Ben Allan ACS CSI, test drives and reviews the URSA Cine 12K LF, with Oscar winner Bruce Beresford and also with our own fxcrew.Blackmagic Design refers to their much anticipated high-end camera as the first cine camera design. This camera is also the basis for the new Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive, which the company announced today is now available to pre-order from Blackmagic Design.URSA Cine Immersive cameraThe new Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera will be the worlds first commercial camera system designed to capture Apple Immersive Video for Apple Vision Pro (AVP), with deliveries starting in early 2025. DaVinci Resolve Studio will also be updated to support editing Apple Immersive Video early next year, offering professional filmmakers a comprehensive workflow for producing Apple Immersive Video for Apple Vision Pro. Rumours have been incorrectly claiming Apple is moving away from the AVP, this is clearly not the case. The AVP: Immersive Video format is a remarkable 180-degree media format that leverages ultra-high-resolution immersive video and Spatial Audio to place viewers in the center of the action.Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive will feature a fixed, custom lens system pre-installedThe Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive will feature a fixed, custom lens system pre-installed on the body, which is explicitly designed to capture Apple Immersive Video for AVP. The sensor can deliver 8160 x 7200 resolution per eye with pixel level synchronisation and an impressive 16 stops of dynamic range. Cinematographers will be able to shoot 90fps 3D immersive cinema content to a single file. The custom lens system is designed for URSA Cines large format image sensor with extremely accurate positional data thats read and stored at time of manufacturing. This immersive lens projection data which is calibrated and stored on device then travels through post production in the Blackmagic RAW file itself.Hands-on with Ben Allan, ACS CSI.Ben tested one of the first URSA Cine 12K LF camera.URSA Cine 12K LF : Cinema or Cine?BMDs has used the terms cinema and digital film camera for most of the cameras they have made. This a reflection of the fact that when they first started to produce cameras, they already had the prestige post-production software DaVinci Resolve in their stable, so a big part of the equation in starting to produce their own cameras was to fill the gap of an affordable, small camera which could produce images which were suitable for colour grading with the powerful tools already available in Resolve.Their original Cinema Camera was introduced in 2012 with an unconventional design and, crucially, recording very high-quality files in either ProRes or Cinema DNG RAW. It is probably hard to put this in the proper perspective now, but at the time, it sparked a little revolution in the industry where high-end recording formats were tightly tied to the most expensive cameras. Only a few years earlier, RED had started a similar revolution at a time when Super 35mm sized single sensors which could be used with existing cinema lenses, was the province of the most expensive digital cameras from Sony and Panavision. At the same time, RAW recording for moving pictures was essentially a pipe-dream.By showing that these things could be delivered to the market in a working camera system at somewhere near a 10th of the cost, RED catapulted the whole industry forward and forced the existing players to fast-track the new technologies into the families of high-end cameras were all familiar with today such as Sonys F-series, Panavisions RED-based DXLs, ARRIs ALEXAs and Canons Cinema Line.The other revolution which had also occurred recently was the advent of HD video recording in DSLRs with the introduction of the Canon 5D-II. While this suddenly gave people a low-cost way of recording cinematic images with shallow depth of field coming from a single large sensor, the 5D-II and the next few generations of video-capable DSLRs were limited by highly compressed 8-bit recording. The effects of this would sometimes only become apparent when the images were colour-graded and DCT blocking from the compression and banding from the 8-bit recording became difficult or even impossible to remove.BMDs choice to offer both 10-bit ProRes and 12-bit Cinema-DNG RAW recording removed the quality bottle-neck and allowed users with limited budgets or needing a light and compact camera to record in formats that met or exceeded the specifications of a 2K film scan, which was still the standard for cinema production at the time.What BMD did by releasing a camera that could match the file format quality of the high-end cameras with low or no compression and high bit depth and at a tiny percentage of the cost from even the original RED showed that these features neednt be kept for the top-shelf cameras alone, sparking the other manufacturers to allow these features to trickle down into their more affordable cameras as well.Since then, Blackmagic has evolved and expanded its range of cameras year after year and is now easily one of the most significant players in the professional motion image camera market.From the Pocket Cinema Cameras at the entry-level, to the various incarnations of the URSA Mini Pro platform, all of these cameras delivered varying degrees of film-like dynamic range combined with recording formats that provided the basis for intensive colour grading and VFX work. Since the DSLR revolution, there has been an explosion in the options for rigging cameras for cine style shooting, and all of these BMD cameras could and were extensively rigged in this way.For over a decade, BMD has been releasing cameras that record in cinema-friendly formats, optimised for high-end post-production requirements and routinely rigged for cinema-style shooting, so why call this new camera their first cine camera? I think this is their way of explaining succinctly that this is a camera designed from the ground up for film production style shooting.The Cine BenchmarkWhen we think of the modern motion picture film camera, the benchmark both in a practical sense and in the popular consciousness in the Panavision Panaflex, with its big white film magazine sitting on top, it is the very essence of what people both inside and outside the industry feel a movie camera should look.But a huge part of the success of the Panaflex since its introduction in the 1970s is that the camera itself was designed and evolved as part of a cohesive ecosystem that was modular, flexible and, most importantly reliable. In creating this, Panavision set expectations for crews and producers of what a professional camera system needed to be. This philosophy has flowed through in varying ways to all of the high-end digital camera systems used today. Take the ARRI ALEXA 35, for example, with a modular design that can be quickly and easily optimised for a wide range of shooting styles and requirements, has all the connections required for professional work, including multiple SDI outputs, power for accessories and wireless control.In this context, it