Not In The CardsSorry, Austin Butler lovers, but American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis says the Dune actor's casting in the new movie is "fake news""From various sources that I have, this is just fake news that was put out there to see how an audience is going to react."Image credit: Warner Bros. News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Jan. 8, 2025 Despite previous reports, it's sounding like Austin Butler taking on the role of Patrick Bateman in Luca Guadagnino's American Psycho is just "fake news."Last month, it was reported that Dune and Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure actor Austin Butler would be portraying American Psycho's Patrick Bateman in a new adaptation from Challengers director Luca Guadagnino. The character is obviously quite iconic these days thanks to Christian Bale's performance in the 2000 original, but Butler's hypothetical casting certainly would have allowed for quite a different take. Except, speaking on a recent episode of his own podcast, Bret Easton Ellis, original author of the book American Psycho is based on, said that he believes Butler's casting hasn't actually taken place (thanks, Bloody Disgusting).To see this content please enable targeting cookies. "I have a feeling it's fake news," Easton Ellis shared. "I heard somewhere, from someone, that there are no contracts. Austin Butler hasnt signed anything to play Patrick Bateman. Luca doesnt have a deal. Scott Burns, who is supposed to write the screenplay, doesnt have a deal either." The author continued, "From various sources that I have, this is just fake news that was put out there to see how an audience is going to react. If it does exist, I am not involved. I have nothing to do with this. I might get some money if they do this, but I am not involved creatively on any level, and that is all I know."Industry insider Jeff Sneider corroborated Easton Ellis' claims, saying that the "American Psycho announcement was more about making Lionsgate look a little bit more attractive on paper as an acquisition target than it was about an actual movie that's going to happen." A report last month claimed that Lionsgate is currently up for sale, so perhaps the Butler report really was to just get a buyer interested. Either way, if this film does end up happening, it has a lot of work to do to be as good as the original.

Shot-stoppers SavedEA Sports FC 25's first post-TOTY reveal update is good news if you think your goalie's giving up too often, but bad news if you've been passing "in an unnatural way"EA has also shared some of the stuff it'll be looking into for its next update after this latest one.Image credit: EA News by Mark Warren Senior Staff Writer Published on Jan. 8, 2025 A fresh title update for EA Sports FC 25 has just dropped, with the developer saying it's still making more progress on combvatting issues which've been highlighted in player feedback.Title Update 7 is the first one arrive since voting opened up on this year's UT Teams of the Year the other day, and it follows on from the game's annual big December update. Natyrally this one's not quite as chunky as that, but it's still pretty noteworthy.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. So, what's in title update 7? Well, you can read the full notes here, and EA's picked out three major highlights gameplay-wise."We've seen a lot of matches where first-time lofted through passes were being used in an unnatural way, most notably on kickoffs or from bad angles out of the back," it said, it's reduced the accuracy of said passes. EA continued that it's "addressed an issue where the positioning system could sometimes move players too close to the dribbler when cutting off passing lanes, leading to autotackles", with a fix that should also stop midfielders being yanked out of position. To see this content please enable targeting cookies.That said, if you're most interested in not getting hammered 7-0 as I am, the third tweak's the most important. "We found the goalkeeper was triggering a 'give up' animation (something you see when they have no chance of getting to the ball) too frequently when running back towards goal on chip shots," EA wrote. So, it's dialled up the amount of desperation save attempts you should get in those situations.In a separate tweet, the developer's also helpfully outlined some thingfs it'll be looking to adjusting in its "next planned update" after this one, with the list being as follows:Ground pass speedPlayers without the ball catching up to the dribbler regardless of pace differenceKeeper positioningFinesse shot playstyle balancingAI defender interceptionsTacklebacksAssisted Shooting (Lace & Finesse shots)If you've been diving into FC 25 for the first time in a little bit to check out TOTY, make sure to check out our guides that can help you take on the game, including the best tactics codes and formations, plus the best young stars to sign in career mode.

