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Academy Software Foundation Curates Open Source Track at FMX, April 23-26 AnnouncementsBlogOpen Review InitiativeOther

Academy Software Foundation Curates Open Source Track at FMX, April 23-26

FMX, the annual Film & Media Exchange Conference, is returning to Stuttgart, Germany from April 23-26. One of the world’s leading conferences dedicated to animation, visual effects, and interactive media, FMX brings together industry leaders to share the latest creative and technological developments impacting pipelines, business models, and the artistic…
Academy Software Foundation
April 10, 2024
Open Source Projects Help to Empower Artists for a Memorable Hollywood Awards Season ASWF ProjectsBlogMembers

Open Source Projects Help to Empower Artists for a Memorable Hollywood Awards Season

This year’s industry awards, from the Oscars to the Emmys to the BAFTAs and beyond, have recognized a range of eye-popping VFX-driven and animated stories. In film, some of the nominated projects include the futuristic sci-fi battles of The Creator, the multi-colored multiverses of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the death-defying…
Academy Software Foundation
March 13, 2024
Academy Software Foundation to Host Annual Open Source Forum in Los Angeles and Virtually on February 22 AnnouncementsBlogMembers

Academy Software Foundation to Host Annual Open Source Forum in Los Angeles and Virtually on February 22

The Academy Software Foundation has announced the keynote speaker and full schedule details for its Open Source Forum, taking place in Los Angeles and virtually on Thursday, February 22. This annual one-day event brings together business and technical leaders to collaboratively drive the future of open source software development across…
Academy Software Foundation
February 15, 2024
Mod Tech Labs Joins the Academy Software Foundation AnnouncementsBlogMembers

Mod Tech Labs Joins the Academy Software Foundation

The Academy Software Foundation is excited to welcome Mod Tech Labs as its newest general member company. A software developer based in Buffalo, New York, Mod Tech Labs utilizes machine learning to optimize creative workflows and empower digital artists, particularly those working in virtual production.  “Virtual production has reshaped the…
Academy Software Foundation
November 7, 2023
OpenColorIO Receives SMPTE Workflow Systems Medal ASWF ProjectsBlogOpenColorIO

OpenColorIO Receives SMPTE Workflow Systems Medal

Last week at the annual SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) Media Technology Summit in Los Angeles, we were thrilled to see Carol Payne and Doug Walker accept the Workflow Systems Medal on behalf of OpenColorIO (OCIO). SMPTE’s Workflow Systems Medal recognizes outstanding contributions related to the development…
Academy Software Foundation
October 24, 2023
Academy Software Foundation Announces Dev Days, October 12-13 BlogMaterialXOpen Review InitiativeOpenColorIOOpenEXR

Academy Software Foundation Announces Dev Days, October 12-13

The Academy Software Foundation is excited to announce our newest event: Dev Days, a 48-hour global event encouraging developers of all experience levels to learn more about our open source projects, connect with mentors and project leads, and of course, write code! Dev Days will take place virtually on October…
Academy Software Foundation
October 4, 2023
Open Source xSTUDIO Port Now Available for Windows BlogMembersOpen Review InitiativeOpen Source Days

Open Source xSTUDIO Port Now Available for Windows

Epic Games, creator of Fortnite and Unreal Engine, has teamed up with Ahead, innovation studio and creator of Cezanne Studio, to build the open source Windows port of xSTUDIO, available now on GitHub. Designed by visual entertainment services company DNEG, xSTUDIO is a modern, flexible and feature-rich playback and review…
Academy Software Foundation
July 31, 2023
Bolt Graphics, CoreWeave, and OTOY Join the Academy Software Foundation AnnouncementsBlogMembersOpen Source Days

Bolt Graphics, CoreWeave, and OTOY Join the Academy Software Foundation

The Academy Software Foundation is pleased to welcome three new members: Bolt Graphics, CoreWeave, and OTOY. The companies each offer complementary solutions to accelerate content creation in visual effects workflows and beyond. This news comes ahead of the Foundation’s annual Open Source Days event, taking place in-person and virtually on…
Academy Software Foundation
July 6, 2023
Academy Software Foundation Kicks off 2023 Summer Learning Program BlogDiversity & Inclusion

Academy Software Foundation Kicks off 2023 Summer Learning Program

We’re thrilled to officially kick off our third annual Summer Learning Program! Organized by the Diversity & Inclusion Working Group, this fast-growing program aims to provide practical skills and mentorship to underrepresented students and young people looking to explore technical careers in the animation and VFX industries. This year’s program…
Academy Software Foundation
June 7, 2023
Academy Software Foundation Deep Dive: MaterialX Origin Story BlogMaterialX

