Creating Happy Endings with HP Z200 Workstation

Transcription

1 Creating Happy Endings with HP Z200 Workstation I give you my blessings. Go ahead. Those were the words that Singapore film director and producer Eric Khoo had hoped to hear after his four-hour meeting with Yoshihiro Tatsumi. To his delight, his wish came true. And little did he know at that point in time, his film would be a dream come true for Tatsumi as well. Khoo had travelled to Japan to meet 75-year-old Tatsumi, a mangaka (Japanese word for comic artist) who is widely credited with starting the gekiga style of alternative comics in Japan. The objective was to seek Tatsumi s permission for an animated film that Khoo wanted to make on the father of gekiga. He has been a big fan of Tatsumi s short stories for over two decades. After reading Tatsumi s autobiography, A Drifting Life, in 2009, Khoo decided that he wanted to make a tribute film on a man who had such a profound influence on him when he was a young comic artist before he became a film maker. I have always wanted to make a film ever since I was a small kid, but I realised I wasn t talented in that area. I haven t seen the final version, but I can t wait to watch it. I am excited to see how my five stories are adapted into a feature film. Yoshihiro Tatsumi, comic artist and father of the gekiga style of alternative comics in Japan

2 Everything so far is very much what I envisioned it to be. Eric Khoo, Director and Producer, Zhao Wei Films Seeing is believing Even Khoo, a celebrated film maker who has won many accolades and awards locally and internationally for his works, was anxious during the meeting with Tatsumi. I was a little apprehensive. It was our first meeting, and I didn t know how it would go. But it was a superb meeting, and we connected in a soulful way, says Khoo. As for Tatsumi, he wasn t surprised when he received a written request from Khoo (through a friend) on the Singapore director s wishes to make a film on him and his works. I have been receiving a few offers from Hollywood and European film producers, but most of them came to nothing halfway. Therefore, I wasn t sure how serious Khoo was, says Tatsumi. What he was surprised with, however, was Khoo s passion and determination. I was surprised because Eric came to visit me in Tokyo from all the way in Singapore soon after I received the letter. I was overwhelmed by the energy coming out from his whole body, and it didn t really take long for me to become a big fan of his work. After hearing Khoo s plans for a full-length animated Japanese feature on his life and five of his most important stories written in the early seventies, one of Tatsumi s reactions was of disbelieve. He didn t believe me when I told him that his stories can be translated to an animated feature film, Khoo adds. PHOTOS: RORY DANIEL, ZHAO WEI FILMS That perception changed, however, when Tatsumi saw snippets in end September 2010 of the 95-minute animated feature film Tatsumi at a symposium where Khoo was a guest speaker. He was moved. Now that he has seen his work in an animated feature film, he believes me, says Khoo. In fact, Tatsumi is looking forward to seeing the final product. I haven t seen the final version, but I can t wait to watch it. I am excited to see how my five stories are adapted into an animated featured film, reveals Tatsumi. But Khoo needed help with turning his vision into reality when he embarked on the project in February Tatsumi would be his first animated feature film, and he needed help with the technical aspect of animation. That was when he roped in Infinite Frameworks (IFW), a media and entertainment company that he has a close working relationship with for over a decade to help him with computer graphics (CG) animation production. And IFW, using HP Z200 Workstations powered by Intel Core i5 processors, worked with Khoo to turn his vision into something that can be enjoyed on the big screen.

