Larry Cutler

I'm still trying to figure out the best workflow for this stuff. This is two separate Unreal pyro sims, one on the sword and the other for the ground spread. Normally I would cache this out, but I like rendering with a ton of Temporal Samples in MRQ, but if the sim is cached, it's only cached on integer frames, not sub-frames. So I end up keeping the sim live while I render, but that means that you can get different results depending on how many Temporal Samples you have.  Rendering with 64 Temporal Samples give you substantially different final results than rendering with 16. I'd love it if they added in some volume sharpening.  This is SO low-res, but I can't complain about the zero sim times.

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I'm done faking it! After using the Carve node in Houdini to fake curves sliding through paths, I decided to make a tool that doesn't cull points. I made Trace Curves to actually deform the curves along paths! This allows me to create thread shots way easier! And I'm making it available to all here: https://buff.ly/4dk3FkL #Houdini #3D #Tool #Curves

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Fine-Tuning Image-Conditional Diffusion Models is Easier than You Think 🔔 🔔 🔔 Recent work demonstrated that large diffusion models can be repurposed as precise monocular depth estimators, but high computational demands hindered their practical use. This paper identifies and fixes an unnoticed flaw in the inference pipeline, leading to a model that is over 200x faster while maintaining state-of-the-art performance. Additionally, end-to-end fine-tuning with task-specific losses produces a deterministic model that outperforms existing diffusion-based methods and even shows that similar fine-tuning improves Stable Diffusion’s performance on depth estimation tasks. project: https://lnkd.in/dt4ZVAeW paper: https://lnkd.in/dr8c3D3C code: https://lnkd.in/dN-ayyYC depth demo: https://lnkd.in/dUn57PmW normal demo: https://lnkd.in/ddTS7qAe #DiffusionModels #DepthEstimation #AIOptimization #MonocularDepth #DeepLearning #ModelEfficiency #StableDiffusion #ComputerVision #AIResearch #ZeroShotLearning

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📣 REACTO: Reconstructing Articulated Objects from a Single Video 📣 This paper discusses the challenge of reconstructing 3D articulated objects from single videos, highlighting the limitations of existing dynamic neural radiance fields in modeling piece-wise rigid objects. They introduce Quasi-Rigid Blend Skinning, a novel deformation model that enhances part rigidity while allowing flexible joint deformation, integrating enhanced bone rigging, quasi-sparse skinning weights, and geodesic point assignments. Their approach significantly improves the fidelity of 3D reconstructions of articulated objects, as evidenced by tests on real and synthetic datasets. project: https://lnkd.in/dAk-8qvc github: Code not yet available. paper: https://lnkd.in/d6u7udMR #3DArticulationTech #AdvancedDeformationModel #RigidBlendSkinning #HighFidelity3D #NextGen3DModeling #DynamicNeuralFields #ArticulatedObjectsRecon

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I've seen lately some really cool tutorials about how to export CSV and Alembic data from #Houdini to #PCG graph in Unreal. I was wondering what could be done with #Python remote execution and PCG data assets ( introduced by Epic Games in 5.4 ). I've really liked those PCG data assets lately, really well integrated in #Unreal content browser, and can be read easily as parameters in PCG graphs. Turns out, with a bit of Python and #Blueprints, you can have a live link between Houdini and Unreal and send the points cloud with just one node 😁. I really think that would be super useful to have that built-in the Houdini Engine C++ plugin directly ! ( SideFX Software 😉). More info here: https://lnkd.in/ewJ5a839 #Unreal #Python #PCG #Pipelline #Dev #Houdini # HoudiniEngine #Epic

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AI is not coming for your job. ❌ People who use AI with their traditional skill sets are coming for your job. 😱 At Sombra Labs 🧪  and ALONGSIDE/ Global we believe in merging the worlds of software development with VFX artistry. 🤝 Machine learning combined with the VFX expert arsenal of tools such as Autodesk Flame, Foundry Nuke, Adobe After Effects, and so many more is what will elevate us to the next renaissance of content creation. Here we used SAM2 and Deepmake to recolor our latest Runway Gen 3 test of the amazing Porsche AG Targa 4S in only an hour. We went from green 💚 to ❤️ red seamlessly using AI alpha output combined with Autodesk Flame. Bespoke AI / VFX pipelines are coming and they are coming fast. These tools allow us to color grade, composite and do so many more things 5x faster with 5x the control over segmentation. Exciting days ahead. #ai #genai #runway #vfx

