(if.com.au) Alex Proyas' sci-fi epic Paradise Lost has been scrapped after the filmmakers and Legendary Pictures were unable to agree on a final budget.
Australian sources have confirmed the decision (first reported by Deadline.com), which represents a major blow for the local industry. The VFX-heavy tale about good and evil was expected to bring an estimated $88 million in production expenditure to New South Wales and create an estimated 1300 jobs.
However, escalating costs forced a production delay late last year in an attempt to reduce the budget to a reported $US120 million. But the gap between the filmmakers proposed budget and Legendary Pictures could not be breached.
NSW deputy premier and minister for trade and investment, Andrew Stoner, said the film's ambitious visual and special effects could not be accomplished within the proposed budget.
“This is a blow to the NSW film industry and will be very disappointing to the filmmakers and the crew and cast who were expecting to work on the film,” he said in a statement. “The NSW government remains committed to attracting international production. We will continue to take a proactive approach to marketing the state’s talent and facilities, especially in light of the high Australian dollar."
He said the state remains in negotiations with other movie studios to bring other film projects to the state and noted that Animal Logic had recently begun work on another animated feature film, Lego: The Piece of Resistance.
The government said Paradise Lost received no state financial subsidies because its production milestones were not met.
A government spokesperson said a planned Sydney office for VFX house Digital Domain will no longer be opened. Digital Domain was set to create the bulk of Paradise Lost's effects and was also an investor in the film.
However, the company is understood to be planning to bring other VFX projects to Australia, such as Ender's Game which is currently shooting in New Orleans, and is likely to maintain some Australian presence given the lucrative 30 per cent post, digital and visual effects production (PDV) rebate.
Paradise Lost had cast Bradley Cooper as Lucifer and Benjamin Walker as archangel Michael. It also included Australian actor Callan McAuliffe (I Am Number Four).
Morgan Freeman Joins Cruise in Post-Apocalyptic “Oblivion”
(latino-review.com)
Let’s say you’re Morgan Freeman, sitting around your house, speaking to yourself out loud because your silky smooth voice makes things like: “Verily, he’s putting new paper on the toilet paper roll” sound super poetic.
You wander over to the computer where someone has e-mailed you the set pics Will and Jayden Smith have been tweeting from their tropical set of “After Earth” and you, Morgan Freeman, think: “I should probably do one of these post apocalyptic movies.” But you say it out loud, because you’re Morgan Freeman.
Looks like MFree is jumping on the Tom Cruise vehicle Oblivion, Universals post-apocalypse movie under Tron Legacy helmer Joseph Kosinski. Oblivion tells the story of Cruse, the last man on a post-apocalyptic and “nearly uninhabitable Earth”, who stays “to repair ships that hunt down and blast a virulent alien species.”
No one knows who MFree is holding down as the script is currently being reworked by Michael Arndt of “I wrote Toy Story 3″ fame. Odds on him playing God are about even from where I’m sitting.
Deluxe Acquires VFX, Animation & Post House 'Centro'
(sacbee.com) Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc. announced today that it has acquired Centro Digital Pictures, a leading provider of high-quality VFX, Animation and Post Production services to Chinese and U.S. feature filmmakers based in Hong Kong.
The Centro acquisition will be integrated into Deluxe Australia's well-established post, animation and distribution businesses, providing a trusted gateway for Deluxe's international customers looking to partner with Hong Kong and Chinese filmmakers. By bringing Centro into the Deluxe group of businesses, it will also provide access for regional content producers looking to finish and deliver high quality content into North American and European markets.
Centro's feature credits include the pioneering "Storm Riders" which it also produced; Stephen Chow's "Kung Fu Hustle" and "Shaolin Soccer"; Quentin Tarrantino's "Kill Bill"; "Mr Popper's Penguins" for 20th Century Fox;Zhang Yimou's "The Curse of the Golden Flower" and Disney's "The Muppets."
"We are very excited about the new opportunities for Centro as we join Deluxe's global organization," said John Chu, General Manager of Centro. "We have a common commitment to delivering the highest possible quality of customer experience."