3 The HP Z200 Workstation that is powered by Intel processors is the heart of our production process. Without it, we would not be able to make this movie. Mike Wiluan, Managing Director, Infinite Frameworks HP empowers creativity The HP Z200 Workstation that is powered by Intel processors is the heart of our production process, says Mike Wiluan, Managing Director of IFW. Without it, we would not be able to make this movie. HP has furnished us with excellent workstations, which are used in all the movie s picture production process from pre-production, animation to final, coloured image sequences. Based in Singapore and Batam, Indonesia, IFW started in 1997 as a post-production facility. It has since grown to become one of Southeast Asia s (SEA) largest media and entertainment companies. Its business activities include content and media infrastructure investment; post-production and visual effects for TV commercials, feature films, documentaries, and TV series; CG animation for feature films and TV series; and content distribution. The company s relationship with HP started in 2005 when the company was tasked to produce its first animated featured film, Sing to the Dawn. The challenge that IFW faced then and is still facing now is the delicate balance between their dreams (the pursuit of creativity) with reality (business costs). We have to be innovative with how we optimise resources, push technology, streamline processes, and maximise our craft and our talent to achieve sustainable business success, at the end of the day we re not a technology company but rely heavily on technology says Wiluan. Business synergy propels growth One of the strategies the management took to maintain that balance was to find a technology company who can help build a pipeline of reliable, scalable, and high performance technology solutions to fulfill both short- and long-term business requirements. We needed to formalise a relationship with a technology partner who has experience in the animation industry. Few vendors have a niche in the digital media industry and who have affordable and scalable solutions. But HP is well positioned in this space. We also selected HP with Intel technology because of its experience working with DreamWorks Animation in the US, adds Wiluan. For HP in Singapore, its philosophy has always been to support the fledgling local film industry, and help companies like IFW expand its business boundaries overseas. That is why HP believes in maintaining constant dialogues with local companies so as to gain deeper insight to their business needs and challenges. Only then can it deliver technology solutions and services that are current and future-proof. We want to see our local film and media enterprises succeed on the world stage; it is a mission that is close to our heart, says Serena Yong, General Manager, Personal Systems Group, HP Singapore. Having worked with DreamWorks Animation as their preferred technology provider, we understand the challenges that film companies face as well as the tools that animators need to bring their creation to life. This experience, combined with our close working relationship with local players, enable HP in Singapore to deliver technology solutions and services to match the demands of the Singapore film industry. The HP Z200 Workstation based on the Intel Core i5 processor, for example, is a perfect fit for animation studios as it offers rock solid application performances at a great value, adds Yong.

4 Optimising creativity Mitchell s team of artists uses the HP Z200 Workstations to draw by hand everything that appears on screen. According to Mitchell, the 2D animation that his team creates for Tatsumi requires immediate interactive feedback, and the HP workstation is able to deliver just that. Creating Happy Endings with HP Z200 Workstation It is very important for our artists to see how every key pose and animation frame pans out on screen. The HP workstations based on Intel processors are powerful enough to give us immediate results. We don t have to do rendering, which takes time to process, before we see the results, explains Mitchell. This optimises creativity as any time delay can affect the artist s chain of thought. We see the results in a matter of minutes. This helps our animators focus on the task at hand. The hardware specifications of the HP Z200 Workstations also had to be customised for the project. This was completed without a hitch. The HP workstations proved to be very easy to customise, thanks to HP s excellent technical support team, says Mitchell. The reliability that we have come to expect from the HP and Intel brands is reinforced in these workstations. We had zero downtime from any HP workstation so far due to hardware issues. Phil Mitchell, Animation Director, Infinite Frameworks Preserving the heritage With the animated featured film Tatsumi, the challenge facing Phil Mitchell, IFW s Executive Creative Director, and his 25-man production crew was two-fold. They had to translate Tatsumi s artwork to the big screen while retaining the authenticity of his works. At the same time, they had to fulfill Khoo s direction and vision of the movie. Mitchell also has the cultural responsibility of producing an all-japanese movie in Singapore with IFW s studio in Batam Island. The Japanese people are very proud of their heritage and protective of their icons. Tatsumi