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Posts Tagged ‘Studios’

Disney Research Studios demonstrates automatic face swapping with faster, cheaper AI

21 Jul

Disney Research Studios and ETH Zurich have published a study detailing a new algorithm that is able to swap faces from one subject to another in high-resolution photos and videos. Of note, this system is able to fully automate the face-swapping process, presenting the first instance of megapixel-resolution machine-generated imagery that is ‘temporally coherent’ and photo-realistic.

The new algorithm involves taking the face of a subject and modifying it using the face of another person, blending the two so that the face from one person is presented with the expressions and movements of another.

The system involves a multi-way comb network trained with images of multiple people, as well as a blending method that preserves contrast and lighting. ‘We also show that while progressive training enables generation of high-resolution images,’ the researchers say, ‘extending the architecture and training data beyond two people allows us to achieve higher fidelity in generated expressions.’

Key to the high level of quality is the ‘landmark stabilization algorithm,’ which Disney researchers describe as a ‘crucial’ aspect of dealing with high-resolution content. Though this isn’t the first instance of face-swapping in footage, the study points out that existing methods used to generate characters like the young Carrie Fisher in Rogue One are both time-intensive and quite expensive.

Artificial intelligence has the potential to change this, ultimately enabling creators to rapidly generate computer characters using live-action footage and input images of the target. Generating realistic faces remains a big problem, however, producing what is referred to as the ‘uncanny valley’ look that limits the use of this tech.

This makes Disney’s new technology particularly exciting, teasing a future in which creators will be able to generate photo-realistic, high-resolution, temporally-stable face swaps between two people. The researchers explain:

As our system is also capable of multi-way swaps — allowing any pair of performances and appearances in our data to be swapped — the possible benefits to visual effects are extensive, all at a fraction of the time and expense required using more traditional methods.

The study compares the face-swapping results from this new method to the results from existing algorithms, including DeepFaceLab and DeepFakes. Though the other algorithms were able to produce casually convincing results, they were unable to pass scrutiny and, in some cases, were either excessively blended or outright bizarre and uncanny.

This batch represents instances of failed face swapping

In comparison, the face swaps generated using the new method were realistic and maintained a high level of sharpness and detail at a 1024 x 1024 resolution, bypassing the soft, blurry results often seen when using DeepFakes. As well, the researchers note that DeepFakes has such heavy processing requirements that it was only able to generate a resolution of 128 x 128 pixels using an 11GB GPU.

When using morphable models, the researchers were able to increase the resolution to 500 x 500 pixels, but the results were typically unrealistic. Beyond that, the researchers were forced to train the conventional models for each pair of face swaps whereas the new algorithm could be simultaneously trained for all of the people used for the various face swaps.

However, the study points out that the new algorithm presents one big limitation also experienced by other, more conventional methods: the original head shape is maintained. Though the face swap may be very realistic, the face itself may not match the head shape properly, resulting in a generated character that looks a bit ‘off’ from what is expected.

Future research may result in a method for transferring the subject’s head shape in addition to their face, producing not only photo-realistic results, but also the correct overall appearance for a digitally-recreated actor. The biggest obvious use for this technology is in film and television, enabling studios to quickly and cheaply (relatively speaking) create 3D models of aging or deceased actors.

This technology joins a growing body of research on face-swapping and model-generating algorithms that focus on still images rather than videos. NVIDIA, for example, published a study in late 2018 that demonstrated the generation of photo-realistic portraits of AI models that involved source and target images of real people.

Around a year later, the same company published new research that performed a similar face swap, but one involving dogs instead of humans. We’ve already seen the use of these various AI technologies reach the consumer level — Let’s Enhance 2.0, for example, recently introduced a new feature that utilizes machine learning to reconstruct the faces of subjects in low-resolution images.

As for the new study from Disney Research Studios and ETH Zurich, the full paper (PDF) can be found on Disney’s website here.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Capture One Studio launched to add automation for high volume studios

14 Jun

Phase One has launched a new version of its Capture One image editing software application that is designed to assist workflow processes in busy studio environments. Capture One Studio allows central control for operations that use multiple photographers shooting high volumes of images that need to be edited and catalogued as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The application is highly customizable, and allows certain tools to be locked off and others to be set up to be consistent across the whole studio. New automatic processes can color-correct, name images, store them and send them for back-up as they leave a tethered camera, while scripts can be created to determine processing paths and issues such as sizing, cropping and output destinations.

