Editing Pixar RenderMan

{{Short description|3D rendering software used by Pixar}}
{{Infobox software
| logo = RenderMan Logo.svg
| logo size = 234px
| logo caption = Official RenderMan logo
| screenshot = 
| caption = 
| name = Pixar RenderMan
| developer = [[Pixar]]
| released = {{Start date and age|1987}}
| latest release version = 26.0
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2024|4|8}}
| operating_system = [[Linux]], [[macOS]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]]
| genre = [[Rendering system]]
| license = [[Proprietary software|Proprietary]] [[commercial software]]
| website = {{URL|https://renderman.pixar.com/}}
}}
'''Pixar RenderMan''' (also known as '''RenderMan''')<ref name=infoworld1989_0227>{{cite magazine|last=Ponting|first=Bob|title=Renderman Imaging Gets Vendor Support |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=IToEAAAAMBAJ&q=PhotoRealistic+RenderMan&pg=PT20 |magazine=[[InfoWorld]] |publisher=[[InfoWorld Media Group]] |date= February 27, 1989 |pages= 19, 21 |df= mdy-all |volume=11 |issue=9}}</ref> is a photorealistic 3D rendering software produced by [[Pixar|Pixar Animation Studios]]. Pixar uses RenderMan to [[rendering (computer graphics)|render]] their in-house 3D animated movie productions and it is also available as a commercial product licensed to third parties. In 2015, a free non-commercial version of RenderMan became available.<ref>{{cite web |title= Free Non-Commercial RenderMan FAQ |url= http://renderman.pixar.com/view/DP25849 |website= RenderMan home |publisher=[[Pixar]] |access-date= 16 December 2014 |quote= 1. When will Non-Commercial RenderMan be released? We are now targeting early 2015 for final release. [...] |df= mdy-all }}</ref>

==Name==
To speed up rendering, Pixar engineers performed experiments with parallel rendering computers using [[Transputer]] chips inside a [[Pixar Image Computer]]. The name comes from the nickname of a small circuit board (2.5 × 5 inches or 6.4 × 13&nbsp;cm) containing one Transputer that engineer Jeff Mock could put in his pocket. During that time the [[Sony]] [[Walkman]] was very popular and Jeff Mock called his portable board Renderman, leading to the software name.<ref name=renderman23>{{Cite web |url= https://www.fxguide.com/featured/pixars-renderman-turns-25/ |title= Pixar's RenderMan turns 25 |date= 25 July 2013 |access-date= 2019-04-21}}</ref>

==Technology==
RenderMan defines cameras, geometry, materials, and lights using the [[RenderMan Interface Specification]]. This specification facilitates communication between 3D modeling and animation applications and the [[Rendering (computer graphics)|render]] engine that generates the final high quality images. In the past RenderMan used the [[Reyes rendering|Reyes Rendering Architecture]]. The Renderman standard was first presented at 1993 [[SIGGRAPH]], developed with input from 19 companies and 6 or 7 big partners, with [[Pat Hanrahan]] taking a leading role. [[Ed Catmull]] said no software product met the RenderMan Standard in 1993. RenderMan met it after about two years.<ref name=renderman23 />

Additionally RenderMan supports [[Open Shading Language]] to define textural patterns.<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.cgchannel.com/2016/02/pixar-previews-renderman-21/ |title= Pixar unveils RenderMan 21 {{!}} CG Channel |website= www.cgchannel.com |access-date= 2016-07-22 |df= mdy-all }}</ref>

When Pixar started development, [[Steve Jobs]] described the original goal for RenderMan in 1991:{{blockquote
| text="Our goal is to make Renderman and Iceman the system software of the 90s," Mr. Jobs said, likening these programs to [[PostScript]], the software developed by [[Adobe Systems Inc.]] for high-quality [[typography]].
| sign=Lawrence M. Fisher
| source=<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |date=2 April 1991 |first=Lawrence M. |last=Fisher |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/02/business/hard-times-for-innovator-in-graphics.html |title=Hard Times For Innovator In Graphics |url-access=limited}}</ref>
}}
During this time, Pixar used the [[C (programming language)|C language]] for developing Renderman, which allowed them to port it to many platforms.<ref name=infoworld1989_0227 />

Historically, RenderMan used the [[Reyes rendering|Reyes algorithm]] to render images with added support for advanced effects such as [[Ray tracing (graphics)|ray tracing]] and [[global illumination]]. Support for Reyes rendering and the [[RenderMan Shading Language]] were removed from RenderMan in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.cgchannel.com/2016/07/pixar-releases-renderman-21/ |title= Pixar ships RenderMan 21 {{!}} CG Channel |website= www.cgchannel.com |access-date= 2016-07-22 |df= mdy-all }}</ref>

RenderMan currently uses [[Monte Carlo method|Monte Carlo]] [[path tracing]] to generate images.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.fxguide.com/featured/renderman-under-the-new-varnish/ |title= RenderMan: under the (new) varnish |date= 2015-05-14 |access-date= 2016-07-22 |df= mdy-all }}</ref>

