Harrison Ford To Reprise Indiana Jones Role At 70

(news.sky.com)                 Harrison Ford is set to play Indiana Jones for the fifth time - at the age of 70.

The adventurous archaeologist is set for his fifth action-packed outing with director Stephen Spielberg on board and George Lucas writing the story for the new film.

It is due to start shooting in late 2012.

Spielberg told Entertainment Tonight: "George is working on Indy V. We haven't gone to screenplay, he’s working on the story."

Indiana was last on the big screen in 2008's Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull.

Ford first played Indy in Raiders Of The Lost Ark in 1981.

Thirty-one years later the actor has said he would like to dust off his whip and don that fedora once again.

"I have strong ambition to do it while I'm still alive," he told ExtraTV.

"I'm available. I'm not cheap, but I'm available!"




"Riddick" Finds Its Cash, Resumes Filming

(comingsoon.net)             

        Filming on "Riddick", the third film featuring Vin Diesel's anti-hero, looks to be starting again shortly after being postponed due to financial issues last month.

TMZ reports that the Montreal studio, whom shut out the cast and crew after studio owner Michel Trudel complained he hadn't gotten paid, has now received their due funds.

As a result Trudel is willing to allow the film to pick up production where it left off. Several members of the crew however still require pay checks, but those are expected to be delivered shortly. Filming on the project will resume on December 28th.




"Lord of the Rings" Trilogy Goes 3D

(darkhorizons.com)                    Elijah Wood has hinted that "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy may be converted to 3D for a re-release sometime in the near future.

"I think it would be cool to see. There's talk of releasing a dimensionalised trilogy eventually. I'm okay with doing post-process 3D, as long as someone takes the time. What I'm upset about is when a movie doesn't have the budget and the time to devote to it and they're not fine-tuning the detail of that, because it can look really bad and cheap. But I know that they wouldn't dimensionalise it unless it was a super meticulous process" Wood tells Den of Geek.

He went on about his frustrations with the films that are getting the conversion - "I mean, Titanic's coming out in 3D now, and Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, which means we have to wait three movies to get to the fucking good shit, it's unbelievable, I'm like, we have to wait three years for that? You're doing Episode I first? [frustrated squeal], what a bummer!"




VES Awards Submissions Deadline Approaches

(nimationmagazine.net)               This Wednesday (Nov. 30) is the deadline for submissions for the 10th Annual VES Awards. Signed submission forms and payment must have been received by the VES, and viewing materials uploaded to by the deadline.

The 10th Annual VES Awards includes numerous categories involving visual effects and animation in features, TV and gaming. To submit your work, you can go to http://vesawards.sohonet.co.uk/accounts/login/




Apes & X-Men Sequels To Continue

(comingsoon.net)                This year's IFP Gotham Independent Film Awards just wrapped and we should have a full report and recap in the next 24 hours, but one of the people presented with a special tribute at this year's awards was 20th Century Fox Chairman and CEO of Filmed Entertainment Tom Rothman, not one most would normally associate with independent film, although Ang Lee and Jim Jarmusch, the two filmmakers who presented Rothman's tribute, reminded the audience they all worked together earlier in their respective careers.

After the presentation, ComingSoon.net had a chance to speak with Rothman, and eventually we got around to talking about Fox's two successful franchise reboots this year, Rise of the Planet of the Apes and X-Men: First Class.

Rothman confirmed to us that they plan on continuing on from both movies and they're going to try to get both Rupert Wyatt and Matthew Vaughn back to direct once they get the scripts together. "Both of them were really great scripts and so we have to be sure to get great scripts again," Rothman said. "We're working hard on the scripts for both of them, but we have every hope of moving forward with them."




ILM Alum Masi Oka Enters Video Game Development

(complex.com)               How has your programming background from ILM helped you with your new videogame projects?

Without a doubt, it’s been a huge help because it allows me to talk to designers. Coming from a programming background, I have a good sense of what’s feasible and what’s not feasible in a game. I wasn’t the best UI programmer, but I know to use the interface and that stuff. It’s definitely given me a leg up in terms of being able to talk to the people in the games industry.

Literally, I don’t have that many ideas that I want to push, but the one that I do push, I’ve had people react very favorably to. It’s just everything moves slower in the gaming world and the digital world.

When will people be able to see your first game?

We’re still working on a couple of things. There are a couple of new ideas that are being worked on, as well.

Full Interview:      http://www.complex.com/video-games/2011/11/interview-masi-oka-enters-video-game-development




A Stunning Mutant Short Film So Lovely, it Could be Splice 2

(quietearth.us)                 A stunning mutant short film so lovely, it could be Splice 2 Stop whatever it is you're doing right now and plug into this amazing new short film The Gate. The CG creatures are horrifying, mesmerizing, and should really be the high water mark for all computer-animated beasties. Plus, fairy genocide!

The Gate

Quiet Earth has the exclusive look at a gorgeous parade of freaks in The Gate, which is written and directed by Matt Westrup and produced by Spencer Friend. This is the real deal my friends. Watch the mutant-meat-sack party now, now, NOW!

Take a look:      http://www.quietearth.us/articles/2011/11/10/EXCLUSIVE-Dazzling-DNA-mutation-short-THE-GATE




Harry Potter Wins Big at BAFTA Children's Awards

(guardian.co.uk)                 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two was one of a host of double winners at the Bafta children's awards on Sunday night.

The movie adaptation of the boy wizard's final adventure scooped the feature film prize, beating the likes of Kung Fu Panda 2, Tangled and its own predecessor, Deathly Hallows Part 1.

The blockbusting release also triumphed in the film category of the Bafta kids' vote, chosen by more than 400,000 7- to 14-year-olds in an online poll.

"Harry Potter is part of popular culture," said Warwick Davis, who played the role of Professor Filius Flitwick in the films, and who accepted the award.

"The series is going to leave a legacy for generations of children to enjoy. Look at Star Wars; the original movies are 30 years old, but we talk about them as though they were released recently. The Harry Potter films will be the same."




Fox to Push for Supporting Actor Oscar Nomination for Andy Serkis

(hollywoodreporter.com)                NEW YORK - Fox will push to create momentum for a possible best supporting actor Oscar nomination for Andy Serkis for his performance as ape Caesar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Fox Filmed Entertainment co-chairman and CEO Tom Rothman said here Monday night.

"I think we may be at the place where we will see a first-ever in Hollywood this year, which is to see Andy Serkis get nominated for a best supporting actor for Planet of the Apes, even though his face never actually appears," he told The Hollywood Reporter at the Gotham Independent Film Awards at Cipriani Wall Street when asked about Fox's contenders for awards season. "But his performance appears, so we are going to push that hard."

Will the Academy really recognize his acting work this time? The issue of what makes an actor an actor first surfaced when Serkis played Gollum in The Lord of the Rings.

Though Avatar beat box office records and earned nine Academy Award nominations, director James Cameron and producer Jon Landau were frustrated that the movie's actors were ignored by Oscar voters.

"Who knows, but I give the Academy much more credit than most people do," Rothman said. "I don't think they are old and stodgy. I think they are smart and with it, and I'd like to think they are going to get it."

Part of the challenge is to make people understand the motion capture technology involved. "I think part of what we have to do is help educate people to understand that that is 100 percent his performance," Rothman argued. "It is great emotional acting. Tom Hanks didn't have to say any dialogue in Castaway for it to be a great performance."

Further discussing Serkis' work Rothman said: "The emotionality - what you see and what you feel - he did it. I saw him. I watched him. Then they digitally overlaid - you can think of it as a costume - the skin and the hair of an ape. But I tell you the thing that people felt – and a lot of people where moved when they saw the movie - is because of his performance."

Rothman also noted that Fox Searchlight Pictures has The Descendants and Martha Marcy May Marlene, which were key contenders at the Gothams, as well as Shame and The Tree of Life among its awards season titles this year.





"Face Off" Unveils 14 Rising Special Effect Make-Up Artists

(tvpressfeed.com)               SYFY’S FACE OFF UNVEILS FOURTEEN RISING SPECIAL EFFECTS MAKE-UP ARTISTS WITH ITS SEASON TWO PREMIERE WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11 AT 10 P.M. ET/PT

Actress McKenzie Westmore Returns as Series Host; Academy Award Winner Ve Neill, Famed Special Effects Artist Glenn Hetrick and Creature Designer Patrick Tatopoulos Back as Series Judges

NEW YORK – November 28, 2011 – One of the most imaginative aspects of science fiction is the creation of special effects from the genre’s wealth of fantastical possibilities. Making it to the top of this creative world requires a rare mix of exceptional qualities, most importantly an ingenious spirit that Syfy celebrates with the second season premiere of its acclaimed reality competition series Face Off on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 (10:00 – 11:00 PM ET/PT).