Businesses will be able to create on-screen guide lines and grid lines to ensure compositions suit specific layouts which can be shared to all photographers and which can be exported and used in Adobe’s Photoshop as well. Capture Pilot will also be able to display these custom guides and grids so composition can be checked remotely on a tablet or smartphone.

The company says that Capture One Studio can be tailored for individual businesses, and that its experts come as part of the service to help set up the software and to maintain it. For more information see the Capture One website.

Press release:

Capture One launches Capture One Studio

An all-new, customizable, and automation-ready solution for today’s high-volume photo environments; It is Capture One performance at scale

COPENHAGEN, June 13th, 2019: Capture One, the world’s premier name in image processing software, has announced a new product: Capture One Studio. With capabilities that focus on efficiency at scale, workflow management, and automation, Capture One Studio brings all the power, flexibility, and unbeatable quality of Capture One to an enterprise level production unlike anything else.

Capture One Studio adds new features backed by scriptable enhancements and advanced automation technologies, allowing anyone to build custom workflows. There is native barcode scanner support for error-free and expedited data entry; backup on capture for automatic data redundancy; workspace and tool locks to prevent errors; advanced guides for precision set-up of brand guidelines; Capture Pilot enhancements to aid collaborative workflow, and more.

“We’re excited to present the first ever photo editing and asset management solution specifically designed for high-powered workflows and multi-user teams.” said Jan Hyldebrandt-Larsen, VP Software Business at Phase One. “Developed together with leading e-commerce and high-end brands, Capture One Studio merges industry-leading photo editing tools with automation technology, accurate color profiling, and advanced asset management to meet the specific needs of fast-paced photo production, and eliminate the costly mistakes and time-consuming processes holding studios back.”

Building on Capture One’s industry-leading standards of precision and quality, Capture One Studio’s robust new offering allows brand and studio operations to be easily managed, offering greater efficiency across the board, and higher ROI. Saving time on arduous processes enable the team to focus on photography and deliver the best possible images.

The pressure to create more content is relentless, and it has to work across multiple channels, be on-brand, original, personalized, and timely. Studios must be incredibly efficient to manage that level of demand, rethinking processes, and implementing the best tools. The right software collaboration can be critical to ensuring brand consistency and performance. This level software is not only about the system capabilities that enable efficiency and reduce administrative burden, but also the end-to-end experience, which includes premium support and consultancy.

Capture One Studio is a strategic partner that allows services to accommodate the various people in the organization, from creatives to studio staff, management and business.

By combining the very best software and support solutions, Capture One Studio makes for an unbeatable imaging solution for your organization, whether a 10-person studio or 100-person team. Capture One Studio is built to scale and deliver new workflow opportunities for your business, and the endless possibilities for bespoke solutions make Capture One Studio both time and cost saving.

Capture One Studio – Feature Set

Automation Technology
A powerful scripting language allows you to customize actions, streamline data entry and build intuitive workflows that align perfectly with your team’s needs. (Mac only)

A single license key
Easily add and remove users with a centralized license system and eliminate extra costs due to staff turnaround. Accurately forecast expenses with a pay-as-you-go subscription model.

Advanced Guides and Grid
Create Guides as presets for faster work. Transfer guides in the processed files for quality assurance approval or include them as Photoshop guides when exporting to PSD, so retouchers and other users stay compliant with the master specification.

Create guides and grids as presets for faster work and utilize them in Photoshop. Streamline multi-user workflows and minimize composition mistakes when multiple team members work on the same image.

Sync Grids, Guides, and Overlays with the Capture Pilot app
Capture Pilot integration for Grids, Guides, and Overlays allow multiple team members to remotely, review composition, and sizing specifications during shoots, while clients can pick their favorite shots off-set.

Native Barcode Scanner support
Save endless man hours and redefine your workflow as a hands-free experience by connecting a barcode scanner to automatically name captures as you shoot. Mac users can script actions to further enhance the scanning workflow.

