Luxology & the Foundry merge

[Hirazi Blue]

Leading visual effects software developer, The Foundry, has today announced a merger with US-based technology company, Luxology LLC, for an undisclosed sum.

(Quoted from here)

CGSociety article
fxguide article ("in-depth")
Q&A at the Foundry website.
Press Release at luxology.com

How does this benefit the customers?

The Foundry and Luxology have very complementary product offerings. They have also cultivated user communities which are today reasonably distinct, but could both benefit hugely from technology adapted from the existing products of the other company. This gives the new entity the opportunity to use its combined development resources to greatly improve product offerings for all customers.

(From the Q&A)

As far as I can tell for now nothing much will change for existing customers and the flagship products of both companies. They are even keeping the names of the company and brands as they were...

Personally I like the first line in the CGSociety article:

It’s a merger made in … Starbucks, it turns out. Specifically, the Starbucks down the sidewalk from Industrial Light & Magic on the Letterman Digital campus in San Francisco.

[Nizar]

I cannot understood if is a positive or negative news

[Kerro Perro]

I cannot understood if is a positive or negative news

I don't know either - but if you look at the Foundry's prices i wonder if Modo might become a lot more expensive in the future...

[Maximus]

Sounds like AD gonna have an hard time ahah. This is awesome news.

[Nizar]

Don't know, either have different target and customers. Foundry primary target is big production and film studios, modo aim to freelancers and small shop. In any case I think major Foundry interest in mdo is about their rendering technology, modo can use foundry and knowledge and start its carrier into VFX production.

Seems the first big "monster" anti-AD. If Pixologic join the Foundology AD must start to worry (pure fantasies

[Kerro Perro]

Why would you want want Pixologic to merge with anyone? It's fine the way it is!

Let not your hatred for the Empire cloud your judgement young Skywalker!

[Nizar]

Oh, no I don't want Pixo merge anything, I said the new entity (Fundology) need a proper sculpt tool ala zbrush/mudbox for match the AD catalogue.
I don't hate AD, don't like its way, but don't hate at all.

Seems very strange because the two company has nothing in common, as I said they have different market, but not only this, they have different philosophy: Modo seems more similar to After Effects workflow and appeal (layer every where), Nuke share the some feeling with Houdini (node everywhere).

IMHO modo risk to cage a lot and loss its historic user base

In any case, if they break the balls, AD now can buy modo and foundry in a single operation

[bottleofram]

Looks like a business decision, primarily. They emphasize its not a sell-out and both companies are doing fine financially, but i wonder... Luxology turned quite a few heads recently, though, my impression was they aren't capitalizing on their main product - in which case the most obvious option is to try and spread out. Plugins and kits are one way, but a combined effort of two companies opens up for more effective strategies.... errr, not necessarily better from the customer point of view.

On the other hand, if they play it smart, they could really grow in a major way and push the industry out of stagnation. We've been suffocated by one-sided technology hoarding for far too long to act surprised when the smaller guys decide the best way forward is to join forces.

It remains an open question how they fit together...

[Bullit]

Ahhh if the Avid troubles would have be been a bit less maybe could be Softimage instead of Modo now, of course it would mean for certain the end of compositor...
Anyway they don't talk about the future much so no time for celebration .

[Nizar]

Ahhh if the Avid troubles would have be been a bit less maybe could be Softimage instead of Modo now, of course it would mean for certain the end of compositor...

Right now, compositor inside XSI is practical untouched.

Sound like an acquisition and not a merge.

Foundry is a big company, with 160 employers, lux has 30l.
In Foundry site you can find Modo like product, in Lux site is only present Modo.
Brad will become president of american division, so a subsidiaries of the bigger company, and not like a second CEO of the company.

[luceric]

Ahhh if the Avid troubles would have be been a bit less maybe could be Softimage instead of Modo now, of course it would mean for certain the end of compositor....

Haven't touched the fxtree since 2007, if I'm not mistaken..

but yeah.. I don't think The Foundry was shopping around in 2008, and that could have been fun..

[Bullit]

http://fxguide.com/featured/foundry-and-luxology-merge-fxg-exclusive/

This see a bit more what is behind. See the points that Knoll make about Modo:

“You can do very quick lookdev, you can do things very quickly in the shot. The interactive preview is fantastic. You’re evaluating the final shaded model, in an interactive window so you can do little material and lighting tweaks. You can really see what you’re getting,”

and the problems

“The thinking was – I’m a big modo fan and I’ve used it on a number of productions here but it’s got some weaknesses, especially with extremely dense scenes and with its ability to manage collaborative workflow. So if you want to have a large sequence with many artists working on that sequence – the referencing system definitely needs work,”

Once again we see the ease of use and feedback from what we are doing as paramount plus the collaborative work.

[iamVFX]

don't like modo icon on the foundry site - not round and orange enough

[McNistor]

I celebrate anything under the Sun that has a chance of being a kick in the Autodesk's balls. Customers can only benefit from that.

[Nizar]

is incredible how much love deserved to Autodesk...

[Pooby]

I'm a fan of luxology. I like their openness and communication. I have the latest version of modo and bought in at version 3.
However, its still a very long way off competing with any of the ad products unless you are just talkIng modelling and rendering.
I really hope they concentrate on speed of evaluation and scene management next as it is what halted my venture into using it as a renderer.
The animation and deformation also needs a lot of work.
They really need to look ahead too and think about where ad products will be in a few years time with ice-like tools being more prevalent. When visual programming hits the masses, which it certainly will, imo modo will look very behind if it has no equivalent.