Face Off is an authentic depiction of the high creative standards necessary for a special effects make-up artist to succeed in their craft. The series debuted in January 2011 as a new reality competition program to critical and ratings success, earning the title of Syfy’s best unscripted franchise series launch ever among Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54.

In its second season, Syfy introduces a new crop of the country’s most impressive rising special effects make-up artists, all wanting to follow in the footsteps of season one winner, Conor McCullagh, who recently wrapped work on the anticipated Lionsgate film The Hunger Games.

The aspiring artists have come all across the country and from all walks of life – a film and science high school teacher, a tattoo artist, a toy designer, and traditional sculptors and makeup effects artists, some with years of professional experience and others self-taught. The contestants are pitted against each other in a series of hands-on challenges that will test the limits of their imaginations.

The contestants are tasked with elaborate feature challenges, and for season two the creative expectations are even greater. This season, contestants will re-imagine iconic characters from the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, create a waterproof sea creature, bring terrifying phobias to life, and design and build dinosaur human hybrids, among many other visually stunning creatures. There will also be the favorite genre-themed challenges that will showcase the incredible imaginations and skill of these special effects artists.

Each special effects make-up artist will do whatever it takes to prove that they have the right aesthetics to win. Competing against one another in a series of rigorous challenges, the show captures the inspiring creativity and high emotion typical in the atmosphere of a working special effects lab, while also exploring the relationship dynamics and rankings that are common in the tight-knit, collaborative world.

To view photos and complete bios of the cast of Face Off, visit www.syfy.com/faceoff. The Face Off season two contestants are:

Athena Zhe – 25 – Resides in New York, NY; From Ukraine
Beki Ingram – 30 – Resides in Crestline, OH; Hometown Phoenix, AZ
Brea Joseph – 32 – San Diego, CA
Gerald “Jerry” Macaluso – 43 – Resides in Northridge, CA; Hometown is Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Greg Lightner – 35 – Resides in Pittsburgh, PA; Hometown is Coral Gables, Florida
Heather Henry – 33 – Dallas, TX
Ian Cromer – 22 – Resides in Staten Island, NY; Tampa, FL
Matt Valentine – 33 – Austin, TX
Miranda Jory – 21 – Resides in Los Angeles; Hometowns are Louisville, KY and Seattle, WA
Nicholas “Nix” Herrera – 31 – Orlando, FL
Rayce Bird – 29 – Shelley, Idaho
Sue Lee – 26 – Resides in Jersey City, NJ; Hometown is Long Island, NY
Tara Lang – 27 – Hometown is Littleton, CO; Resides West Hollywood, CA

This season Syfy let fans make the selection for the competition’s 14th special effects make-up artist. At the 2011 Comic Con in San Diego, Syfy staged a live make-up challenge in which imaginatively competed for a single spot on the second season, and viewers voted for their favorite via www.syfy.com. The Viewer’s Choice winner will be revealed on the second season premiere episode of Face Off.

The fourteen make-up artists will be whittled down to the three finalists who will face-off in the grand finale. The winning make up artist will receive $100,000 in seed money to help encourage their special effects career, a year’s supply of Alcone make up products, a Reinvented 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid and the coveted exposure to help launch a career.

As a member of the multi-generational family dynasty whose name is synonymous with the make-up effects field, actress McKenzie Westmore brings expertise to her role as host of the series, introducing the Foundation and Spotlight challenges to the contestants each week. Some of SFX world’s most celebrated figures return to judge the competition — multiple Academy-Award winner Ve Neill (The Hunger Games, Pirates of the Caribbean), industry veteran Glenn Hetrick (Heroes, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and renowned creature artist Patrick Tatopoulos (Underworld, Independence Day).

The season also features a number of guest appearances including actor LeVar Burton (Star Trek: The Next Generation), renowned makeup artist Greg Cannom (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), actress Vivica Fox (Independence Day), actress Catherine O’Hara (Waiting for Guffman, Nightmare Before Christmas), musical artist Asher Roth and noted horror makeup artist Tom Savini. Michael Westmore (Star Trek) also appears in an episode to serve as a mentor to the working contestants.

Face Off is a production of Mission Control Media with Michael Agbabian and Dwight D. Smith serving as executive producers.




Test Shots for Ray Harryhausen's Evolution, Ray Harryhausen, 1938-1940

VIDEO - Take a look:       http://swordsandstitchery.blogspot.com/2011/11/test-shots-for-ray-harryhausens.html




Turning the Weta Digital VFX Tent into the American Embassy

(ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com)               Welcome back to Middle Earth!     Let’s see who my featured Hobbit crew member is this report.  Why it’s Weta Digital’s Eric Saindon!

I knew early on that I’d feature Eric because he figures into my daily set routine at least a dozen times. I’m not used to there being other Erics around, so when somebody says my name I automatically assume they’re addressing me.

So, what’s Eric doing in that picture above? That’s the inside of an abandoned farmhouse which will feature in the next report and what Saindon and his super hip team (comprised of Seb Abante, Kevin Sherwood, Brian McMillin and Adam Harriman) do is essentially get as much detail and info about a location/set/prop as possible.

Above, Eric is taking photos of the entire set, piece by piece, area by area, so he can build a digital replica of the environment if he needs to. Sometimes he knows he has to recreate a prop or section of a wall or rock or whatever, sometimes he doesn’t, but wants to keep the info anyway.

It’s usually Eric, Seb or Adam doing this work with Brian manning a 3D scanning device called a Leica. When you see those little orange strips of tape on a greenscreen or on a rock it’s for this scanning device.

Brian or Adam typically use these strips as tracking markers, noting their location in the Leica and doing a full scan of the set. What they end up with is a ton of data, 1s and 0s that represent a detailed 3-D representation of the entire scanning area.

Eric told me that he can take these high res photos he takes and basically lay them over this framework and have a near photoreal recreation of the shooting area, which makes it easier to roll with digital additions, subtractions and CGI creatures (like Wargs, for instance).

That also helps him digitally recreate props to be as close to the physical prop should he be required to.

Since most of the Weta Digital team on the ground at main unit is American we’ve kind of turned the VFX tent into the American Embassy on the set, with discussions of how we’re going to celebrate Thanksgiving and how we miss simple things, like 24 hour stores, free refills, actual Mexican food, unlimited internet and other such American topics.

So, I’m going to cheat a little bit and also include a couple shots of the guys so while this is really Eric’s feature I’m gonna throw some love on his team, a group of awesome guys. I’ve only left out Brian but that’s because I have a good shot of him sharing a helicopter ride with me in a future report.


Full article with pics - take a look:    http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/64674136.html




"Massive Layoffs" at Canadian Studio Silicon Knights

(1up.com)                11/1 UPDATE: Speaking to Kotaku, a Silicon Knights spokesperson said the layoffs consisted of 43 people, with more than 43 remaining at the company. "Last week Silicon Knights experienced layoffs due to extended contract negotiations falling through with a potential partner," they said. "We are currently in discussions with other potential partners. The recent Ontario government funding is tied to future performance targets, spread out over the next 5 years, which we will meet... The company is currently refocusing and returning to its roots, working on one of its most requested titles for the next generation."

11/1 UPDATE #2: Speaking to Financial Post, Silicon Knights' chief financial officer Mike Mays says the company laid off 45 employees, with "just under 40" remaining employed.

ORIGINAL STORY: All but 25 staff at the Canadian video game development studio Silicon Knights have been laid off, according to sources close to the company.

Silicon Knights has not officially confirmed the cuts, but two credible independent sources contacted us with the information over the weekend. One wrote that "Silicon Knights has had massive layoffs. They are now down to a core staff of 25 people." The other said, "It may interest you to note that SK laid off all but 25 employees today."

This outcome follows the St. Catharines, Ontario-based studio receiving three recent funding grants, totaling CDN $8 million: $1 million in 2008, invested by the Ontario Media Development Corporation, $4 million in 2010 via the federal government, and most recently, $3 million in July 2011 via the Ontario government.

Silicon Knights president Denis Dyack stated in July 2011 that the CDN $3 million investment would allow the company to improve its technology, hire 80 new people while keeping 97 current jobs and allow the company to become "self sustaining." We do not know at this stage what went wrong, nor how the studio's payroll has shrunk from 97 to 25 in three months. A source says, "I heard they laid off all of HR including Denis' wife," in reference to Joanne Dyack, SK's director of human resources.

Oil Company Renames Itself Pixar

(thedisneyblog.com)                    After reading a strange press release found by Big Screen Animation blog, I had to double-check the calendar to make sure it wasn’t already April Fools day. A Canadian oil company has renamed itself after Pixar Animation Studios, perhaps in hopes of capitalizing on the success and goodwill of the popular brand and white-washing its own dirty industry image.