is a major icon in Japan. If we do not instill a sense of authenticity into every frame of the movie, the Japanese audience will reject it, says Mitchell. When looking for the right technology solutions to produce the two-dimensional (2D) animation, Wiluan had no doubt that he would again turn to HP for help. Using a new vendor would put our processes in doubt. Furthermore, we have a delivery timeline to follow, and so we have to depend on technology solutions that will never fail on us, he elaborates. The HP Z200 Workstation is a low cost, high performance, and mainstream value workstation. It delivers the advanced power and productivity of workstation technology at starting prices that rival traditional desktop computing systems. The HP Z200 features advanced memory, graphics, storage plus application certification, and next-generation Intel Core processors that not only ensure high performance, but also delivers more stable lifecycles and higher reliability. The workstation comes with Error Checking and Correcting (ECC) memory as well, ensuring greater data integrity for mission critical data. We want to see Reliability you can trust Ensuring colour accuracy our local film and Reliability has never been an issue either. The reliability that we have come to expect from the HP and Intel brands is reinforced in these workstations. We ve had zero downtime from any HP workstation so far due to hardware issues, adds Mitchell. In fact, IFW credits the workstation for boosting efficiency of the production team. Colour accuracy is a critical component of any animation production process, including Tatsumi. The look and feel has to be faithful to Tatsumi s work, says Khoo. This means that the animation and the colour of the production has to remain true not just to Tatsumi s work and his life, but also the Japanese culture and traditions. We are able to produce the entire Tatsumi film on the workstations. We do not need a render farm or other ancillary equipment for this project other than centralised storage, which is also an HP product. The workstations allow the artists to be very productive. A lot of this can be credited to the workstations ability to facilitate extremely fast prototyping, excellent artist interaction, rapid rendering, and excellent reliability, he adds. For one of Tatsumi s stories in the film Just a Man, for instance, Khoo gave it a blue-tone that is similar to prints produced by a Japanese printing technique 単色印刷 or single colour printing. In another story, Occupied, Khoo wanted it to have red, pink, and grey hues similar to prints produced by another Japanese printing technique. What I wanted was very challenging, says Khoo. But the guys at IFW are incredible. I showed Mitchell references to what I wanted, and they have come very close to the style that I had in mind. media enterprises succeed on the world stage; it is a mission that is close to our heart. Serena Yong, General Manager, Personal Systems Group, HP Singapore Once again, HP is behind IFW s ability to produce results that are true to the director s vision. Using the HP DreamColor Monitor, Mitchell s team is able to ensure accurate and standout colour every step of the way. Mitchell says, The HP DreamColor Monitors are integral to our creative process. The artists need to see, accurately, the results of their work; otherwise, we will miss the mark set by Khoo! The HP DreamColor Monitor is a liquid crystal display (LCD) that is created in collaboration with DreamWorks Animation. Designed for professionals for whom accurate colour management is essential, the display addresses a need for affordable and consistent colour accuracy in the animation industry. I give you my blessings. Go ahead. Those were the words that Singapore film director and producer Eric Khoo had hoped to hear after his four-hour meeting with Yoshihiro Tatsumi. To his delight, his wish came true. And little does he know at that point in time, his film would be a dream come true for Tatsumi as well. Khoo had travelled to Japan to meet 75-year-old Tatsumi, a mangaka (Japanese word for comic artist) who is widely credited with starting the gekiga style of alternative comics in Japan. The objective is to seek Tatsumi s permission for an animated film that Khoo wanted to make on the father of gekiga. He has been a big fan of Tatsumi s short stories for over a decade. After reading Tatsumi s autobiography, A Drifting Life, in 2009, Khoo decided that he wanted to make a tribute film on a man who had such a profound influence on him when he was a young comic artist before he became a film maker. I have always wanted to make a film ever since I was a small kid, but I realised I wasn t talented in that area. I haven t seen the final version, but I can t wait to watch it. I am excited to see how my five stories are adapted into a feature film. Yoshihiro Tatsumi, comic artist and father of the gekiga style of alternative comics in Japan

