Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1256765
REMOTE WORKFLOWS www.postmagazine.com 26 POST MAY/JUNE 2020 The Molecule using virtual workstations to stay connected NEW YORK CITY — Boutique VFX studio The Molecule (www. themolecule. com), which is headquartered in New York, with a second location in Los Angeles, has long embraced Amazon Web Services (AWS) to render complex CG shots with cloud-based resources. The studio specializes in episodic television, having delivered shots for Ballers, Billions and Happy!, while also contributing to the occasional feature, such as The Report. So when the time came to find a solution that would allow artists to work from home, they looked at AWS-powered virtual workstations. "We already built a VPC (virtual private cloud) on AWS for rendering, so linking our artists to virtual workstations wasn't a far leap," explains The Molecule's founder, Chris Healer. "The goal was to create a secure, in-home experience that closely matched being in the studio. We also found that by using virtual workstations, we could more easily give artists access to powerful machines equipped to handle the complex particle simulations required to create effects like smoke, fire and liquid. Rather than investing in new 96-core, 1TB RAM machines, our artists can log into AWS, work, log off and pow- er down." The Molecule currently has nearly 40 users on virtual workstations with AWS, a setup that has laid the groundwork to scale with demand. They run on the US East AWS datacenter and are connected to The Molecule's Manhattan headquarters via VPC. "We've been in the VFX industry for 15 years and, in that time, built seven office spaces across different cities, refining our setup each time," notes Healer. "Even with key learnings, you can't exactly replicate a local system. With AWS, we've built a virtualized setup that's well-documented so that it can be recreated and deployed in any region. We change and upgrade our AMI (Amazon Machine Image) daily, and implementing a change compa- ny-wide is easy. I'm familiar with other remote VFX workflows but have yet to see one that offers a level of customization as high as AWS." Historically, The Molecule purchased physical machines in batches of ten or more, requiring sizable upfront invest- ment. Virtualizing its workstations has given the studio access to increased GPU power as their work requires it and for an hourly cost. To date, the studio has deployed various AWS virtual workstation con- figurations, including G4 instances, which feature Nvidia T4 GPUs and Quadro technology, and are opti- mized for VFX and animation workflows. Linux-based virtual workstations are used to run Autodesk Maya, Foundry Nuke, SynthEyes and Boris FX's Mocha. Autodesk Shotgun production management software and custom in-house tools complete the pipeline. Additionally, The Molecule taps local Mac worksta- tions when creating content in Adobe tools like After Effects. Storage is hosted on-premises in the New York studio and connected to AWS over VPN. When artists return to The Molecule's physical studios, Healer envisions using AWS virtual worksta- tions to extend the life of on-premises hardware. "We have a lot of previous generation computers, so being able to stream a powerful machine, like a G4 instance, on an older workstation with AWS extends their shelf life, giving us far more ROI," says Healer. "Having the flexibility to scale to service peak moments, and hire artists who can't physically come into the office is also a huge value add for us." Vortechs' James Longeretta (top, center) hosts the Los Angeles-based rental company's weekly virtual staff meeting. Vortechs (www.digi- talvortechs.com) started as an Avid rental house and today supports editing teams based at major studios and independent production companies. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company has set up systems inside the homes of dozens of editors and employed remote collaboration and communication tools that allow them to access data and share work with clients and other members of their teams. "It's go- ing to change the way people work," says Longeretta of remote work- flow technologies. "Editors, like most people, would like to spend more time with their families. If technology allows them to do more of the work from home, they are going to love it." The Molecule's artist row Chris Healter