Following last year's walk-out.Last year saw the entire Annapurna Interactive workforce resign following a dispute with owner Megan Ellison. Four months on, Bloomberg has reported that the former staff members have formed a new company and have picked up the entire Private Division portfolio (thanks, GamesIndustry.biz).The as-yet-unnamed company reportedly acquired all games under the Private Division label from the Texas-based firm Haveli Investments the presumed "undisclosed buyer" after Take-Two sold the studio last year, claiming it was focusing on growing its "core businesses for the long term". While no specifics have been given at this time, Bloomberg reports that the new company's buyout will likely result in studio layoffs for the 20 employees who joined Private Division under Haveli.Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Education technology giant PowerSchool has told customers that it experienced a cybersecurity incident that allowed hackers to compromise the personal data of students and teachers in K-12 school districts across the United States.The California-based PowerSchool, which was acquired by Bain Capital for $5.6 billion in 2024, is the largest provider of cloud-based education software for K-12 education in the U.S., serving more than 75% of students in North America, according to the companys website.PowerSchool says its software is used by over 16,000 customers to support more than 50 million students in the United States.In a letter sent to affected customers on Tuesday and published in a local news report, PowerSchool said hackers successfully breached its PowerSource customer support portal on December 28, allowing further access to the companys school information system, PowerSchool SIS, which schools use to manage student records, grades, attendance, and enrollment. The letter said the companys investigation found the hackers gained access using a compromised credential.PowerSchool has not said what types of data were accessed during the incident or how many individuals are affected by the breach, and neither PowerSchool nor Bain Capital have responded to TechCrunchs questions.The nature of the cyberattack remains unknown. Bleeping Computer reports that in an FAQ sent to affected users, PowerSchool said it did not experience a ransomware attack, but that the company was extorted into paying a financial sum to prevent the hackers from leaking the stolen data. PowerSchool told the publication that names and addresses were exposed in the breach, but that the information may also include Social Security numbers, medical information, grades, and other personally identifiable information. PowerSchool did not say how much the company paid.PowerSchool was sued by class action in November 2024, which alleges the company illegally sells student data without consent for commercial gain. According to the lawsuit, the companys troves of student data totals some 345 terabytes of data collected from 440 school districts.PowerSchool collects this highly sensitive information under the guise of educational support, but in fact collects it for its own commercial gain, while hiding behind opaque terms of service such that no one can understand, the lawsuit alleges.

Vay is hitting the accelerator on its driverless car-sharing service in Las Vegas. The Berlin-based startup, which uses teleoperations technology that lets humans pilot empty vehicles to customers, has been operating a small commercial fleet of retrofitted Kia e-Niro vehicles in certain parts of Las Vegas since January 2024. When customers open the Vay app and hail a car, it arrives without a human behind the wheel. Once the Vay vehicle arrives, the customer hops in and takes over manual control of the car. Customers drive themselves to their destination. Once theyre finished, the teleops driver pilots the vehicle back.Vay announced Wednesday during CES 2025 it is expanding its operations and plans to increase its fleet to 100 vehicles in Las Vegas.The startup, which raised a 34 million round from the European Investment Bank last year, has also secured a production facility to meet growing demand. The company said the facility will be used to build out Vays Kia e-Niro fleet.Vay co-founder and CEO Thomas Von der Ohe said the investment represents a significant milestone for Vays growth and will play a crucial role in scaling its offerings.Vay said its users have taken more than 6,000 trips throughout central Las Vegas. Last year, the company announced plans to expand into business-to-business operations, aiming to provide remote driving for private cars, trucks, vans, and autonomous vehicles. Vay said Wednesday its hiring remote car and truck drivers as B2B operations expand this year. The company hasnt shared what vehicles it will use for its commercial B2B service.

In BriefPosted:5:55 AM PST January 8, 2025Image Credits:Santiago Urquijo / Getty ImagesEU court fines European Commission for breaching its own data privacy lawsA top court has ordered the European Unions top executive authority to pay 400 (around $410) in damages to a German citizen for breaching its own data protection laws.In a statement, the EU General Court said the European Commission violated the citizens rights by transferring some of his personal data to the United States without proper safeguards.The court said the German citizen registered for a conference, managed by the European Commission, using the Sign in with Facebook option on the conferences website. But the citizen said information about his IP address, browser and device were transferred to companies in the United States namely Amazon, which hosts the conferences website, and Meta, which owns Facebook which the citizen said violated his rights under the blocs data privacy rules.The European Commission committed a sufficiently serious breach of the rules that cover the 27 European nations, the EU General Court ruled on Wednesday. Reuters, which first reported the news, said the fine is a first for the European Commission.The EUs data protection rules, known as GDPR, are some of the strictest data privacy rules in the world, and can fine organizations up to 4% of their annual turnover for breaching the rules.Topics

