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Description
Alias Animator and PowerAnimator were high-end 3D packages in the 1990s, running on Silicon Graphics (SGI) workstations. Alias took code from PowerAnimator, TDI Explore and Wavefront Technologies to build Maya. Alias|Wavefront was later sold by SGI to Autodesk. Silicon Graphics IRIS 4D/70GT had originally purchased both Alias Research and Wavefront Technologies in 1995 as a response to Microsoft’s acquisition and Windows NT port of the then popular Softimage 3D package. Interestingly Microsoft sold Softimage in 1998 to Avid Technology, from where it was acquired in 2008 by Autodesk as well.
Alias Systems Corporation, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was a software company that produced high-end 3D graphics software. The company was formed in 1995 when Silicon Graphics bought Alias Research, which was founded in 1983, and Wavefront Technologies, founded in 1984, then merged the two companies.
Silicon Graphics PlayStation Development began in 1993 in partnership with Silicon Graphics, using the codename Project Reality, then a test model and arcade platform called Sony PlayStation. The final design was named after its 64-bit CPU, which aided in the console's 3D capabilities.
deGraf/Wahrman was founded in 1987 by former Robert Abel & Associates employee Michael Wahrman and former Digital Productions director Brad deGraf after the folding of DOA. Tom McMahon of Symbolics Graphics Division helped finance the company and provided equipment and software, including a Symbolics 3600 and the suite of Silicon Graphics software. Brad deGraf studied architecture at Princeton and Mathematics at the University of California at San Diego. He started his career as lead software designer and programmer at SAIC for the US Army National Training Center, and became Head of Technical Direction at Digital Productions before opening deGraf/Wahrman and serving as Director of Production. After deGraf/Wahrman, from 1992 through 1994, he was Director of Digital Media at Colossal Pictures, which he and his partners spun off to create Protozoa. deGraf/Wahrman created Mike Normal, or “Mike the Talking Head”, the first live performance of a virtual character. It was shown live at the Electronic Theater at SIGGRAPH 88 in Atlanta. deGraf also created “Moxy” on the Cartoon Network, the first virtual character for television, and Peter Gabriel’s Grammy award-winning video, “Steam”.

Description
Alias Animator and PowerAnimator were high-end 3D packages in the 1990s, running on Silicon Graphics (SGI) workstations. Alias took code from PowerAnimator, TDI Explore and Wavefront Technologies to build Maya. Alias|Wavefront was later sold by SGI to Autodesk. Silicon Graphics IRIS 4D/70GT had originally purchased both Alias Research and Wavefront Technologies in 1995 as a response to Microsoft’s acquisition and Windows NT port of the then popular Softimage 3D package. Interestingly Microsoft sold Softimage in 1998 to Avid Technology, from where it was acquired in 2008 by Autodesk as well.
Alias Systems Corporation, headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, was a software company that produced high-end 3D graphics software. The company was formed in 1995 when Silicon Graphics bought Alias Research, which was founded in 1983, and Wavefront Technologies, founded in 1984, then merged the two companies.
Silicon Graphics PlayStation Development began in 1993 in partnership with Silicon Graphics, using the codename Project Reality, then a test model and arcade platform called Sony PlayStation. The final design was named after its 64-bit CPU, which aided in the console's 3D capabilities.
deGraf/Wahrman was founded in 1987 by former Robert Abel & Associates employee Michael Wahrman and former Digital Productions director Brad deGraf after the folding of DOA. Tom McMahon of Symbolics Graphics Division helped finance the company and provided equipment and software, including a Symbolics 3600 and the suite of Silicon Graphics software. Brad deGraf studied architecture at Princeton and Mathematics at the University of California at San Diego. He started his career as lead software designer and programmer at SAIC for the US Army National Training Center, and became Head of Technical Direction at Digital Productions before opening deGraf/Wahrman and serving as Director of Production. After deGraf/Wahrman, from 1992 through 1994, he was Director of Digital Media at Colossal Pictures, which he and his partners spun off to create Protozoa. deGraf/Wahrman created Mike Normal, or “Mike the Talking Head”, the first live performance of a virtual character. It was shown live at the Electronic Theater at SIGGRAPH 88 in Atlanta. deGraf also created “Moxy” on the Cartoon Network, the first virtual character for television, and Peter Gabriel’s Grammy award-winning video, “Steam”.