starts to become very clear what BMD have done with the URSA Cine platform; they have designed a system that is driven by this cinema camera philosophy rather than, say their DSLR-styled Pocket cameras or the TV-inspired URSA Mini Pro range. Different design philosophies for different purposes.The URSA Cine 12K LF is the first camera to be released from the URSA Cine line ahead of the URSA Cine 17K with its 65mm film-sized image sensor and the URSA Cine Immersive stereoscopic camera being developed with Apple and optimised for capturing films in the 180 Immersive format for the Apple Vision Pro. While these other two cameras are much more niche, special-purpose tools, the Cine LF is very much a mainstream production camera system. An Operators CameraWhen it comes to actually using the Cine LF it becomes very clear what a mainstream system it is. It is a very operator-friendly camera that is well thought out. Although it is a little bigger and heavier than the URSA Mini Pro cameras, it is still significantly smaller and lighter than a full-sized ALEXA, which is of itself much smaller and lighter than something like a fully loaded Panaflex.The Cine LF is packaged in one of two kits, both well-kitted up and pretty much ready to shoot but with and without the EVF. I suspect the EVF kit will be by far the more popular, as the viewfinder is as good as any Ive ever used. It is sharp and clear, the contrast is exceptionally good, the colour rendition is incredibly accurate, and all in a very compact unit. The EVF connects to the camera via a single, locking USB-C cable which carries power, picture and control. Not only is this convenient, it allows the EVF to be thoroughly controlled from the cameras touchscreen menu. This is dramatically easier and quicker than the URSA Mini Pros EVF menu system. In addition to the EVF function buttons, there is even a record trigger on the EVF itself. In certain situations, this could be an extremely useful feature, particularly when the camera is wedged into a tight spot.The EVF is mounted using a system that attaches quickly to the top handle and allows the viewfinder to be positioned with a high degree of freedom. The kit also includes a viewfinder extension mount which is very quick and easy to attach and remove and can be used with or without an eyepiece leveller. With all of these elements, it is easy to position the EVF wherever the operator needs it and then firmly lock it in place. The way all these pieces fit together is solid, smooth and seamless. In this respect, it is instantly reminiscent of the Panaflex philosophy, it doesnt force you to use the camera in a particular way, it just allows you to make the choices, and the system supports that.The kit also includes a hard case with custom foam. This is also in keeping with the traditions of high-end professional camera systems from people like ARRI. I have a URSA Mini Pro case by SKB that allows the camera to be packed with the EVF attached, and I like that. However, the decision to have the camera packed with the EVF and its mounting system removed makes the whole case much neater and more petite than would otherwise be possible. In fact, the Cine LF EVF kit is substantially smaller than my case for the URSA Mini Pro, despite the bigger camera. In addition to being more consistent with film camera standards, the key to making this work is how quick and easy it is to attach the EVF once the camera is out of the case. The top handle and baseplate remain on the camera when packed.The baseplate with both kits is also an excellent piece of gear. Like the URSA Mini baseplate, it offers a lot of freedom where it is mounted to the underside of the camera body, but the Cine baseplate demonstrates how much this system is designed for film-style shooting. While the URSA Mini Baseplate is a broadcast-style VCT system that works well for getting a fully built camera quickly on and off the tripod it doesnt offer much in the way of rebalancing when the camera configuration changes substantially. The URSA Cine baseplate uses the ARRI dovetail system which is now almost ubiquitous for high-end production cameras. Although the kit doesnt come with the dovetail plate, it connects easily to both the ARRI ones and third-party plates, and the locking mechanism allows it to be partly unlocked for positioning with a safety catch to fully unlock for putting the camera on and off the plate.The baseplate also has a thick and comfortable shoulder pad built-in and mounting for both 15mm LWS and 19mm Studio rods.Together all of these features of the EVF and the baseplate mean that it would be quick and easy to reconfigure the Cine LF from working with a big lens like the Angenieux 24-290mm with a 66 matte box and the viewfinder extension and in moments, have the camera with a lightweight prime lens, clamp on matte box and ready for a handheld shot. This is the sort of flexibility crews expect from a high-end cine-style camera system, and the Cine LF delivers it comfortably.The kit also comes with both PL and locking EF lens mounts which can be changed with a 3mm hex key. These two options will cover a lot of users needs, but there is also an LPL for those who want to use lenses with ARRIs new standard mount, such as the Signature Primes and Zooms and also a Hasselblad mount for using their famous large format lenses.MonitoringMonitoring options is one area where the Cine LF is in a class of its own. In addition to the EVF, there are two built-in 5 HDR touchscreen monitors, which are both large and very clear, with 1500 nits of brightness and very good contrast, and with FHD resolution matching the EVF. On the operator side is a fold-out display, and when it is folded in, there is a small status display showing all the cameras key settings. This is similar to the one on the URSA Mini Pro cameras but with a colour screen. Unlike the URSA Mini fold-out screens, this one can rotate right around so that the monitor faces out while folded back into the camera body. I can imagine this being very convenient when the operator uses the EVF with the extension mount, and the focus puller could be working directly off the 5 display folded back in. The operator side monitor can even rotate around so that the subject can see themselves, potentially useful for giving an actor a quick look at the framing, or for total overkill selfies!On the right hand side, the second 5 monitor is rugged mounted to the side of the camera body. Like the left-side flip-out screen it is also a touch screen, and the whole menu system can be accessed from both screens. Either screen can be configured for an assistant, operator or director with a wide array of options for as little or as much information as required. The right side screen also has a row of physical buttons below it to control the key features and switch between modes.The first shoot I used the Cine LF on was with Bruce Beresford (director of Best Picture Oscar winner Driving Miss Daisy), shooting scenery for his new film Overture. Bruce loved that simply standing next to the camera allowed him to clearly see what was being filmed without waiting for additional equipment to be