The future of
virtual characters at

sundance film
festival 2018

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a new view into ziva

Ziva Dynamics joined forces with the innovation leaders at Intel to showcase the future of character FX at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

In an immersive VR demonstration, festival attendees got up close and personal with the Ziva simulation technology and advanced Intel computational hardware that are powering the industry's leading CG characters.


Ziva and the new creative

Together, we're opening the doors for creative teams of all sizes to create remarkable, block-buster results. Watch as Michael Smit, CCO at Ziva Dynamics explains the future of character FX and how Ziva is changing the game for all creatives.

“Our job is to help get the amazing experience imagined
by the creator out for the world to enjoy."

- Alyson Griffin, vice president of global marketing at Intel

“Ziva is leveling the playing field for independent filmmakers and aspirational filmmakers to create content in a way that would never have been imaginable before..."

- Rick Hack, Media & Entertainment
Partnerships at Intel


The Intel Tech Lodge

Ziva had the distinct privilege of contributing to Intel’s showcase. This multi-day venue also included volumetric capture technology, facial detection software, Sansar’s world-building experiences, an Intel drones demonstration, and Spheres, the three-part VR black hole series written by Eliza McNitt and produced by Darren Aronofsky's Protozoa Pictures.

In the Experience

the"kaiju" for pacific rim uprising (2018) by Double Negative

"DNEG constructed the Kaiju at a vast scale, and they required the greatest amount of anatomical detail we have ever been asked to produce. Bio-engineered by an alien race, the Kaiju’s anatomy is comprised of a variety of structures—bone, muscle, fascia, skin, sub-dermal plates and bony spikes—all arranged to create a formidable array of organic weaponry and fight the human-piloted super machines called Jaegers. 

The Oscar®-winning development team behind the Ziva Dynamics technology proved a natural partner for DNEG. Ziva Dynamics software allowed our talented Creature Artists to build sophisticated computer simulations to bring these spectacular Kaiju to life. By leveraging multiple Intel cores on the Artist’s computers, the Ziva simulation software was able to complete the Kaiju's sophisticated anatomy simulations faster than other leading software solutions."

– Theo Facey, Global Head of Creature Department at Double Negative

Double Negative / DNEG Logo

Creating the"kaiju" for pacific rim uprising (2018)
by Double Negative

Developing the monstrous Kaiju for Legendary’s upcoming “Pacific Rim Uprising” presented an incredible opportunity for Academy Award®-winning VFX company Double Negative (DNEG)—in partnership with Ziva Dynamics and Intel—to push the technology envelope even further. 

DNEG constructed the Kaiju at a vast scale, and they required the greatest amount of anatomical detail we have ever been asked to produce. Bio-engineered by an alien race, the Kaiju’s anatomy is comprised of a variety of structures—bone, muscle, fascia, skin, sub-dermal plates and bony spikes—all arranged to create a formidable array of organic weaponry and fight the human-piloted super machines called Jaegers. 

The Oscar®-winning development team behind the Ziva Dynamics technology proved a natural partner for DNEG. Ziva Dynamics software allowed our talented Creature Artists to build sophisticated computer simulations to bring these spectacular Kaiju to life. By leveraging multiple Intel cores on the Artist’s computers, the Ziva simulation software was able to complete the Kaiju's sophisticated anatomy simulations faster than other leading software solutions.  

With Intel and Ziva at the core of our Creature Pipeline, DNEG is rapidly unlocking new production technology pathways to creating higher quality visuals. This allows us to provide our clients with an unprecedented level of art direction and allows audiences to enjoy the content we produce in a variety of exciting experiences—from high-end theatrical productions to real-time virtual and augmented reality systems.


– Theo Facey, Global Head of Creature Department at Double Negative

Proto Max

Users could interact with Ziva's flagship virtual anatomy with Proto Max, an interactive human representation of our most advanced character sim tech.

Max and his physics-abiding anatomy is being used to drive countless bipedal characters in films and games.

Zeke the Lion

The weight, power, and detail of Ziva's leading quadruped, Zeke, was experienced unlike ever before in the Virtual Ziva & Intel Experience.

Learn more about Zeke on the
Lion Case Study Page.

In the news

More Ziva News
The Intel® Xeon® Servers
expand creative capacity and potential
“We wanted to demonstrate to visitors that by using our character physics simulation software coupled with Intel’s Xeon architecture, it’s possible to bring amazing virtual characters to life for any kind of storytelling,” 

– James Jacobs, Co-CEO & Founder at Ziva Dynamics
X 20
2,354%
Capacity
The multi-core Intel Xeon 8164 Server allows for over 20 parallel simulations, freeing capacity while increasing overall simulation speeds.

This new standard of hardware has enabled Ziva to accelerate technology growth and rapidly create better, faster characters.
Intel Workstation
INTEL i7-4870HQ
32 GB RAM 8 CPU @ 2.5 GHz
24 Frames in 136 Minutes
Intel Xeon Platinum
8164 Server
768 GB RAM
208 CPU @ 2.00 Ghz
480 Frames in 111 Minutes
via 20 parallel simulations
↑ 18.5% FASTER
↑ 2,354% CAPACITY

We bElieve in Characters

Get up close and personal with Ziva tech at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Everyone is welcome to experience the new standard for character FX.