Sure, Toy Story was the first feature film to boast a computer-generated cast. But what's the next step in the chain of digital evolution? According to Montreal-based TFX Animation Inc., it's The Boxer, an animated short that features the most photo-realistic humans ever to emerge from a hard drive. The pugilistic pic is particularly notable for characters' flowing hair and garments.
Company president Pierre Lachapelle said the convincing choreography comes courtesy of live actors hooked up to motion- capture gear. Parent company Taarna Studios Inc. has spun off a subsidiary, Digits 'n Arts Software Inc., to market the proprietary software used to create The Boxer. First up: Flesh, a US$10,000 3-D paint program.
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