added to the camera. I can imagine many directors becoming quite used to this feature, allowing them to get away from the video village and be near the action whenever needed.The camera body also has two independent 12G SDI outputs. In the menu system, there are separate controls for both SDI outputs, both LCDs and the EVF, so you can have any combination of LUT, overlays, frame lines, focus and exposure tools etc., on each one.For example, it would be easy to have the LUT, overlays & frame lines on in the EVF for the operator, LUT and focus tools on the right side monitor for the focus puller, false colour & histogram on the left side monitor for the Director Of Photography to check, LUT & frame lines on one SDI out for the director and a clean Log feed on the other for the DIT or any other combination. This flexibility allows the camera to function in a wide range of crew structures and shooting styles efficiently. Because of this, it would be pretty feasible to effectively drop the camera into most existing mainstream production systems with minimal adaptation around the camera.Ironically, the main thing that might obscure how much of a mainstream tool the Cine LF is might be the 12K sensor. The Cine LF, like the URSA Mini Pro 12K, the combination of the RGBW colour filter array and the BRAW recording format means that the RAW recording resolution is not tied to the area of the sensor being used the way it is for virtually every other RAW capable camera.Resolution & Recording FormatsThis might sound counter-intuitive because of how RAW has been sold to us from the start. The concept that RAW is simply taking the raw, ie. unprocessed digitised data of each pixel from the image sensor has always been a vast oversimplification that has served a useful purpose in allowing people to understand the usefulness of RAW. The only production camera Im aware of that records in this way is the Achtel 97. Even then, the files need to be converted to a more conventional format for post-production. The vast amount of data involved in doing this is truly mind-boggling.What the RAW video formats were all familiar with do is more of an approximation of this which is to use efficiencies from saving the de-Bayer process to reduce the amount of data before compression is applied and use some of that space saving to record high bit depth data for each photosite allowing it to retain more of the tonal subtleties from the sensor and therefore being able to apply minimal processing to the recording. The effect of all this is that it gives so much flexibility in post that it generally functions in practice as if you had all of the unprocessed raw data from the sensor. RED set the standard for this with their REDCODE RAW format, and most manufacturers have followed this in some form or another, such as ARRIs uncompressed ARRIRAW. With all of these formats, recording a lower resolution than the full sensor res means cropping in on the sensor. The RED ONE, for example, recorded 4K across the Super 35mm sensor, but to record 2K meant cropping down to approximately Super 16mm.Ben Allan DOP on set recently with the fxcrewBlackmagic RAW or BRAW achieves a similar result by different means and was designed with the RGBW sensor array in mind. Unlike other RAW systems where the recording is tied to the Bayer pattern of photosites, BRAW does a partial de-mosaic before the recording but still allows for all the normal RAW controls in post, such as white balance, ISO etc.One of the big advantages of this is that the recording resolution can be decoupled from the individual photosites meaning that the BMDs BRAW-capable cameras can record lower resolutions while still using the full dimensions of the sensor.While the Cine LF has the advertised 12K of photosites across the sensor, it doesnt have to record in 12K to get all the other advantages of the large sensor. In 4K, you still get the VistaVision depth of field as you would expect from something like an ARRI ALEXA LF but also the other advantages of a larger sensor that are often overlooked. Many lenses that cover the full frame of the 24mm x 36mm sensor are optimised for that image circle, so they will maximise performance on that frame and issues like sharpness and chromatic aberration will not be as good when significantly cropped in. There are also advantages to oversampling an image, including smoothness while retaining image detail and less likelihood of developing moire patterns. On that subject, the Cine LF also has a built-in OLPF filter in front of the image sensor. This Optical Low Pass Filter removes details below the resolution limit of the sensor, resulting in even less risk of moire and digital aliasing.As a 4K or 8K camera, the Cine LF excels. 4K RAW is the minimum resolution that the camera can record internally, but with the BRAW compression set to a conservative 5:1 the resulting data rate is a very manageable 81 MB/s. The equivalent resolution in ProRes HQ (although in 10-bit, 4:2:2) is 117 MB/s.For many productions, 4K from this camera will be more than adequate. The pictures are smooth and film-like and very malleable in Resolve. The workflow is easy, and you can very comfortably set the camera to 4K and pretend it is just a beautifully oversampled 4K camera. Im conscious that this sort of sensor oversampling is how the original ARRI ALEXA built its reputation with 2.8K of photosites coming down to stunning 2K recordings.Some productions will shoot 4K for the most part but then switch to 8K or 12K for VFX work, somewhat like the way big VFX films used to shoot Super 35mm, Academy or Anamorphic for main unit and switch to VistaVision for VFX shots (think Star Wars, Jurassic Park & Titanic). The beauty of this is that unlike switching to VistaVision, there are no issues with physically swapping cameras or with matching lenses or even angle of view- everything remains the same but with a quick change in the menu system, you have a 4K, 8K or 12K camera.If youre expecting an eye-poppingly sharp 12K from this camera, you may want to be adjusting the settings in Resolve because the camera is optimised for aesthetically pleasing images rather than in-you-face sharpness. While BMD may have taken a bit of a PR hit with the Super-35 12K because people were expecting a big impact 12K zing, Im glad that they have stayed the course and kept the focus on beautiful images. Resolution, image detail and sharpness are related but different issues and they are ones that every manufacturer has to make decisions about in every cameras design. That balancing act has landed in a real sweet spot with the Cine LF and the effects are most notable on faces. The images are simultaneously detailed and gentle.The other significant recording format is the 9K mode, which does a Super-35 crop. This is a great option that allows for the use of any of the vast array of beautiful modern and vintage lenses designed for the Super-35 frame. Things like the classic Zeiss Super Speeds or Panavision Primos spring to mind.In each of the recording resolutions you have the same five options for aspect ratio.Open Gate is a 32 or 1.5:1 image that uses the full dimensions of