"As one of the pioneers of digital post production, animation and visual effects in Hong Kong, Centro has brought together a tremendously talented team over the past twenty years to support the Chinese and Hong Kong filmmakers working in the region, said Alaric McAusland, Managing Director of Deluxe Australia. Under John Chu's leadership, Centro has grown to be a leading provider not just for local but international filmmakers as well," added McAusland.
Chu will continue to run the business reporting to McAusland. Centro's talent pool of VFX and animation artists is joining Deluxe as part of the transaction.
"Space: 1999" Rebooted Into "Space: 2099"
(darkhorizons.com)ITV Studios America and HDFILMS have announced plans for "Space: 2099", a contemporary re-imagination of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's classic 70's British sci-fi series "Space: 1999" says The Hollywood Reporter.
The original series follows the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha after a catastrophic accident involving nuclear waste from Earth knocks the Moon out of orbit and sends it hurtling uncontrollably into space. During their interstellar journey they encounter alien civilizations, dystopian societies, and mind-bending phenomena.
Martin Landau, Barbara Bain and Nick Tate starred in the series which ran for two seasons, the first dealing with more metaphysical themes and hints of a larger storyline while the second proved a more straightforward action series.
HDFILMS were behind ABC's recent revival of 80's sci-fi franchise "V" and Jace Hall will serve as executive producer. The project is still in development phase and has yet to be shopped to networks.
What is Social Media to CGI? An Online Marketing Firm’s Gold Mine
(house-home-centired.co.za)I have been keeping trail of the new movie “The Avengers” since the beginning of its proposal. The film is going to be breathtaking and the online marketing firm that handles its Facebook page is staffed by marketing geniuses. Why web marketing is crucial in promoting CGI films is the audience that watches the film may not have heard of the film or seen advertisement for it prior to its release.
With the rise in popularity in CGI films the need to advertise such a product is needless. CGI speaks for itself. Why social media would have to advertise CGI is beyond me. The promotion of a film on the other hand, definitely makes more sense. CGI is dominating the computer world of films and it is only a matter of time before the entire film will be completely CGI.
All of the superhero shows use CGI. CGI makes everything that is impracticable for a human to do seem legit. The film releases need promotion regardless of the wonders that CGI seems to do for the film. A social media agency would handle endorsing the CGI indirectly. Why social media is crucial for CGI is how it displays the use of the product.
While promoting “The Avengers” film, a social media agency would be advertising the need for the awesome power of CGI. This is why social media is crucial today. Social media lets me know what is greater in technology and what is the coolest to watch on screen.
You see how all those movies that have a bit of the fantastic have CGI now? The day of the puppet has slowly left over the years. Twenty years ago, CGI was in its infant phases. Without the power of a social media and the CGI product’s level of supremacy I think the CGI fad would have been twenty years late. Why social media is crucial is because of relevance. Social media lets me know what is crucial and CGI certainly is.
Effects Artist Made Movie Magic
(mercurynews.com) Always a fanatic for details and a lover of art, Jon Guidinger, 41, probably died thinking no one would ever know what details he sneaked into the films he helped create.
His family remembers fondly, though, how closely he researched his own work, whether he was sketching, painting, creating bronze statuettes or sculpting sets for major motion pictures, and they certainly remember his sense of humor.
"When he was working on sculptures for (the 2001 film) 'The Mummy Returns,' he did all the research into the old alphabets, and he dutifully engraved each of those pillars in the temple," Guidinger's younger brother, Craig, said. "He'd come around talking about sun gods, telling me about the language: 'This word is for beer.' He was so proud of it all. I think in the end one of those pillars said, 'I love beer' in hieroglyphics."
Guidinger died Feb. 3, two days after being rescued from a fire, which is still under investigation, in his Pittsburg home in the 2200 block of Fairbourne Drive. He'd been found in the kitchen, unburned but having succumbed to smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning, his family said. No arrangements for services have been set.