Previously known as Paramount Resources, I guess the executives got tired of being named after one of Hollywood’s has-been brands.

As far as I can tell, this is not a joke, there’s even a serious sounding press release composed without a hint of irony. It’s being reported in the wider media as well.

Mike B., who owns Big Screen Animation (and writes non-animation related material for The Disney Blog) broke the story. I bet he was surprised when that press release got picked up in his keyword dragnet.

    I’m no trademark expert, but this seems like shameless hijacking of a well known brand by an industry in desperate need of good publicity—the Alberta tar sands are an environmental disaster.

    Coincidentally, Leslie Iwerks, director of The Pixar Story and A Day in the Life of John Lasseter, made a series of documentaries about the issue. You can watch one of them, Downstream, here.

Unfortunately, I doubt Pixar has a trademark claim here. The industries are diverse enough there shouldn’t be any real confusion among the pubic that they’re the same company. That is why we can have Dove soap and Dove ice cream bars. The trademark name can be the same, but the trademark logo must be sufficiently different.

"Happy Feet Two" Flop Leads to 600 Layoffs

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - As a result of the poor box-office performance of "Happy Feet Two," 600 of the 700 employees at the digital production studio behind the animated movie reportedly have received their walking papers.

Employees at Dr. D Studios, which is based in Sydney, Australia, have been told they will be laid off in the coming weeks, according to IF.com.au. TheWrap was unable to reach Dr. D for comment.

The film, a sequel to 2006's Academy Award-winning "Happy Feet" -- which grossed $384.3 million off a budget of $100 million -- had amassed only an estimated $30.3 million worldwide as of Thursday.

There may be a silver lining for some of the employees, who reportedly have been offered a job at a new company that Kennedy-Miller Mitchell Films -- which launched Dr. D as a joint partnership with Omnilab Media -- plans to get off the ground in early 2012. KMM was founded in 1973 by "Happy Feet" director George Miller and producer Byron Kennedy.

In addition to the layoffs, KMM and Omnilab are reportedly at odds, and there is the possibility that the partnership between the two companies may be dissolved.

Released on November 18, "Happy Feet Two" has not found much success. It opened in 3,606 theaters and came in second at the box office during its debut weekend, grossing $21.2 million. Its estimated budget was $140 million.

"We obviously came in a little bit under our expectations on 'Happy Feet,' " Warner Bros. President of Distribution Dan Fellman told TheWrap. "The market expands enormously over the holiday. By next Monday, we'll know whether we're in good shape."

With three new family films released this week -- "The Muppets," "Hugo" and "Arthur Christmas" -- "Happy Feet Two" is unlikely to gain further traction.

Dr. D Studios, which specializes in digital feature film production and high-end special effects, reportedly had hoped to compete with Peter Jackson's Weta Digital in neighboring New Zealand. The studio is also attached to the long-delayed fourth "Mad Max" film, "Fury Road"; Miller was the director, producer and writer for the first three installments.

According to DrDStudios.com, "Fury Road" is in pre-production, although the site also includes an out-of-date notice that "Happy Feet Two" is in production. There are no job openings listed on the site.

Early "lost" Disney Cartoon Discovered in UK

LONDON (Reuters) - A lost Walt Disney cartoon that pre-dated Mickey Mouse has been discovered in a British film archive and will be offered for auction in Los Angeles on December 14.

"Hungry Hobos" was one of 26 episodes featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a character created by Disney and cartoonist Ub Iwerks in 1927 for Universal Studios.

The first production featuring Oswald, widely considered a prototype to the more famous Mickey Mouse, was rejected by the Hollywood studio, but the second, "Trolley Troubles," kick-started a successful series.

Robert Dewar, commercial director of Huntley Film Archives, one of Britain's biggest independent film libraries, said he and colleagues found the only known surviving copy of Hungry Hobos during a routine cataloguing exercise earlier this year.

"We've got more films than you can imagine," he told Reuters, adding that only about 40,000 of the archive's 80,000 films are fully accounted for.

"We thought this one (Hungry Hobos) looked a little bit suspicious."

Amanda Huntley of the archive added: "When we checked this film we couldn't quite believe our eyes. For an archive, finding a lost masterpiece is incredible -- you just don't think it will happen to you."

Dewar said the archive intended to use the money raised by the sale to help preserve its library.

Bonhams auctioneers expect the 5 minute, 21 second film to fetch $30-40,000 when it goes under the hammer.

The character of Oswald has appeared in several guises over the years, but the significance of Hungry Hobos was that it is part of the first series associated directly with Disney.

According to Dewar, adding to the film's importance was the fact that it aired on May 14, 1928, one day before the first trial screening of Mickey Mouse. It is one of several episodes of the original series still thought to be lost.

In 1928, Disney asked Universal for more money but his request was turned down, prompting his decision to part ways with the studio.

Iwerks went with him, and they developed their most famous creation, Mickey Mouse, a version of Oswald.

"Oswald is a proto-Mickey," said Dewar. "If you see him, you see the same shape of the head, the ears, the mannerisms."

He added that Walt Disney Co., the global entertainment company, was aware of the discovery.

George Lucas' Grand Plan for Grady Ranch

(Marin Independent Journal)                  The latest outpost in filmmaker George Lucas' entertainment frontier will transform the old Grady Ranch into a three-story digital technology fortress flanked by two towers rising amid 187 acres of open space.

On a campus largely hidden from view, a 263,197-square-foot building with a footprint as big as two football fields will feature just about everything 340 movie-making employees, actors and guests will need. Plans include 51,000 square feet of film stages, 27,918 square feet of screening rooms, a 4,381-square-foot cafe, a 1,151-square-foot kitchen, 19 units providing 11,228 square feet of guest quarters, a general store, a gym and a day care center.

The building will top underground parking for 202 cars and 24 bicycles.

Outside, plans include nine bridges spanning creeks, as well as a cave to age casks of wine from the filmmaker's vineyards. Excavated material will be used to build a knoll hiding the project from neighbors, and to shore up, raise and restore Miller, Grady and Landmark creeks.

The plan is less intensive and more environmentally friendly than a program already approved by county officials, so it is all but assured of getting the green light after hearings next year.

Aides say Lucas, who came up with the concept and design, was inspired by the Mission-style buildings at St. Vincent's School for Boys.

Others, pointing to plans for two 85-foot towers, see similarities to Casa Grande, the main house at the Hearst Castle in San Simeon. Lucas, with a keen eye for elegant architecture, featured Victorian, art deco and craftsman styles at his 2,500-acre Skywalker Ranch not far away. The campus Lucas built at the nearby Big Rock Ranch in 2002 is in Frank Lloyd Wright's "prairie" style.

The size of the latest structure in Lucas' string of high-tech entertainment production facilities in Marin is crucial, according to the plan, in order to consolidate detached buildings that were previously approved, as well as to house production stages up to 55 feet high.

"These productions stages would be used at times for the production of sequences that require techniques possible only in such a large space," an environmental analysis says. "Costume storage, makeup rooms and dressing rooms would be located adjacent to the production stages at the rear of the building," not far from the set shop, equipment storage and outdoor state facilities.

Like other wings of his sprawling entertainment universe in Marin, the stunning, state-of-the-art digital filmmaking enterprise at Grady Ranch would be largely screened from passers-by and neighbors and off-limits to the public. Lucas donated 800 acres of Grady Ranch to the county Open Space District, and has protected more than 5,000 acres at his nearby Big Rock, Loma Alta, McGuire and Skywalker ranches as open space with conservation easements.

Lucas' latest plan for Grady will have less of an impact than a project approved for the site by county officials in 1996. Revisions Lucas has in mind will be kinder to the environs than the earlier project, according to an analysis by Ascent Environmental Inc. of Sacramento.

"Overall, there is less impact and additional benefits," said Rachel Warner, county environmental coordinator. She noted the current plan involves a smaller building footprint, less construction and less grading, as well as the added benefits of creek restoration, bridge installation and improved fire access, among other improvements.

Eliminated from the project are plans for a separate day care and recreational building, seven guest cottages, and fencing that could obstruct wildlife movement. The main building "foot print" is reduced from 190,000 square feet to 123,000 square feet. Grading would be scaled back, and 411 trees would be removed, rather than 2,374 trees.

Additions to the plan include five more small bridges so vehicles would not travel though creeks. Several tributaries would be realigned. Some 68,000 cubic yards of excavated material would be used to "raise creek channel beds to historic levels" and fill deep crevices and other impediments to fish migration. Overhead utility lines along 3,600 square feet of property frontage along Lucas Valley Road would be buried underground. Fire road improvements would be made.