the sensor. While it isnt a common delivery format, there are a number of reasons to use this recording option. The one delivery format that does use something very close to this is IMAX and I believe this camera will prove itself to be a superb choice for IMAX capture. But aside from that, it is very useful to shoot in open gate to capture additional image above and below a widescreen frame. This concept originated with films and TV shows framing the widescreen Super 35, but without masking the frame in the camera, which is literally an open film gate. This creates a shoot off which allows for either reframing or stabilisation.The 16:9 mode uses the entire width of the sensor and crops the height to get the correct ratio. Its also worth noting that the 16:9 4K mode is 169 based on the DCI cinema width of 4096 and not UHD 4K at 3840 across and is 2304 pixels high to get the 16:9 rather than the UHD 2160. This is another reflection of the design philosophy of making a cine camera rather than a TV camera.17:9 is a full DCI cinema frame at 1.89:1 which is also not a standard delivery format but the container standard for digital cinema. This would need to be cropped down to either 2.4:1 Scope or 1.85:1 for cinema release or 16:9 for TV, and any of these frame lines can be loaded for monitoring as with the Open Gate mode.2.4:1 is the standard Scope ratio for cinema and doesnt have any shoot-off for that format. In 8K & 4K this format delivers the highest off-speed frame rates at 224 fps compared to 144 in 8K or 4K Open Gate. A fairly trivial detail, but 2.4:1 in 4K is actually the only standard delivery format that the camera offers directly without any resizing or cropping in post.The final aspect ratio is 6:5 or 1.2:1 is explicitly designed for use with anamorphic lenses. With a traditional 2x anamorphic, the 6:5 ratio closely matches the anamorphic frame on film and produces a 2.4:1 image when de-squeezed. In 12K, 8K or 4K this would require anamorphic lenses built to cover the large format frame, but in 9K 6:5 the crop perfectly mimics a 35mm anamorphic negative area, making it possible to use any traditional 35mm anamorphics in the same way as they would work on film.Anamorphic de-squeeze can be applied to any or all of the monitoring outputs and displays, including the EVF, in any of the recording formats and with any of the common anamorphic ratios 1.3x, 1.5x, 1.6x, 1.66x, 1.8x and 2x. Combined with the different recording aspect ratios this could cater for a wide range of different workflows, creative options and even special venue formats. For example, 2x anamorphic on a 2.4:1 frame would produce a 4.8:1 image that would have been a superb option for the special venue production I shot and produced for Sydneys iconic Taronga Zoo a few years ago, which would have negated the need for the three camera panoramic array we had to build at the time.The other thing worth noting about the twenty different recording resolutions is that only one matches a standard delivery format pixel for pixel. I doubt that this is any reflection on that particular format but a coincidence that it coincided with the overall logic of the format options. This logic also goes back to the idea of this as a cine camera. Like a professional film camera shooting on film negative, the idea is not to create a finished image in camera but to record a very high-quality digital neg, which is expected to have processing in post-production before creating a deliverable image.While nothing is stopping you from using this camera for fast turnaround work with minimal post production, there are so many choices that have been made in the design of the camera which are not focussed on the ability. This again comes back to the concept of a cine camera optimised to function in the ways that film crews and productions like or need to work.The Media ModuleThe combination of 12K RAW and high frame rates created another challenge in the form of very high data rates. Although BRAW is a very efficient codec BMD needed a recording solution that really wasnt met by any of the off-the-shelf options.Their solution is the Media Module which is specially designed, removable on-board storage. While it will also be possible to replace the Media Module with one that contains CFexpress slots, the Media Module M2 comes with the camera and has 8TB of extremely fast storage. Even in Open Gate, 12K at the lowest compression settings, this still allows nearly 2 hours of recording. There are very limited scenarios where it would be necessary to shoot more than that amount of footage at that quality level in a single day. In those situations, it is of course, possible to have multiple Media Modules and swap them out as you would a memory card.For most productions, though, it will be easy to comfortably get through each days shooting on the single module. There is a Media Module Dock which allows 3 Modules to be connected simultaneously to a computer, but for many users, the simpler solution will be the 10G ethernet connection on the back of the camera. Either way, downloading the days footage will happen about as fast as the receiving drive can handle as the Media Module and the ethernet will outrun most drive arrays.The PicturesThe resulting pictures are, of course, what its all about, and the pictures from the Cine LF are nothing short of stunning. It has the same silkiness that the pictures from the original 12K have but with the large format look. The larger photosites and the fact that lenses arent working as hard seem to also contribute to the fact that the pictures look sharp without harshness.That lack of harshness also contributes to the film-like look of the images. There are so many techniques to degrade digital to make it more like film, but this is digital looking like film at its best. Detailed, clean, gentle on skin tones and with a beautiful balance between latitude and contrast.While there are several cameras which this one competes with, there is really nothing on the market that is comparable in terms of the combination of functionality, workflow and look.The AVP VersionThe Blackmagic URSA Cine camera platform is the basis of multiple models with differentfeatures for the high end cinema industry. All models are built with a robust magnesiumalloy chassis and lightweight carbon fiber polycarbonate composite skin to help filmmakersmove quickly on set. Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive is available to pre order now direct from Blackmagic Design for US$29,995. Delivery will start in late Q1 2025.Shipping Q1 2025Customers get 12GSDI out, 10G Ethernet, USB-C, XLR audio, and more.An 8-pin Lemo power connector at the back of the camera works with 24V and 12V power supplies, making it easy to use the camera with existing power supplies, batteries, and accessories. Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive comes with a massive 250W power supply and B mount battery plate, so customers can use a wide range of high voltage batteries from manufacturers such as IDX, Blueshape, Core SWX, BEBOB, and more.Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive comes with 8TB of high performance network storage built in, which records directly to the included Blackmagic Media Module, and can be synced to Blackmagic Cloud and DaVinci Resolve media bins in real time. This means customers can capture over 2 hours of Blackmagic RAW in 8K stereoscopic 3D immersive, and editors can work on shots from remote locations worldwide as the shoot is happening. The new Blackmagic RAW Immersive file format is designed to make it simple to work with immersive video within a post production workflow, and includes support for Blackmagic global media sync.Blackmagic RAW files store camera metadata, lens data, white balance, digital slate information and custom LUTs to ensure consistency of image on set and through post production. Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive is the first commercial, digital film camera with ultra fast high capability Cloud Store technology built in. The high speed storage lets customers record at the highest resolutions and frame rates for hours and access their files directly over high speed 10G Ethernet. The camera also supports creating a small H.264 proxy file, in addition to the camera original media when recording. This means the small proxy file can be uploaded to Blackmagic Cloud in seconds, so media is available back at the studio in real time.Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive Features Dual custom lenses for shooting Apple Immersive Video for Apple Vision Pro. Dual 8160 x 7200 (58.7 Megapixel) sensors for stereoscopic 3D immersive image capture. Massive 16 stops of dynamic range. Lightweight, robust camera body with industry standard connections. Generation 5 Color Science with new film curve. Each sensor supports 90 fps at 8K captured to a single Blackmagic RAW file. Includes high performance Blackmagic Media Module 8TB for recording. High speed Wi-Fi, 10G Ethernet or mobile data for network connections. Includes DaVinci Resolve Studio for post production.Apple is looking to build a community of AVP projectsSubmergedLast month, Apple debutedSubmerged, the critically acclaimed immersive short film written and directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Edward Berger. New episodes ofAdventureandWild Lifewill premiere in December, followed by new episodes ofBoundless,ElevatedandRed Bull: Big-Wave Surfingin 2025.Submerged BTS Note the film was not shot on the BMC, but is now available to watch on AVP

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Hey everyone! My name is Daniel , and Im a passionate game developer who loves creating unique and immersive experiences. One of my favorite tools to work with is Unreal Engine, especially the Niagara VFX system. Why? Because its the perfect blend of technical precision and artistic freedom, allowing me to craft visually stunning effects. Atleast I am trying to.My love for real-time VFX comes from my fascination with games and the magic that visual effects can bring. Whether its subtle atmospheric touches like dust and light particles or epic explosions and energy waves, I enjoy bringing worlds to life and immersing players in unforgettable experiences.What Im showcasing is not just a demonstration of my skills in the Niagara system, but also a glimpse into my creative process. Im constantly experimenting with shaders, particles, textures, and dynamic controls to discover new ideas and push myself to new levels.If youre interested in real-time VFX, whether youre just starting or are already experienced, lets connect! Id love to exchange tips, techniques, and experiences so we can inspire each other and push the boundaries of visual effects.I cant wait to hear your thoughts, so check out the videos and screenshots below and let me know what you think!

Hello, Im new to game VFX and unsure where to begin. Ive watched some videos where people recommend learning shaders. Do I need to master shaders in-depth, or is it possible to create VFX without diving deeply into shaders? Im also unclear about how real-time VFX work. Could you please guide me? 2 posts - 2 participants Read full topic

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Villa Sarabhai | FLC / ADAGP Manuel BougotVilla Sarabhai, designed by Le Corbusier in the 1950s for the Sarabhai family in Ahmedabad, India, showcases his adaptation of modernist principles to a tropical context. Part of his broader work in Ahmedabad, including the Mill Owners Association Building and Shodhan House, the villa reflects his engagement with local cultural, climatic, and material conditions, marking a departure from his European projects and exploring how modern architecture can resonate with regional traditions.Villa Sarabhai Technical InformationArchitects1-2: Le CorbusierLocation: Ahmedabad, IndiaTopics: FunctionalismArea: 4,000 m2 | 43,000 Sq. Ft.Project Year: 1951 1955Photographs: Flickr Users, See Caption DetailsThe house is a machine for living in. Le Corbusier 3Villa Sarabhai Photographs Dgen, Flickr User Panovscott, Flickr User Dgen, Flickr User Dgen, Flickr User Lebchris Dgen, Flickr User Studio Northfront Studio Northfront Stefi Idlab Stefi IdlabVilla Sarabhai Architectural Features and Design ApproachThe villas rectangular plan reflects Le Corbusiers geometric rigor, yet its articulation responds to the Indian context. Elevated on pilotis, the structure achieves both a sense of lightness and an elevation from the humid ground. The spatial layout blends openness and intimacy, accommodating the familys needs while creating visual connections between the interior and exterior.The use of exposed brick and concrete speaks to Le Corbusiers functionalist ethos and his sensitivity to local materials. The texture of the brick contrasts with the smoothness of concrete, creating a tactile interplay that resonates with vernacular construction techniques while asserting a modern aesthetic.One of the villas defining features is its roof garden, a hallmark of Le Corbusiers design philosophy. This element mitigates heat through natural insulation and fosters a seamless connection between architecture and landscape. The villas integration with its surroundings extends to its expansive verandas and shaded outdoor areas, creating spaces that respond to Ahmedabads climate.Le Corbusier skillfully balances private and communal spaces within the villa. The central living area opens to the exterior, allowing natural light and ventilation to permeate the interior. In contrast, the private quarters remain secluded, ensuring a balance between openness and privacy. This spatial organization reflects the Sarabhai familys lifestyle while addressing functional needs.Critique: A Modernist Interpretation of Indian VernacularVilla Sarabhai illustrates Le Corbusiers attempt to engage with Indian architectural traditions. Elements like courtyards, shaded verandas, and passive cooling strategies echo regional vernacular practices. Yet, the design also questions how these interpretations remain authentic versus superficial applications of cultural motifs.The villas design reflects an understanding of Ahmedabads harsh climate. Features like brise-soleil, deep overhangs, and the roof garden effectively reduce