Mark Christiansen

Have you ever wanted to crumple a paper using 3D software? And this crumpling shot you want just can't be filmed? In my new Patreon tutorial, you’ll learn two approaches for crumpling a paper ball - one fast and another high-fidelity - and when to use each in Houdini. Full tutorial and project files on my Patreon: https://lnkd.in/eKVDhk3s

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Unlock the Power of Image Editing: Extending and Enhancing Images with AI Another highlight from my 10-part series: GenAI2 for Content Producers. Register for next chapter: https://lnkd.in/ewTJPdPc  #producing #animation #postproduction #vfx #visualeffects #filmMaking #healthcare #AI #generativeAI #AIfilmmaking #AIart #contentproduction #digitalMedia #mediaProduction #nextGenMedia #emergingMedia

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LLMs dishonest by design with maladaptive traits https://lnkd.in/erTQqFYw A new study has found that AI systems known as large language models (LLMs) can exhibit "Machiavellianism," or intentional and amoral manipulativeness, which can then lead to deceptive behavior. The study authored by German AI ethicist Thilo Hagendorff of the University of Stuttgart, and published in PNAS, notes that OpenAI's GPT-4 demonstrated deceptive behavior in 99.2% of simple test scenarios. Hagendorff qualified various "maladaptive" traits in 10 different LLMs, most of which are within the GPT family In another study published in Patterns found that Meta's LLM had no problem lying to get ahead of its human competitors. Billed as a human-level champion in the political strategy board game "Diplomacy," Meta's Cicero model was the subject of the Patterns study. As the disparate research group — comprised of a physicist, a philosopher, and two AI safety experts — found, the LLM got ahead of its human competitors by, in a word, fibbing. Led by Massachusetts Institute of Technology postdoctoral researcher Peter Park, that paper found that Cicero not only excels at deception, but seems to have learned how to lie the more it gets used — a state of affairs "much closer to explicit manipulation" than, say, AI's propensity for hallucination, in which models confidently assert the wrong answers accidentally https://lnkd.in/eV6aVWRp Hagendorff suggests that LLM deception and lying is confounded by an AI's inability to have human "intention," the Patterns study calls out the LLM for breaking its promise never to "intentionally backstab" its allies - as it "engages in premeditated deception, breaks the deals to which it had agreed, and tells outright falsehoods." As Park explained in a press release, "We found that Meta’s AI had learned to be a master of deception." "While Meta succeeded in training its AI to win in the game of Diplomacy, Meta failed to train its AI to win honestly." Meta replied to a statement by the NY Post, saying that "the models our researchers built are trained solely to play the game Diplomacy."

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"Game project leaders would never consider bringing in, say, a novelist to hop on one of their computers and start designing actual game levels. However, many of these same managers seem to have no compunction about doing the reverse—asking a level designer to also write professional-quality fictional content." This quote is from this book, and it's so powerful! I really hope to see bigger changes in the game industry with regards to writing.

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The dirty skill all XR Designers need to know is something no-one talks about. So we did 👇 Performance and optimization may sound boring, but it will turn even the best designer's creations to dust if they don't plan for it. Even worse, the skills needed to have a truly performant design can be a daunting task. Even for the most experienced creators. In this video we talk about: 1. What Performance is. 2. The history of flat performance. 3. What skills do you need to get good performance? 4. How tools are trying to solve this problem. 🔥 XRD Discord - https://lnkd.in/gkvc8Bsg 🔧Building This Tool For All Youz - https://www.bezi.com 📽️ Youtube Link - https://lnkd.in/gsnuuJMt

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Design Systems - this is a great video on Design Systems which is something the very vast majority of Motion Graphics Designers are missing in their skillset and yet this is what almost every mid-to-large organizations need. If you have a Brand Guidelines Doc, you do want a Motion Graphics Design System to complement it. This isn't rocket science. The rocket science part is, "How do you develop a Motion Graphics Design System". A Grid/Bento/Quilt Animation Sequence is not a Motion Graphics Design System. A set of Motion Curves is not a Motion Graphics Design System. A Design System is usually defined as follows - On the Figma Site - At its core, a design system is a set of building blocks and standards that help keep the look and feel of products and experiences consistent. From a Motion Graphics perspective, Look and Feel pertain to Brand Assets, Design, Layout, Transition, and Animation - just to name the most pertinent ones. A critical part of the definition is "CONSISTENT". In the world of Motion Graphics, you cannot achieve consistency without Responsive Features, which achieves consistency via Code + Keyframes. Without Responsive Features, manual and tedious work is involved and this immediately precludes having a Design System. When Responsive Features are employed, you get consistency and efficiency and with a bonus in Automated Workflows including hyper-personalized Videos. Enjoy this video to gain some insights into What Is a Design System and its Benefits. Design Systems at Scale - Dan Mall https://lnkd.in/giYgm3Wh

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It's been some time since one of my "This is the future" posts.. here's another one for you! Using FigminXR on my Quest 3 headset to build the virtual set in my living room, using models from Sketchfab, then running the recording through Runways Gen 3. Editing in Capcut and my voice transformed with Replica Studio. #art #ai

