FXGear donates software to Kiwi design students

The Media Design School has received over $3 million New Zealand dollars of the world’s most advanced visual effects (VFX) software.

South Korean software development company FXGear has donated 200 software licences for the Media Design School’s computers as part of its software donation programme.

“As a school, we are always training in the latest emerging technologies and actively looking for partnerships that will be beneficial for our students,” Oliver Hilbert, Bachelor of Art and Design Lecturer, says.

Hilbert is thrilled with the FXGear’s generous donation of high-grade visual effects products that are used in studios such as Bluesky, Disney and Blizzard.

“The fact that software companies are approaching our school and offering to donate software in the interest of seeing our students success indicates just how well-regarded Media Design School is by the wider industry, both in New Zealand and overseas.”

Students now have the opportunity to further develop their technical skillset enabling them to work in world-class animation studios following the completion of their studies.

Students of the Media Design School’s Bachelor of Art and Design, and Bachelor of Creative Technologies will have access to the whole suite of software.

FluX, a fully scalable fluid simulator with distributed computing capability, Qualoth, a robust multi-layer cloth simulator, FXHair, and ezCloth, a collision-protected bone- based model simulator which is used to create realistic clothing for animated characters are some of the software included in the donation.

The partnership will be mutually beneficial to the Media Design School and FXGear says Hilbert.

“By giving our students access to this impressive suite of VFX and Computer Graphics software, we will be able to further enable our students to produce award-winning animated short films.”