New energy conservation attributes include a geothermal heat system, solar thermal and solar photovoltaic solar panels, low-flow and high-efficiency fixtures and automatic daylight controls along with "dark-sky friendly practices" at night. Finally, a wine cave is part of the plan in order to store barrels of wine from grapes grown on other Lucasfilm properties.

Lucasfilm's statement

Private planning consultants working on the project remained mum, referring requests for comment to Lucasfilm, where publicist Emilie Nicks provided a brief email statement:

"Grady Ranch will be a cutting-edge digital media production facility for both movies and television. As we complete this final phase of the approved master plan, we remain committed to continuing our extensive history of preservation and of bringing long-term benefits to the Marin community. In addition to meeting all the requirements outlined in the approved master plan, we've also made significant, positive improvements to the Grady Ranch Precise Development Plan, above and beyond what was required."

A Lucasfilm website about the project, www.gradyranch.com, notes many benefits of the development of Grady and Big Rock ranches. "Most notable among these benefits was the protection of an extraordinary amount of open space — 3,283 acres ... parts of which were originally zoned for development with numerous housing developments," the site says. "Other master plan benefits and conditions include traffic mitigations along Lucas Valley Road locations, enabling the 11-mile multiuse trail easement (part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail system) that runs through Grady, Big Rock, Maguire and Loma Alta ranches, and stream restoration."

The website adds that as far as the Grady project, "we've reduced the overall footprint ... planted additional trees to make the building less visible from the road and reduced the amount of grading. Also included is a more robust restoration plan that results in removal of steelhead passage barriers ... reduced sediment inputs to Miller Creek, reduced flood risk, increased available groundwater storage and restoration to the pre-grazing conditions of the valley and creeks."

The Grady project is part of a master plan unanimously approved by county supervisors who gave Lucas permission to build facilities totaling about 456,000 square feet at the Grady Ranch and about 185,000 square feet at the nearby Big Rock Ranch. Lucas finished construction of the Big Rock complex in 2002.

"It's less intense," Supervisor Steve Kinsey said of the latest Lucas project. "It's less everything," added Kinsey, who noted, however, that reviewing it cost more. The Ascent Environmental "supplemental" master plan report cost Lucas $358,000, and Kinsey wondered whether all the exhaustive detail was necessary.

But Nona Dennis, vice president of the Marin Conservation League, indicated some details are troubling, calling the project "massive for the site." Although the time for argument about use of the land passed several decades ago, and most of the land will remain open space, she noted the project "continues to be industrial use in a residential area — a long-standing issue between the Marin Conservation League and George Lucas."

Further, Dennis said the proposal now involves "a large amount of recontouring of land cloaked as 'stream restoration.'"

The project will "allow office and industrial uses in an area zoned for housing and agriculture," the league's website complains. The league's "current concerns focus more on the massive reshaping of the landscape and Miller Creek to accommodate the structures, landscaping, and access," and noted "the Grady Ranch facility rebuilds the landscape to fit the structures."

But Warner, the county's environmental coordinator, said recontouring the land as proposed has merit. "Overall, I think it's a very environmentally beneficial part of the proposal," she said. "Raising the bed elevation of Miller Creek and its tributaries using fill material ... is intended to improve the natural process and functions of the creek, eliminate fish passage barriers, reactivate floodplain area and increase aquifer storage while minimizing channel erosion and sediment."

She noted a county consulting hydrologist called the creek plan "scientifically rigorous, demonstrating a clear understanding of stream processes."

The county Planning Commission will reflect on the new project Dec. 12 when it discusses the Ascent Environmental report and determines whether more analysis is needed. The commission will consider merits of new aspects of the project in February.

2012 Oscar Preview: Best Animated Feature

(collider.com)             Continuing on with our look at the 2012 Oscar race, today we delve into Best Animated Feature and the technical categories. As Pixar’s Cars 2 was the studio’s worst-received feature to date (it currently sits at 38% on Rotten Tomatoes), we’ve got ourselves an actual competition in the Animated Feature category. Not only that, but if all 18 films that were submitted to the Academy are deemed eligible, we’ll have a total of five nominated films. This leaves us to debate the merits of Rango and The Adventures of Tintin against the likes of Puss in Boots and Arthur Christmas.

Additionally, we’ve taken a stab at Best Original Screenplay, Best Adapted Screenplay, and the technical categories. As these are incredibly tricky to predict this far out (and my picks would be doomed to haunt me come February), I’ve simply listed a couple of frontrunners in each category instead of going in depth. Though it’s still early, we’ve got an overall picture of how things look like they’ll stack up; so hit the jump to check out the state of the race so far. If you missed our previous preview articles, be sure to take a look at our picks for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, and Best Actor and Best Actress.

As I said before, the number of nominated movies in Best Animated Feature depends on how many the Academy deems eligible. If the number of eligible films is less than or equal to 15, there will be three nominees, but if the number is over 15 there will be five. 18 flicks were submitted to the Academy, so assuming all of them are deemed eligible we’re looking at a 5-picture race.

Best Animated Feature

Frontrunners:

Rango

The Adventures of Tintin

Likely to be nominated:

Puss in Boots

Arthur Christmas

Other contenders:

Cars 2

Happy Feet 2

Kung Fu Panda 2

Rio

The Best Animated Feature race this year is somewhat exciting because it’s poised to be an actual race. Pixar released their first certified rotten film in history, Cars 2, so the “runner-up to Pixar” award has now been upgraded to Best Animated Feature. Speaking of Cars 2, the film was so poorly received it’s not even a guarantee that it’ll be nominated. In lieu of that, the bonafide frontrunner this year is undoubtedly Gore Verbinski’s fantastic Rango. The Western Comedy debuted to stellar reviews and solid box office with the help of a brilliant voice performance by Johnny Depp and some seriously stunning visuals, not to mention the quirky John Logan-scripted story. The real threat to Rango seems to be Steven Spielberg’s motion-capture adventure pic The Adventures of Tintin. While sure to bring up the “motion-capture is not animation” debate again, the film has been earning positive reviews and is being called the Indiana Jones sequel Spielberg never made.

Also a strong contender is Aardman Animation’s Arthur Christmas, which is earning some delightfully positive reviews. Aardman is known for its goofy stories and Arthur Christmas is the studio’s first film since 2006’s Flushed Away. Puss in Boots has a healthy shot at a nomination, but I’m not sure it’s destined to go all the way. The film received positive (though not necessarily enthusiastic) reviews, but is hurt by its inability to mirror the box office performance of the Shrek franchise. Happy Feet 2 has a shot, but it’s not exactly getting a warm critical reception. The first Happy Feet won the award in 2006 though, so the Academy may still throw Happy Feet 2 a nomination.

If the Academy is put off by Puss in Boots, they may recognize DreamWorks with Kung Fu Panda 2. The martial arts sequel also received positive reviews, and enjoyed quite a healthy box office run. Blue Sky’s Rio has a shot at a nomination as well, though it’s not a heavyweight by any means.

If I had to guess, I’d say the award is between Rango and The Adventures of Tintin, with Arthur Christmas playing the possible spoiler depending on the film’s critical/commercial reception. I think Puss in Boots and Cars 2 will round out the nominations, just because the Academy may feel obligated to at least recognize Pixar (and though there are few, the film does have its fans).

Forger: a New Sculpting App for iPad

(3dworldmag.com)           If you want to sculpt while on the train, sitting on the couch or waiting in a queue, this slick app is for you

Developer Javier Edo has released Forger, a sculpting app for the iPad.

The app has a range of the basic features you’d expect from a package like ZBrush. You’ve got nine different brushes to choose from: standard, clay, flatten, move, smooth, pinch, inflate, layer and mask. You can easily import/export OBJ files, mask areas, work on different models at the same time and much more.

Forger has a maximum geometry count of 65,535 polygons, so it’s unlikely to replace conventional sculpting tools any time soon! But if you like to sketch out ideas as you go, this app could prove useful.

Forger is available for iPad 1 and 2, price $2.99.

Red Dawn Set for November 2, 2012

(FilmDistric)                       Following a steady series of setbacks, Red Dawn finally has a release date. The remake is now set to arrive on November 2, 2012.

In the film, an American city awakens to the surreal sight of foreign paratroopers dropping from the sky – shockingly, the U.S. has been invaded and their hometown is the initial target. Quickly and without warning, the citizens find themselves prisoners and their town under enemy occupation. Determined to fight back, a group of young patriots seek refuge in the surrounding woods, training and reorganizing themselves into a guerilla group of fighters. Taking inspiration from their high school mascot, they call themselves the Wolverines, banding together to protect one another, liberate their town from its captors, and take back their freedom. 

Shot in 2009, the production fell victim to financial troubles at MGM, putting the release on hold. A major update came earlier this year when it was reported that the invaders in the film were being re-edited to be portrayed as North Korean rather than Chinese in order to appeal to a broader international market.