Guidinger left behind a body of work that included special effects, sculpting and other artistic contributions to movies like "Starship Troopers," "War of the Worlds," the "Matrix" sequels and all three "Star Wars" prequels. He did much of that work for George Lucas' famed special effects firm, Industrial Light & Magic, or ILM.
Full article: http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_19921549
CGI Animated "Hotel Transylvania" Loses Key Talent
(comingsoon.net)Though she was confirmed to be joining the production last November, EW is now reporting that Miley Cyrus has dropped out of the Sony Pictures Animation project Hotel Transylvania.
Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky ("Samurai Jack," "Dexter's Laboratory"), the film is officially described as follows:
Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania, Dracula's (Sandler) lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free from meddling from the human world. But here's a little known fact about Dracula: he is not only the Prince of Darkness; he is also a dad. Over-protective of his teenage daughter, Mavis, Dracula fabricates tales of elaborate dangers to dissuade her adventurous spirit. As a haven for Mavis, he opens the Hotel Transylvania, where his daughter and some of the world's most famous monsters – Frankenstein and his bride, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more – can kick back in safety and peace. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.
The 4th National Puppetry & Animatronics Summit
(nationalpuppetrysummit.com)The 4th National Puppetry and Animatronics Summit will be proudly hosted at the Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne, 5 - 8 July 2012.
Building on the best experiences of the previous Summits, the 4th Summit will provide a stimulating and provocative program of workshops, masterclasses, and forums for policy discussions and debates that celebrate the arts of puppetry and animatronics.
An exciting new feature of the 4th Summit is the Simplot International Masterclass - a ten day performance project lead by internationally renowned puppet master Roman Paska which culminates in a presentation at the opening of the Summit. There will also be a film program and a Summit Club where puppeteers can perform experimental items and works-in-progress.
The Biggest Misconception In The VFX Industry?
(vfxsoldier.wordpress.com)Everyone knows subsidies are one of the biggest reasons US Studios choose to do VFX work in certain locations.
What could be the biggest misconception in the VFX industry is to think that it’s the facilities we work for that receive government rebate money. According to some that I talk to in the industry, it’s the studios that receive the money, not the facilities.
This was recently verified when I asked Former ILM General Manager and Digital Domain Founder Scott Ross about them. Here is what he said:
How I understand it is…. the studio says I need the budget to be $9….
The VFX studio bids the work in LA and the cost is $9 so the bid is for $10.
The VFX studio bids the work in BC and the cost is $9 so the bid is $10
But if the work takes place in BC, the studio receives a 25% rebate so now the work costs the studio $7.50, even though the work is bid $10.
The good news for the studio is they get $10 work for $7.50
The good news for the VFX facility is they get the work.
The bad news for the VFX facility is….. they get the work, which after change orders,redos, bad management etc., …. They get the shaft.
What about facilities owned and run exclusively in Canada?
It’s the same deal, the US Studio gets that money. That was revealed many months ago in a twitter discussion VFX artist Joe Harkins had with Adam Stern, owner of Canadian facility Artifex Studios. Here is what Mr. Stern tweeted when Harkins wanted to get rid of the subsidies:
@JoeHarkins honestly? maybe, but not sure. so hard to disagree. not like we get subs, they go to studios.
@JoeHarkins so still impossibly difficult to make money as #vfx studio, american or not, never mind profit… or big exec wages!
So think about that for a second.The VFX facilities get none of this rebate money being offered to the studios. The California facilities have to cover the extra costs of opening up a new facility, hiring production overhead, executives, and facility crew. Then they have to purchase all the hardware, software, and furniture. Then they have to pay for lodging, travel, and probably big raises to get key talent to move there.
How much do you think that costs? How about a fucking shitload? We’ve got to be talking millions of dollars. The idea that facilities are moving up there to save money is bogus. They lose money! The US Studios get the big payoff and they didn’t even have to lift a finger.
