LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Arch Platform Technologies, a provider of cloud-based infrastructure for content creation, today announced API integration between its second-generation scalable visual effects (VFX) platform and Amazon Web Services (AWS) solutions, including AWS CloudFormation, AWS Lambda, AWS Step Functions, and AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM), to offer the film and television communities a powerful, cloud-based VFX infrastructure.
In an increasingly competitive and fast-moving content creation environment, film and TV productions are seeking to lower budgets and decrease time to market. The API integration between the Arch Platform and AWS CloudFormation and AWS Lambda is designed to allow productions to quickly spin up powerful end-to-end VFX capacity without the need to invest in hardware or software. The secure Arch Platform provides the same high-quality VFX software and plug-ins as physical hardware.
The Arch Platform is the rent-not-own solution that allows VFX teams to scale up and down instantly, set up anywhere in the world, “pay as you go,” and build and manage capacity with cloud-based workstations, render farms, secure storage and workflow management.
Using a number of coordinated AWS services, Arch has created industry-standard and industry-tested templates for cloud-based VFX resources bringing the time needed to deploy a new facility down to minutes, instead of days, and eliminating set-up errors.
The Arch Platform uses AWS CloudFormation to model and provision AWS and third party application resources, AWS Lambda to run code without provisioning or managing servers, and AWS Step Functions to coordinate multiple AWS services into serverless workflows so applications can build and update quickly. Additionally, Arch uses AWS IAM to create secure virtual private networks that are only accessible by artists and authorized personnel. The architecture satisfies the most demanding Hollywood customers and passes frequent studio audits.
Moving VFX to the cloud with the scalable Arch Platform can eliminate legacy costs and inefficiencies for both productions and VFX firms. There are no upfront costs, capital expenditures, or depreciating assets to manage.
Joel Sevilla, VFX supervisor and co-founder of Track VFX, said, “The Arch Platform is a no-brainer for us. The ease of setting up new workstations and users allows us to add new artists quickly as needed. And the seamless coordination between workstations, storage and delivery using AWS resources means a drastically smaller IT budget for us and less time spent worrying about networking and security.”
Solstice Studios, a Hollywood distribution and production studio, is successfully proving the Arch concept with the VFX work being performed for the studio’s upcoming first movie, “Unhinged.” Arch provided the platform to allow a group of VFX artists to work as an in-house team. The artists are all in Vancouver; the AWS hub is in Oregon; and the production team is in Hollywood. Using the Arch Platform, virtual workstations are being spun up, providing the latest state-of-the-art software and processing power. Also, with the film’s release date recently moved earlier to July 1, the Arch Platform leveraging AWS is making it easier for Solstice to increase its VFX capacity to help meet the new launch date. When the work is complete, the platform will be deleted, and the costs will stop. When the next project requires VFX, the platform will be recreated in the AWS environment within minutes.
Hear more about how VFX teams can use the Arch Platform on AWS by visiting the Demo Showcase in the AWS Insights online conference on May 28 and June 2.
About Arch Platform Technologies
Arch Platform Technologies, based in Los Angeles, Calif., is a leading provider of cloud-based infrastructure for content creation. The Arch Platform for visual effects has delivered shots to the major Hollywood studios. For more information, visit https://archpt.io/.
