AMD64 Powers Lucasfilm Animation Singapore

AMD64 Sets The Gold Standard At Lucasfilm Animation Singapore — Digital artists break free with AMD64 technology-based infrastructure at Lucasfilm Ltd.’s new state-of-the-art Asian studio

At a ceremonial opening of Lucasfilm Animation Singapore today, AMD announced that the digital backbone of the new Lucasfilm Animation Singapore digital animation center is powered by AMD64 processor technology – the gold standard for 64-bit computing.

Lucasfilm Animation Singapore is Lucasfilm Ltd.’s first animation studio in Asia and complements their new Letterman Digital Arts Center combining Industrial Light & Magic and LucasArts at the Presidio in San Francisco. All facilities rely on AMD64 processors for their artist’s workstations and mission-critical render farms. Both facilities are designed to produce state-of-the-art digital animated content for movies, television programs and games for global audiences.

Asian cinema and animation has had a profound effect on the work of George Lucas. Lucasfilm Animation Singapore hopes to blend animation styles of east and west to offer audiences something never seen before.

“Integrating our new Singapore and San Francisco facilities into one virtual studio and handling the massive amounts of data we push around our network every day is an unprecedented feat in our industry and requires the best technology available,” said Cliff Plumer, chief technology officer for Lucasfilm. “Building on top of AMD64 processors was an easy decision because they are the only processors to meet our strict needs. AMD64’s cutting edge 32-bit performance for our existing software, simple 64-bit upgrade path, low power consumption, world class reliability and scalability, and clear roadmap to next-generation performance with dual core technology are “must-haves” to continue our steep trajectory up the visual effects innovation curve."

“As the processor innovator setting new standards, it’s extremely important for AMD to work with the very best like Lucasfilm, the company that revolutionized the visual effects industry,” said Charlie Boswell, director of Digital Media and Entertainment at AMD. “With AMD64 technology, Lucasfilm and its IT department led by Cliff Plumer have created possibly the most sophisticated collaborative IT environment in the world. With the availability of AMD64 technology as close as your local PC retailer, it’s exciting to know that next-generation artists have access to the same AMD64 technology the top pros are using.”