국내에서도 고난이도 컴퓨터 그래픽(CG) 기술이 적용된 영화 제작이 수월해질 듯하다.
7월 17일 한국, 중국 및 아시아 국가에서 동시 개봉할 영화 ‘미스터고’의 제작자 겸 VFX 스튜디오, 덱스터디지털은 11일 여의도 CGV영화관에서 인텔코리아, LG엔시스와 3사 공동 기자간담회를 갖고, 국내 최초 국산 기술로 제작된 3D 영화를 실현시킨 슈퍼컴퓨터 기술을 소개했다.
덱스터디지털은 LG엔시스의 클라우드 기반 ‘스마트렌더’ 서비스를 이용해 개발된 ‘미스터고’의 CG 주인공 캐릭터인 고릴라 ‘링링’을 만들어내는 것이 지금까지는 해외 전문 스튜디오에 의뢰하지 않는 이상 불가능했다고 이날 밝혔다.
인텔 제온 E5 프로세서 5,000 코어로 구성된 LG엔시스의 클라우드 렌더팜 서비스는 CG 기술에 필수인렌더링 수행을 돕는 고성능 컴퓨터 클러스터다.
렌더링 작업은 CG를 이용해 2차원의 그림에 빛, 그림자, 배경, 주변 물체와의 거리 등 모든 정보를 계산해 최종 3차원 화상을 만들어내는 기술로 슈퍼컴퓨터의 대규모 계산능력을 필요로 한다.
그동안 세계 수준을 자랑하는 국내 CG 기술이 부족한 인프라 구축 및 자본 문제로 인해 해외 의존도가 높은 것이 현실이었다.
LG엔시스 김도현 대표이사에 따르면 자체 데이터센터 구축을 통해 대용량의 컴퓨터 파워와 스토리지를 구매하기 위해서는 높은 초기 투자 비용이 들기 때문에 국내 영화 산업 실정으로는 사실상 불가능하다.
이에 김 대표는 “국내 중소 규모의 영화 제작사가 ‘스마트렌더’ 서비스를 통해 첨단기술과 인프라를 지원받을 수 있다”고 전했다.
이날 참석한 인텔코리아 이희성 사장은 “예술가들의 창의력 구현이 컴퓨팅 파워에 의하여 제안되어 왔다”며 “앞으로 인텔은 한국의 영상 산업 경쟁력이 강화될 수 있도록 기반기술 제공을 통한 지원을 지속할 예정”이라고 말했다. (코리아헤럴드 권범준 기자)
<관련 영문 기사>
Korea-developed supercomputer targets visual effects industry
Korea’s leading IT solution provider LG N-Sys and world’s top computer chipmaker Intel have come together to create Korea’s largest supercomputer infrastructure for developing computer graphic visual content especially for motion pictures.
Dexter Digital -- Korea’s leading visual effects film producer -- together with LG N-Sys and Intel Korea on Thursday held a media event to showcase the technology behind its latest film production “Mr. Go,” which had been made possible by the new technology.
Making the most out of LG N-Sys’ Smart Render service powered by 5,000 cores of Intel’s Xeon E5 processor, Dexter Digital was able to complete the rendering process of transforming two-dimensional still images into a Hollywood-quality high-definition 3-D motion picture, according to Dexter Digital.
Rendering is a process in which various elements such as lights, background images, distance and shadows are added to the two-dimensional still images through computer graphics.
Unlike the Hollywood filmmakers who can take advantage of their own supercomputer infrastructures, Korean VFX film artists have suffered from the lack of technological infrastructure although their know-how and skills in generating computer graphics have been recognized as world-class.
Acquiring this supercomputer infrastructure for Korean VFX artists in essence is impossible due to the high upfront investment cost.
“Through our Smart Render service, many medium- or small-sized Korean film producers will now benefit from the low cost and have the opportunity to be more innovative,” LG N-Sys CEO Kim Do-hyun said.
“Intel Korea will continue to contribute to the Korean film industry by providing the latest technological solution for simulation-based design technology,” Intel Korea’s country manager Lee Hee-sung added.
Dexter Digital’s new blockbuster “Mr. Go” -- which will be released on July 17 -- is 90 percent computer graphics.
By Kwon Bum-joon
(bjkwon@heraldcorp.com)
Korea-developed supercomputer targets visual effects industry
Korea’s leading IT solution provider LG N-Sys and world’s top computer chipmaker Intel have come together to create Korea’s largest supercomputer infrastructure for developing computer graphic visual content especially for motion pictures.
Dexter Digital -- Korea’s leading visual effects film producer -- together with LG N-Sys and Intel Korea on Thursday held a media event to showcase the technology behind its latest film production “Mr. Go,” which had been made possible by the new technology.
Making the most out of LG N-Sys’ Smart Render service powered by 5,000 cores of Intel’s Xeon E5 processor, Dexter Digital was able to complete the rendering process of transforming two-dimensional still images into a Hollywood-quality high-definition 3-D motion picture, according to Dexter Digital.
Rendering is a process in which various elements such as lights, background images, distance and shadows are added to the two-dimensional still images through computer graphics.
Unlike the Hollywood filmmakers who can take advantage of their own supercomputer infrastructures, Korean VFX film artists have suffered from the lack of technological infrastructure although their know-how and skills in generating computer graphics have been recognized as world-class.
Acquiring this supercomputer infrastructure for Korean VFX artists in essence is impossible due to the high upfront investment cost.
“Through our Smart Render service, many medium- or small-sized Korean film producers will now benefit from the low cost and have the opportunity to be more innovative,” LG N-Sys CEO Kim Do-hyun said.
“Intel Korea will continue to contribute to the Korean film industry by providing the latest technological solution for simulation-based design technology,” Intel Korea’s country manager Lee Hee-sung added.
Dexter Digital’s new blockbuster “Mr. Go” -- which will be released on July 17 -- is 90 percent computer graphics.
By Kwon Bum-joon
(bjkwon@heraldcorp.com)