Next Capture Metadata and Next Capture Keywords
Accelerate workflows and reduce data entry with new tools for applying metadata ahead of the shot during tethered shooting. Combine the tools with barcode scanners and spreadsheets to instantly scan metadata. (Mac only)

Backup on capture
Reduce risk, save on back-up software costs and protect your assets as you shoot with automatic back-up from a tethered camera to a chosen destination.

Studio workspaces
Our dedicated team of experts delivers customizable workspaces and craft the ultimate workflows to match your organization’s productivity needs.

Workspace and Tool locks
Prevent users from altering the interface with Workspace and Tool locks and an admin pin lock for extra security. Eliminate costly interruptions and ensure compliance across multi-user workflows.

Color reproduction and color profiling (Canon and Nikon Only)
Reduce editing time and save on retoucher costs with fine-tuned color profiling for the most popular e-commerce cameras. Minimize color discrepancies and meet the demands of specialist product photography with more accurate colors out of the box.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Prefab Office Pods: 14 Studios & Workspaces Made For Your Backyard

30 Aug

[ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Offices & Commercial. ]

backyard studio sett 1

A backyard refuge to work, practice, paint or meditate separates you from the activities inside your home and gives you prime views of your backyard, garden or urban rooftop space. Adding a freestanding room can be as simple as having a fully-assembled prefab volume plunked right onto your property, and you can often customize them your ideal interior configurations, windows, built-in furniture and surfaces. Order one of these ready-to-go options, or use them as inspiration to build your own.

Prefabs by InOutside

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A wood-clad cube with one corner entirely consisting of glass, the ‘Cooba’ by InOutside is a prefab modern room that’s ready to be dropped into your backyard as a studio, office or guest space. It starts at just over $ 15K (AUS) and when there’s easy access to the site, it can be delivered pre-assembled, requiring no concrete foundation or special equipment.

House Arc by Bellomo Architects

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A modular system of bent steel tubes serves as the basis of ‘House Arc’, an unusually shaped rehab designed with environmental sensitivity in mind. It’s got a lattice screen roof providing a bit of shade and interest, rounded ends , translucent panels to let in light, and sliding glass doors. It’s made to be fully off-the-grid, can be flat-packed and shipped in a box that’s barely larger than that of a typical IKEA bed frame, and weighs 3000 pounds when complete.

Modular Library Studio by 3rd Space

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Is this the coolest backyard room of all time? 3rd Space didn’t just add an office to the garden of a literature professor in Oxfordshire – they gave her an entire private library, with floor-to-ceiling windows and walls lined with books. The prefab system can really be used for anything, but the custom shelving really makes this unit special.

Green Roof Garden Studio by Eco Space

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Vertical slats and optional green roofs add a whole lot of charm to Ecospace studios and their smaller models, including the medium-sized MidiPod. Based in the UK, Ecospace offers a sustainable and affordable alternative to a fixed addition. These studios are flexible and modular so they can be tailored, reconfigured or extended. The WorkPod is the smallest of all, built for a single user with a typical installation time of just 5 days.

The LoftCube

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No backyard to work with? How about a roof? The Loft Cube functions like a ready-to-go rooftop extension and ranges in size from a modest 365 square foot volume, which requires no building permits in its home nation of Belgium, to a volume that’s plenty large enough to live in at over 900 square feet. You can even stack the cubes on top of each other to create a larger dwelling.

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Prefab Office Pods 14 Studios Workspaces Made For Your Backyard

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[ By SA Rogers in Architecture & Offices & Commercial. ]

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Red Ink: 10 Closed & Abandoned Tattoo Parlors, Studios & Shops

24 Jul

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

abandoned tattoo shop 1a
Tattoos and tattooists have made their mark on society – pun intended – but what happens to your neighborhood tattoo parlor when the ink finally runs dry?

abandoned tattoo shop 1b

Sure, drive-thru is a convenient option for those visiting banks and fast food joints but tattoos? Permanent body decoration is something that shouldn’t be rushed, amiright? Obviously someone didn’t think things through before opening the Outlaw “Drive-In” Tattoo parlor in Tucumcari, New Mexico. As if Route 66 couldn’t get much cheesier and/or sleazier… wonder how many drivers got their kicks engraved all quick & easy-like while Outlaw Tattoo was open? Kudos to Todd Longwood of A Love Of Two Brains for chancing upon this remarkable discovery in late 2013.

