Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1481306
For decades, Wacom products have been instrumental across the Media & Entertainment content creation pipeline, from concept art to animation to post production. In today's vir- tual production pipeline, tools like the new Wacom Cintiq Pro 27 are being used in more ways than ever before. New features like factory calibra- tions for most professional vid- eo color spaces, customizable ExpressKeys to assign key- board shortcuts, high bright- ness and an adjustable refresh rate of up to 120Hz make this a flexible tool that's useful for virtual art department content contributors, technical artists, on-set virtual production artists and supervisors, as well as other creators throughout the filmmaking process. The new Cintiq Pro 27 can be your right-hand tool every step of the way, to be used through- out the entire virtual production workflow. As the modern filmmaking process has evolved, it's also become more agile. Gone are the days of "Fix it in post." It's become more likely for those involved with pre-production, such as photogrammetry, scanning and refinement, to get their work done virtually and in parallel with other creative processes going on. The traditional linear workflow is fading away and the day of the shoot is also the day the shot gets "in the can." For virtual art teams working from home, the Cintiq Pro 27 offers a higher-fidelity experience (and a bigger screen!) with a smaller and lighter footprint, so one can set up their workspace exactly how they like it. With hybrid setups also comes the need for virtual machines, and Wacom's latest pen display can connect to more than one computer at a time, allowing for easy switching between a local machine and zero-client or another computer. As Wacom continues to iterate their pro tools for best use within the virtual production pipeline, one important aspect is the intangible, but crucial "immer- sive" factor. While filmmaking in virtual production is highly technical, a lot of creators are artists at heart. For people like Jesus Luque, the chief technology officer at Peris Digital Services, the Wacom pen is at the center of their cre- ative workflow. "3D applications are becoming more intuitive, and the workflow is faster with Wacom tablets and displays. A mouse is not a 'natural' tool – the pen leads you to creation, whether in 3D with tools like Blender®, Reality Capture®, ZBrush®, or in retouching tools like Photoshop®." Built for an immersive Unreal Engine experience using the precision of the pen and the flexibility of touch, creators, production designers, cinematogra- phers and virtual production supervisors can, for example, create In-Camera- Visual-Effects (ICVFX) faster. One can move the camera with the Wacom pen and click a pen button to add keyframes, or point anywhere with their pen and click a pen button to add dynamic lighting. The multi-touch experience can also be completely customized to on-set needs using tools like TouchOSC® to build custom control interfaces. Production designers can see their visions come to life from grey boxes to final renders using an intuitive and natural pen and multi-touch interface. While Wacom has been deeply engrained in the pre-production pipeline for some time, the new Cintiq Pro 27 is also optimized for working with LED processors, playback software and live editing/color grading tools, extending the use into live production environments. Technical artists and on-set opera- tors can control their software of choice (like Brompton®, Pixera®, or Assimilate Live VFX®) using touch and pen. This eliminates the need for additional control hardware and offers a flexible and noise-free experience on-set. The new Cintiq Pro 27's current use within virtual production workflows is just the beginning. Wacom continues to deepen their relationship with virtual production innovators to evolve with the industry. The future of filmmaking is bright, and Wacom is excited to empower creatives with the best tools to create stellar content faster than ever. Erica Tafavoti, based at Wacom Americas' HQ in Portland, OR, is responsi- ble for business development within the M&E space and dedicated to helping customers find the right solutions for their individual workflows. WACOM'S LATEST PEN DISPLAY PAINTS A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR VIRTUAL PRODUCTION PROFESSIONALS By Erica Tafavoti, Wacom Technology Corp., wacom.com SPONSORED CONTENT