Academy Software Foundation Deep Dive: MaterialX Origin Story

An open standard for representing rich material and look development content in computer graphics, MaterialX enables artists to describe materials in a common, networked form, providing assets with a consistent look across renderers and platforms. Originally developed at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), it was first deployed in production on…
Academy Software Foundation
April 25, 2023
Reflections on the Summer Learning Program from Irina Wang BlogDiversity & Inclusion

Reflections on the Summer Learning Program from Irina Wang

One of the Academy Software Foundation’s fastest-growing initiatives has been the annual Summer Learning Program. Spearheaded by the Diversity & Inclusion Working Group, the program aims to provide practical skills and mentorship to underrepresented students and young people looking to explore technical careers in the animation and VFX industries. In…
Academy Software Foundation
April 5, 2023
Academy Software Foundation Releases New Research Paper on Open Source Technology in Modern Filmmaking Era AnnouncementsBlogIn The News

Academy Software Foundation Releases New Research Paper on Open Source Technology in Modern Filmmaking Era

Today we at the Academy Software Foundation, released a new research paper titled “Open Source in Entertainment: How the Academy Software Foundation Creates Shared Value.” It is available as a free PDF here: http://report.aswf.io/  Authored by veteran entertainment technology journalist Barbara Robertson, with a foreword from our Executive Director David…
Academy Software Foundation
March 9, 2022
OpenQMC Becomes an Academy Software Foundation Project AnnouncementsASWF ProjectsBlog

OpenQMC Becomes an Academy Software Foundation Project

(Universal Pictures) Developed by Framestore, OpenQMC has improved the fidelity and speed of rendering Hollywood blockbusters such as Barbie, Superman, Wicked, F1 the Movie and How to Train Your Dragon LOS ANGELES, CA, October 7, 2025 – The Academy Software Foundation, the motion picture industry’s premier organization for advancing open…
Academy Software Foundation
October 7, 2025
Academy Software Foundation Showcases Growth with New Project ACES, New Members Skydance and LAIKA, and More, at Open Source Days 2025 ASWF ProjectsBlogMembersOpen Source Days

Academy Software Foundation Showcases Growth with New Project ACES, New Members Skydance and LAIKA, and More, at Open Source Days 2025

The Academy Software Foundation recently wrapped its annual Open Source Days conference, the leading event dedicated to furthering open source software development for the visual effects, animation, and digital content creation industries. Video is now available on the Foundation’s YouTube channel here: Open Source Days Virtual Town Halls The Foundation…
Academy Software Foundation
August 27, 2025
LAIKA Joins the Academy Software Foundation as a Premier Member AnnouncementsBlogIn The NewsMembersOpen Source DaysOther

LAIKA Joins the Academy Software Foundation as a Premier Member

Image courtesy of LAIKA Today the Academy Software Foundation (ASWF) officially welcomes LAIKA as a Premier Member. Based in Portland, Oregon, LAIKA is an award-winning feature film animation studio known for its distinct artistry and beloved films such as Coraline, ParaNorman, and Kubo and the Two Strings. LAIKA has been…
Academy Software Foundation
July 31, 2025
Open Source Days 2025 Keynote to be Delivered by Academy Award®-winning ‘Flow’ Filmmaking Team AnnouncementsASWF ProjectsBlogMembersOpen Source Days

Open Source Days 2025 Keynote to be Delivered by Academy Award®-winning ‘Flow’ Filmmaking Team

The Academy Software Foundation has announced the program for its annual Open Source Days event taking place August 4-11, which will include a keynote talk by the filmmaking team who worked on the animated feature Flow on August 10 in Vancouver. Held annually, Open Source Days is the leading event…
Academy Software Foundation
July 8, 2025
Pixar Relied on Open Source to Introduce New Emotions in ‘Inside Out 2’ ASWF ProjectsBlogDPELMaterialXOpen Shading LanguageOpenColorIOOpenTimelineIOOpenVDBUSD

Pixar Relied on Open Source to Introduce New Emotions in ‘Inside Out 2’

© 2024 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved. Produced by Pixar Animation Studios, Inside Out 2 shattered records as both the highest-grossing film of 2024 and the second-highest-grossing animated film of all time. The hit sequel reunites viewers with protagonist Riley Andersen, who must learn to manage a host of new emotions…
Academy Software Foundation
June 12, 2025