Jersey Sore

abandoned tattoo shop 2

It’s not impossible the infamous Snooki visited this abandoned tattoo parlor in Browns Mills, New Jersey before it bit the proverbial biscuit – one fervently hopes they sterilized the equipment immediately afterwards, ideally from orbit.

OOZ Next?

abandoned tattoo shop 9

Flickr user lungstruck snapped the above closed tattoo parlor in Kent, Ohio on March 6th of 2009. Seems even inebriated college students couldn’t keep this colorful operation afloat. Then again, calling your tattoo studio “TATTOOZ” may have been unwise – who wants tattoos that ooze from a place called TATTOOZ? Besides Xzibit, that is.

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Red Ink 10 Closed Abandoned Tattoo Parlors Studios Shops

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Pop-Up Office: 14 Modern Mobile Studios for Creatives

18 Feb

[ By Steph in Architecture & Offices & Commercial. ]

mobile office observatory 1

Whether you’re an artist looking to work in the most inspiring environment possible or just want to break beyond the cubicle, these mobile and pop-up offices offer adaptability, portability and access to optimal daylight levels.

Volkswagen T6 Mobile Office
mobile offices volkswagen t6

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Volkswagen’s bizarre-looking T6 is a mobile office in the most literal sense – it’s a van and workspace in one. The idea is that you wouldn’t have to miss a moment of work time while commuting, but this design – which features a meeting area as well as a personal cubicle – might be even better suited to parking somewhere pretty and enjoying the view out of those big round windows.

Observatory Modern Artist Residence

studio

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These mobile ‘observatory’ studios are perfect for creative work with their massive glazed walls opening up to whatever landscape is deemed desirable for the work at hand. Designed by four graduate students from the English design firm Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, these two small timber structures sit on prefabricated swiveling bases so they can be moved even once they’re transported via flat-bed truck to their destination.

SPACE Shipping Container Office

mobile office shipping container 1

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The SPACE shipping container office by Metalab is made up of a reclaimed shipping container with a fold-out solar rack system. It’s designed for rapid deployment so it could function as an emergency relief office, but also as a park ranger’s station or an everyday work space in areas where access to the power grid isn’t available.

Mobile All-in-One Office Unit

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This office-within-an-office makes it easy to maintain a comfortable, modern, minimalist workspace no matter where your office might be physically located -even if it’s a dreary warehouse. THe Paco all-in-one unit by Jo Nagasaka + Schemata Architecture Office is a white cube with a roof that opens up to allow interaction with the world outside, but offers privacy when closed. The interior is fitted with a hammock, a table and even a bathroom.

Comic Book Style Pop-Up Office
mobile office comic book style

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

This fun pop-up office turns a display window into a creative comic-book inspired workspace, showcasing local artists in London to entertain passersby. Employees of the Weiden + Kennedy ad agency took turns working in the window at the company’s headquarters. Most of the office is made of paper and cardboard in stark black and white, and some elements are kinetic, like a phone that rocks as if it’s ringing and a clock that runs backwards.

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Pop Up Office 14 Modern Mobile Studios For Creatives

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Commercial Break: 8 Abandoned TV Stations & Studios

16 Feb

[ By Steve in Abandoned Places & Architecture. ]

abandoned TV station SR Gothenburg 1
The golden age of television has long since passed, especially for these 8 abandoned TV stations whose cameras have permanently put on their lens caps.

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The Sveriges Radio TV building in Gothenburg, Sweden opened in 1970 – the same year Swedish TV began broadcasting in color. We’re assuming the novelty wore off, as by the end of the decade the building had been abandoned to the depredations of squatters, salvagers and the unavoidable swing of the wrecking ball.

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How Swede is was, now not so much. Kudos to Flickr user Rolfen who visited the decrepit SR television studios (or “TV-house”, as he puts it) in May of 2009.