When you finally realize that you understand why I’m so strongly against this. It’s one thing to be on a path of self destruction, it’s another thing to break out a slip-n-slide drenched in gasoline to see if it will make the ride faster!
Studio Response: The Biggest Misconception In Subsidies for VFX
(occlude.wordpress.com)VFX Soldier has an interesting post on his site, here, about how subsidies for VFX go to the studios.
I’d like to add my POV from the studio side…
Yes, it’s true, we do get the subsidy money back. What’s not true, however, is that the money is pocketed by the producers or the studio.
Here’s a rundown of how it works:
Producers put together a deal for a movie, including a budget, timeline, etc, before they sell it to the studio. The proposed budget, which is capped by the studio, is what gets the movie greenlit. For example, the studio might say “we’ll make you’re $70 million proposed big robot movie, but can you get it done for $50 millon?” The producer goes out and finds a way to get it done, then comes back to the studio and says “Yes, we can do $50 million”. Studio then green lights the pic and all systems are go. It’s not that easy, of course, but that’s the idea.
So how did the producer get the film to work for $50 million?
That’s where your local government subsidy usually comes into play.
Let’s say this big robot movie was just never going to be possible to make at $60 million, and definitely not at $50 million, but, with a 25% subsidy from somewhere, the producer was able to make the pic for $70 million, because on the back-end the studio will get back their money.
So, the studio’s net is still $50 million, which is exactly where they wanted to be in the first place. Less exposure than $70 million, and less risk. Where did that $20 million go? It actually does go in people’s pockets- the labor, the locations, the talent, everything that goes into the film- as long as it gets spent in the location that qualifies for the subsidy. It goes mostly into the local economy, creates jobs, and allows people to live and work somewhere on a movie where there would ordinarily be nothing for them.
So how does the government benefit by doing that? Well, they usually do this in the form of a “tax credit”, allowing a local business to pay less taxes than are due. This means that your 25% subsidy is coming directly out of the pocket of the government that is granting it, in terms of revenue. The state itself is not actually spending money, they are making less. This of course affects the economy in other ways, maybe by having less money available for public services and whatnot. At the end of the day though, there is more money being spent in the local economy, more taxes being paid, and therefore a positive economic impact over the short term.
For VFX, it’s no different. The money going to the local VFX studio qualifying for the subsidy means that the VFX studio is getting the full amount. If the studio has $7.50 to spend but are getting a 25% rebate, the VFX studio can be paid $10, for $10 of work. Ideally, the VFX studio will get paid $10 for $8 of work, or $9 of work, and come out with a profit. This doesn’t happen though due to the current bidding model of business- companies bid less to get the work, and in some cases take losses to keep the doors open.
So, are subsidies a bad thing? Not if you’re a camera operator in Louisiana who wants to be working all the time. But if you’re a camera operator in Los Angeles, what do you do?
Time to pack your bags and move out…chasing subsidies is your new lifestyle kid.
This would be fine if it wasn’t for the crunch on your wages that happens due to lower cost of living in some subsidized markets. So, you move, you work somewhere for a year and you make less money- but you’re employed, and you’re able to live there. But then that runs out and you have to go find the next job. When that job asks you what you were making at your last job, well, that might just bite you in the ass. Not to mention labor laws in some of these places aren’t as good as they are in California.
So, sure, the subsidies go the studios…but not really- they go to the people working on the ground. The studio just made a $70 million big robot action movie for $50 million.
A year later the producer of another big robot movie shops his idea at the studio next door…
Studio: “Well, wait a second, we’re not making that for $70 million, those guys across the street made their big action robot flick for $50 million last year, we’re only doing $45 mil on this pic!”
Producer: “Fine, we’ll go to Montreal!”
Studio: “I love it, SOLD!”
Walt Disney World to Replace Audio-Animatronics with Live Animals in Disney’s Safari Ride
(insidethemagic.net)Rescuing “Little Red” the elephant will no longer be the climactic finale of Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom come spring 2012 as Walt Disney World has announced plans to change the attraction.