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Alright, let’s talk about something in VR and XR that doesn’t get nearly enough love: sound. And I’m not talking about background music or random effects—nope, I’m talking about the secret sauce that makes virtual worlds feel actually real. Sound is like the unsung hero (pun intended) of immersion. You know my own sound epiphany, right? It happened with the classic Virtual Barbershop demo. You know, the one where clippers buzz right by your ear, and you can’t help but whip around, wondering who’s sneaking up on you. It’s wild. From that moment, I knew: sound isn’t just an add-on. It’s a time-traveling, teleporting, brain-tricking magician. Fast forward to today, and I’m designing soundscapes for projects like VRelax. We’ve crafted over 150 nature-inspired soundscapes, and let me tell you, the results speak volumes. People who thought ‘mindfulness’ was just a fancy word for napping saw stress levels drop by up to 40% in just 10 minutes​. Sound’s impact is real. So, what’s the big deal with spatial audio? 👉 It beautifully fools your brain: By mimicking how we naturally hear in 3D, spatial audio makes your brain say, ‘Yep, we’re here, better look around!’ 👉 It fast-tracks emotional connections: Sound hits deep, faster than visuals ever could. It’s why you jump at a scary noise or get chills from a perfect harmony. Sound isn’t just half the experience; it’s the MVP that makes the magic work. Want to geek out about how strategic sound design can take your XR project from ‘cool’ to ‘WOW’? Shoot me a message or drop your thoughts below—let’s make some virtual waves together! #ImmersiveSound #SpatialAudio #VRDesign #XRExperience #SphereOfSound -- ✋ Hi, I'm Jelmer, an immersive audio designer passionate about sharing the FUNctional side of Spatial Audio. At Sphere of Sound, we craft memorable journeys, because impactful experiences can change your world.

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Previsualization or Previs is a part of the pre-production process where a creative team can visualize entire sequences of a film before anyone sets foot on set. It is extremely common in big-budget movies today and is truly an underappreciated part of modern filmmaking. Last year I had a class project where I directed a short film called Finger Guns. With only 6 hours to shoot the film and a small crew of 4 people. I knew that If I wasn't prepared I was not going to be able to finish it. So I decided to create my own Previs animatic, by myself, on a laptop, using only free software. Using an app called Polycam I was able to create a 3D scan of my shooting locations which gave me a scale-accurate virtual set. I then brought these scans into Unreal Engine 5. Where I was able to block out my setups and roughly animate my actors. As well as place virtual cameras, in order to edit together a rough cut of what would turn into the final film all in engine. This was such a freeing process, experimenting with new angles, lenses and camera moves. Through this process, new shots were added and a lot of fat was trimmed from the original shot list. Having the Previs on set was incredibly helpful to both the crew and actors, being able to understand how that particular shot fits into the larger film, ensured that everyone was on the same page. I love finding the intersection between traditional filmmaking and emerging technology. I am currently working on an updated workflow that will include accurate virtual lighting plans and motion-captured performances for actors. I'm also thinking of doing a tutorial-style video where I break down this process so let me know if you would like to see that. #UE5 #polycam #3dscan #Previs

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A counterpoint for artists navigating AI. Thanks again #musictechcinference Miami for having me. #speaking #founder #aimusic #chadgerber #meloscene #AI #vr #spatialcomputing #visionpro #metaquest #shadowgen #speaker #musician #technology #musictechnology #miami #web3 #virtualreality #artificialintelligence

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Creating Immersive Backgrounds in 3D: Easy and Cost-Effective Techniques Another highlight from my 10-part series: GenAI2 for Content Producers Register for next chapter: https://lnkd.in/esDyK-h4

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Have you come across the term "scrollytelling"? It’s a dynamic way to tell a story on a website as users scroll, combining 2D and 3D animations. That’s exactly what we developed for MRP.io to launch their latest aesthetic device, MultiFrax. Simple, clean, and visually impactful—these websites are powerful sales tools for medical device brands. I’m especially excited about this project because I believe all medical device brands should rethink how they present their technology. Scrollytelling not only helps prospects better understand your product offering, but also makes your brand stand out in a competitive market. Plus, these types of experiences is truly fun for me because I get to leverage my passion for digital storytelling, content creation, and coding, all in one project. I’ll share a more detailed case study in the coming days, but in the meantime, you can check out the experience via the link below. https://mrp.io/multifrax/ More about Nuvue's creative studio: https://lnkd.in/e8EjHMUQ #medicaldevices #medicaldevice #aesthetics #medicalmarketing #medicalsales

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It's like karaoke - but you're not singing, you're playing as your cinematic character in VR, fighting against a game driven enemy, an AI agent, or your friend in multiplayer mode. I see a lot of applications for this, from bringing archaeological sites and museum exhibits to life by interacting with the people who once inhabited and used these sites, to online rehearsals or just friendly gatherings. Our MA HCI research at Advanced Reality Lab - Reichman University (ARL) focused on the embodiment effect: How different is the understanding of what is happening, the empathy for the characters on the different sides of the screen? What's the difference between watching and participating? It was scary at times when everything in the project died completely and I had to rebuild everything, but it only made the end result better, thank for your support, professor Jonathan Giron. It was a lot of fun watching your professor Doron Friedman get his hand chopped off by Darth Vader, and the results of the study surprised us and gave us with Shira Vilvovsky and Eran Erez a better understanding of what and how to do on the other side of the screen where VR allows you to be. I can say unequivocally that I really like it there, and I intend to continue developing in that direction, both in films and in more applied projects. https://lnkd.in/dBjiz9vJ

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Some exciting previews in 6.1 Large screen support. More interactive experiences in Expos are coming to Industrial Clients. Of course more DOTS integration with gameobjects!

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