Nov. 5, 2009 (Business Wire) -- Post-production houses regularly turn to digital entertainment creation software from Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK), to help bring movie-like visual effects into millions of homes in this season’s most-watched television programs. Highlights include a 3D video game universe in “House,” the evocative color finishing of “Mad Men” and the UEFA Europa League rebrand.

Ascent Media, which provides creative and technical services through its worldwide network of media facilities, including Encore Hollywood, RIOT and Level 3, uses a combination of Autodesk Flame and Autodesk Inferno visual effects software, Autodesk Lustre color grading software, Autodesk Smoke editorial finishing software and Autodesk 3ds Max 3D animation, modeling and rendering software on more than 25 shows this season, including “NCIS,” “CSI: NY” and “House” (comprehensive list below). “The Autodesk family of software helps facilitate interoperability between our companies to maximize workflow efficiency and put our best work forward for our clients. The tools are efficient, and the cross-platform compatibility allows our talented artists to focus on creativity,” said Bill Romeo, Ascent senior vice president, Entertainment Television.

Los Angeles and Vancouver-based Zoic Studios contributed to a variety of shows kicking off the fall season, including “Flash Forward” and “Fringe.” For the sci-fi drama “Flash Forward,” Zoic created urban destruction with Autodesk Maya software for modeling, texturing, fluid dynamics, solid body and particle effects, as well as Flame for timing, retiming, rotoscoping and element placement. Zoic also used its Maya and Flame pipeline on “True Blood” and “V” as well as for digital prosthetics, character creation and animation on “Fringe.” In addition, Zoic used Maya on “Mad Men,” “Drop Dead Diva,” “Californication,” “Human Target” and “Ben 10-Alien Swarm.”

Entity FX, with a toolset that includes Maya, Flame and Inferno, worked on three visual effects-intensive shows this season: “The Vampire Diaries,” “Smallville” and “Eastwick” (along with two feature films, “This is It” and “Law Abiding Citizen”). “Eastwick” features photorealistic effects infused with magical flourishes, and in the premiere episode, an animated army of hostile digital ants was created using a custom script in Maya and composited in Flame.