Myrtle Software: Project Aurora

Lead Participant: MYRTLE SOFTWARE LIMITED

Abstract

The worst insult for effects in movies is that they 'look like a computer game'. But why do games look like games and most movies don't?
The use of real-time computer generated images is spread widely across many industries from medical imaging to internet games. All these industries lag behind Hollywood in the authenticity and quality of their images.
One of the reasons for this is that no solution has been found to a critical technical issue that prevents one of the most powerful technologies in the film industry from crossing over. Our project aims to overcome this technical issue by developing computer software to create an innovative new staged process. This process won't solve the critical technical issue, that is impossible, but it could develop a way around it. If successful, our project would allow film artists to directly use their existing skills in other industries. We would start by using this process to allow movie artists into the games industry. This would revolutionize what can be achieved visually in a computer game. It would stop games looking like games and start making them look like movies.
This would be the start of the technological convergence of two industries in which the UK has always punched above its weight: computer games and movie effects. Our process would put the UK at the creative forefront of this convergence.
By protecting the process developed under this project we would hope to have an impact on many more industries. It is possible that every image on every screen could, in future, pass through a licensed copy of our IP before appearing.

Lead Participant

Project Cost

Grant Offer

MYRTLE SOFTWARE LIMITED £336,821 £ 151,199

Publications

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