BREAKING NEWS
LATEST POSTS
-
Free or Open Source VFX Asset Management Systems
There are several free or open-source VFX asset management systems available that can be used in production environments. These tools vary in scope—from lightweight tools to full-fledged pipeline frameworks. Below is a breakdown of the most notable ones and what makes them stand out.
1. Free & Open-Source VFX Asset Management Systems
1.1 OpenPype (formerly Pype)
License: Open source (Apache 2.0)
– Asset management and project structure setup
– Integrates with Maya, Houdini, Nuke, Blender, and others
– Includes publishing, versioning, and task tracking
– Web interface (OpenPype Studio) for overview and managementStrengths: Actively developed, modular and extendable, production-proven in real studios
URL: https://openpype.io/
1.2 Kitsu
License: GNU GPL v3
– Production tracking, shot management
– Web-based interface with intuitive UX
– Built-in review and feedback system
– API for integration into pipelinesStrengths: Great for team collaboration, focuses on communication between departments
URL: https://www.cg-wire.com/kitsu
https://github.com/cgwire/kitsu
1.3 ftrack Community Edition
License: Proprietary (older versions may be available for small studios/educational users)
– Project management, review, and pipeline integration
– Strength: Industry-proven
Note: Current versions are commercial; older community editions may still be used.
1.4 Tactic
License: Open source (EPL 1.0)
– General-purpose asset and workflow management
– Web-based, highly configurableStrengths: Adaptable to VFX pipelines, powerful templating/scripting
Drawbacks: Steep learning curve, not VFX-specific out of the box
URL: https://www.southpawtech.com/
2. Most Powerful Open Source Option
Best Overall: OpenPype
Why:
– Specifically built for VFX and animation pipelines
– Extensively integrates with key DCCs
– Actively maintained with a large community
– Includes both asset and task management
– Works out-of-the-box but is customizable -
Tencent Hunyuan3D 2.1 goes Open Source and adds MV (Multi-view) and MV Mini
https://huggingface.co/tencent/Hunyuan3D-2mv
https://huggingface.co/tencent/Hunyuan3D-2mini
https://github.com/Tencent/Hunyuan3D-2
Tencent just made Hunyuan3D 2.1 open-source.
This is the first fully open-source, production-ready PBR 3D generative model with cinema-grade quality.
https://github.com/Tencent-Hunyuan/Hunyuan3D-2.1
What makes it special?
• Advanced PBR material synthesis brings realistic materials like leather, bronze, and more to life with stunning light interactions.
• Complete access to model weights, training/inference code, data pipelines.
• Optimized to run on accessible hardware.
• Built for real-world applications with professional-grade output quality.
They’re making it accessible to everyone:
• Complete open-source ecosystem with full documentation.
• Ready-to-use model weights and training infrastructure.
• Live demo available for instant testing.
• Comprehensive GitHub repository with implementation details. -
Lovis Odin ComfyUI-8iPlayer – Seamlessly integrate 8i volumetric videos into your AI workflows
Load holograms, animate cameras, capture frames, and feed them to your favorite AI models. Developed by Lovis Odin for Kartel.ai
You can obtain the MPD URL directly from the official 8i Web Player.https://github.com/Kartel-ai/ComfyUI-8iPlayer/
-
Thomas Müller nv-tlabs GEN3C – 3D-Informed World-Consistent Video Generation with Precise Camera Control
https://github.com/nv-tlabs/GEN3C
Load a picture, define a camera path in 3D, and then render a photoreal video.
-
AI and the Law – Disney, NBCU sue Midjourney over copyright infringement
https://www.axios.com/2025/06/11/disney-nbcu-midjourney-copyright
Why it matters: It’s the first legal action that major Hollywood studios have taken against a generative AI company.
The complaint, filed in a U.S. District Court in central California, accuses Midjourney of both direct and secondary copyright infringement by using the studios’ intellectual property to train their large language model and by displaying AI-generated images of their copyrighted characters. -
ComfyRun – A fully open source and self-hosted solution to run your ComfyUI workflows at blazing fast speeds on cloud GPUs
https://github.com/punitda/ComfyRun
Best suited for individuals who want to
- Run complex workflows in seconds on the powerful GPUs like A10G, A100, and H100
- Experiment with any workflows you find across web without worrying about breaking your local ComfyUI environment
- Edit workflows on the go
FEATURED POSTS
-
VFX pipeline – Render Wall management topics
1: Introduction Title: Managing a VFX Facility’s Render Wall
- Briefly introduce the importance of managing a VFX facility’s render wall.
- Highlight how efficient management contributes to project timelines and overall productivity.
2: Daily Overview Title: Daily Management Routine
- Monitor Queues: Begin each day by reviewing render queues to assess workload and priorities.
- Resource Allocation: Allocate resources based on project demands and available hardware.
- Job Prioritization: Set rendering priorities according to project deadlines and importance.
- Queue Optimization: Adjust queue settings to maximize rendering efficiency.
3: Resource Allocation Title: Efficient Resource Management
- Hardware Utilization: Distribute rendering tasks across available machines for optimal resource usage.
- Balance Workloads: Avoid overloading specific machines while others remain underutilized.
- Consider Off-Peak Times: Schedule resource-intensive tasks during off-peak hours to enhance overall performance.
4: Job Prioritization Title: Prioritizing Rendering Tasks
- Deadline Sensitivity: Give higher priority to tasks with imminent deadlines to ensure timely delivery.
- Critical Shots: Identify shots crucial to the project’s narrative or visual impact for prioritization.
- Dependent Shots: Sequence shots that depend on others should be prioritized together.
5: Queue Optimization and Reporting Title: Streamlining Render Queues
- Dependency Management: Set up dependencies to ensure shots are rendered in the correct order.
- Error Handling: Implement automated error detection and requeueing mechanisms.
- Progress Tracking: Regularly monitor rendering progress and update stakeholders.
- Data Management: Archive completed renders and remove redundant data to free up storage.
- Reporting: Provide daily reports on rendering status, resource usage, and potential bottlenecks.
6: Conclusion Title: Enhancing VFX Workflow
- Effective management of a VFX facility’s render wall is essential for project success.
- Daily monitoring, resource allocation, job prioritization, queue optimization, and reporting are key components.
- A well-managed render wall ensures efficient production, timely delivery, and overall project success.