Breakdown & ShowreelsWallace & Gromit Vengeance Most Fowl: Behind the Scenes by BBCBy Vincent Frei - 08/01/2025 Step into the world of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl! This exclusive BBC making of takes you behind the scenes at Aardman Animations, revealing the artistry of stop-motion creation and animation. Dont miss this fascinating look at how these beloved characters come to life! Vincent Frei The Art of VFX 2025

3D Fluid SimulationsHave you ever received an email from a client that sent shivers down your spine? It might include this paragraph: Hey, I need you to create a fluid animation effect for me; heres a reference photo of a beautiful (insert photo of waves, ocean, splashes, beer pour, etc.). You have till Tuesday.True story, I have a friend who received the exact email above, asking him to create an animation of a wave splashing back and forth in a container. He spent 30 hours trying to simulate it, and in the end, his client hated it, and my friend didnt get paid a penny.In this blog post, I want to help you avoid this situation. While the email will still give you the shivers, at least you will have a better understanding of the best practices for making fluid simulations in 3D.This guide isnt going to give you the specifics but instead will provide you with a general overview of the available tools and the best ways to get the results you want. Lets dive in; the water (fluid) is warm!Why Fluids?If youre a motion designer or VFX artist, then you cant go long without a request to make fluids. It has become a key part of our job as artists, from creating crown splashes to motion design water elements to pack shots with liquid exploding around them to realistic oceans to rain effects.Above render using our Water Splashes 2 PackWhy is this so hard? (Avoid joke here). Fluid sims are among the most complex tasks you will face. Why? Because fluid dynamics is a mathematical hellscape of complexity. If you go in too far, you will likely hear the term Navier-Stokes equations, which will immediately be followed by equations that look like maybe the alien language has been discovered.Graphic from this post.If you consider the properties youll be dealing with, then you will understand why the math behind the physics is so intense. Were talking about parameters like viscosity, flow, density, pressure, surface tension, turbulence, and vorticity. And this isnt even getting into lighting and texturing accurately! Fluids are REALLY tough. Because of this, you will be challenged with a daunting quest.What will you learn in this Fluid Guide?In this guide, youll learn the current landscape of tools and plugins you can use to achieve 3D fluid simulations. Youll learn which to use and which to avoid, and even discover some shortcuts you might consider along the way.Understanding Fluid Simulation BasicsThere are a few different types of fluid simulations. There are standard Liquid Simulations that simulate the behavior of liquids like water, oil, or lava. They often use methods like FLIP (Fluid-Implicit Particle) or SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics).There are also Gas Simulations used for simulating smoke, fire, or gaseous-type phenomena. You can usually create these with Pyro effects. There are Particle-Based Simulations that use particle systems to represent fluids and let you create splashes, foam, and spray. There are also more specialized fluid simulations, like ocean and wave simulations. Lets first figure out what software is equipped to handle these best.Software recommendations for 3D Fluid SimulationSome 3D software handles fluids incredibly well, and some fail quite spectacularly. Lets start with the BEST, and proceed to the worst.The biggest takeaway for you is that if you want professional, top-shelf sims, then you have to learn Houdini. It is BY FAR the most capable, realistic, powerful, and accurate software for making simulations. The downside is that it has the steepest and most aggressive learning curve of all software!3D Fluids in HoudiniAbove render by Emmett MikitaHoudini specializes in multiple aspects of VFX, from modeling to final rendering. This software RULES film, television, advertising, and gaming industries by handling everything from rigging and animation to visual effects and lighting. It handles massive projects and crazy pipelines with no issues.Houdini uses the sophisticated FLIP (fluid-implicit particle) solver to give you both speed and precision in fluid simulations and creates realistic atmospheric effects, including mist, foam, spray, and bubble elements.Houdini also has Ocean FX tools for making seas, beaches, small oceans, large oceans, wave tanks, beach tanks, waves, and much more.Mastering Houdini requires significant time investment, but it can be well worth the effort when it comes to fluid simulations. Houdini is the leading solution for 3D fluid simulation in our industry.3D Fluids in 3DS MaxAbove render by Hammer Chen using Phoenix3ds Max boasts Chaos Phoenix, which is a powerful fluid dynamics system that can create various liquid effects, including