[geeks] Quick CG question...

[Joshua D. Boyd]

On Sat, Jun 14, 2003 at 05:24:27PM -0700, Lionel Peterson wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> I just came back from seeing "Finding Nemo", and I noticed at the end
> of the film that Sun gets credit for being the rendering machines...
> 
> Cool - but I have a question.
> 
> I worked with computer graphics in school (like 1990-1992? we used
> Targa boards), and when we "rendered" we made image files, that were
> eventually "written" to tape using a 3/4" video deck that could write
> one frame at a time. But to do this, your final output card
> (framebuffer) and recodring media limited the resolution possible.
> 
> How do they go from a graphics file to film for "real" projects? (at a
> high level)

Laser recorders.  They used to use CRTs, but now every one uses laser
recorders.  I don't know much about their operation.  I think they tend
to have costs well into the 6-7 figure range.