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a blog of links related to computer animation and production technology Sponsored by ReelMatters.com
Year: 2024
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Vahan Sosoyan MakeHDR – an OpenFX open source plug-in for merging multiple LDR images into a single HDRI
https://github.com/Sosoyan/make-hdr
Feature notes
- Merge up to 16 inputs with 8, 10 or 12 bit depth processing
- User friendly logarithmic Tone Mapping controls within the tool
- Advanced controls such as Sampling rate and Smoothness
Available at cross platform on Linux, MacOS and Windows Works consistent in compositing applications like Nuke, Fusion, Natron.
NOTE: The goal is to clean the initial individual brackets before or at merging time as much as possible.
This means:- keeping original shooting metadata
- de-fringing
- removing aberration (through camera lens data or automatically)
- at 32 bit
- in ACEScg (or ACES) wherever possible
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Meta’s Quest headsets add spatial video and pinch controls to compete with Vision Pro
https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/1/24058088/meta-quest-3-spatial-video-vision-pro
The spatial video support will allow wearers to view 3D footage captured with Apple’s headset or an iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max.
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Tim Peters – the Zen of Python
A Zen of Python is a list of 19 guiding principles for writing beautiful code. Zen of Python was written by Tim Peters and later added to Python.
Here is how you can access the Zen of Python.
import this
print(this)Output:
The Zen of Python, by Tim Peters
- Beautiful is better than ugly.
- Explicit is better than implicit.
- Simple is better than complex.
- Complex is better than complicated.
- Flat is better than nested.
- Sparse is better than dense.
- Readability counts.
- Special cases aren’t special enough to break the rules.
- Although practicality beats purity.
- Errors should never pass silently.
- Unless explicitly silenced.
- In the face of ambiguity, refuse the temptation to guess.
- There should be one– and preferably only one –obvious way to do it.
- Although that way may not be obvious at first unless you’re Dutch.
- Now is better than never.
- Although never is often better than *right* now.
- If the implementation is hard to explain, it’s a bad idea.
- If the implementation is easy to explain, it may be a good idea.
- Namespaces are one honking great idea — let’s do more of those!
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Goga Tandashvili – bas-relief master
@moltenimmersiveart Goga Tandashvili is a master of the art of Bas-Relief. Using this technique, he creates stunning figures that are slightly raised from a flat surface, bringing scenes inspired by the natural world to life. #Art #Artists #GogaTandashvili #BasReliefSculpture #ArtInspiredByNature #ImpressionistArt #BasRelief #Sculptures #Sculptor #Molten #MoltenArt #MoltenImmersiveArt #MoltenAffect #Curation #Curator #ArtCuration #ArtCurator #DorothyDiStefano ♬ original sound – Molten Immersive Art -
Tim Bowman – Compositing best practices
https://hellothisistim.com/blog/comp-rules/
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- Rule 1: Keep it simple.
- Rule 2: Faster is better.
- Rule 3: Build trust.
- Rule 4: You won’t be the last person to work on it.
- Rule 5: Check your work.
- Rule 6: Every rule has an exception.
- Rule 7: Facilitate changes.
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Alan Friedman Takes Stunning Hi-Res Photographs of the Sun in His Backyard
https://www.boredpanda.com/high-resolution-sun-pictures-alan-friedman/
https://avertedimagination.squarespace.com/
He uses a small (3 ½” aperture) telescope with a Hydrogen Alpha filter and an industrial webcam to capture the surface of the Sun, which looks surprisingly calm and fluffy in the incredible photos.
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This Vox article is OpenAI training data – How AI is holding the internet hostage and media is no exception
- Pros of AI Chatbots:
- Efficiency and Accessibility: AI chatbots can handle a large volume of queries simultaneously, providing quick and consistent responses, which is beneficial for customer service and support.
- 24/7 Availability: Unlike human operators, chatbots are available around the clock, ensuring that users can get assistance at any time.
- Cost-Effective: Implementing chatbots can reduce operational costs for businesses by minimizing the need for large customer service teams.
- Personalization and Scalability: Advanced AI can offer personalized responses and scale effortlessly to meet demand.
- Cons of AI Chatbots:
- Bias and Misinformation: AI chatbots can inadvertently propagate biases present in their training data, leading to inaccurate or offensive responses.
- Lack of Human Touch: Chatbots may struggle to understand and respond appropriately to nuanced human emotions and complex queries, potentially frustrating users.
- Technical Limitations: While AI is advancing, chatbots can still make errors and provide incorrect information, which can undermine user trust.
- Environmental Impact: Training and running large AI models consume significant energy, contributing to carbon emissions and environmental concerns.
The deployment of AI chatbots raises significant ethical concerns. Biases in training data can lead to the generation of skewed or harmful content, posing risks to users and undermining trust in AI systems. Additionally, the potential misuse of AI chatbots for spreading misinformation and the environmental impact of training large AI models are critical issues that require attention.
The trajectory of AI chatbot development points towards increasingly sophisticated and generalized AI capabilities. As research progresses towards Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), the potential applications of AI chatbots are expected to expand further, encompassing more complex and nuanced tasks. However, achieving AGI will require addressing current ethical and technical challenges to ensure the responsible development and deployment of AI technologies.
- Pros of AI Chatbots:
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Elon Musk on the universe being the answer
“The real problem is trying to formulate a question for something we do not know already”
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CupiX Vista – reconstruct environments from off the shelf 360 cameras
CupixVista is a new Al that can convert 360° video footage into the 3D map and virtual tour.
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