An Advanced Shading, Lighting, and Compositing Tool

A gaffer is the person on a set responsible for lighting the scene. He also fixes problems with surfaces that don't respond well, by dusting them with powder, polishing them, or even applying makeup.

Gaffer is a plugin shader for LightWave 3D, which performs a similar job as a real gaffer; it is a tool for controlling lighting and shading. It changes the algorithm LightWave uses to determine the appearance of a lit surface. Gaffer's new model is not a minor change in the shading options of LightWave; it is a considerable extension. It adds new specular and diffuse shading options, per-surface light exclusion and boosting controls, area light shadows, bloom around bright reflections, and a new tool for compositing shadows into a background plate. All these features are described below.

Gaffer has been developed in close cooperation with several major Hollywood studios. Their need for photorealistic rendering drove the development of a tool to give them more control over their object's appearance. After more than a year of development, and countless additions, experiments, and polishing, this tool is finally ready for commercial release to the general public.

Gaffer's Features

Selective Lighting: Exclusion of lights on any surface, negative lights, and new falloff options.
Advanced Specularity Control: Multiple specular reflections, with independent intensity and color control.
Anisotropic Specularity: Non-uniform specularity from brushed metals, hair, and threads.
Advanced Diffuse Shading: Diffuse transmission, and a new model for rough surfaces like rock.
Advanced Shadowing Options: True photoreal area light shadows.
Shadow Compositing Modes: Seamless integration of shadows into background plates.
Specular Bloom: Automatic glows around the very brightest reflections.
Advanced Interface: Full GUI, shading preview, and enveloped numeric controls.

Why you need Gaffer

1) For photoreal rendering. Gaffer's extra shading controls are critical for matching the true behavior of lights on a surface. With Gaffer, the extended control over each surface allows you to produce images which are significantly more realistic. Area light shadows alone can make an object suddenly become convincing.

2) For faster production. Gaffer gives you more lighting control, which can quickly solve many lighting difficulties by allowing you to address "problem areas" in your lighting without affecting other surfaces. Instead of juggling lights for the best compromise appearance, you can tweak lighting of just the areas that need it. This surgical control can help you fix problems in just moments.

3) For quick, flawless compositing. Compositing can be tricky, especially when shadows need to fall into the background plate automatically. Gaffer's compositing tool automatically lets you add these shadows in one pass.

4) For special effects. While Gaffer's new shading is designed for photorealism, the extra control can also be used creatively. Imagine a surface color-shifting depending on the view direction. Bloom can be used in strange ways to make colored fringes and glowing regions more easily than using hundreds of light flares.

System Requirements

System: Intel, DEC Alpha, or Sun LightWave 3D 5.0 or greater.
Display: Gaffer's GUI requires a screen resolution of 800 by 600 or higher.

Ordering

Gaffer is available only through Worley Labs, at a price of $199 for Intel and $299 for Sun and DEC Alpha versions. This includes unlimited rendering via Screamernet. Gaffer is shipping now. Visit our Order page for further information.