What Is Rendering?

Rendering refers to the process of a computer software program generating a specific high quality animation sequence based on the combination of video clips, audio clips, still images, text elements, and any other layers of special effects (such as lighting source information, textures, reflective surfaces, and more) designated by VFX artists.

Video rendering is a demanding process that requires a powerful computer system with a strong CPU, lots of RAM, a fast hard drive, and a lot of storage space. The amount of time that rendering takes can vary greatly depending on the computer’s available resources and how much detail is involved in combining all of the different layers that make up a single video file, with some rendering projects taking as long as several weeks to complete for just a few minutes worth of video.

What Are Render Farms?

While single machines can be used for rendering, it may not be the most practical solution for productions who want to complete a project in a timely manner. Render farms are networks of computers that are all linked together and set up to render files quickly and efficiently by distributing the workload among several machines. They can cut hours or even days on a project compared to rendering on a single machine, and they are frequently utilized by VFX artists, animators, and post production facilities as a time and cost-saving solution.

Render farms offer the benefit of hosting state-of-the-art hardware and software that is fully optimized to handle huge workloads and provide fast turnaround times so that artists and production teams can quickly review rendered scenes and apply any necessary changes to finalize a sequence.

What Do Render Wranglers Do?

Render wranglers, also known as technical resource administrators (TRA), are also on hand at render farms to keep an eye on everything. Their primary responsibilities include:

• Monitoring projects that are being worked on and providing reports to artists about any issues that occur during rendering,
• Managing and optimizing computer resources to maximize time and storage space,
• Prioritizing the queue of all projects and rearranging the order if necessary,
• Organizing, renaming, backing up, restoring, and transporting large files to their appropriate destination,
• And more!

If you are looking for visual FX artists, animators, editors / post facilities, or other industry professionals for your next production, check out our online Nevada Production Directory to find experienced Nevada production crew or drop by our office and pick up a free printed directory!

If you offer production and film-related services in Nevada and are not yet listed in our Production Directory, you can learn more about how to sign up for the NPD here.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is deemed to be accurate and true to the best of our knowledge. All data and information provided on this site is for informational/entertainment purposes only. If there are any inaccuracies, you may submit corrections and sources by visiting our Contact page. Nevada Film Office makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site & will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. We do not sponsor or endorse anyone in our posts nor do we receive compensation of any kind in exchange for providing information about specific websites or resources unless otherwise noted, so please check for references, business licenses or credentials as you feel necessary.