Dan Bradley directed the remake, which stars Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Josh Hutcherson, Adrianne Palicki, Isabel Lucas, Connor Cruise and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

The November 2 release date puts Red Dawn up against the Seth Rogen/Barbra Steisand comedy My Mother's Curse and the animated Disney film Wreck-It Ralph.

The Technology of Film Puppets: Breaking the Reality-Fantasy Barrier

(screened.com)             An overview of cinematic puppet technology from marionettes to the digital age.

Since the Nineteenth Century, filmmakers turn to the special effect of puppetry to create fantastic creatures in the realm of film. Creature shops craft real-time, interactive entities, breathe life into them, and capture evidence of their existence. If films and television shows are windows into an imaginative, parallel Universe, puppets are manifest, tactile visitors from this creative world. Animation (despite stop-motion rigs technically being puppets), while picturing its own type of dream world, maintain the integrity of the reality-fantasy barrier. Animated characters live on the other side of a screen, but puppets occupy physical space, somewhere, in this reality.

The varying technologies used on film puppets demonstrate that puppets are as much belief in fantasy as they are the necessity of believability. Over the course of the Twentieth Century, filmmaking pushes the technological and creative bounds of puppetry. Puppets become more detailed and realistic while maintaining a credibility as a possibly credible life form. From simple rigs to computer-driven machines, the technology of puppets revolve around the key purpose of puppetry. Puppet makers incorporate the latest in manufacturing and engineering to construct materials and devices, giving storytelling freedom to the filmmaker and a validity to the puppet.

Even with these advances, puppets of all types remain endearing because they are corporeal phenomenon from human imagination -- no matter how many pneumatic pumps, wires, or googly eyes.

Full article with pics:   http://www.screened.com/news/the-technology-of-film-puppets-breaking-the-reality-fantasy-barrier/3161/

Sony Pictures Schedules Pixels for Summer 2013

(comingsoon.net)                 Sony Pictures has set a May 17, 2013 release date for Pixels, Patrick Jean's adaptation of his own web short that you can watch below.

"Pixels" became a viral hit with its 1980s video game characters attacking New York City. It was previously said that the plan was to make a 'Ghostbusters'-style action comedy in which characters come out of a video game to wreak havoc in the real world.

Adam Sandler's production company Happy Madison is behind the big screen adaptation.

The May 17, 2013 date was previously held by Roland Emmerich's Singularity, but it has being going through a rewrite and has now been scheduled for November 1, 2013.

'Hugo' Revives Interest in Georges Méliès

(Los Angeles Times)                    Director D.W. Griffith once said of French filmmaker Georges Méliès, "I owe him everything." Charlie Chaplin described him as "the alchemist of light."

Méliès built the first movie studio in Europe and was the first filmmaker to use production sketches and storyboards. Film historians consider him the "father of special effects" — he created the first double exposure on screen, the split screen and the dissolve. Not to mention that he was one of the first filmmakers to have nudity in his films — he was French, after all.

And thanks to Martin Scorsese's critically acclaimed 3-D family film, "Hugo," contemporary audiences are being lovingly introduced to the silent film pioneer. "Hugo" is a fanciful tale about a young boy, Hugo (Asa Butterworth), who lives in the Paris train station in the early 1930s and discovers that the curmudgeonly old man (Ben Kingsley) operating a toy shop in the station is Georges Méliès. ("Hugo" took in $15.4 million from Wednesday to Sunday, playing on far fewer screens than other wide releases).

When cinema was in its infancy, Méliès made about 500 films filled with wonder, humor and outrageous effects. A trained magician who captivated audiences with his illusions at the Theatre Robert Houdin, he happened to be in the audience on Dec. 28, 1895, when the Lumière brothers premiered their Cinematographie to the public.

Within a year, he was making his own one-minute films. His best known work, 1902's "A Trip to the Moon," which features the iconic image of a rocket landing in the eye of the man in the moon, has recently been restored to its hand-colored glory.

Though audiences' tastes changed, Méliès kept making the same kind of film. In 1910, he went bankrupt and made a deal with the Pathé production company to finance his next films. If the films failed, Pathe would take possession of his house. The films did fail and by 1913, his career was over. He managed to stay in his house until 1923, when Pathé took possession. He made ends meet at the toy shop. Just as in "Hugo," he was rediscovered and given the Legion of Honor and a rent-free apartment, where he lived until his death in 1938.

The clips of Méliès' films and Scorsese's re-creations of the production of his flights of fancy hopefully will whet appetites of families to check out some of Méliès' films, which are available on DVD and on the Internet.

France's Serge Bromberg, who founded Lobster Films in 1984, is a film historian who has been tireless in his efforts to find, preserve and show vintage films. In September, Bromberg presented the restored color print of "A Trip to the Moon," a project he led, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He's worked for over a year on "The Extraordinary Voyage," a documentary on "A Trip to the Moon" chronicling its production and how the long-lost color print was discovered and restored. "The Extraordinary Voyage" will come out on DVD next year along with "A Trip to the Moon."

For those whose interest has been piqued by "Hugo," Bromberg recently shared his top six Méliès films that are must-sees for any cinephile.

"A Trip to the Moon": "When the film was made in 1902, it was the longest film ever — 15 minutes. It has the most amazing special effects. It is exactly like 'Avatar.' It was the first blockbuster in the history of cinema. It was sold all around the world."

"Vanishing Lady": "It is from 1896. It is the oldest special-effects film that survives. It is one minute long. It depicts a whimsical illusion that Méliès did at his Robert Houdin Theatre. This is really one of the most fantastic films."

"The Four Troublesome Heads": "It's from 1898, also one minute. It is a man who takes his head and puts it on the table. Then the head grows back, and he puts the second head on the table. Then the head grows back, and he puts the third head on the table. Then the head grows back and he takes a guitar and starts playing and the heads start singing. Because they don't sing right, he takes the guitar and knocks the heads away. It is absolutely stunning."

"An Impossible Balancing Feat": "It is from 1902 — one minute. He juggles with himself. It is just so amazing."

"Joan of Arc": "He made it in 1900. It's 10 minutes. It is a reconstruction of the life of Joan of Arc. It's hand-colored."

"The Merry Frolics of Satan": Two travelers get more than they bargained for when they encounter Satan the trickster in this hand-colored fantasy. The film features an inventive carriage ride through the skies drawn by a skeletal horse.

"It is from 1906. It had been a show [at the Robert Houdin], for which he did all of these wonderful tricks."

Source:      http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-georges-melies-20111128,0,7892019.story

What's Good About CGI Animated Films

(filmmasterjournal.blogspot.com)                  I have realised that animated films have not degraded in quality over the years and some end up being magnificent. Over the past few years, CGI animation has been growing insanely popular were now we have something like 15 animated films in a year. With the great technological advancements, titles such as “Toy Story 3” and “How to Train Your Dragon” show that it is an excellent medium and now animation is not a thing just for kids, but for everyone. Animation to me is an art. Although not on the same level as film, I still love it so.

After 1995, with the release of “Toy Story”, CGI animation was taken on and soon Pixar would have slight competition with the rise of DreamWorks with their popular “Shrek” in 2001. Now everyone is joining in on the CGI medium. Ignore live-action; full CG animated films have become popular with all audiences. Now companies like BlueSky (Ice Age), Sony Pictures (Surf’s Up) and even Universal (Despicable Me) are running in the animated industry.

Many now compare these companies to one another, and the biggest two would have to be Pixar and DreamWorks. Each has excellent film s but for me, Pixar capture the heart more. However, DreamWorks have something about their animation that seems to be more texture and quite real. Look at Shrek 2 and above and you will what I mean. Pixar at times go for a more crisp, smooth and fantasy look, which is still highly vibrant and beautiful to watch. 

Of course, I have kept in mind that traditional cartoon drawing is a dying, but beautiful format. Luckily, Disney are occasionally making a traditionally crafted animated film every now and then, with the most recent being “The Princess and the Frog” and “Winnie the Pooh”. I love all forms of animation so there is no superior format for me.  Many will prefer CGI to hand drawn and others vice-versa, and perhaps even stop-motion being the best, but for me they are all equal because they all hold great films. Traditional has “The Lion King” and “Pinocchio”, CGI has “Wall-E” and “Toy Story” and stop-motion has “The Nightmare before Christmas” and the “Wallace & Gromit” films.

As you know, CGI is used everywhere in the film industry, but I will save that for a later post. Many people do not like animated films because they feel they ‘don’t compare to live-action’ and ‘their story’s are not real enough’. Well, these statements are partially wrong because films like “Akira” (not CGI) in 1988 was a reasonably adult animated film and featured plenty of solid action. As for good CGI films, film’ like “Up” feature emotional maturity and even “Toy Story 3” was acclaimed to have made some people shed a tear. 

