Report on 4K Rendering - commercial animation in Northern Ireland

High-Definition display has evolved over the years, with companies investing in high-resolution technologies with long-term objectives. History shows that the mass market displays have grown from the original standard displays with an aspect ratio of 4:3 for the screens up to the standard resolution of 16:9, which is currently the most common display ratio for consumer TVs and Monitors. Imaging always focuses on the pixel distribution on the screens, and companies often invest in technologies to assess this display. New technologies like rendering images to display a cleaner and crisper animation have forced companies to invest in quality technology and equipment. In the current world, the resolution of images and motion pictures are essential because of the hardware capabilities and the need to achieve a cleaner and more usable technology for the demand in the market.

This paper explores the current state and future planning to work with 4K (or higher) animated productions within the Northern Irish commercial animation sector. This report reflects on the comparison between five reports from leading animations studios in the Northern Ireland sector. This includes the following studios: ALT Animation, Dog Ears, FlickerPix, JAM Media & Sixteen South who are already exploring means to deliver content at a higher resolution to meet the market demands for products and output.