Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1081428
www.postmagazine.com 10 POST JAN/FEB 2019 BITS & PIECES SANTA MONICA — Killer Tracks (www.killertracks. com) makes it quick and easy to find music through its custom Extension for Adobe Premiere Pro. Editors can search, audition and download tracks without having to leave their editing software. With the entire Killer Tracks catalog accessible through the Extension, finding the right music for a video project can be accomplished in just a few clicks. Spurred by user feedback, Killer Tracks contin- ues to add new features to its Extension for Adobe Premiere Pro. Its latest innovation is Cue Sheet Helper, a tool that automates the process of filling out industry-standard cue sheets used to report music use to performing rights organizations such as SESAC, BMI and ASCAP. "Cue sheets are required by broadcasters and others who distribute content, but filling them out can be time-consuming," explains Anna Maria Hall, Killer Tracks' head of sales and marketing. "Typically, the editor or producer must complete forms manual- ly, entering detailed information for each music cue in their projects. If information is inaccurate or missing, it can cause delays in payments to artists and poten- tially lead to legal issues." Cue Sheet Helper reduces the process of filling out cue sheets to a one-step operation. The user simply uploads an edit decision list (EDL) and the Extension generates track information in cue sheet form. "Clients who've used this feature love it because it saves time and ensures compliance with industry re- porting requirements," says Hall. "It can be a life-saver if you are on a tight deadline." KILLER TRACKS ADDS 'CUE SHEET' AUTOMATION TO EXTENSION FOR ADOBE PREMIERE PRO STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN — In a new spot for ITV's Dancing On Ice, two figures find themselves on a frozen pond. As the music swells and the ice begins to crack, they are forced into action, weaving across the rink in unison until they hurl themselves onto solid ground with a grand throw jump. But what's im- pressive about this ad is not the difficult figure-skating moves. It's the figures themselves — a lifelike polar bear cub and a small squirrel. ITV's award-winning Dancing On Ice, similar in concept to ABC hit Dancing with the Stars, sees professional skaters pair up with celebrities — from actress- es to cricket players — to compete live before a panel of judges. In the show's 2018 ad, a 3D polar bear teaches another to ice skate while a group of squirrels watch in amazement. And since that ad proved extremely popular with the public, the stakes were high to make the 2019 edition even better. Once again, ITV turned to UK animation studio Hu_sh, which created the first ad. The concept was ambitious. But the spot needed to be finished on a tight timeline. And since realistic animal characters were at the heart of it all, Hu_sh partnered with boutique VFX house Fablefx (www.fablefx.com), known for its 3D animal work, to help bring their ideas to life. "Given that this sequel was more ambitious and a lot more complex than the previous one, this was no small task — but one that we were delighted to dig into," says Janak Thakker, Fablefx co-founder and senior animation supervisor. Fablefx artists are known for producing compelling CG characters for film, TV and advertising. To increase realism, Fablefx augmented their pipeline with Ziva VFX (https://zivadynamics.com/ziva-vfx) and its physics-based simulation method. With Ziva, the team has replaced pose deformations and other muscle techniques with a character software, developed by Sci-Tech award winners, giving them access to new levels of detail and complexity. The Ziva method fundamentally changes the character creation process by combining the effects of real-world physics with the rapid creation of soft-tis- sue materials like muscles, fat and skin. Since Ziva VFX mirrors the properties of nature, based on the rules of biology and biomechanics, artists can produce CG characters that automatically move, flex and jiggle just as they would in real life, removing difficult steps from the rigging process. "Based on the amount of long fur on our heroes, we decided not to go for full anatomical setups. Instead, we used Ziva's software to get efficient volume preservation and fat jiggle," says Thakker. "This helped us achieve the results we wanted in a timely manner, without jumping through a ton of hoops. We achieved nice secondary motions and volume preservation — especially around the thighs, belly, neck, shoulders and ears. Ziva provides a simple, yet robust method to achieve realistic results." Thakker adds, "We've been dreaming about an off-the-shelf tool like this since we opened our doors. Physics-based simulation is the next wave in char- acter animation and Ziva is leading the way." Dancing on Ice 2019 premiered on ITV earlier this year. Watch the 2019 spot online at: https://vimeo.com/fablefx/dancingonice2019. FABLEFX & HU_SH PARTNER FOR 'DANCING ON ICE' PROMO Extension Fablefx is known for its animal work Ziva soware helped in character creation.