The CGI medium can still compare with live-action films in some ways because of the limitations; there is none. When it comes down to animation, your imagination can run wild. Films like “Ice Age” and “Shrek” really show this. Seeing a CGI animated film in cinemas now is still a glorifying experience, with or without 3D glasses. Many may not be worthy of film of the year, but they are still entertaining film. 

As for the side of them being to ‘childish’. Some of them to target a younger audience like films such as “Space Chimps” and “Tinkerbell”, but others have a little more versatility to them. “Shrek” and “Toy Story” both have adult innuendos and little jokes that would go over the heads of younger viewers and they manage to keep your attention with their wit and story. Sometimes the simple things turn out to be the special things. Wall-E is a great story because of its sincerity and most people can relate to it. The same goes with many of Pixar and DreamWorks’s films. 

However, we do have many bad CGI films; Like any genre or category of film. Films such as “The Ant Bully”, “Gnomeo & Juliet” and “Chicken Little” appear as more childish and squabbling films. Regardless of that many have proved as excellent films within the medium is I have previously mentioned. There are a few CGI films (and animated for that matter) that are my favourite films of all time, and “Wall-E” is one of them just to point out. I know some people may disagree with my points, and some will agree. Either way, thanks for reading this post about CGI animation, please give feedback and let me know what you think about CGI films.

CGI Helps Jennifer Lopez Fake "“This is My World" Commercial

(earsucker.com)                   Jennifer Lopez actually faked her involvement in her new FIAT commercial! Who knew?!?

Sure, it looks like Jenny went back to the “block”, but in reality, she was just on a film set on the west coast!

Reportedly, her role in the ad was actually played by a body double! According to reports, the lookalike was behind the wheel of the car in the Bronx, while J-Lo herself was in L.A., where she filmed her part inside of the Fiat 500. The production company then merged the live action and CGI scenes into one seamless commercial, making it appear as if Jennifer was really in New York.

Funnily enough, in the commercial voiceover, she said, “This is my world. This place inspires me. They may be just streets to you, but to me they’re a playground.”

It must not have inspired her enough to actually go back to the Bronx to do her own filming! In the ad, it shows barbershop owner Eligio Cueto, but he revealed that it wasn’t J-Lo behind the wheel of the car when it drove by his shop. He said, “It wasn’t her, it was a double that looked like her.”

Fake, fake, fake!

DreamWorks' Plans for Shanghai

(english.cri.cri.c)          

          It cited unnamed Chinese government officials as saying that if negotiations between DreamWorks and Chinese counterparts proceed smoothly, the new company, to be called Oriental DreamWorks, would be established by the first quarter of next year in Shanghai.

DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg is reported to have visited China's industry-related state departments early this month.

Officials told Caijing that the company would get a capital injection of up to US$2 billion in the five years after its launch to be invested in projects including motion pictures, musicals and Internet games.

Insiders revealed that theme park developments in China and elsewhere were also part of the new company's long-term plans.

China Media Capital would lead a Chinese capital syndicate to co-invest in the new company, according to the report. Shanghai Media Group is also reported to be a likely investor.

Katzenberg is said to have told Chinese officials that DreamWorks was placing key importance on seeking business partnerships with China and was expecting such cooperation would contribute to a re-shaping of the global market for animation movies.

"China's domestic animation production is growing quickly but in terms of technology, creativity or box office gains, it's no match for DreamWorks. Partnership with DreamWorks in the home market would boost development of all related segments of this industry, especially to help nourish the growth of domestic professionals in this field," an analyst told Caijing.

Insiders told the magazine that negotiations between DreamWorks and Chinese investors had been under way for months and they were likely to reach an agreement by the end of next month.




CG Dragon "Smaug" to be Performance Capture for "The Hobbit"

(theonering.net)                 Benedict Cumberbatch will not only provide the voice of the dragon Smaug The Magnificent, he will perform the role using the motion capture technology pioneered by Andy Serkis and Weta Digital, according to the actor himself.

The design of the most iconic villain in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, and indeed probably the greatest literary great worm of the 20th Century, remains a secret and a key ingredient of Peter Jackson’s two part movie adaptation due in December 2012 and December 2013. The actor, the title character acting opposite Martin Freeman in the BBC’s Sherlock, revealed to Collider during a press junket that he hasn’t done his Hobbit stint yet and that he will not only provide the voice for the creature but perform him as well.




Michael Bay in talks for TRANSFORMERS 4 with Hasbro

(napiersnews.com)                 It looks as though TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON is not going to be Michael Bay’s last Transformers movie like he previously stated. THR reports that Bay is currently in active discussions along with producer Steven Spielberg to develop a fourth Transformers film for Hasbro. The pressure for more films makes sense with the last film bringing in over a billion dollars so far. I can’t say I blame the change in heart either, I would do the same if I was offered a big payday.

Hasbro continues to develop other projects based on its brands. The company has MICRONAUTS, OUIJA, CANDYLAND, RISK, STRETCH ARMSTRONG, CLUE and MONOPOLY. Hasbro will continue to work with studio partners and will not start making its own films like Marvel has done.

At this time it’s not known if anyone from the first three Transformers films would reprise their roles in a fourth movie. The film could implement some completely new human characters. I would rather see Bay in the director’s chair because Hasbro will get someone else to do it if Bay declines the offer.

DARK OF THE MOON was the best film in the franchise, so lets hope a fourth film will be even bett




Marshall on Board for More ‘Pirates’?

(torontosun.com)                Filmmaker Rob Marshall, best known for his Broadway musicals and his Oscar-winning production of Chicago for the big screen, would happily sign on for another instalment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.

Asked if he would do another, Marshall recently told QMI Agency: "You know what? I might. Yeah, it is very possible. I had such a great experience on this one that I would absolutely entertain another one. But it's the classic cliche answer: Is there a script? Is there a story to be told? The last thing you ever want to feel is that we're just out there to make money. That wasn't my intention at all. My intention was to make a really fun film."

As an outsider dropped in to revive the franchise once it ran its course under Gore Verbinski, Marshall directed Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. It just came to stand-alone DVD this week. In an odd twist for a major new title, the DVD drop was staggered from the Blu-ray combo pack releases, which debuted Oct. 18. There were two versions out then: One a standard Blu-ray combo pack, the other a 3D Blu-ray combo pack.

Despite Marshall's reference to making fun over making money, Pirates is a money machine. Taken together, the Blu-ray combo packs are best-sellers. The new stand-alone DVD is expected to reach those who don't want to bother with high-def or the niche market of home 3D. Marshall's movie already made a staggering profit in worldwide box office, shooting above the billion-dollar mark by $44 million. Among the three Pirates movies Gore Verbinski directed, only Dead Man's Chest exceeded that total -- by just $22 million. So Marshall pleased uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer. He did not disappoint superstar Johnny Depp, who plays the central character, flamboyant pirate Captain Jack Sparrow.

"It is very interesting coming into a franchise, into the fourth in a series," Marshall says from his Hollywood office. "I wasn't sure what to expect but I was greeted with open arms. They were happy to have someone like me work on this film. Johnny was incredibly gracious and inviting to be directed this role that he knows so well. Jerry Bruckheimer was incredibly gracious. And Disney, too, all the people at Disney. They really wanted my input and feeling and I think they shared my vision for this movie."

Marshall says he focused on making "something that really reaches across generational lines, has a clarity of story and a simplicity of storytelling so you can enjoy the adventure."




Star Trek XII, Says Pre-Production is in an "Exciting Phase"

TrekWeb talks to Star Trek XII production designer Scott Chambliss in this exclusive chat. Interview : Gustavo Leao

1- Scott, how pre-production is going on the Star Trek sequel ? 

Pre-production is in an exciting phase right now, as the story and the sequences are coming into focus and the settings are gaining depth, character, and scale.

2- What fans can look foward in terms of production design for the sequel ?

What I hope most is that, as with our first installation, the audience will encounter some visual surprises that make them happy plus a few that shake them up as well.

If you mildly please everyone across the board with everything, I think that means that the work was pitched to a rather low median denominator.  The crushing blow would be a general "Eh, it was okay, but not nearly as good as the first one" response from the viewers.

3- There will be any changes on the USS Enterprise design, interior or exterior ?

Yes:  the entire story is going to take place in the Budweiser Brewery.




Behind the Scenes With the 3D Magicians of 'Arthur Christmas'

(foxnews.com)                  Christmas has always been magical.

But creating “Arthur Christmas” -- the computer-generated 3D comedy that opens Wednesday and features a high-tech Santa capable of delivering toys in a Millennium Falcon-like spaceship -- was itself something of a small miracle, the special effects gurus at Sony Pictures Animation said.

