Talks covered technical topics such as using Houdini in medical product design and medical visualization; digital content creation on AWS; IMAGICA GROUP and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology’s R&D on video content creation for their innovative displays on how to provide viewers with visual experiences; and NTT Human Informatics Laboratories sharing of the cutting-edge Tokyo Olympics 2020 project and the world of live entertainment in the Metaverse era.!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Exhibitor Talks - TIF G409 - OnlineThe Experience Hall, held in the same venue as the Trade Exhibition, encompasses the Art Gallery, Emerging Technologies and XR showcases. In the Art Gallery, 15 cutting-edge works were selected from 147 submissions around the world, addressing questions of what the rituals, behaviors and modes of the future will look like in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Art Gallery Curation Committee also hosted a gallery tour for the Japanese audience during the exhibition days. Additionally, Art Gallery talks were held virtually to discuss the future of art and the role of art gallery in the face of new factors such as the pandemic and NFTs.!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Art Gallery - TIF Hall E - OnlineThe Emerging Technologies program, themed “Awaken Our Bodies”, showcased 19 exhibits onsite and online which included novel and high-quality 3D projection mapping technologies, haptic interfaces, robotic avatars and virtual humans, input interfaces, music experiences, and VR experiences with novel sensations like wet, temperature, wind, and scent. Live demonstrations and Q&A sessions took place concurrently for both onsite and online delegates.!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Emerging Technologies - TIF Hall E - OnlineAttendees explored the XR program to discover 19 immersive technologies and experiences such as Dislocation, which examined the internal processes that develop during a dislocation and offers a visual depiction of a person forced into extreme circumstances. Another interesting XR showcase was the Dementia Eyes – a mobile AR experience which simulates the visual symptoms of senile dementia based on pathology and medical workers’ experience with patients. Live demonstrations and Q&A sessions took place concurrently for both onsite and online delegates.!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - XR - TIF Hall E - OnlineLive drawing performances and CG Production Meetup also took place at the Experience Hall Talk Stage, in the Experience Hall. The live drawing performances by BANDAI NAMCO Studios, Ubisoft Entertainment, SQUARE ENIX and SAFEHOUSE were spectacular and had overwhelming attendance onsite. These live performances were recorded and will be uploaded onto the virtual platform for the online attendees. CG Production Meetup featured 48 companies from the Games, Interactive Techniques, Computer Graphics and Animation space, and attracted over 300 students for the 2 sessions on 15 and 16 December 2021.!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Games Live Drawing - TIF Hall E!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - CG Production Meetup - TIF Hall EReal-Time Live!, a showcase of virtual technologies demonstrated live in front of our onsite and online attendees, wrapped up SIGGRAPH Asia 2021. As a part of the hybrid event, five local presenters showcased their demonstration on stage at Tokyo International Forum, while the other four livestreamed their demonstrations.!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Game Gallery - TIF Hall E!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Posters - TIF Hall EArtists and Creators Recognized at SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 – Awards!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Computer Animation Festival - TIF + Online!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Online Zoon SessionsSIGGRAPH Asia 2021 presented the following artists and creators with various awards in recognition of their top-notched works:The winners for Real-Time Live! are:§ BEST IN SHOW: CodeMiko: An Interactive Vtuber Experience, Presenter: CodeMiko, codemiko project, LLC, USA§ PEOPLE’S CHOICE: Fencing Tracking and Visualization System, Presenters: Yuya Hanai, Daito Manabe, Kyle McDonald, Satoshi Horii, Futa Kera, Kisaku Tanaka, Motoi IshibashiThe Computer Animation Festival honored the top talents in animation:§ BEST IN SHOW: Twenty Something (USA), Director: Aphton CorbinTwenty Something & Nona | Official Trailer § BEST STUDENT PROJECT: Le Retour des Vagues (France), Directors: Manon Cansell, Alejandra Guevara Cervera, Edward Kurchevsky, Francisco Moutinho de Magalhães, Hortense MarianLe Retour des Vagues | Trailer § BEST STUDENT PROJECT: Les larmes de la Seine (France), Directors: Yanis Belaid, Eliott Benard, Nicolas Mayeur, Etienne Moulin, Hadrien Pinot, Lisa Vicente, Philippine Singer, Alice LetailleurLes larmes de la Seine | Trailer § JURY SPECIAL: Only a Child (United Kingdom, Switzerland), Director: Simone GiampaoloOnly a Child The Emerging Technologies program will also be announcing their winner for the ‘Best Online Demonstration Award’ soon. Registration may be closed, but the virtual platform remains open and accessible to attendees to watch the on-demand content till 11 March 2022. Next year’s edition, SIGGRAPH Asia 2022, will be held at EXCO, Daegu, South Korea, from 6 - 9 December 2022. Visit http://sa2022.siggraph.org for more details.!SIGGRAPH Asia 2021 - Closing of 2021, SACAG Chair, Opening of 2022