More live zebra will be added to the vast savannah, in the process removing the “Little Red” Audio-Animatronics, truck, and surrounding area. It will all become a new watering hole featuring live animals, instead of the one fake animal the ride has featured since its debut.
Though Little Red will be going away, Kilimanjaro Safaris will still have a story, though likely a different one. When I asked if the “scare off the poachers” story will still be intact, Disney Parks Blog author Jennifer Fickley-Baker replied that “the attraction will still have a very strong and prominent conservation message.” She did not (or could not) elaborate further.
The changes are said to be completed by fall 2012, with the ride remaining open throughout.
FX Blockbusters Left Out of the Best-picture Race
(rgj.com) LOS ANGELES — The Academy Awards aren't necessarily meant to honor commercial films, but this year's show is flirting with paying tribute to the obscure.
Although Oscar rules now permit as many as 10 best-picture nominees -- a change designed to include more popular movies -- this year's slate of nine films features just one movie that's made more than $100 million: “The Help,” which earned $170 million this summer.
The previous two years each had 10 nominees and included five movies that did more than $100 million, according to Box Office Mojo.
"The Academy Awards were supposed to roll in movies that people had actually seen, to provide some balance," says Jeff Bock of industry tracking firm Exhibitor Relations. But in 2011, "we never got it."
The next two most popular nominees, Steven Spielberg's “War Horse” ($77 million) and Brad Pitt's “Moneyball” ($76 million) did solid, if unspectacular, business. And while there are two weeks to go before the Feb. 26 ceremony, analysts don't expect any films to join “The Help” in the nine-digits club.
That could alter the race, observers say. While “The Artist” ($21 million) remains a heavy favorite to win best picture, “The Help” could overtake George Clooney's “The Descendants” ($66 million) and Martin Scorsese's “Hugo” ($62 million) as a rival to the silent black-and-white film.
“The Help,” with its segregation theme, "is a 'cause' movie," says Keith Simanton, managing editor of the Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com). That and the film's box-office success make it this year's "populist nod," he says.
Many thought that designation would go to “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 “($381 million). Prognosticators expected that the seventh installment would pick up a best-picture nomination, much like “The Lord of the Rings” did with its third and final installment, “The Return of the King,” in 2003. That film earned $377 million and collected 11 Oscars, including best picture.
"In 20 years, it's likely people will say ‘Harry Potter’ never got nominated," Simanton says. "Will they remember that ‘The Tree of Life’ ($13 million) was? I'm not sure."
Still, the Oscars weren't meant as a popularity contest, says Simanton, and some small nominated films are seeing atypical commercial success.
Woody Allen's “Midnight in Paris” did $57 million, a high for the director. And “The Artist” could do $50 million by the end of its run "pretty impressive for a black-and-white movie," Simanton says.
"Let's face it: The academy is an exclusive circle they're supposed to vote on what they like best," Bock says. "That doesn't have to match the taste of the masses."
7 Mind Blowing VFX Space Scenes From Movies
(screenjunkies.com)Space movies have always been a favorite of filmmakers and storytellers because, when it really comes down to it, films explore places we can't go ourselves. Considering they just shut down the space program, we probably won't be going deep into space any time soon. Along with this uncharted territory comes the possibility of all kinds of far out and mind-blowing scenes, and the seven films on this list definitely blew all of our collective minds!
The fight with the Alien in "Aliens."
James Cameron's epic action film "Aliens" ends with a final fight between Ripley and the massive mother alien, hand-to-hand. This can only happen because Ripley has loaded herself into a action mirroring forklift, for lack of a better term, allowing them to awesomely exchange blows. It's a scene that is considered a action classic. Ripley wins this battle by sucking the alien out into space, mind blowing in its own right. Cameron smartly set this scene up earlier in the movie by showing Ripley's ability to operate the forklift for labor purposes.
Just about everything in "2001: Space Odyssey."
