Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1545302
BITS & PIECES MAXON MAKES AUTOGRAPH FREE FOR TEAMS BAD HOMBURG, GERMANY — Maxon (maxon.net), the developer of 2D & 3D software, as well as graphic design workflows, announced that Autograph team licenses are now available completely free for commercial use. No mat- ter the setting, professionals working across teams of any size can now use Autograph at no cost. The move expands access to Autograph beyond individ- ual users, giving teams, studios, agencies, brands, educators and commercial creative groups full access to Maxon's modern motion graphics and VFX/com- positing application across collaborative workflows. Autograph was recently reintroduced by Maxon as a free professional motion graphics and compositing tool for individual users. The tool combines 2D animation, compositing and 3D capabilities in a unified environment that's optimized for speed and creative flexibility. The application supports modern production standards, including USD, OpenEXR, ACES, OpenColorIO and OpenFX, and integrates with Universe and select Red Giant tools. Autograph launches with support for third-party OpenFX plug-ins from Re:Vision Effects, BorisFX and Digital Anarchy, and is available directly through their respective marketplaces. "Autograph's launch has sparked one of the most enthusiastic community responses we've seen," notes David McGavran, CEO of Maxon. "Creators are telling us they want intuitive, modern tools without sacrificing professional quality and capabilities. By making Autograph free for team collaboration, we're shaping the future of motion design and visual storytelling." Autograph users will have full access to Maxon's Cineversity Training library, with tutorials for onboarding and getting started quick. There are no limits or conditions on who can use Autograph in their creative professional workflow, and there are no output limitations or time restrictions. ZOIC COMPLETES VFX FOR THE MINIATURE WIFE LOS ANGELES — Visual effects studio Zoic (www.zoicstudios.com) completed work on more than 500 shots across all 10 episodes of Peacock's upcoming series The Miniature Wife. The show is based on the short story by Manuel Gonzales and examines the power imbalances between spouses after a technological accident induces the ultimate relationship crisis. As one partner adjusts to life at miniature size, the relationship is forced into unfamiliar territo- ry. Series regulars include Elizabeth Banks, Matthew Macfadyen, O-T Fagbenle, Zoe Lister-Jones, Sian Clifford and Sofia Rosinsky. Zoic worked on 563 shots for the show, with effects carrying through to each episode. At the center of the production is a dual-scale world that re- quired coordination between production and visual effects from the earliest stages. Camera perspective, lensing, lighting and spatial relationships all had to align so that interactions between characters at different scales would feel grounded and consistent. "The challenge wasn't a single moment," explains Dan Weir, VFX supervisor at Zoic Studios. "The established visual language that communicated Lindy's miniature world and the interactions with the full-sized world had to be consis- tent across the entire series." Highlights include Elizabeth Banks' character being swept away by water, climbing a vertical surface using suction cups and reacting to failed experimen- tal tests involving exploding corn. Additional shots show Matthew Macfadyen interacting with Banks' miniature character. "For the key sequences, we were involved early in shaping what those mo- ments could be," Weir recalls. "There wasn't a reference point. We had to build it from the ground up." As the series progresses, the scope of the work expands to include more complex transformation sequences and a large-scale laboratory destruction rendered entirely in CG. The sequence layers debris, fire, smoke and structural simulation to achieve a fully controlled cinematic result. Zoic was one of the final three visual effects vendors on the project, taking on increased scope as production progressed. The team worked across mul- tiple episodes concurrently, with a peak crew spanning compositing, lighting and dynamics artists contributing to both visible and invisible effects. Beyond the larger sequences, their work also extends to subtle adjustments that support continuity throughout the show. Environmental changes, cleanup and integration work ensure that the world remains consistent from scene to scene. "What makes something like this work is consistency," Weir adds. "You're asking the audience to accept a premise and then never question it." www.postmagazine.com 8 POST MAY/JUNE 2026