AWS THINKBOX DEADLINE

This software enables an artist to utilise the full power of their computers to render more efficiently

- Mike Griggs

Making the most of all the technology within a computer can be a tricky task for any CG artist. Even though an artist may have a multi-core workstation with a lot of RAM and multiple graphics cards, if an artist’s software does not make the most of it, a lot of the raw power can go to waste.

The deadline from AWS Thinkbox can maximize the potential of an artist’s kit. This software can make every available computer a potential render slave for a wide range of commonly used 3D and compositing software, and that includes third-party plugins.

As long as the artist has the correct number of software render licenses for the machines available, Deadline can provide sophisticated render control that is not available in the host software application.

Deadline is free to use for two machines, but it does require some knowledge of basic computer networking. The deadline is happy working in a mixed environment of Mac, Windows, and Linux computers. Once it’s been installed, you can choose which software runs on which machines.

For users of CG software that depends on GPU rendering, Deadline can break down a frame to an individual GPU on a multi-GPU desktop, meaning that one computer with eight GPUs, for example, can be running eight animation frames at the same time, rather than the more typical case of the eight GPUs working on one frame at a time.