“It was a lot of very long days,” lead animator Josh Beveridge told FoxNews.com. “It started out as nine hour days, and then eventually became a series of very long twelve hour days.”

Beveridge spent over a year in Bristol, England, where he worked with three other lead animators and a special effects supervisor to make the “Arthur Christmas” characters come to life. “He was like a satellite with a team of twelve people on the other side of the world, dialing in by video conference call,” explained first-time director Sarah Smith. “It was a big collaboration.”

Smith wanted to have her film rich with detail, which taxed Sony’s block-long computer room to its limits. “We had shots that took 24 hours per frame to render,” Smith said of the process; some scenes required almost month to make just one second of film. “There’s so much detail in those scenes that the computer is doing gigantic calculations in order to render that shot.”

“We use a Linux platform,” Beveridge explained. “Almost anything that we want to do in CG, we can -- it’s just a matter of rendering time.”

The incredible computing time the film required hearkens back to the very early days of CG thirty years ago, Smith told FoxNews.com. “Computing power has advanced since then ... but so has the ability for the team to build more visual information in the shots.”

“Arthur Christmas” tells the tale of the multi-generational Claus family, which mothballed the old family sleigh in favor of the high-tech S1, a mile-wide spaceship with stealth cloaking technology and a million elves, who work in “Mission: Impossible”-style teams of three to deliver presents in just 18.14 seconds.

The film is Sony Pictures Animation’s first collaboration with Aardman, the landmark British animation company best-known for the stop-motion films “Chicken Run” and “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.”

The Claus family consists of Santa and Mrs. Santa; Santa’s father, Grandsanta, who may still have a few tricks up his sleeve despite his advanced age; alpha-male son Steve, who is more concerned with efficiency than emotions; and the film’s hero, son Arthur, whose earnestness and wonder is matched only by his awkwardness and bad skin.

Arthur Xmas

“The Clauses are a little bit like the British Royal Family,” Smith said. “Arthur would be a little bit like Prince Edward since he’s the one who didn’t go into the army. Steve’s character is a little like Price Charles, in that every year, he’s thinking he’s going to become [king] and it doesn’t happen.”

Wanting to bring the traditional charm of Aardman’s characters to the world of CG, Smith spent over six years perfecting “Arthur Christmas.”

“It was ridiculously ambitious,” Smith admits of the laborious process. “It’s a little like childbirth: If you really knew exactly what was going to be involved, you probably would never start.”

The ability to create virtual sets allows wonderful creativity, but it’s deceptively challenging. Despite the computers creating the final film, animators still draw everything.

"It comes down to human labor, building every single thing that you see in every frame -- it’s not like they magically push a button and it happens," Smith told FoxNews.com. "Somebody has to model it and texture it and so on. CG animation is a seductive and dangerous thing, because you can theoretically do everything -- but you're limited by the human resources of your team.”

Of the many involved sets, Mission Control at the North Pole was the most challenging. “I think we were all pretty terrified by some of the render times,” said Smith. "They told me that there were shots that were taking three weeks to render. At the end of the process, we were terrified that there were some shots that weren’t going to even make it into the movie, because they were so complex to produce!”

But of all the technological achievements of “Arthur Christmas,” Smith is most proud of Arthur’s Christmas sweater. “I wanted it to have this really big, chunky effect, and (the animators) would kind of look at me and go, ‘Heavy knitwear? You have no idea how difficult that is to create. That’s like what water and fur used to be for CG.’” Smith said.

Now that “Arthur Christmas” has wrapped, Smith is taking a well-deserved break to work on her next magical venture.

“I had a baby in the middle of making the movie, so I’m spending time with her now -- she’s my new project!”




A Formidable Creature For John Carter Revealed

(Entertainment Weekly)                 The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly features this new photo of a great White Ape from director Andrew Stanton's John Carter, based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs and coming to 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D theaters on March 9th.

Stanton tells the magazine that the White Apes are "a formidable creature that you kind of hear about throughout the movie, but you never really witness." He says they they are "nocturnal, almost like moles — they stopped using their eyes, and just had a heightened sense of smell."

The director added that in the film, John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) "needs an army to solve his big problem in the third act, and the only army he knows was his previous captors. When he goes back, the game has changed, and he gets incarcerated. This is what he has to get out of. He has to get out of jail and not get killed by these apes in order to get his bigger problem solved."

As you can see in the picture, Carter is chained up, which the Tharks did for entertainnment. "He has this one Superman-like ability where he can leap farther than we can here [on Earth]. But it's like being a man on the moon. It can't be forever. He can build up momentum... They give him a nice long length of chain, so he can bounce around, but he can't go out of the arena."


Take a look:          http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=84597




Mexico’s First 3D Animated Film ‘El Gran Milagro’ Debuts in Select US Cities Dec. 9

(hispanicallyspeakingnews.com)              Dos Corazones Films announces that The Greatest Miracle, Mexico’s first 3D animated feature film will appear in theaters in Chicago and 49 other US cities on Fri., Dec. 9, 2011.  In addition, the film’s producer Pablo Barroso will host a sneak-peak screening for members of the media at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, on Thurs., December 1st at 6:00 pm.  To attend the screening, please RSVP at http://www.catholicmassmovie.com/rsvp/ and reserve your seat.

The Greatest Miracle was released in Mexico on Oct. 14, 2011 to praise from audiences and critics alike, and had the second highest per-screen average that weekend.

Directed by Bruce Morris (Disney’s Pocahontas, The Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Frog and Hercules), The Greatest Miracle explores the lives of three strangers at Catholic Mass one morning, who are experiencing difficult situations – Monica, a widowed mother, struggles to sustain her home with her son Diego; Don Chema, a bus driver, deals with his child’s incurable illness, and Dona Cata, an elderly woman who seeks peace.  There, each person meets their guardian angel and is given the gift to see the world through spiritual eyes and then take full account of their blessings.




Weta Digital Hosts "Weta Digital Day"

(stuff.co.nz)                    The last day of visual effects, animation and games conference Animfx. Weta Digital is hosting a Weta Digital Day at Park Road Post in Miramar, where its visual effects gurus will give behind-the-scenes glimpses into the making of Rise of the Planet of the Apes and The Adventures of Tintin. Wellington games firm Sidhe is hosting a party tonight at inner-city bar Red Square to cap off the conference with a bang.



Contender – Visual Effects Supervisor Dan Glass, The Tree of Life

(btlnews.com)                    Jessica Chastain and Brad Pitt in The Tree of Life. (Photo by Merie Wallace. Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox).
The last time Below the Line caught up with Dan Glass, it was during his back-to-back “superhero” phase of supervising visual effects in Batman Begins and V for Vendetta (the former won a BAFTA nomination in the VFX category, while masks from the latter are currently on prominent display in various “Occupy” encampments).

A quick half-decade later, he’s not only an exec VP at Method Studios, but is in the nomination hunt once again for his work on filmmaker Terrence Malik’s The Tree of Life, the tale of a 1950s’-era family headed by Brad Pitt, a dad overwhelmed by the traditional “superhero” roles fathers were cast into, but has enough in the way of “foes” dealing with everyday life.

And while there were, as Glass notes, some “pretty minimal” digital considerations in what he terms the “contemporary” phase of the storytelling – the material set in the ’50s (and modern sequences with Sean Penn as one of the grown sons) – which involved removing rigging and watching for any visual anachronisms, that work isn’t what’s generating the buzz.

Instead, it’s the other phases or “realms,” as Glass calls them, that occasioned such startling imagery and an array of techniques – the “astrophysical,” the “microbial” and the “natural.” Each of these comes during a sequence that takes some of the motifs from the legendary “infinity” sequence in Kubrick’s 2001, and far outdoes them.

Below: Dan Glass and Douglas Trumbull discuss the VFX in The Tree of Life

It’s a section of the film that has alternately enthralled and frustrated critics, encompassing nothing less than the creation of the universe – from light to galaxies to cells to complex life – all the way back to the film’s “present moment.” It’s there either to show how one family – like all families – is an endpoint, a result of all the universe’s majesty (without even knowing it), or it’s there to show how the most overwhelming problems in lives – and lives themselves – are simply nano-grams in a much larger tapestry. Or both.

And the connection to 2001 may not be accidental: Glass had the help of Douglas Trumbull, Kubrick’s storied “special photographic effects supervisor” for that film, a title which he reprises here.

Glass gushes that Trumbull’s work was “fantastic,” allowing for a mix of techniques in an Austin-based “skunk works,” where Malick – himself Texas-based – could be kept apprised of the more “mechanical” effects he gravitated toward; using paint in other liquids (or liquid nitrogen) to replicate unfolding cosmic processes.