5 Optimising creativity Mitchell s team of artists uses the HP Z200 Workstations to draw by hand everything that appears on screen. According to Mitchell, the 2D animation that his team creates for Tatsumi requires immediate interactive feedback, and the HP workstation is able to deliver just that. Creating Happy Endings with HP Z200 Workstation It is very important for our artists to see how every key pose and animation frame pans out on screen. The HP workstations based on Intel processors are powerful enough to give us immediate results. We don t have to do rendering, which takes time to process, before we see the results, explains Mitchell. This optimises creativity as any time delay can affect the artist s chain of thought. We see the results in a matter of minutes. This helps our animators focus on the task at hand. The hardware specifications of the HP Z200 Workstations also had to be customised for the project. This was completed without a hitch. The HP workstations proved to be very easy to customise, thanks to HP s excellent technical support team, says Mitchell. The reliability that we have come to expect from the HP and Intel brands is reinforced in these workstations. We had zero downtime from any HP workstation so far due to hardware issues. Phil Mitchell, Animation Director, Infinite Frameworks Preserving the heritage With the animated featured film Tatsumi, the challenge facing Phil Mitchell, IFW s Executive Creative Director, and his 25-man production crew was two-fold. They had to translate Tatsumi s artwork to the big screen while retaining the authenticity of his works. At the same time, they had to fulfill Khoo s direction and vision of the movie. Mitchell also has the cultural responsibility of producing an all-japanese movie in Singapore with IFW s studio in Batam Island. The Japanese people are very proud of their heritage and protective of their icons. Tatsumi is a major icon in Japan. If we do not instill a sense of authenticity into every frame of the movie, the Japanese audience will reject it, says Mitchell. When looking for the right technology solutions to produce the two-dimensional (2D) animation, Wiluan had no doubt that he would again turn to HP for help. Using a new vendor would put our processes in doubt. Furthermore, we have a delivery timeline to follow, and so we have to depend on technology solutions that will never fail on us, he elaborates. The HP Z200 Workstation is a low cost, high performance, and mainstream value workstation. It delivers the advanced power and productivity of workstation technology at starting prices that rival traditional desktop computing systems. The HP Z200 features advanced memory, graphics, storage plus application certification, and next-generation Intel Core processors that not only ensure high performance, but also delivers more stable lifecycles and higher reliability. The workstation comes with Error Checking and Correcting (ECC) memory as well, ensuring greater data integrity for mission critical data. We want to see Reliability you can trust Ensuring colour accuracy our local film and Reliability has never been an issue either. The reliability that we have come to expect from the HP and Intel brands is reinforced in these workstations. We ve had zero downtime from any HP workstation so far due to hardware issues, adds Mitchell. In fact, IFW credits the workstation for boosting efficiency of the production team. Colour accuracy is a critical component of any animation production process, including Tatsumi. The look and feel has to be faithful to Tatsumi s work, says Khoo. This means that the animation and the colour of the production has to remain true not just to Tatsumi s work and his life, but also the Japanese culture and traditions. We are able to produce the entire Tatsumi film on the workstations. We do not need a render farm or other ancillary equipment for this project other than centralised storage, which is also an HP product. The workstations allow the artists to be very productive. A lot of this can be credited to the workstations ability to facilitate extremely fast prototyping, excellent artist interaction, rapid rendering, and excellent reliability, he adds. For one of Tatsumi s stories in the film Just a Man, for instance, Khoo gave it a blue-tone that is similar to prints produced by a Japanese printing technique 単色印刷 or single colour printing. In another story, Occupied, Khoo wanted it to have red, pink, and grey hues similar to prints produced by another Japanese printing technique. What I wanted was very challenging, says Khoo. But the guys at IFW are incredible. I showed Mitchell references to what I wanted, and they have come very close to the style that I had in mind. media enterprises succeed on the world stage; it is a mission that is close to our heart. Serena Yong, General Manager, Personal Systems Group, HP Singapore Once again, HP is behind IFW s ability to produce results that are true to the director s vision. Using the HP DreamColor Monitor, Mitchell s team is able to ensure accurate and standout colour every step of the way. Mitchell says, The HP DreamColor Monitors are integral to our creative process. The artists need to see, accurately, the results of their work; otherwise, we will miss the mark set by Khoo! The HP DreamColor Monitor is a liquid crystal display (LCD) that is created in collaboration with DreamWorks Animation. Designed for professionals for whom accurate colour management is essential, the display addresses a need for affordable and consistent colour accuracy in the animation industry. I give you my blessings. Go ahead. Those were the words that Singapore film director and producer Eric Khoo had hoped to hear after his four-hour meeting with Yoshihiro Tatsumi. To his delight, his wish came true. And little does he know at that point in