Visual Effects and CGI
Hardcraft Tames CAD Meshes in Blender (Digitalproduction)
Summary: Vitaliy Yablonskiy’s Hardcraft is a Blender add-on that reads CAD face structure from untouched STEP data or Plasticity exports and turns it into a lighter mixed quad-and-triangle mesh. The current 0.8.8-alpha.1 release introduces a unified density system based on silhouette tolerance. Hardcraft supports Blender 5.0 or later and is tested on 5.0, 5.1 and 5.2 LTS. The Python add-on runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, but the bundled STEP converter is Windows-only. Hardcraft is not a live parametric bridge back to the original CAD model.
"It takes untouched STEP data or exports from Plasticity, reads the underlying CAD face structure and helps turn it into a lighter mixed quad-and-triangle mesh ready for UVs, baking, texturing, rendering or realtime work." — DIGITALPRODUCTION
Date: September 16, 2026 01:00 AM ET
URL: https://digitalproduction.com/2026/09/16/hardcraft-tames-cad-meshes-in-blender/
Generated Analysis Tone: N/A
Source Registry Score: 10.0/10 — High
Generated text and tone describe the analysis; the source registry score is not a factual truth rating.New ‘The End of Oak Street’ featurette highlights ILM’s Spinosaur (Beforesandafters)
Summary: A new featurette for ‘The End of Oak Street’ highlights ILM’s Spinosaur. The featurette also showcases ILM’s Jay Cooper using an AR app. The featurette was published on September 19, 2026.
"ILM’s Jay Cooper also showcases use of AR app." — BEFORESANDAFTERS
Date: September 18, 2026 08:14 PM ET
URL: https://beforesandafters.com/2026/09/19/new-the-end-of-oak-street-featurette-highlights-ilms-spinosaur/
Generated Analysis Tone: N/A
Source Registry Score: 10.0/10 — High
Generated text and tone describe the analysis; the source registry score is not a factual truth rating.Watch this VFX breakdown by DNEG for ‘Coyote Vs. ACME’ (Beforesandafters)
Summary: DNEG released a VFX breakdown for ‘Coyote Vs. ACME’. The breakdown was covered by Beforesandafters in an article by Ian Failes. The article describes the breakdown as containing lots of fun befores/afters, animation and CG work.
"Lots of fun befores/afters, animation and CG work here." — BEFORESANDAFTERS
Date: September 17, 2026 05:20 PM ET
URL: https://beforesandafters.com/2026/09/18/watch-this-vfx-breakdown-by-dneg-for-coyote-vs-acme/
Generated Analysis Tone: N/A
Source Registry Score: 10.0/10 — High
Generated text and tone describe the analysis; the source registry score is not a factual truth rating.Hybride showcases its VFX for ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ (Beforesandafters)
Summary: Hybride showcased its VFX for ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ in a VFX breakdown. The breakdown was published on September 17, 2026, by Ian Failes.
"VFX Breakdowns Hybride showcases its VFX for ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ September 17, 2026 by Ian Failes" — BEFORESANDAFTERS
Date: September 16, 2026 05:58 PM ET
URL: https://beforesandafters.com/2026/09/17/hybride-showcases-its-vfx-for-the-mandalorian-and-grogu/
Generated Analysis Tone: N/A
Source Registry Score: 10.0/10 — High
Generated text and tone describe the analysis; the source registry score is not a factual truth rating.Flair Heads for Unreal, Maya 2027 Ready (Digitalproduction)
Summary: Artineering has released a Flair update adding Maya 2027 support on Windows, macOS and Linux. The company says the complete planned 1.0 feature set for Flair for Unreal Engine has been developed. Artineering says the Unreal framework now includes Sequencer integration and mobile support, with remaining work focused on polish, documentation, learning material and the actual launch. Artineering has not yet published a final release date, pricing structure, engine-version matrix or detailed hardware requirements for the Unreal edition. The company also says development has received a second Epic MegaGrant.
Why it matters: The widening scope of the tool is what has the source excited, as stylized rendering has often lived on the edge of mainstream DCC and engine workflows. Unreal gives Artineering a much bigger stage for that idea.
"Artineering says the Unreal framework now includes Sequencer integration and mobile support, with the remaining work focused on polish, documentation, learning material and the actual launch." — DIGITALPRODUCTION
Date: September 17, 2026 04:00 AM ET
URL: https://digitalproduction.com/2026/09/17/flair-heads-for-unreal-maya-2027-ready/
Generated Analysis Tone: Neutral (50%)
Source Registry Score: 10.0/10 — High
Generated text and tone describe the analysis; the source registry score is not a factual truth rating.See Wwwind Studio’s making-of for horror series Bloody Smart (Cgchannel)
Summary: Taiwan’s Wwwind Studio has posted its VFX breakdown for Bloody Smart (聰明鎮), the live-action TV series based on the work of cult horror manga artist Junji Ito. Wwwind Studio contributed a range of VFX, from the fruits of the tree and the CG environment of the town itself, to supporting smoke simulations and the transformations of its unfortunate inhabitants. According to the studio: "Our team’s primary goal was to pay homage to the classic characters while faithfully recreating elements from the original manga."
"Our team’s primary goal was to pay homage to the classic characters while faithfully recreating elements from the original manga." — CGCHANNEL
Date: September 15, 2026 10:43 PM ET
URL: https://www.cgchannel.com/2026/09/see-wwwind-studios-vfx-breakdown-for-horror-series-bloody-smart/
Generated Analysis Tone: N/A
Source Registry Score: 10.0/10 — High
Generated text and tone describe the analysis; the source registry score is not a factual truth rating.Post ID: f4ff7ca7