IBM & Threshold create animation and visual FX solutions

IBM and Threshold Digital Research Labs are to expand their work together to create next-generation digital animation studio capabilities.
At the heart of the deal is IBM’s “On Demand” technology, which enables animation production facilities to be infinitely scalable.
The technology puts horsepower into the hands of animators and producers when they need it allowing for high quality, high-speed production at controllable costs.
These capabilities will enable Threshold to simultaneously produce a number of computer-animated movies, location based entertainment, prime time TV animation and visual effects for feature films.
“IBM's goal is to be the best technology supplier to the Industry. We are taking the next step in evolving the way digitally animated movies are made by making animation more effective, faster and on demand. We are applying the latest in on-demand infrastructures, and establishing capabilities that can be exploited by the entire industry,” said Dick Anderson, General Manager IBM Media & Entertainment and Digital Media.
"We are partnering with Threshold because we saw a tremendous opportunity to team up with an innovative company with a history of exploiting the flexibility and power of open standards based computing technology."
The collaborative project will deploy IBM Digital Content Creation solutions, comprised of IntelliStation workstations running on Linux, as well as industry leading eServer BladeCenter and xSeries 440 systems. The IBM BladeCenter represents the densest computing system available and has become the system of choice for many visual effects firms who require ever increasing computing power to deliver the jaw-dropping special effects that theatre-goers have come to expect. The effort will also help to shape IBM's industry leading work in variable processing infrastructures - to provide render cycles in a shared service model.
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