Interview with Adam Belfer, Founder/COO of Cartuna, Which Made the Amazing SpongeBob Portal Chase Series Come True

Fox Renderfarm, as the world-leading cloud rendering services provider, is super thrilled to support the SpongeBob Portal Chase animated series, which is made by Cartuna, an award-winning full-service animation studio producing world-class content for television, feature films, music videos, shorts, and commercials.!SpongeBob Portal Space Series!SpongeBob Portal Space SeriesMr. Adam Belfer, Founder/COO of Cartuna, had an exclusive interview with us, in which he shared how his team has made this amazing series come true. Moreover, Adam talked about how Cartuna has progressed into a multi-content creation studio with an impressive portfolio. Fox Renderfarm: Hi Adam, thank you so much for accepting our interview! Could you give us a brief introduction? Adam: My name is Adam Belfer and I’m one of the founders of Cartuna, an animation studio based in Brooklyn, New York. !Adam Belfer - Cartuna Fox Renderfarm: Congratulation on the new SpongeBob animation? How did you come with the idea of making this series? How many episodes will you deliver in total?Adam: This was an idea that was started by producers at Nickelodeon. They had made a few episodes in 2D but wanted to increase the production quality and create something in 3D. The idea was to create a new villain – a slug monster – who steals all the slime that powers Nickelodeon. It’s up to a group of characters from various Nickelodeon cartoons to band together and beat the slug. Along the way, they meet other popular characters from other Nickelodeon cartoons while they navigate through different video game worlds. !SpongeBob Fox Renderfarm: What software and plugins did you use for making this series? How long did it take to make each episode?Adam: We mainly use Maya to make the 3D animation, Substance Painter for texturing, Redshift for render engine. We also use plugin Studio Library to efficiently key animation. It took us about 7 months to complete all of the episodes. On average, it would take us more than one month to produce one episode.!SpongeBob Fox Renderfarm: Could you share with us the pipeline of the creation? Adam: At the beginning, it starts with storyboards and everything else will be based on that. After completing the pre-production, we move into CG production which includes modeling, texturing, rigging, previs, animation, lighting, rendering, and compositing. We also have a lot of 2D fx which is composed during the very last stage. !Pre-production - SpongeBob Fox Renderfarm: What are the most unforgettable scenes to you in this Spongebob series?Adam: The final episode (episode 6) is the best. The whole series builds into a climax. The showdown between our heroes and the villain is well worth the payoff. It’s the most artistically ambitious and the most exciting and action-packed. Seeing all the characters we met along the way team up to have one final fight scene was very rewarding. !Final Boss!SpongeBob - The Final Boss Fox Renderfarm: What’s the most difficult part of making this series? How did Cartuna solve it?Adam: Creating an entirely 3D production remotely was an interesting challenge. File sharing and communication became very important as we were not able to be in one location due to the pandemic. Having tools like Slack for communication, Google Drive for file sharing, and Fox Renderfarm for rendering all were essential to make this series run smoothly. !SpongeBob Fox Renderfarm: In creating the Spongebob animation series, did Cartuna do anything to optimize the productivity and efficiency of the cooperation among your team?Adam: We have built several pipeline tools specifically in Maya, so while we are working on it, some of the repetitive but time-consuming jobs can be resolved by a simple button, which makes the 3D production much more efficient. We also build certain naming rules and workflow for our production, so every single file can be organized well and easily accessed by the artists.!SpongeBob - 3D Production Fox Renderfarm: Could you introduce Cartuna to us? How many members are there in Cartuna?Adam: There is 6 full-time staff at Cartuna. We are unique in that most of our studio is made up of producers, writers and editors. For