bubbles, foam, and splashes.Phoenix is famous for making fire and smoke, but it has a fully featured fluid dynamics system as well. It works with the same principles as when it creates gaseous volumes and is unusual in that it works with voxels rather than particles, generating the surface at render time.Phoenix for 3ds Max and Maya can produce ship waves on the ocean, dribbling chocolate or frothing beer, and when rendered with global illumination using V-Ray, the results can be quite incredible!3D Fluids in MayaAbove render by BlendarianMayas Bifrost is capable of handling large-scale fluid simulations with tens of millions of particles. Bifrost is a procedural framework that can create simulated liquid and aerodynamic effects using a FLIP (fluid implicit particle) solver.The technology was employed as a dedicated tool for VFX studios and was used in films including Avatar, X-Men: First Class, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes.Its capable of handling tens of millions of particles for large-scale fluid simulations. It has the ability to produce fluid sims like foam particles, bubbles, spray effects, and rolling waves.3D Fluids in Unreal EngineAbove render by Jesse PitelaIf youre riding the Unreal train of real-time delight and you want to experiment with the watery world, they have their own built-in fluid simulation system for real-time fluid effects. Its called Niagara Fluids. It can be used to create complex fluid simulations for games and cinematics, including smoke, fire, and liquids.UE also has add-ons you can explore, like Fluid Flux, which is a third-party plugin available on the Epic Games Marketplace that offers real-time water simulation capabilities for rivers, oceans, and shorelines.3D Fluids in BlenderAbove render by CG GeekBlender has native tools for fluids that you can use without additional plugins or addons.It includes a system called Mantaflow, which lets you create various fluid effects. You can also dig into quite a few Blender add-ons for fluids, including FLIP Fluids, which is quite popular. Its a tool designed to help users set up, run, and render high-quality liquid simulation effects within Blender.TLDR, Blender has some great options for fluids!3D Fluids in Cinema 4dAbove render by Redila Media using PyroAnd now we come to the software many of us know and love, Cinema 4D. At this point, we wonder collectively why C4D is at the bottom of the list when I mentioned we would go from best to worst.Collectively we accept the reality: Cinema 4D kind of sucks at fluids.A handful of years ago, there was an exciting and enticing race to the top between X-Particles and Realflow. Sadly, X-Particles went off the rails with apparent corporate greed (not my opinion, but the opinion of all of the forums I have ever read), and Realflow mysteriously went inactive.This leaves us with the native C4D fluid tools. Oh wait, there are none. Crap.In Cinema 4D there are a few ways of approaching fluids that are AWESOME for motion design or static frames. They definitely are slow, and they dont look very good in many situations, but for certain applications, they work well. These include:1. Using C4D Pyro to generate the animation and then a volume mesher and builder to turn it into the required blobby geometry. This process allows for the creation of various fluid-like effects, including watery and slimy vibes.2. Using the 2024+ Cinema 4D Particle engine to create particle animations that are then fed into a volume mesher and builder to create the geometry. This method involves using emitters, field forces, turbulence, and friction to simulate fluid behavior. The particles can then be connected using a volume builder to create a fluid-like appearance. The downside is that its fairly slow to work with. Heck, I even made a tutorial on this process you can check out!3. Other dumb options: umm metaballs.Dont get me wrong; particles or pyro + volume builders are great ways to get by but most certainly wont generate anything with real-world perfection!The Ultimate Cheat CodeI have good news. Say you need a beautiful, photo-real, perfectly simulated fluid effect, and you open up the Houdini door and quickly shut it as the mathematical formulations tumble and gather at your feet.You go to door two; it has Cinema 4D in there, but its just not gonna get you to the finish line where the client triumphantly hands you the check.I would like to introduce a 3rd door. You open it and what do you find? Pre-simulated, pre-cached assets for all sorts of fluid effects that are pre-made with love just for you.This is the part of the blog where I shamelessly plug our Fluid Effects lineup of 3D assets in case you want bubbles, water splashes, crown splashes, rivers, and more. Weve done all the hard work (in Houdini of course) to make the perfect assets, which you can simply drag and drop into your next project. Theyre .abc Alembic files, so you can use them in any render engine or 3D app you want.With this shameless plug out of the way, lets talk about the future!Future of Fluid SimulationI dont have any insider knowledge about this, but I have heard rumors of C4D working on a fluid system behind the scenes, which makes a lot of sense because they recently introduced Pyro and Particles. Keep your eyes open for that.There are also other plugins in development, like LiquiGen, which are not quite perfect yet but are getting better all the time. And who knows what AI tools will come out with next?Currently, though, your choices are Houdini, 3ds Max + Phoenix, Maya + Bitfrost, Unreal Engine Niagara, or Blender.Or our assets, of course (which are better than anything you could dream of). Things change quickly, but for now, we are here at the end of this incredible journey.Conclusion and SummaryAbove render from The Pixel Lab Rivers PackI hope you have learned what you need from this overview, and youre ready to tackle the problems head-on. Whatever your client asks of you, I wish you the best of luck.Happy simulating, happy rendering, and Im here if you need anything. Good luck with your projects!Recommended Products

