Recently, the Academy Software Foundation (ASWF), the preeminent organization for open source software development in the motion picture and media industries, announced the addition of two new general members: Maxon and Tangent Animation. The news comes as the Academy Software Foundation heads into its annual conference, Open Source Days, a free virtual event which will be held on 4 and 5 August where top Hollywood studios and technology developers come together to share the latest progress on open source tools and standards.
“We are pleased to welcome Maxon and Tangent Animation as new members to the Academy Software Foundation. Maxon is joining us with a robust portfolio of software products already using our projects, and Tangent Animation with a strong track record of using open source software in animation production,” said Academy Software Foundation executive director David Morin. “We look forward to working with both companies to accelerate the adoption and development of open source software in Filmmaking, Motion Design and Animation.”
Formed in 2018 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Linux Foundation, the ASWF provides a world-class home for open source software developers to share resources and collaborate on technologies for image creation, visual effects, animation, sound, and other content creation. Since its launch, the ASWF has adopted seven open source projects including OpenColorIO, OpenEXR, OpenVDB, OpenCue, OpenTimelineIO, Open Shading Language, and most recently in July 2021, MaterialX.
The addition of Maxon and Tangent Animation marks continued growth for the ASWF, following the addition of Adobe and the Entertainment Technology Center@USC as members earlier this year. The ASWF has grown significantly in just three years, from 13 founding members to 33 members today, a testament to the importance and scope of open source development across the industry.
“At Maxon, we develop software solutions that empower and inspire artists to create, collaborate and entertain,” said , , Maxon CEO David McGavran. “We’re thrilled to become a member of the Academy Software Foundation and support the great work the Foundation is doing to further expand the capabilities of the creative industries we all serve.”
“From the beginning, Tangent Animation has relied on open source software. It is now proud to support open software as an Academy Software Foundation member and by open sourcing its in-house production USD render engine Blackbird,” said Tangent Animation Lead Render Engineer Stefan Werner.
In addition to a growing membership, the Academy Software Foundation continues to be a home where open source projects flourish. Recent key updates from its growing project base include the graduation of OpenCue from incubation, OpenEXR’s version 3 release, and the availability of OpenColorIO v2.
For the latest info on the Academy Software Foundation’s members, projects, and other initiatives, tune in to Open Source Days on 4-5 August.
