(vfxsoldier.wordpress.com)
Paramount Pictures and Michael Bay have been campaigning for Oscars – but not for themselves. They are campaigning for the VFX and Sound artists involved in the film:
Roughly 3,000 people worked on thisTransformers. Some have been with me since 1995′s Bad Boys. The people I work with are animals. They’re passionate. It irks me that VFX and VFX movies aren’t considered art. It’s a different type of art, but it’s definitely art.
I remember having a conversation with a veteran VFX artist who worked on some of the best VFX films in the biz:
Me: So which film was your most favorite to work on?
Him: Armageddon
Me: Armageddon? Seriously? That movie sucked!
Him: Yeah but dailies with Michael Bay was a riot. It was so fun.
One colleague told me another story where a group of VFX artists were about to go into dailies with Michael Bay. Bay stops the group and assertively asks:
Bay: Which one of you is the VFX Supervisor?
VFX Supe: I am.
Bay: Okay you stay out here, the rest of you come with me into the screening room.
What’s amazing is that Michael Bay is probably the biggest perceived egomaniac in Hollywood. Yet here he is humbly campaigning for all the artists and technicians who worked on the VFX and sound (which many of his nominees are union members).
I can’t help but wonder what Michael Bay would’ve done if Andy Serkis tried to take credit for the work of his VFX artists like he tried to do on Apes. We all know what happened to Megan Fox. Thank You Michael Bay.
VIDEO - Take a look: http://vfxsoldier.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/thank-you- michael-bay/
"Pacific Rim" Production Supe Promoted to Exec Vice President for Legendary Entertainment
(hollywoodreporter.com)Veteran production executive Ty Warren is the new Executive Vice President of Physical Production for Legendary Entertainment, Legendary President and Chief Creative Officer Jon Jashni announced today. Warren moves up from being the company’s Senior Vice President of Production, a position he has held since joining the company in 2011.
Among his responsibilities is supervising physical production of several Legendary projects including Guillermo del Toro’s Pacific Rim, Sergey Bodrov’s Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore, Noam Munro’s sequel to 300, Battle of Artemisia, Brian Helgeland’s 42, starring Harrison Ford, and Jonathan Liebesman’s follow-up to Clash of the Titans, Wrath of the Titans. He is also monitoring Legendary East’s first project, Ed Zwick’s film The Great Wall.
Warren’s previous experience includes a stint at Dreamworks Pictures, where he held the role of Senior Vice President of Production, and serving as Nominating Committee Chairman and AP Council Board Member for the Producers Guild of America. In a statement, Jashni indicated that he’s confident that Warren will bring this considerable experience to bear in his new position.
“Ty has brought to Legendary a breadth of experience at an integral time for the company,” said Jashni. “Given the increase in our autonomous production activity we will benefit greatly from his focus and leadership.”
"Short Circuit" Remake To Take 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' Franchise Approach
(Dimension Films) Matt Lieberman, a recent alumni of the Disney writers program, will write their upcoming remake of Short Circuit. As announced last summer, Tim Hill will direct.
“Dimension has had great success with the 'Spy Kids' family series which grossed over $500 million worldwide,” said Bob Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company. “We are looking for 'Short Circuit' to be our next family franchise and are excited to be working with Matt Lieberman and Tim Hill, who has had great International success with 'Hop' and 'Alvin and the Chipmunks'."
David Foster, who produced the original, is producing with Ryan E. Heppe, John Hyde and Brian Manis.
Shooting is scheduled for the end of the year with a release in Summer 2013.
Beijing's Animation & Online Game Industry Earns 13 Billion Yuan in 2011
(english.peopledaily.com.cn)The total revenue of more than 300 animation and online game companies in Beijing reached 13 billion yuan in 2011, up 30 percent from the previous year.
The city's online game companies posted combined revenue of 12 billion yuan, and exported online games worth of nearly 1.3 billion yuan, ranking first in China.
Among all Beijing-based online game companies, Perfect World has delivered the best performance in overseas markets, with its overseas sales revenue for the first three quarters of 2011 standing at about 600 million yuan.
Beijing Kunlun Wanwei Technology Company expanded relatively late into international markets, but its browser games with rich Chinese characteristics such as The Three Kingdoms and Clash of Kingdoms have gained great popularity in Japan and South Korea. Beijing Kunlun even has the largest share in the South Korean browser game market.
When online game companies are actively expanding overseas through independently developed games, Beijing's animation companies have also gained wide acclaim for their originality and creativity.
At the end of last year, a total of 31 pieces of animation works submitted by the city's animation companies were short-listed for the first China Government Culture and Animation Art Awards, the highest prizes in China's animation industry, and won 10 major prizes.
VFX House Lloura Opens in Sydney
(mumbrella.com.au) A new visual effects studio has launched in Sydney called Iloura.
The announcement:
Iloura’s new purpose-built studio is now open in East Sydney to exclusively service agencies, production companies, broadcast and media clients.
Local Sydney-sider Alastair Stephen has been appointed Executive Producer – Commercials and is leading a talented team of VFX artists, designers, colourists, and producers. Clients will have access to Head of 3D and CG Supervisor,Jonathan Dearing; Design Director, Finn Spencer; VFX Designer, Kent Smith; Colourists Marcus Timpson and Dwaine Hyde; and Senior Producer, Simone Clow.
For nearly twenty years Iloura has provided advertising and broadcast clients with VFX, animation and design from its Melbourne studio. We’re delighted to be able to expand this offer to a Sydney base.