each production we have a rotating group of artists based on the style of the project. For example, on Portal Chase we had 30 artists. This included directors, storyboard artists, modeler/texturing artists, 2D animators, 3D animators, lighters, compositors, sound designers and more. Fox Renderfarm: How did you and your team constantly form the unique visual style and keep it uniform in all your works?Adam: We had a concept artist start before anyone else. Our art director / director made sure to do their research and development before the rest of the art team started. From there, the background designers and modelers, as well as the 2D FX artists all contributed to the unique look – putting their own personal style to make something one-of-a-kind that all meshed together into one uniform style. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Er9IwxBrZENormani’s 2019 VMA performance of “Motivation” © Cartuna Fox Renderfarm: Cartuna has a very contentful portfolio both original and branded ones. What is the most unforgettable project that you have created respectively (original and branded)?Adam: Cartuna started as a studio that produced exclusively original projects. Facebook Watch bought one of these first shows, Human Kind Of. It was a project made in-house and the series order validated what we were building. That project was later nominated for best Animated Television Production at the Annie Award and lost to BoJack Horseman (it was also in competition with Bob’s Burgers, Big Mouth and others). To even be in the same class as those shows was awesome. !Human Kind OfHuman Kind Of (Watch Full Series)The branded piece we love the most, besides Portal Chase, is our SpongeBob 360 piece. It was amazing to figure out how to build the pipeline for that project and it was our first time working with SpongeBob which was an iconic cartoon for us all growing up. Go 360° Inside the Krusty Krab! Fox Renderfarm: Any new steps?Adam: We’re pitching some original shows and we hope to get one sold next year. And we’re doing a bunch of awesome client work – including a new SpongeBob 360 video (and hopefully more Portal Chase in the future too). Fox Renderfarm: How did you encounter CG? Could you share with us your education and career experience?Adam: The majority of my animation career has been working in 2D animation, so it’s been a relatively new path working in CG. Before building an animation studio, my background was in marketing, digital communication and PR – and I had a liberal arts education. I’ve always had a passion for cartoons and building things, so working with my brother we formed Cartuna and have been happily making animation for 6 years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7OqPcPaxbYLil Nas X’s 2019 VMA Performance of "Panini" Fox Renderfarm: From your resume on LinkedIn, we found that you were working on law, why did you make the change and choose the CG industry?Adam: I entertained the idea of law when I was in school, but ultimately found that type of education too rigid and not as creative. I come from an entrepreneurial family so I always wanted to start my own business. I wouldn’t say we’re exclusively in the CG business now, but more broadly in the animation industry. We try to distinguish ourselves as a studio by not having a set house style, so CG has been something we’re happily learning and enjoying making more projects in that art form. https://vimeo.com/350853814Under Covers (A Stop Motion Animated Film) Fox Renderfarm: Any artwork or artist inspires you the most?Adam: Van Gogh’s Irises inspired me the most. While Van Gogh was living in the asylum, he created the piece from nature in the asylum’s garden. All of the Irises in the painting are blue. There’s only one in the corner which is white. In my opinion, it represents Van Gogh’s uniqueness and difference among the art style of the artists at the time. It may also tell Van Gogh’s loneliness and eagerness to be understood. The painting really touches me. Being an artist, we all want to be unique in a certain way, but also want to be accepted in the world and understood by some people who will recognize you.!Irises © Vincent van GoghIrises © Vincent van Gogh Fox Renderfarm: How do you feel about the cloud rendering services provided by Fox Renderfarm? Adam: The Fox Renderfarm team was always willing to work with us and meet our needs. The output was professional-grade and the prices were affordable. We have tried out a few different services, and we felt Fox Renderfarm best suited our needs for this project. Fox Renderfarm: Anything else you want to share with CG enthusiasts?Adam: In addition to Portal Chase, check out our project My Squishy Little Dumplings (also with Nickelodeon). We’re constantly growing our CG Portfolio and excited to take on more in 2022. If any CG artists are looking for work, we’re always willing to collaborate!Let's Get It Popping! (Music Video) | My Squishy Little Dumplings