RenderMan

RenderMan is the name of a product developed by Pixar Animation Studios standards for rendering computer graphics. Pixar's implementation of this standard - the program PhotoRealistic RenderMan ( PRMan ) - is often incorrectly referred to as RenderMan.

RenderMan is involved in the production of the visual effects of today's Hollywood films like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. A complete list is available on the Pixar RenderMan pages.

The name RenderMan is not unique, since it is used to refer to different things:

• RenderMan Interface Specification ( RISpec ) ( with the RenderMan Shading Language ): Pixar's technical specification for a standard communications protocol ( or interface ) between modeling and rendering programs capable of producing photorealistic images. This concept is similar to PostScript, but describes 3D scenes rather than 2D - page layouts. The interface was first released in 1988 and future-proof enough designed to compete for years to come with new technical developments can.

• PhotoRealistic RenderMan ( PRMan ): As part of the package RenderMan Pro Server is a rendering program for the RenderMan interface, which was developed by Pixar based on your own specification. It is used internally at Pixar, but is also licensed to other companies.

• RenderMan for Maya: A simplified version of PRMan that is integrated by means of a plug fully into the 3D software Maya.

Pixar uses two important technologies to complement RenderMan: Puppet ™ ( an entertainment program for modeling, animation and lighting) and RingMaster ™ ( management program for production scheduling, coordination and monitoring of animation projects ).

Meanwhile, there are other products that rely on the RenderMan Interface Specification, including the open-source project Aqsis.

RenderMan was part of NeXTStep R3 under the name 3DKit.