Extra! Extra! This week's animation news, hot off the press...

Adobe offers glimpse into technologies and tools coming soon

Every year at Adobe MAX, details of in-development technology and tools are revealed, which may or may not become real features.

2017 was no different, with Adobe deciding to showcase the extensive capabilities of its artificial intelligence and machine learning platform Sensei.

Potential applications include Lincoln for data visualisation, Cloak for removing unwanted objects from video, and Project Quick 3D for sketch-based modelling.

Autodesk releases update for Flame 2018 family

Autodesk has released a third update for its Flame 2018 family of 3D visual effects and finishing software, which includes Flame, Flare, Flame Assist, and Lustre.

Flame 2018.3 promises to deliver new and more efficient ways of working in post, with feature enhancements that offer greater speed, support, and flexibility.

“Flame continues to be the top editorial and VFX solution out there, and 2018.3 is one of the best releases yet," says Out of House VFX Artist David Stern.

Atoms Crowd by ToolChefs enables crowd simulations with Maya and Houdini

ToolChefs has unveiled a new crowd simulation tool, which is interoperable between Maya and Houdini and compatible with RenderMan, V-Ray and Arnold.

Atoms Crowd differs to other options as it's a standalone framework, offering support for multiple 3D packages and giving the user full control on every aspect of the simulation process.

The main features include skeletal animation, six types of agents (four humans, a dog, and a cat), and over 300 motion clips.

Corona Renderer 1.7 for Autodesk 3ds Max promises 100 percent speed boost

With the release of Corona Renderer 1.7 for Autodesk 3ds, you can enjoy a 100 percent speed boost thanks to the integration of V-Ray's DMC sampler.

New functionality also includes a collection of over 300 materials, support for major hair and fur rendering tools, and dedicated shaders for skin and hair.

"In this release we focus on massive rendering speedups, accelerating your workflow, and making your 3D people look amazingly realistic," says Tom Grimes, Coroner Renderer.

Jumbla extends Melbourne animation internship

Jumbla will extend its pro-bono work in 2018 by offering animation services to a range of Australian charities.

The videos will be created as part of Jumbla's internship program, which provides six recent graduates the opportunity to work in-studio with some of the nation's top short-form animators.

Interested in applying? Visit our internship blog for everything you need to know.