Pixar RenderMan
 Official RenderMan logo | |
| Developer(s) | Pixar |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 1987 |
| Stable release | 26.0
/ April 8, 2024 |
| Operating system | Linux,macOS,Windows |
| Type | Rendering system |
| License | Proprietarycommercial software |
| Website | renderman |
Pixar RenderMan(also known asRenderMan)[1]is aphotorealistic 3D renderingsoftware produced byPixar Animation Studios.Pixar uses RenderMan torendertheir in-house 3D animated movie productions and it is also available as a commercial product licensed to third parties. In 2015, a free non-commercial version of RenderMan became available.[2]
Name[edit]
To speed up rendering, Pixar engineers performed experiments with parallel rendering computers usingTransputerchips inside aPixar Image Computer.The name comes from the nickname of a small circuit board (2.5 × 5 inches or 6.4 × 13 cm) containing one Transputer that engineer Jeff Mock could put in his pocket. During that time theSonyWalkmanwas very popular and Jeff Mock called his portable board Renderman, leading to the software name.[3]
Technology[edit]
RenderMan defines cameras, geometry, materials, and lights using theRenderMan Interface Specification.This specification facilitates communication between 3D modeling and animation applications and therenderengine that generates the final high quality images. In the past RenderMan used theReyes Rendering Architecture.The Renderman standard was first presented at 1993SIGGRAPH,developed with input from 19 companies and 6 or 7 big partners, withPat Hanrahantaking a leading role.Ed Catmullsaid no software product met the RenderMan Standard in 1993. RenderMan met it after about two years.[3]
Additionally RenderMan supportsOpen Shading Languageto define textural patterns.[4]
When Pixar started development,Steve Jobsdescribed the original goal for RenderMan in 1991:
"Our goal is to make Renderman and Iceman the system software of the 90s," Mr. Jobs said, likening these programs toPostScript,the software developed byAdobe Systems Inc.for high-qualitytypography.
— Lawrence M. Fisher,[5]
During this time, Pixar used theC languagefor developing Renderman, which allowed them to port it to many platforms.[1]
Historically, RenderMan used theReyes algorithmto render images with added support for advanced effects such asray tracingandglobal illumination.Support for Reyes rendering and theRenderMan Shading Languagewere removed from RenderMan in 2016.[6]
RenderMan currently usesMonte Carlopath tracingto generate images.[7]
Awards[edit]
RenderMan has been used to create digitalvisual effectsforHollywoodblockbuster movies such asBeauty and the Beast,Aladdin,The Lion King,Terminator 2: Judgment Day,Toy Story,Jurassic Park,Avatar,Titanic,theStar Warsprequels, andThe Lord of the Rings.RenderMan has received fourAcademy Scientific and Technical Awards.The first was in 1993 honoringPat Hanrahan,Anthony A. Apodaca,Loren Carpenter,Rob Cook,Ed Catmull,Darwyn Peachey, andTom Porter.[citation needed]The second was as part of the 73rd Scientific and Technical Academy Awards ceremony presentation on March 3, 2001: theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Board of Governors honoredEd Catmull,Loren CarpenterandRob Cookwith anAcademy Award of Merit"for significant advancements to the field of motion picture rendering as exemplified in Pixar’s RenderMan".[8]The third was in 2010 honoring "Per Christensen, Christophe Hery, and Michael Bunnell for the development of point-based rendering for indirect illumination and ambient occlusion." The fourth was in 2011 honoring David Laur. It has also won the Gordon E. Sawyer Award in 2009 and The Coons Award.[9]It is the first software product awarded an Oscar.[10]
Notable studios using RenderMan[edit]
North America[edit]
United States[edit]
- Pixar
- Industrial Light & Magic
- Disney Animation (1989–2013)
- Laika
- Tippett Studio
Canada[edit]
- Bardel Entertainment
- Bron Studios
- Mr. X
- Spin VFX
Europe[edit]
United Kingdom[edit]
France[edit]
Germany[edit]
Asia[edit]
China[edit]
South Korea[edit]
- Dexter Studios
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^abPonting, Bob (February 27, 1989)."Renderman Imaging Gets Vendor Support".InfoWorld.Vol. 11, no. 9.InfoWorld Media Group.pp. 19, 21.
- ^"Free Non-Commercial RenderMan FAQ".RenderMan home.Pixar.RetrievedDecember 16,2014.
1. When will Non-Commercial RenderMan be released? We are now targeting early 2015 for final release. [...]
- ^ab"Pixar's RenderMan turns 25".25 July 2013.Retrieved2019-04-21.
- ^"Pixar unveils RenderMan 21 | CG Channel".www.cgchannel.com.RetrievedJuly 22,2016.
- ^Fisher, Lawrence M. (2 April 1991)."Hard Times For Innovator In Graphics".New York Times.
- ^"Pixar ships RenderMan 21 | CG Channel".www.cgchannel.com.RetrievedJuly 22,2016.
- ^"RenderMan: under the (new) varnish".May 14, 2015.RetrievedJuly 22,2016.
- ^"Pixar's RenderMan a true lasting effect | Hollywood Reporter".www.hollywoodreporter.com.11 August 2008.Retrieved2020-12-18.
- ^"Pixar's RenderMan | About".renderman.pixar.com.Retrieved2021-03-05.
- ^And the Oscar goes to...,IEEE Spectrum, 2 April 2001.
External links[edit]
3D computer graphicssoftware | |
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| Open-source | |
| Closed-source |
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| Defunct | |
| Core technologies | |
