Discreet Ships burn 1 Background Processing Software

Linux-Based Network Environment Delivers Significant Productivity and Performance Gains for Effects Systems Clients

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 5, 2003--Discreet, a division of Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq:ADSK), today announced the availability of burn(TM) 1, its Linux-based network solution for its award-winning visual effects systems inferno(R), flame(R) and flint(R). With the inaugural release of burn, part of a multi-phase infrastructure strategy, Discreet is enhancing client profitability by delivering highly scalable, cost effective processing for post-production and broadcast workflows. burn delivers no less than double the offline rendering performance of complex visual effects, allowing post production artists to stay focused on the creative process while concurrently augmenting their productivity.

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burn ships with backburner(TM), Discreet's network rendering management software. Working with the inferno, flame and flint systems, backburner prioritizes and allocates requests for more efficient workload sharing across multiple render nodes. With as few as two render nodes, burn can reduce the rendering time of a single flame system in half -- doubling productivity.

"Discreet's burn software gives our flame and inferno systems their greatest flexibility yet," explained Brian Hanable, Senior Interactive Compositing Artist, Sony Pictures Imageworks. "Using four burn nodes and flame on Octane2(TM), we are able to render 2K film build pieces on burn while still adjusting the rest of the composite in proxy mode. We check the backburner manager to monitor the progress, and when those renders are done, we can swap out the proxies with the rendered 2K results. Our team can keep on working throughout the process and rendering process-intensive sparks(R) is also maximized," concluded Hanable.

"burn software dramatically improves the productivity of our clients," said Martin Vann, Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing for Discreet. "This release is part of Discreet's overall commitment to delivering infrastructure solutions that enhance creativity, throughput and return on investment for our customers," added Vann.

"It's awesome," exclaimed Elad Offer, Visual Effects Artist and Co-Owner of MoneyShots (Santa Monica, CA). "I've seen some of my renders go three-to-four times faster than they would have running online, on my flame system, but it's not really about that. For me, it's not how fast it renders, it's about the fact that I don't have to sit there and watch it render. I can send my Batches to the background, and keep on working on my flame system. And when I'm paying some very expensive talent by the hour, it makes a big difference."

Pricing and Availability

burn software is available immediately and requires Linux Red Hat version 8.0. burn software ships with licenses that can be installed on a variety of supported hardware configurations. For full pricing and configuration details, please contact Discreet sales at 1-800-869-3504 or +1 (514) 393-1616, or visit www.discreet.com.

About Discreet

Discreet empowers media professionals to realize the visual experience and transform their most evocative and ambitious visions into reality. Discreet's award-winning solutions are designed for digital media creation, management and delivery -- across all disciplines from film and television visual effects, color grading and editing to animation, game development, web/interactive, and design visualization. Discreet is based in Montreal, Quebec and is a division of Autodesk, Inc., the world's leading design and digital media creation, management, and distribution company. Product and corporate information: www.discreet.com.

Discreet is a division of Autodesk, Inc. Autodesk, Discreet, backburner, burn, sparks, inferno, flame, and flint are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc./ Autodesk Canada Inc. in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.