solar heat gain and promote natural cooling. However, relying on such features reveals the limitations of applying modernist principles in a tropical context. The villas success lies in its adaptability, even if certain aspects require supplementary solutions to function optimally year-round.While Villa Sarabhais spatial and material innovations are commendable, they also introduce challenges. For instance, the open plans reliance on passive cooling may not always suffice during extreme weather. Additionally, while visually striking, the elevated design introduces accessibility concerns, particularly in a domestic setting.Legacy and InfluenceVilla Sarabhai is significant because it synthesizes modernist principles with local traditions. It is a landmark in Le Corbusiers Indian oeuvre, demonstrating how modern architecture can engage with regional contexts without losing its universal aspirations.Compared to Le Corbusiers other residential projects, such as the Shodhan House, Villa Sarabhai showcases a more pronounced emphasis on blending with the natural environment. While the Shodhan House relies on monumentalism and formal expression, Villa Sarabhais design feels more intimate and grounded in its setting.Villa Sarabhai PlansFloor Plan | Le CorbusierElevation | Le CorbusierSection | Le CorbusierSection | Le CorbusierVilla Sarabhai Image GalleryAbout Le CorbusierLe Corbusier, born Charles-douard Jeanneret in 1887 in Switzerland, was one of the most influential architects of the 20th century. Renowned for his pioneering contributions to modern architecture, he was a leading figure of the International Style and a proponent of functionalism. His work spans continents, blending bold modernist forms with a deep understanding of functionality and human needs. Le Corbusiers projects consistently challenged conventional design norms, from the iconic Unite dHabitation to his city planning for Chandigarh. His philosophy of architecture as a machine for living redefined residential and urban spaces, making him a seminal figure in architectural history. Le Corbusier passed away in 1965, leaving a legacy that inspires architects worldwide.Notes & Additional CreditsClient: Sarabhai FamilyDesign Team: Le Corbusier and his studioCurtis, William J. R. Modern Architecture Since 1900. Phaidon Press, 1996.Jencks, Charles. Le Corbusier and the Tragic View of Architecture. Harvard University Press, 1987.Frampton, Kenneth. Le Corbusier. Thames & Hudson, 2001.

In remote Northern Maine, Norway-based Saunders Architecture has designed Tekkpimk Contact Station, a new visitor center that will serve the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, a nearly 90,000-acre nature preserve that was donated to the National Park Service by Roxanne Quimby, a cofounder of Burts Bees. Saunders Architects collaborated with the Wabanaki Tribe, a local Indigenous community, and New Englandbased landscape architects Reed Hilderbrand on the design of the visitor center, delivering a series of dramatic cantilevered forms that respond to the natural slope of the site and were constructed using carbon-sequestering timber. The Tekkpimk Contact Station will serve as a public entry point to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. (James Florio)Perched atop Lookout Mountain, one of the parks many natural peaks, the center offers sweeping views of the Penobscot River and Mount Katahdin, the tallest mountain in Maine. These stunning views are what afforded the project its name, Tekkpimk (pronounced deh gah-gah bee mook), which translates to as far as one can see in the Penobscot language. The Penobscot tribe, a member of the larger Wabanki Nation, has inhabited the region for more than 11,000 years. Out of respect for the National Monuments Indigenous history, the design team and client worked closely with the Wabanaki Advisory Board to develop a scheme for the visitor center that would center the groups identity and unique cultural perspective. This included specific input into the massing and layout of the structure. To provide a physical sense of the design prior to construction, the architects staked out a life-sized floor plan of the building on the site. From this exercise, as well as other discussions, a series of beveled corners were implemented to better situate the wings of the building, each of which looks out toward a different direction.We wrote off all of the work that had gone before, said Todd Saunders, founder of Saunders Architecture. For if we were really serious that this project was to be a partnership and not an imposition, a genuine product of and celebration of Wabanaki culture both then and now, we needed to start again, to learn to carry only what was needed, wanted, and wished for.An exhibition within the building was designed with input from local Indigenous groups. (James Florio)Inside, an exhibition illustrates the ecological features of the park. It was carefully constructed to present this information from a Wabanaki perspective. Project elements and exhibition content related to the Wabanaki, including its intellectual property and cultural knowledge, is owned outright by the Nation.Jennifer Neptune of the Penobscot tribe, who wrote the displays text, said of the exhibition, I hope that Wabanaki tribal members are able to see themselves reflected in the exhibits and be proud of who they are and the culture that our ancestors saved for us. I hope that all visitors come away with a deeper understanding, respect, and relationship to these woods and waters and to the places they call home, she added.Locally sourced cedar shingles wrap the exterior envelope. (James Florio)Tekkpimk Contact Station is designed to meet extremely rigorous sustainability standards. The building is almost entirely composed of timber, from its Maine cedar shingle cladding to the large Douglas fir glulam columns that comprise its structure. Situated on a slope, the center is upheld by rock anchors in the hillside, allowing the timber corridors to cantilever over the site. In addition, the building operates completely off-grid, relying on solar and thermal power for its energy needs. Passive design strategies were implemented throughout the project to lower energy use, including radiant floor heating, a Trombe wall heat capture system, a reduced glazing ratio through the use of selective punched windows, and an air-source heat pump.All of the materials used in the sites landscape and trail design were repurposed from the construction of the building. For example, rip rap removed from demolitions on the site were used to build trails and displaced soil was redistributed nearby.Tekkpimk Contact Stationis highly efficient in terms of energy use and embodied carbon. (James Florio)Elliotsville Foundation, the nonprofit that operates the center, anticipates that the completion of the project will bring renewed economic investment to the region by attracting tourists to the National Monument. By involving the Wabanaki Advisory Board, the organization has taken important steps to make sure that the groups centuries-old culture and history is not forgotten and is rather a focal point within the park.