Niteri Contemporary Art Museum | Felipe Vieira, Flickr UsersThe Niteri Contemporary Art Museum (MAC Niteri) is one of Oscar Niemeyers most notable works. Completed in 1996, the museum merges modernist principles with a sculptural sensibility. Located on a cliff overlooking Guanabara Bay, the building interacts with the surrounding landscape, framing views of Sugarloaf Mountain and the Rio de Janeiro skyline.Niteri Contemporary Art Museum Technical InformationArchitects1-2: Oscar NiemeyerLocation: Boa Viagem, Niteri, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilSite Area: 2,500 m2 | 26,910 Sq. Ft.Project Year: 1991 1996Photographs: See Captions DetailsIt was a difficult project, but when I saw the beauty of the sea and the surrounding landscape, I felt my architecture should reflect that beauty. I created a flower blooming on the edge of the cliff, reaching out to the infinite. Oscar Niemeyer 6Niteri Contemporary Art Museum Photographs Jonathan Reid, Flickr UsersAerial View Scott Norsworthy Marinelson Almeida, Flickr Users Gandy, Flickr Users Benjamin Norvell, Flickr Users Maria Ftima Leite, Flickr Users Rogerio Machado, Flickr UsersInteriorFormal Language: A Dialogue Between Structure and LandscapeThe museum represents Niemeyers approach to combining architecture with its natural environment, creating a space that blends artistic vision with functionality.The Niteri Contemporary Art Museum features a saucer-like structure supported by a single slender column. The buildings geometry appears to float above the rocky terrain, integrating seamlessly with the surroundings. Niemeyer likened the design to a flower blooming on the edge of the sea, emphasizing the organic forms often seen in his work.The elevated position preserves the natural landscape, while the external promenade and red ramp create a transitional experience for visitors. The ramp connects the structure with its environment and draws visitors into the building.Interior Design and Spatial ExperienceThe museums circular exhibition space contrasts with its sculptural exterior. The minimalistic interior design allows the artwork to remain the focal point. A central spiral layout guides visitors through the space.Natural light enhances the interior, with expansive glass windows offering views of Guanabara Bay and the surrounding landscape. This interplay between interior and exterior reinforces Niemeyers principle of harmonizing architecture with its context.Legacy and Criticism: Beyond Iconic ArchitectureThe Niteri Contemporary Art Museum is recognized for its design and role in architectural discourse. However, the building has faced criticism for practical challenges, such as limited exhibition space and climate control issues.Despite these limitations, the museum reflects Niemeyers belief in prioritizing form and harmony with the environment over rigid functionality. It remains an influential example of modernist architecture, emphasizing integrating artistic expression with design.Niteri Contemporary Art Museum PlansSection | Oscar NiemeyerFloor Plan | Oscar NiemeyerFloor Plan | Oscar NiemeyerImage GalleryAbout Oscar NiemeyerOscar Niemeyer (19072012) was a Brazilian architect renowned for his pioneering contributions to modernist architecture. Known for his bold use of curves and sculptural forms, Niemeyers designs were deeply influenced by Brazils natural landscapes and cultural identity. A key figure in shaping Braslia, Brazils capital, he collaborated with Lcio Costa on its urban planning and designed many of its iconic buildings, including the National Congress and the Cathedral of Braslia. Niemeyers career spanned over seven decades, marked by innovative works such as the Niteri Contemporary Art Museum and his contributions to the United Nations Headquarters in New York. His designs often challenged traditional architectural conventions, emphasizing beauty, harmony, and a seamless connection with nature. A recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1988, Niemeyer is celebrated as one of the most influential architects of the 20th century.Credits and Additional NotesStructural Engineer: Bruno ContariniClient: City of NiteriBuilt Area: 2,000 square meters (21,528 square feet)Height: 16 meters (52 feet)Diameter of Circular Base: 50 meters (164 feet)Structural Details: Reinforced concrete, designed to elevate and integrate with the surrounding natural topographyOscar Niemeyer: Eine Legende der Moderne / A Legend of ModernismbyPaul Andreas,Ingeborg Flagge,P. Andreas

TheWest Cornwall Covered Bridge spans the theHousatonic Riverin the town ofCornwall, Connecticut and is one of three historic covered bridges in the state. Records indicate that a bridge was in this location as early as 1762, but many were destroyed by floods and storms over the years, and even in the past century, flooding as a result of the1938 New England hurricaneand theflood of 1955, threatened to wash the bridge away, but she survived. The 172-foot bridge has been depicted in paintings, photographs, and movies, including Valley of the Dollsa 1967film. The charm of a historic New England covered bridge is so enchanting and has been a draw for tourists to stop by this amazing town for decades.