==Awards==
RenderMan has been used to create digital [[visual effects]] for [[Hollywood, Los Angeles, California|Hollywood]] blockbuster movies such as ''[[Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)|Beauty and the Beast]]'', ''[[Aladdin (1992 Disney film)|Aladdin]]'', ''[[The Lion King]]'', ''[[Terminator 2: Judgment Day]]'', ''[[Toy Story]]'', ''[[Jurassic Park (film)|Jurassic Park]]'', ''[[Avatar (2009 film)|Avatar]]'', ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]'', the ''[[Star Wars]]'' prequels, and ''[[The Lord of the Rings (film series)|The Lord of the Rings]]''. RenderMan has received four [[Academy Scientific and Technical Award]]s. The first was in 1993 honoring [[Pat Hanrahan]], Anthony A. Apodaca, [[Loren Carpenter]], [[Robert L. Cook|Rob Cook]], [[Ed Catmull]], Darwyn Peachey, and [[Tom Porter (computer scientist)|Tom Porter]].{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} The second was as part of the 73rd Scientific and Technical Academy Awards ceremony presentation on March 3, 2001: the [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]]' Board of Governors honored [[Ed Catmull]], [[Loren Carpenter]] and [[Robert L. Cook|Rob Cook]] with an [[Academy Award of Merit]] "for significant advancements to the field of motion picture rendering as exemplified in Pixar’s RenderMan".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pixar's RenderMan a true lasting effect {{!}} Hollywood Reporter|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/pixars-renderman-a-true-lasting-117229|access-date=2020-12-18|website=www.hollywoodreporter.com|date=11 August 2008}}</ref> The third was in 2010 honoring "Per Christensen, Christophe Hery, and Michael Bunnell for the development of point-based rendering for indirect illumination and ambient occlusion." The fourth was in 2011 honoring David Laur. It has also won the Gordon E. Sawyer Award in 2009 and The Coons Award.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pixar's RenderMan {{!}} About|url=https://renderman.pixar.com/about#:~:text=1993%20-%20Scientific%20&%20Engineering%20Award%20In,Sciences%20for%20RenderMan%27s%20contribution%20to|access-date=2021-03-05|website=renderman.pixar.com}}</ref> It is the first software product awarded an Oscar.<ref>[https://spectrum.ieee.org/and-the-oscar-goes-to ''And the Oscar goes to...''], IEEE Spectrum, 2 April 2001.</ref>
== Filmography ==
=== Feature films ===
*''[[The Incredibles]]'' (2004)
*[[Valiant (film)]]'' (2005)
*''[[Cars]]'' (2006)
*''[[The Ant Bully (film)]]'' (2006)
*''[[Space Chimps]]'' (2008)
*''[[Brave (2012 film)|Brave]]'' (2012)
*''[[Monsters University]]'' (2013)
*''[[Inside Out (2015 film)|Inside Out]]'' (2015)
*''[[The Good Dinosaur]]'' (2015) 
*''[[Finding Dory]]'' (2016)
*''[[Cars 3]]'' (2017)
*''[[Coco (2017 film)|Coco]]'' (2017)
*''[[Incredibles 2]]'' (2018)
*''[[Toy Story 4]]'' (2019)
*''[[Onward (film)|Onward]]'' (2019)
*''[[Soul]]'' (2020)
*''[[Luca (2021 film)|Luca]]'' (2021)
*''[[Turning Red]]'' (2022)
*''[[Lightyear]]'' (2022)
*''[[Elemental]]'' (2023)
*''[[Inside Out 2]]'' (2024)

==Notable studios using RenderMan==
===North America===
====United States====
* [[Pixar]]
* [[Industrial Light & Magic]]
* Disney Animation
* [[Laika (company)|Laika]]
* [[Tippett Studio]]

====Canada====
* [[Bardel Entertainment]]
* [[Bron Studios]]
* Mr. X
* Spin VFX

===South America===
====Brazil====
* StartAnima

===Europe===
====United Kingdom====
* [[DNEG]]
* [[Locksmith Animation]]
* [[Moving Picture Company]]

====France====
* [[Mac Guff]]
* [[TeamTO]]
* Zag Inc.

====Germany====
* [[Rise FX]]
* [[Trixter (company)|Trixter]]

===Asia===
====China====
* [[Base FX]]
* [[Light Chaser Animation Studios]]

====South Korea====
* Dexter Studios

==See also==
* [[List of 3D rendering software]]
* [[Universal Scene Description]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://renderman.pixar.com/}}

{{Pixar}}
{{Renderman software}}
{{3D software}}

[[Category:3D computer graphics software for Linux]]
[[Category:3D graphics software]]
[[Category:IRIX software]]
[[Category:Pixar]]
[[Category:Proprietary commercial software for Linux]]
[[Category:Rendering systems]]
[[Category:RenderMan]]
[[Category:Custom software projects]]
[[Category:3D rendering software for Linux]]