While some of the effects could be considered a little dated today, just about all of the space scenes in "2001" are worth watching because of their unique and amazing vision of the future. Most of the sets and effects are practical, making them look more unique. This is true with just about everything Kubrick ever directed though. You've got to remember that man hadn't even landed on the moon when this movie was made, making everything that happened that much more mind-blowing.
The Slingshot in "Apollo 13."
When the astronauts have to turn off all their equipment and slingshot around the moon to have enough inertia to get back to Earth, the tension among everyone watching, in real life and in the theater, can be felt. This is only magnified by the shots of the small space capsule circling the moon. According to the actual astronauts, this was very close to how it actually looked when they circled the moon. It's probably a good bet that those space suits were no longer suitable for wearing afterwards, if you know what we mean.
The space ship explosion in "The 5th Element."
At the end of the "5th Element" where the massive space ship explodes and destroys all the bad guys, viewers are taken back to the mind-blowing explosions in action films. As outrageous as the explosion seemed, it was totally practical and necessary. At least, we think it was. The movie got sort of out of control by the end. But what is known for sure is that this was a big boom the likes of which space had not seen since the Death Star blew up at the end of Star Wars.
The exploration of our space future in "Wall E."
This animated gem allows us to follow a robot as he voyages through our wasteful space exploring future in Wall E. We are taken to many different planets, ships and just outer space in general. Animation may be the only type of movie that can go farther into space then any live action film can realistically go. It turns out that Pixar has our future pegged as a long, desolate, garbage haul. That's a bad hit, no matter how you look at it.
The Decompression scene in "Total Recall."
Much of "Total Recall" occurs on a colony of Mars, where no one can go outside due to the lack of atmosphere. At the end of the film, a wall is broken down and the vacuum of pressue sucks everyone out. The main bad guy, Vilos Cohaagen, is sucked onto the red earth and his eyes literally burst from his head. Totally awesome and quite literally mind-blowing. But that serves Cohaagen right. After all, he wouldn't give those people air.
The Fight Scene in JJ Abrams' "Star Trek."
The television show and the past "Star Trek" movies were decidedly weak when it came to action scenes. By the time the movies came out, most of the cast had been afflicted with arthritis. However, the new JJ Abrams version has some of the the most breathtaking fight scenes of any space movie ever made, showing the bright new future space movies have with the current technology in Hollywood. The best is the one has Kirk doing battle while plummeting toward the ground at super high speeds, which is a sky-diving scene that puts "Point Break" to shame.
Spy Opens Doors On New Creative Studio In Santa Monica
(postproductionbuyersguide.com) SPY, a FotoKem company offering creative finishing services for commercials and feature films, has opened a new studio in Santa Monica, Calif. SPY: LA extends the capabilities of its main facility in San Francisco, and will specialize in VFX based commercial productions.
SPY: LA began work in December on a number of visually compelling spots for such clients as UPS, Asics, THQ/UFC, Hillshire Farm and Canon. The new West Coast locale is within FotoKem's award-winning sound studio Margarita Mix.
Visual effects artist Scott Rader also joins SPY: LA as creative director and lead Flame artist. He previously worked at top VFX studios such as Radium, Hydraulx and Digital Domain. Rader's work on numerous television series, feature films, commercials and music videos as an Inferno artist/VFX supervisor has earned him nine Emmys, three Clio Awards, three PromaxBDA Awards and a VES Award.
"Anchored by Emmy Award-winning talent and industry leading technology, SPY: LA provides the same level of quality services that is offered in our San Francisco facility," says Co-Founder Eric Hanson. "The two studios are securely connected by a high speed network offering real-time interface capabilities between San Francisco and Santa Monica, and this west side location greatly enhances our ability to interface effectively with our clients."
George Lucas Updates 'Indiana Jones 5' Status
(Heat Vision) George Lucas was interviewed by Heat Vision about today's release of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace 3D. At the end of the interview, he did mention Indiana Jones 5. The site told him that Steven Spielberg is waiting to hear from Lucas, to which he answered:
"I know, and I’m supposed to be working on it right now, but I’m talking to you instead (Laughs)."
Full article: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=86886
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