Bootcamp: Deadline

This software enables an artist to utilise the full power of their computers to render more efficiently

Render more efficiently with this software from AWS Thinkbox

Making the most of all the technology within a computer can be a tricky task for any CG artist. Even though an artist may have a multi-core workstation with a lot of RAM and multiple graphics cards, if an artist’s software does not make the most of it, a lot of the raw power can go to waste.

Deadline from AWS Thinkbox can maximise the potential of an artist’s kit. This software can make every available computer a potential render slave for a wide range of commonly used 3D and compositing software, and that includes third-party plugins.

As long as the artist has the correct number of software render licences for the machines available, Deadline can provide sophisticated render control that is not available in the host software application.

Deadline is free to use for two machines, but it does require some knowledge of basic computer networking. Deadline is happy working in a mixed environment of Mac, Windows and Linux computers. Once it’s been installed, you can choose which software runs on which machines.

For users of CG software that depends on GPU rendering,

Deadline can break down a frame to an individual GPU on a multigpu desktop, meaning that one computer with eight GPUS for example can be running eight animation frames at the same time, rather than the more typical case of the eight GPUS working on one frame at a time.

Using Deadline can have an exponential improvement on animation render times, and for when the load becomes too much Deadline can seamlessly interact with the Amazon Web services to give access to a practically limitless number of machines at only a moment’s notice.

USE DEADLINE WITH CINEMA 4D AND REDSHIFT

In this example, I will demonstrate how Deadline works with Cinema 4D and Redshift. Deadline is installed on one machine – this does not necessarily need to be a machine that is needed for renders. When Deadline has been installed, each computer that is to be used as a render client needs to have the Deadline client software installed. The Deadline licence software also needs to be installed on a computer. Head to docs.thinkboxsoftware.com for instructions.

SUBMIT A JOB TO DEADLINE

To 'send' a job to Deadline, the easiest way is to use the Cinema 4D 'Submit to Deadline' plugin, which is provided with Deadline. When selected through the Extensions>submit to Deadline menu item, a dialog box pops up which allows a wide variety of options to appear. If the file that is being submitted is in the correct render farm location, make sure that the 'Submit Cinema 4D Scene File' is checked off so that there is no file duplication.

MANAGE DEADLINE RENDERS

Renders are managed using the standalone 'Deadline Monitor' application. Deadline Monitor’s default UI is divided into three main windows. The top-left pane shows the list of submitted render jobs and their status. One of the columns available in this window shows an estimate of render time remaining. The top-right shows the progress on each individual frame and which machine is rendering it. The bottom pane displays the list of render clients and what the status is.

PREPARE THE CINEMA 4D FILES

Setting up a Cinema 4D file for Deadline is very similar to creating a file that's suitable for a render farm. Deadline requires all of its render clients to be able to 'see' all of the files in a specific location. This includes not just the Cinema 4D file, but any texture, cache simulation and proxy files that are being used. By using the Redshift Asset Manager, which is available in the Redshift menu, it is easy to see if all the required files are available.

THE CINEMA 4D TAKE SYSTEM

Deadline fully supports Cinema 4D's Take system. This allows a single C4D file to hold various settings for practically any parameter which can be stored in independent 'Takes'. Deadline has a dropdown option within the 'Submit to Deadline' extension window. It allows an artist to select which Takes are to be rendered from a single Take, or a predefined selection of 'marked' Takes. Takes makes the submission of multiple render jobs possible with a single click.

SUPER USER MODE

In the Tools menu of the Deadline Monitor application select 'Super User Mode'. This allows granular control of a wide range of parameters for deadline jobs and the client machines. Super User Mode allows render clients to be remotely killed or restarted, and they can be modified so that they only use certain numbers of CPU or GPUS. This allows the creation of multiple instances of Deadline clients on a single machine with different parameters. •