Author Archives: Michael Sechrest

SpeedTree® in ‘The Witcher 3’ Next-Gen Title

Wow. We’ve been working with CD Projekt on The Witcher 3 for a while now, but every time they release new screenshots, we’re stunned. Our compliments to CD Projekt on their absolutely brilliant work with SpeedTree and the entire title! SpeedTree has come a long way since the days of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the […]

Can SpeedTrees Be Destroyed?

Flaming Trees in Far Cry® 4 When people are considering using SpeedTree in a game, they often ask us questions like these:  Can SpeedTree destroy trees?  Knock them over?  Burn them?  The answer: “Well, no.  But it can help.” Destruction requires a high level of interaction between the SpeedTree asset and other parts of the […]

ILM’s “Noah” & the Making of V7’s Animated Growth

When Industrial Light and Magic approached us about growing a small sapling into a massive forest for a key scene in the film Noah, needless to say, we were excited to help bring this vision to life. We were especially thrilled that this collaboration ultimately led to the development of the new Animated Growth feature, […]

SpeedTree® User Profile: Jamir Blanco

Jamir Blanco, who started using SpeedTree® almost two years ago, reports that the software has impressed his colleagues, won him recognition and helped him complete projects quickly. Here’s more about Jamir and his experiences: Name: Jamir Blanco Title/Occupation: Freelance environment artist for film, game, and animation SpeedTree Product Used: SpeedTree Studio SpeedTree User Since: September […]

More About Unity 5

We’re still putting together the official marketing material for the Unity 5 launch (web pages, tutorial videos, etc.) but I thought I’d share some of the details we revealed at GDC with those of you that are curious. First of all, here’s a link to my GDC presentation in the Unity theater. It’s a little […]

Ingenuity Engine Makes Fairy Tales Come True with the Help of SpeedTree®

While SpeedTree® is playing a visible role in a growing list of major feature film productions, we wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity to share how our toolkit is being artfully used in all kinds of productions, large and small—including TV commercials.  One recent example involved Ingenuity Engine, a Hollywood-based VFX studio that used SpeedTree […]

Video Preview of New SpeedTree® Cinema & Studio 7 Features

SpeedTree® Cinema and Studio v7 is now available for evaluation, license and upgrade and we could not be more thrilled!  Version 7 was developed alongside some of the world’s top visual effects studios, allowing us to create exciting new tools like Subdivision Surface Modeling, Animated Growth, Alembic Export, Render Sequence and more.  In fact, some […]

July Cinefex Cites SpeedTree® in Two Summer Blockbusters

If you’re a reader of Cinefex magazine, you may have spotted several recent mentions of SpeedTree® in two July articles highlighting cinematic visual effects created for summer blockbusters Iron Man 3 and White House Down. Iron Man 3: In the July Cinefex story, Rough Around the Edges, Jody Duncan outlines the work of visual effects […]