In September, I had the privilege of being invited by the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation to screen a film of my 2004 play,Private Jokes, Public Places,at the newly renovated Hillside Theater at Taliesin, Wisconsin. Before the presentation, I was shown to my quarters for the night, which, to my surprise, were in Frank Lloyd Wrights actual house where he had lived with his third wife, Olgavanna Lloyd Wright, and their daughter, Iovanna. Youll be staying in his daughters room, I was told as I was led up a set of narrow stairs, through a secret door (embedded in a row of six false doors), before finding myself in what might be described as a separate one-bedroom loft apartment, complete with small kitchen, bathroom, reading area, living room, and bedroom. There were also two terraces, facing east and west, which, given the houses siting on the propertys highest point, offered spectacular views over the rolling green Wisconsin hills. It took some time to fully digest my surroundings. Like a great work of drama, the subtleties of the space reveal themselves slowly, unfolding as day turns into night. Every windows location, each slant of the roof, or choice of material born out of a real purpose. For example, the surface around the two fireplaces is laid in stone, which preserves heat longer than wood and avoids sparks setting the wood floor on fire. Floor levels are at different heights, sometimes by just an inch, which emphasizes the separation of spaces. The living area faces west and is enclosed with an entire wall of mullioned glass, enabling an unobstructed sunset view. In the morning, I thought the light in the bathroom was on, only to discover that Wright placed a tiny window high above the toilet where a sloping shaft draws in the sun and showers the bathroom in a glow of light. (The walls are painted yellow to enhance the effect.) To my eyes, every gesture and each detailincluding the furniture was designed with an acute sense of functionality. The overall effect was stimulating: I felt I was transposed into a different world.Wright deliberately used the spatial tactic of compression and release. (Courtesy Oren Safdie)I was the only occupant of the house, so I decided to go exploring. Right outside my door, I discovered a strategically placed cubby door set in the wall. Upon opening it, I found myself looking down over Frank Lloyd Wrights bed. This likely was for when Iovanna needed to communicate with her father, saving her a trip down the stairs or yelling at the top of her lungs.Downstairs, Wrights commitment to function was evident at every turn. A guided tour was unnecessary, because the house answered every question with a responding gesture. Wandering through a hallway that is the length of a small bowling alley, I began to wonder whether people of that era were indeed much shorter because the ceiling was so low, but then I was spit out into a larger space and realized that Wright was deliberately using the spatial tactic of compression and release to augment the dramatic effect of being thrust into these more public double-height spaces. The sense is enhanced when compared with an exterior horizontal best captured by the Prairie-style roof that makes inhabitants feel like they are actually out in the landscape.For most architects, what Im describing is nothing new. Despite being born in 1867, Frank Lloyd Wright is still a household name and prominent figure in architectural discussions. (His large model for Broadacre City is even currently on view at MoMA in New York.) In practice, however, the lessons of his work seem absent from the contemporary American architecture scene.Wrights daughters room is located up a set of narrow stairs, through a secret door embedded in a row of six false doors. (Courtesy Oren Safdie)Maybe by now its clear to say that rather than taking up the American stylings offered by Wright and his mentor, Louis Sullivan, much of what we see as the architecture of our time takes its roots from various flavors of European modernism and Bauhaus adherents, with a spattering of Russian constructivist precedent and a nod to various theoretical and technological anxieties. The organic Americana homegrown by Wright and Sullivan seems to have been tossed in the trash can of the 20th century, along with so much else. In the first quarter of this 21st century, architects have made progress in creating architecture that is more environmentally conscious and people friendly rather than being focused on the fantastical, like some of the high-wire starchitect acts of the early 2000s. But at its core, American architecture continues to remain fixated on form rather than function: A buildings shape primarily originates from outside constraints rather than internal occupation. This follows in how our cities have taken shape, with little concern for occupants and activities who are overlooked to focus on appearance and market performance. Looking at some of whats being proposed, it feels like there has been little advancement from the problematic International Style of the 1950s and 60s. Just take a look at Hudson Yards or a dozen other similar projects that have recently been built across our countrys cities. This is progress?!A Prairie-style roof makes inhabitants feel like they are actually out in the landscape. (Courtesy Oren Safdie)Sure, we now have more skylights and glass roofs that bring in natural light, and some architects have attempted to integrate nature by covering facades in succulents or planting a garden on the roof, but it all feels symbolic and lacks any deeper meaning. Likewise, new technologies have gone into producing some incredibly impressive structures but whether it is a symptom of scale, speed, capitalism, cheap developers, strict buildings codes, or just the fast-paced world we live in, it often lands as soulless. Were too busy to pay attention to the art of craft, which used to be an important element of architecture.It feels like architects are under so much pressure that they often cant sweat the small stuff. If you scan through what is being published lately, its almost like details dont matter. After spending a weekend in Frank Lloyd Wrights house, I beg to differ.Oren Safdie is a playwright, screenwriter, and teaches at Interlochen Center for the Arts.