KVVV-vvv…

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Based in Friendswood, Texas and broadcasting to the metro Houston area, KVVV-TV was an independent television station that opened in February of 1968. A money-losing proposition from the get-go, the station fired most of its staff by the end of ’68 and finally shut down entirely on August 31st of 1969. The station may not have broadcasted for long but its studio building is still hanging in there, though after decades of vandalism hanging’s probably too good for it. Full props to urban explorers UER for recently posting some screencaps from their must-see video of the extremely decrepit ex-station.

Southern Discomfort

abandoned TV station WTVY 1

abandoned TV station WTVY 2

WTVY is a CBS-affiliated television station from Dothan, Alabama, that began broadcasting on channel 4 in 1960. In 1978 the station moved to new digs in Bethlehem, Florida where its 2,035 ft tall transmission tower is still the tallest in the state. Meanwhile, WTVY’s old studio building and much-faded kitschy Sixties sign molder away, slowly succumbing to the relentless march of scrub brush and kudzu.

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Commercial Break 8 Abandoned Tv Stations Studios

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Small Spaces Make Super Studios!

25 Oct

Home is where the heart is. Home is wherever you lay your hat. And home is a great place to snap some awesome photos!

We’ve gathered up five inexpensive and impermanent ways to transform little home spaces into the perfect settings for pictures.

You don’t need a lot of square footage. You just need a little creativity.

So whether you want your own homemade photography studio or just want to take better photos in your home as it is, these tips will help make your room of choice photo-ready!

Stay in Your PJs and Shoot from Home (…)
Read the rest of Small Spaces Make Super Studios! (519 words)


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Hollywood studios strike deal to keep Kodak movie film in production

31 Jul

A group of big name Hollywood directors has nudged studio executives into talks with Kodak, negotiating a deal that would keep the company’s movie film in production. With support from the likes of Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan, and J.J. Abrams, the deal would see studios commit to buying a certain amount of film from Kodak for the next few years. Read more

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Boneyard Studios: Vacant Lot Hosts New Micro-Home Village

19 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

boneyard studios night view

In a bold bid to change urban landscapes, a series of tiny home builders and enthusiasts has come together to turn empty space into a microcosmic example of what small-space living can mean for dense and high-cost cities like Washington D.C.

boneyard studios logo banner

boneyard corner lot approach

boneyard studios construction progress

Starting with a small, awkward and triangular alley lot the Boneyard Studios group proceeded to clear the debris build a series of four small homes. “The lot originally had overgrown grass, broken concrete, pooling water, garbage, illegal parking, and occasional criminal activity (e.g. a dumped stolen vehicle).” 

boneyard jay exterior front

boneyard jay projector view

boneyard daytime solar panels

Brian’s Minim House is clean, refined and modern featuring minimalist details, wood siding with black metal trim and a metal roof with solar panels. It also has interior features like in-seat storage and a pull-down screen for a space-saving projector television and video player.

boneyard elaine wood interior

boneyard elaine exterior view

Elaine’s Tumbleweed Lusby is framed and filled with warm wood, feeling as much like a cabin in the woods as it does a cottage in the city. It comes complete with a bamboo ladder leading up to a cozy lofted sleeping space.

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Boneyard Studios Vacant Lot Hosts New Micro Home Village

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FREEDOM CONCERT 2009 – Billy Ray Cyrus – “Some Gave All” – 16×9 Films – Fallbrook Digital Studios

21 Dec

“Some Gave All” performed by Billy Ray Cyrus in honor of American Veterans. Featuring Sherman Gillums, Jr., on stage. Sherman is a father of two children who began his Marine Corps career in 1990 at age 17. During his 12-year career he has served as a forensic photographer, drill instructor, and close-combat instructor-trainer. His service achievements include two commendation medals, an achievement medal, meritorious promotion to staff sergeant, and commission to the rank of Warrant Officer in 2000. His military career ended due to a car accident in 2002. He followed new pursuits in life after a year of physical therapy and rehabilitation, working first as the Cal-Diego Paralyzed Veterans Associations newsletter editor then on the Chapters board of directors. In 2004, he accepted a position with Paralyzed Veterans of America as a service officer where he prosecuted disability claims on behalf of veterans at the San Diego VA Regional Office and Board of Veterans Appeals in Washington DC, and currently serves as President of Cal-Diego PVA. 16x9films.com, Produced by Steve Shelden.
Video Rating: 5 / 5