time, his film would be a dream come true for Tatsumi as well. Khoo had travelled to Japan to meet 75-year-old Tatsumi, a mangaka (Japanese word for comic artist) who is widely credited with starting the gekiga style of alternative comics in Japan. The objective is to seek Tatsumi s permission for an animated film that Khoo wanted to make on the father of gekiga. He has been a big fan of Tatsumi s short stories for over a decade. After reading Tatsumi s autobiography, A Drifting Life, in 2009, Khoo decided that he wanted to make a tribute film on a man who had such a profound influence on him when he was a young comic artist before he became a film maker. I have always wanted to make a film ever since I was a small kid, but I realised I wasn t talented in that area. I haven t seen the final version, but I can t wait to watch it. I am excited to see how my five stories are adapted into a feature film. Yoshihiro Tatsumi, comic artist and father of the gekiga style of alternative comics in Japan

6 Happy ending After nine months of hard work, production work for Tatsumi by Khoo s film production house, Zhao Wei Films, and IFW is coming to an end. Everything so far is very much what I envisioned it to be, says Khoo. I want to lift up the story and Tatsumi the man. He is a genius, which is why I am paying tribute to him. I hope more young people will come to embrace Tatsumi s work as a result of this film, adds Khoo. He is also glad that the IFW team has gone the extra mile, treating the project like a labor of love. This movie is art; not just another animated feature film, he concludes. IFW too, is proud to be part of a project that pays tribute to a great man in the literary comics industry. They are proud to have HP and Intel behind the scenes, helping them produce work that is aligned with Khoo s vision. HP and Intel create an excellent production environment by providing easily configurable and highly reliable equipment with extremely low maintenance requirements, first-class service, and support; and we are very happy to be able to say this! says Wiluan. From dreams to reality As for Tatsumi, the father of gekiga, Khoo s animated featured film helps to fulfill what he has long dreamt of doing himself. I have always wanted to make a film ever since I was a small kid, but I realised I wasn t talented in that area. Managing a large number of staff and filming a movie that is true to your theme is a very difficult task. That is why I have deep respect for people in the film industry. says Tatsumi. He also feels that Khoo is the right director to interpret his works for the silver screen. Khoo s film has the world which I have always wanted to express in manga. His point of view and how he sees people is very similar to mine. He is still a young director, but he has a bright future. I believe he will continue to evolve and create a great film, something we have never seen before. I m looking forward to that, adds Tatsumi. And there will be more happy endings to look forward to. IFW plans to provide more in-depth services for the media and entertainment industry as well as create more complex assets using, for instance, stereoscopic three-dimensional (3D) technology. In addition to building more animation studios, plans are also in the pipeline to build Singapore s first soundstage and media complex by There is no doubt in Wiluan s mind that HP will be one of IFW s key partners in the company s future. Having access to world-class technology is essential to our ability to offer creative solutions that our international clients require as well as to produce high quality work in our studio. Without technology, we will not be able to compete on the world stage. We have a relationship with HP, and we have confidence that their technology can deliver what we want, concludes Wiluan. CHALLENGE SOLUTION RESULTS Create high quality two-dimensional (2D) animation that is closely aligned with award-winning director and producer Eric Khoo s vision for his animated featured film Tatsumi. The 95-minute film is Khoo s tribute to Yoshihiro Tatsumi, and it is based on the life and short stories of the Japanese icon who is widely credited with starting the gekiga style of alternative comics in Japan. Ensure that the film stays true to the feel and artwork of Yoshihiro Tatsumi and accurately reflects the Japanese culture and traditions. Build a technology infrastructure that scales alongside the company s growing business requirements. HP Z200 Workstations powered by Intel Core i5 processors HP DreamColor Monitor Built a reliable, scalable, and high performance technology infrastructure using HP and Intel solutions to fulfill both short- and long-term business requirements. Fulfilled Khoo s vision for the film and retained authenticity of Yoshihiro s works. Customised high performance solutions fulfilled company s 2D animation production requirements. Enhanced artists productivity and optimised creativity as HP workstations deliver immediate interactive feedback. Minimised the need for additional resources like a render farm. Enhanced colour management process using HP DreamColor Monitor. Ensured zero downtime. Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core and Core inside are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Copyright 2011 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. Printed in Singapore, January 2011