A house in the mountains near Brisbane by Atelier Chen Hung is a contemporary and generous take on the picturesqueThis project was commended in the 2024 AR House awards. Read about the full shortlist hereThe Blackall Range is formed out of dormant volcanoes, articulated by deep ridges carved from millennia of cascading water. There are three small towns dotted along the ridge line of the mountain range: Maleny, Montville and Mapleton. On the eastern escarpment of Mapleton, a zincclad house sits nestled in its terrain.Reaping the rewards of a subtropical climate with relatively high rainfalls, the Blackall Range was historically used for growing various crops, especially bananas and pineapples. Neighbours and longterm residents have affectionately likened the house by Atelier Chen Hung to the gabled, Zincalumeclad banana packing sheds that once populated the region. The house proposes a new architectural picturesque: a resistance to symmetry; a strong connection between the building and the natural landscape; and an architectural form reminiscent of another time.The traditional custodians of the unceded lands that the house now occupies, the Gubbi Gubbi people, maintain important connections to this ancient landscape. The two mountains that feature in the view from the house are Mount Ninderry and Mount Coolum. The Gubbi Gubbi people tell a story of a feud between Ninderry and Coolum over a woman named Maroochy; Ninderry knocked off Coolums head and was turned into stone as punishment. A grieving Maroochy fled to the Blackall Range and her tears flooded down, creating the Maroochy River. Designing the house was not merely about capturing a view but, as architect Melody Chen describes, orienting the house around lines of refuge and prospecting.An obvious form for a house on this site would have been an elevated volume with the longest edge of the building facing towards the view. The architects have challenged this response and shaped the house to engage with the site in every possible way. The act of rotating the form, so that the longest side of the building faces north (as is desirable in Australia) achieves many things in one stroke of brilliance. A short side facing east maintains views from the internal living spaces as well as the outdoor areas around the house the entry garden, the external courtyard and deck between the garage and the house.This move also means that the view of the landscape is not blocked from the street, allowing pedestrians to catch a glimpse of the scenery beyond, framed in the opening between the house and the garage. The house is also skewed away from a public stairway running down one of its sides, generating a view cone for pedestrians to enjoy as they descend the steep site. As architect James Hung points out, there are no fences that bound the site; it is a house that seeks to engage with its context and democratises access to the view. There is a generosity in this gesture, supported and promoted by the client, to maintain public access to the view of the coastline, Mount Ninderry and Mount Coolum.Sinking the house into the site is a response to several conditions. It provides acoustic retreat from the busy main road, while also navigating the terrain to support the clients desire for an accessible dwelling a second storey with steep stairs would have betrayed this requirement. In early conversations between architect and client, they collectively identified Step House (2001) by Tezuka Architects as a key reference. Both Step House and Mapleton House enjoy views from each internal space over the Pacific Ocean, albeit in very different contexts. While Step House plays with a parallelogram volume cascading across the site, Mapleton House folds out like tented bellows towards the view through a trapezoidal prism. Descending from the entrance, past the kitchen into the living room and out to the deck, the view is revealed dynamically as the space expands both vertically and horizontally.The house offers various places for comfort and patterns for inhabitation. The timber deck organises the site, negotiating the connection between inside and out, framing the view and acting as the central node for navigating the house. It is partially sheltered from the easterly winds by the skewed form of the house, increasing the surface area of the building that faces over the escarpment and distributing the wind forces, acting as a windbreak.The covered outdoor space situated at the heart of the plan opens to the deck to the north to allow in daylight. In the cooler seasons, this outdoor room allows for passive solar heat gain deep into the interior. In summer, it can be enclosed by meshed sliding screens that promote natural ventilation and evaporative cooling, while providing privacy and security. An outdoor room like this is often used in hot and humid climates and can be traced to southeastern states of the US, where it is known as a dogtrot; it is known colloquially in Australia as a possum trot. Atelier Chen Hung have experimented with outdoor rooms like this in previous houses, including their first the Keperra House in 2012.Spaces are demarcated by stepped platforms and separated by centrally organised service spaces for storage and ablutions, which organise the plan along an axis that separates more public spaces to the north from private spaces along the southern side of the house. For now, the plan facilitates one bedroom and an office space; future uses could see the office used as a second bedroom, which even has its own entry. The plan accommodates several circulation paths and points of entry, creating varied opportunities for occupation. Hung suggests that it could even be a regional art gallery one day.Town planning requirements included restrictions on the roof form, favouring hipped or gabled roofs. The pitch of the roof is perpendicular to the long edge of the building, which does two things: it elevates the highest point of the roof over the central outdoor room; and it provides expression to the southern facade, which faces the public stairway and has fewer openings for privacy reasons. Planning restrictions also placed limitations on colour Hung describes the options as grey, grey or grey. The decision to use zinc cladding, rather than locally popular Zincalume, complied with this requirement but also contributes to reducing the carbon footprint of the house because zinc has a longer material lifespan and requires a less intense process for recycling and reuse than alloy metals.The cladding system applied to Mapleton House involves a simple clipping mechanism, meaning that panels can be replaced and repaired as needed. There are no excess cappings or flashings that may require replacement over time. The mellow grey of the cladding also responds to its context, blending in like a watercolour wash to the view beyond, where the ocean meets the sky. There is a careful approach to material selection inside the house too; internal walls are lined in boards of silver ash timber, sourced from farnorth Queensland, which meet ply sheets at a datum line set out from door and window openings. The woods colour complements the sandstone steps that connect the levels.Mapleton House is a lesson in how to take away to give back, preserving views that can be enjoyed by many. The house rests lightly in its site, in terms of both environmental and social impact, carefully curating a view instead of boastfully monopolising it. The efficient plan, its connection to an ancient landscape, formal and material hints to an agricultural past, and its openness to varied forms of inhabitation, all contribute to a new and sitespecific reading of the picturesque.2024-12-16Reuben J BrownShare AR December 2024/January 2025Good rooms + AR HouseBuy Now