To a capacity crowd gathered at the Wilshire Grand Hotel in Los Angeles, CA Apple Computer extolled the benefits of Mac OS X in the field of animation, motion graphics, and advanced compositing. Showcasing the latest release of Shake, version 4, experts from South Park animation, Luma Pictures, and the Shake team walked us through the rich feature set.

Apple’s presentation was artfully orchestrated using a full high definition presentation system, which allowed the artists work to shine. Luma Pictures educated the crowd on the ease of deploying advanced PHP web applications to monitor and track visual effect shots for enterprise collaboration.

On 2 August 2005 Apple announced its first ever multibutton mouse, called the might mouse. Expect a full report later on this week on this singular product.

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Apple Computer and Autodesk showcased their latest offerings in compositing at Siggraph 2005. Apple hosted a Shake User Group Meeting, while Autodesk premiered 3ds Max version 8 along with other applications in their suite of visual effects applications. Apple Computer used the Siggraph event for major news on application development and hardware releases.

Sunday 31 July 2005, at the annual Alias Global User Association (AGUA) meeting in Los Angeles, CA, Alias announced its next release of Maya, version 7. Alias, along with partner companies HP, ATI, and Intel filled the historic Orphium theatre with driving bass rhythms and spry visual effects to the sometimes astonishment of the large crowd. With full body kinematics, realistic floor physical interactions, and more responsive user interface, Maya is once again headed to become the de facto modelers and animator on the Mac OS X platform.

Various presenters from ILM, Sony Electronic Entertainment, and other Maya veterans wowed the crowd with visual effect animations and jaw dropping demonstrations. After the AGUA 2005 rapped, corporate sponsors held a reception, where the Maya faithful talked, laughed and ate a hot meal. See you next year at AGUA 2005.

Please review more pictures from the AGUA 2005 presentation.

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alias users line up outside the orpheum

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AGUA sponsored by ATI, HP, and intel

alias announced mays 7

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molly connolly HP workstation unit

intel platform roadmap

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jason parks SCEA

rob coleman ILM

AGUA 2005 ends