What is data compression and how can it help you in VFX and Animation? In this post we’ll look at the basics of data compression both lossless and lossy. What are the options and what are the tradeoffs when using compression vs. not using compression?

I recently had a conversation with an experienced colleague that made me realize just how much confusion there can be about
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The terminal is pretty daunting. All that basically-formatted text, those sometimes extensive commands, and so much typing make for a barrier to entry that many artists find hard to get over. But a basic understanding of how to get around and find and move files is invaluable. And since Unix/Linux has a long history in the industry,
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People often seem surprised when I tell them that effectively all high-end VFX and animation shops use Linux. Surely something like Windows or OSX would be more convenient, right? Maybe so… or maybe not. As Ethan mentioned in an Read more...

When this question is asked, the question between the lines is really “Why don’t they use Windows?” since the only other real contender outside Linux is Apple OSX, which itself is based on BSD
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We use the term “Virtual Machine” (or “VM”) a lot here at MetaPipe, but you might not know what that means. This short explaination should help clear things up a bit.

First, the obtuse, opaque answer: a virtual machine is a computer within a computer. But I figure that answer is about as clear as mud, right? So let’s try using something else that
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