Those were mixed in with the more digital techniques they were already using, including using existing interstellar images from NASA, obtained at the highest possible resolution, and further augmented in postproduction.

It was a multi-year process for Glass, much like Malick’s usual filmmaking style. “There was a period of two years getting inside his head,” Glass adds about the director, so that everyone – including the VFX crew – was working on a more intuitive level, allowing the story to emerge from that.

But the journey up beyond the treetops works on a shorter timeline: He’s already at work on his next project, the currently-in-production Cloud Atlas for director Tom Tykwer.

Full article:    http://www.btlnews.com/awards/contender-portfolios/contender-visual-effects-supervisor-dan-glass-tree-of-life/




Star Wars: Identities Premiering at Montreal Science Centre in April

(Lucasfilm)                Lucasfilm and X3 Productions have announced "Star Wars: Identities," a traveling exhibition. You can read the press release and watch a trailer below:

A stunning collection from the Lucasfilm Archives, a customized, interactive identity quest, and insightful scientific content will all work together in STAR WARS Identities to follow the dramatic journeys of Luke and Anakin Skywalker, cinema's most famous father and son duo. Visitors will develop a better understanding of what makes the characters of Star Wars who they are, and at the same time explore their own identity with one question, at once simple and profound: What forces shape you?

The Components of Identity

Working with the Montréal Science Centre exhibition developers and a committee of scientific advisers, STAR WARS Identities has divided its study of identity into three major themes: the origins of the characters, the influences that shape them, and the choices they make during their life. Within these three themes, ten components of human identity are explored: species, genes, parents, and culture in Origins; mentors, friends, and marking events in Influences; and occupation, personality, and values in the final zone, Choices.

These components form the backbone of the exhibition, exploring the complex notion of identity both in the real world and in creative fiction. Original content throughout the exhibition will shed light on each of the components of identity; simultaneously, "making-of" featurettes explore the stories behind the development of many iconic Star Wars characters, explaining how they became who they are, and showing how different creative choices might have made them different characters altogether.

Kyra Bowling, Exhibits Manager at Lucasfilm Ltd., says "the Star Wars saga continues to captivate audiences who find connection to its richly diverse cast of wonderful characters. Star Wars provides a natural lens through which to explore the themes of personal identity and character. This innovative exhibition lets visitors of all ages investigate, in a fun and educational way, the factors and forces that help shape who we are as individuals."

A vast and exclusive collection of close to 200 objects from the Lucasfilm Archives features props, models, costumes, and artwork from the Star Wars films. This rich collection spans the entire Star Wars canon, drawing from the classic (1977-83) and prequel (1999-2005) trilogies, as well as the animated feature The Clone Wars (2008) and the ongoing television series of the same name. Fan favourites like Darth Vader, R2-D2, Chewbacca, Boba Fett, Yoda, the Millennium Falcon, and Anakin Skywalker's full-sized Podracer – among others – are sure to delight visitors of all generations.



Amazing Sets From Prometheus Hit The Web

(Entertainment Weekly)                  The latest edition of Entertainment Weekly features a series of all-new images from Ridley Scott's Prometheus. Stars Logan Marshall-Green, Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba and Charlize Theron are all represented. And so is the film's impressive production design.

You'll have to pick up the issue to read the two-page article that previews Fox's June 8, 2012 release, but you can check out scans of the photos at ShockTillYouDrop.com!

Take a look:    http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=22024




4 Motion Capture Characters and the Actors Who Played Them

(screenjunkies.com)                   Motion capture technology has allowed for completely computer generated characters to take on the lifelike qualities of the stars playing them. Turning what was once a lifeless hollow form into a conscience life-filled character. Some of these classic film roles have been played by actors who never physically appear on the screen.

Gollum

Truly taking form in “The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers”, Gollum captured audiences as the most life like computer animated character to ever be captured on film. Played masterfully by Andy Serkis, Gollum set a new standard for how people could relate to a CG character and paved the way for subsequent CG characters in film.

Neytiri

From the epic “Avatar” Neytiri proved that even an 8-foot-tall cat-person could still be sort of attractive. This is due in no small part to the acting talents of Zoe Saldana. In perfectly capturing her character Saldana molded a major performance in the highest grossing film of all time.

The Conductor

Tom Hanks used motion capture technology to play what seems like every character in “The Polar Express.”  Most notably of course is that the character bears a striking resemblance to Hanks. This performance showed the ability to have on actor create many roles and truly stretch out as an artist using motion capture technology.

Kong

Once agai the master of motion capture hits a home run as Andy Serkis crafts an incredible performance as a 40-foot-tall ape in “King Kong”.  Bringing realistic movement to Kong pushed the limits of CG characters and acting prowess. While many actors may attempt to use this technology, with this performance Serkis secured his spot as king of the motion capture actors.

Article with pics:       http://www.screenjunkies.com/movies/movie-lists/4-motion-capture-characters-and-the-actors-who-played-them/




Gremlins Video Game Announced 27 Years After Movie's Release

(gamepro.com)                 Warner Bros​. and NECA are making a new video game based on Joe Dante​'s 1984 horror-comedy, Gremlins.

Warner Bros. Interactive and NECA have announced that a point-and-click adventure game based on 1984's horror comedy, Gremlins, is coming soon to DS and Wii. While this isn't the first video game based on the franchise, it's the first one in quite a long time.

Set to release this Friday, November 18, Gremlins Gizmo allows players to interact and play with the series' iconic mogwai, Gizmo, or one of his Furby-esque friends in a variety of mini-games.

The game doesn't look awful based on screens released for the game. And, don't get me wrong -- I loved both Gremlins movies, but do audiences even care enough about the franchise to justify a video game based on it 27-years after its release? Do kids today even know who Gizmo is? Either way, I'm curious to try this one out.




How Real-Time Rendering Will Change the Movies

(forwardthinking.pcmag.com)              Real-time rendering of animation has been talked about for years, but until recently, it's always seemed a long ways away. So, when DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said last week that the company has been able to rewrite its software to perform real-time animation, I was eager to learn more.

For this, I turned to DreamWorks CTO Ed Leonard, who explained that the process actually involves multiple pieces of software. The software is in the early stages of validation and testing, with a rollout scheduled through the end of 2012, but "bits and pieces" are already in production, he said.

In general, what animators do on a desktop has been a small part of the overall computing required for a movie; typically they create a drawing and send it to a render farm for eight to ten hours of rendering.

"As processing power got faster, we've always found more ways to use that horsepower," Leonard said. As a result, the amount of time an artist has to wait has stagnated. Real-time rendering changes all that.

Leonard explained that animation is like a manufacturing line: it's a multi-step process but this one involves character animation, character effects (hair and clothing), and production lighting. Today, we don't have the ability to animate at full resolution with full lighting and effects in real-time. Animators can do some things in real-time, but not in full resolution. All that is changing with areas such as character animation and lighting rolling out. Once animators can do these steps in real-time, which he expects will be fairly soon, they will have more creative impact on such things.

Real-time rendering will help streamline a process that currently involves tens of thousands of files. The new tools "will represent more natural ways of animating," Leonard said. 

"The future is about many cores, not faster cores," he said, but companies need to really think about how they use computing. The core software has to be rewritten to take advantage of multiple cores.

That works for DreamWorks because the company creates its own animation, lighting, and rendering software. It was able to work with Intel to create massively multi-core software. "The hard part is getting your software to work in a many-core environment," Leonard said, noting that it gets particularly difficult once you surpass eight or ten processor cores.

DreamWorks primarily runs on Intel-based HP computers running Linux. These are mostly dual processor Sandy Bridge-based workstations and server blades. 

The company has used GPUs for various specialties, like some effects, but has resisted wide scale deployment because of both the complexity of writing software for GPUs and for deploying GPUs to the company's thousands of render farm nodes. Leonard expects things to get easier with the anticipated hybrid core platforms. He is excited about the concept of a many-integrated-core (MIC) processor, but the company is not using that yet either.

To date, the company's software works with standard workstations and servers. With software that automatically switches between the workstation and the cores on the render farm in the data center in a seamless fashion rendering is not constrained by what is available locally. In addition, most of render farm is moving to the cloud, so Leonard imagines that every artist can have as much computation as needed.

The lighting tools are in production now in the first implementation and it is expected that animation tools will be in production in a few months.

We should start seeing movies that have been made using this technology in 2013, Leonard predicted. It will enable very different kinds of movies, in terms of artistic capabilities.




Realistic Animatronic Turkey Replica Works on the 'According to Jim' Show

(youtube.com)                Animal Makers has been creating animal replicas for movies, television.

VIDEO - Take a look:          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmtYN_As7gY

Now it's for sale:     http://animalmakers.com/store/products/Animatronic-Turkey-Puppet.html