DreamWorks Uses Linux-based HP Technology to Create New Animated Film "Sinbad"

Source：http://h41131.www4.hp.com/uk/en/press/DreamWorks_Uses_Linux-based_HP_Technology_to_Create_New_Animated_Film_Sinbad.html

HP's advanced Linux-based technology played a critical role in the creation of "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas," the newest animated movie from DreamWorks which opens to audiences tomorrow. The first film ever created entirely on Linux, Sinbad was developed on HP workstations and industry-standard servers.

「辛巴達：七海傳奇」融合傳統與數位動畫，角色兼具手工繪製、3D動畫的視覺效果，與高解析度，而創造出在視覺令人歎為觀止的可怕怪物、混亂女神、錯綜複雜的海底景觀，以及使用特效的船隻航行。所有的核心製作工程均採用HP的Linux工作站與伺服器，顯示電影娛樂工業正展開策略性的一步，擁抱開放系統與平台的先進能力。

More than 250 HP workstations running Red Hat Linux comprised the core of DreamWorks' graphics platform. The price and high-performance advantages of Linux-based HP workstations and servers enabled DreamWorks animators to create more movie in less time, saving significant time and money.

在整部電影的製作過程中，運用了超過250台，執行Red Hat Linux系統的HP工作站組成夢工場的繪圖核心平台。HP的Linux工作站與伺服器提供高效能成本比，讓夢工場的動畫製作人員能在更快的速度製作更多的電影，節省可觀的時間與成本。

"HP understands that today, innovative technology and truly cutting-edge digital animation go hand-in-hand," said Shane Robison, chief strategy and technology officer, HP. "Our goal in our alliance with DreamWorks is to continue to deliver more inventive technology that helps DreamWorks to continue to push the envelope of possibilities in digital animation - and in the process, to help them to retain their reputation as one of the premier Hollywood animation studios."

HP的策略長與技術長Shane Robison指出：「HP瞭解在現今創新性的技術和真正尖端的數位動畫技術是密不可分的，」「我們和夢工場的策略聯盟是不斷提供更多研發的科技，使夢工場能持續創作更新數位卡通動畫的可能性，同時，在過程中協助夢工場維繫是好萊塢中數一數二動畫工作室的美譽。」

"Creating a movie that is centered on scenes with water is a huge technical challenge in digital animation, and a challenge met successfully using HP's Linux-based workstations and servers," said Martin Fink, vice president of Linux, HP Enterprise Servers and Storage. "Our customers are using the flexibility of Linux on industry-standard hardware and open systems to save money and set new standards within their industry."

「創造一部以水為中心的數位動畫電影，在技術上是一大挑戰，然而HP的Linux工作站及伺服器，成功地克服挑戰。」HP 企業儲存裝置與伺服器部門副總經理Martin Fink說。「我們的客戶運用彈性的Linux工業標準硬體及開放系統，不但大幅度節省支出，並且在電影事業中設立了一個新的里程碑。」

With HP Linux-based hardware, DreamWorks also developed Digital Animation Review Tool, an uncompressed and full resolution color accurate playback solution on the desktop. This tool replaced an Irix-based solution that was cost-prohibitive and limited in functionality. This new system is so cost effective that DreamWorks was able to build more director-review areas, which assisted in the efficiency of the production of Sinbad.

藉由HP Linux硬體設備，夢工廠發展出一套數位動畫片檢視工具，使得電腦上能呈現出沒有壓縮、全解析度正確色彩的畫面。這個工具取代了原本費用高昂，然而功能有限的Irix-based解決方案。新的系統不但具有成本效益，並且協助工作人員有效率的完成「辛巴達」的製作工作。 由於HP與夢工廠的技術合作，辛巴達劇組中的每一位畫家，都使用HP 3D加速雙螢幕工作站系統。雙螢幕的作業環境使畫家們可以同時開啟多個視窗，進而加快製作的工作流程。在以往，這種類型的作業架構，不但花費高昂，而且只有在廣泛使用的時候才會採行。不過運用HP Linux工作站，讓夢工廠在維持創作水準的同時，同時兼顧節省成本的需求。