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‘They Say Wisdom Comes To Those Who Wait (Nik Vocals)’ is on #SoundCloud https://lnkd.in/gcbMxw4E     They Say Wisdom Comes To Those Who Wait Vocals, Lyrics, Arrangement, and Production: Nik Bear Brown [Verse] They say wisdom comes to those who wait, But my heart beats fast, can't hesitate. Should I slow down or let it be known? This feeling's too strong to leave alone. But the clock keeps ticking, moments slip away, I can’t keep holding back, not another day. The future's uncertain, but so is the past, And with you, I know, I’m ready to make it last. [Chorus] Only fools rush in, that's what they say, But I'm ready to risk it all today. Take my hand, let's begin, Can't deny this love we're falling in. [Verse] Wondering if staying is the right move, But breaking rules might help us improve. If loving you is wrong, I don't wanna be right, Got me thinking 'bout you day and night. The fire in your eyes, it draws me near, And every doubt I had just disappears. I'll follow this path, no matter how steep, 'Cause in your arms, it's a leap I’m ready to keep. [Chorus] Only fools rush in, that's what they say, But I'm ready to risk it all today. Take my hand, let's begin, Can't deny this love we're falling in. [Verse] Like a river flows straight to the sea, My heart finds its way naturally. Baby, understand, this was meant to be, Two souls connected, you and me. We’re writing our story, page by page, A love so strong, no fear can cage. Through every high and every low, With you, forever, I’ll gladly go. [Chorus] Only fools rush in, that's what they say, But I'm ready to risk it all today. Take my hand, let's begin, Can't deny this love we're falling in. [Verse] Take all of me, I'm giving it all, With you beside me, I'm ready to fall. In this journey of love, let's make it true, 'Cause I can't help falling for you. And if the world crumbles, we’ll stand tall, With you, my love, I’ve got it all. Our hearts beat loud, like a drum so clear, No distance too far, no doubt, no fear. [Chorus] Only fools rush in, that's what they say, But I'm ready to risk it all today. Take my hand, let's begin, Can't deny this love we're falling in. [Outro] So here we are, where love begins, No more holding back, no second winds. With every step, we rise, not fall, For this love, I’d risk it all. #OnlyFoolsRushIn, #NikBearBrown, #LoveSong, #RomanticBallad, #HeartfeltLyrics, #RiskItAll, #LoveAndPassion, #FallingInLove, #TakeMyHand, #EmotionalJourney, #VocalsAndLyrics, #LoveUnchained, #RomanticMusic, #SoulfulBallad, #TimelessLove, #TrueLove, #MusicProduction, #LoveStory, #RelationshipAnthem, #DeepConnection, #LoveAndCourage, #LeapOfFaith, #HeartsCollide, #RomanceInMusic, #EmotionalLove, #HeartOnFire, #StrongLove, #LoveWithoutFear, #RomanticVibes, #ForeverInLove, #StoryOfUs

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I'm excited to share with you all that I've completed the Blueprints for Film and Games class with CG Pro taught by John Waynick. Before this class I knew how to convert a bunch of Static meshes into Blueprints, or convert my Blueprint into a Static mesh...as a VAD Artist I knew I needed to understand how to use BPs to be more effective. This class, lead by John, ushered in a skillset that I wish I had in my toolbelt much earlier. From real-time in-game events to helpful world building techniques, I learned how to make the process of iterating faster, allowing for more creative decisions and how to do things in-game in real time. They taught me how to make better use of UE 5 lighting, how to understand where the performance hits are, and how to avoid them while maintaining the look I wanted to carry over from Look-dev. My personal goal was (and is) to make my passion project video game a reality. This class has helped pave the way for me to do that, and I cant speak highly enough of the experience. If you're on the fence, just do it. You won't regret it.

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