Boffswana is also now operating from this studio and is part of Iloura. Boffswana provides leading edge immersive user experiences for brands and specialises in experiential, interactive and augmented reality solutions.
Iloura and Boffswana, collaborate with clients to deliver award-winning and creative work in the field of experiential media, VFX, animation, design and colour grading.
Sci-Fi Thriller "Snow Piercer" Stays On Track
(Heat Vision) Award-winning The Help co-star Octavia Spencer has joined the cast of director Bong Joon-ho's sci-fi thriller Snow Piercer and will appear alongside Chris Evans, John Hurt and Tilda Swinton, as well as Korean actor Song Kang-ho (The Host).
Heat Vision says the film "is set in a future where, after a failed experiment to stop global warming, an Ice Age kills off all life on the planet except for the inhabitants of the Snow Piercer, a train that travels around the globe and is powered by a sacred perpetual-motion engine. A class system evolves on the train but a revolution brews."
Spencer will play a passenger on the train who joins the revolt to save her son. Joon-ho co-wrote the script for the film, produced by Park Chan-wook and Dooho Choi.
Kelly Masterson wrote the most recent draft for the project, based on the French graphic novel "Le Transperceneige."
VES Nominates 4 Students for Outstanding Visual Effects Award
(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Four students from The DAVE School (Digital Animation and Visual Effects) have been selected by the prestigious Visual Effects Society as nominees in the student category for the 10th Annual VES Awards Gala, a ceremony recognizing outstanding visual effects artistry in film, animation, television, commercials, special venues and video games.
Under the supervision of renowned VFX artist and director Lee Stringer, The DAVE School students Syrena Edmonds, Zack Heimbegner, Brian Mullen and Nathaniel Skinner spent months producing visual effects for the independent film "Renee The Movie,'' which is in post-production.
The DAVE School, located on the backlot of Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, is one of the most advanced 3D and visual effects training institutions serving the animation and film industries. Recent graduates' work can be seen in movies that include "Thor," "The Green Lantern" and "Captain America."
The 10th Annual VES Awards Gala in Los Angeles will take place Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012. The students are among the six finalist teams nominated for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Student Project.
Nominees were chosen by a panel of members from The Visual Effects Society, a nonprofit professional, honorary society dedicated to advancing the arts, sciences, and applications of visual effects. VES is comprised of a diverse group of more than 2,300 members in 26 countries.
"Just to get a nomination from the society as you aspire to enter into the industry is a great motivator," said visual effects supervisor Lee Stringer. "When you think about it, only a handful of schools were nominated out of what is likely hundreds of student projects from around the world."
Stinger is a frequent guest lecturer at The DAVE School and a former instructor. His body of work in film and television includes "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," "Battlestar Galactica," "Firefly," "Captain Scarlet," "Star Trek: Voyager," "Tofu the Vegan Zombie" and "Lost in Space," among others. He spent several months last year supervising advanced students at The DAVE School in production work for "Renee the Movie."
"Renee the Movie" is inspired by the true story of a 19-year-old Florida woman battling addiction, depression and self-injury. In a creative blend of artistic fantasy balanced with harsh reality, the movie follows Renee on her courageous journey toward recovery.
"The students knew the effects they produced for 'Renee' had to fit into the main production of a multimillion-dollar film. They certainly accomplished that. Obviously, the industry peers felt the same way about the caliber of the visual effects they produced," Stringer said.
"I was particularly impressed because the students volunteered to do this project on top of their regular school load, which already is at the most advanced stage of Block 4 production just as you are preparing to graduate," Stringer added.
"This is the first time the school has submitted a project for consideration by the Visual Effects Society, so we are especially honored that the talents of the students have been recognized at this level," said Steve Warner, executive director of The DAVE School. "We knew from the day Lee came on board to supervise the production that the 'Renee' project would be a special one for The DAVE School."
‘The War Magician’ Fails To Materialize
David Fischer’s best-selling novel, The War Magician, is not having an easy journey to the screen. Tom Cruise bought the film rights setting it up at Paramount. He also intended to star, but then his deal with Paramount went the way of the Dodo and his option on the book ran out. Variety is now reporting Marc Forster was attached to direct the film, but has also decided to drop out
Fischer’s book is about “real-life British magician Jasper Maskelyne, who adapted the core principles of stage magic to World War II.”
I’m not familiar with this story or writer, is it worth a look? The premise certainly sounds promising. I’m sure the project will get off the ground eventually, it just needs the right team behind it.
What do you think of Forster’s films? I liked Monster’s Ball and Finding Neverland, but I thought Quantum of Solace was a mess. I’m cautiously optimistic about World War Z, but my optimism has more to do with Max Brooks brilliant book than Forster’s directing skills.
Award Winning 3D Animation "Movie Magic Piano" Comes To Nintendo Video
(PRWEB UK) 3 February 2012
Nintendo 3DS owners will soon be able to view free 3D content from the award winning film and animation production studio, BreakThru Films, when the first in a variety of clips from their upcoming animation, the enchanting Magic Piano, becomes available for free via Nintendo Video™ from 2nd February. Kirby and Star Wars fans will also be happy to know that they can watch, via Nintendo Video, a specially designed two part 3D Kirby TV episode and also a Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace 3D trailer both available from 2nd February.
The Magic Piano tells the story of Anna, a girl whose father has to leave their native Poland and look for work in London. Anna misses her father terribly and sets out to find him, closely followed by her annoying cousin Chip Chip. While trying to hide from her cousin in a garbage pile, the kids find a broken piano that magically transforms into a flying machine and they are whisked off on an adventure across Europe.
The beautiful short animation has recently been shortlisted to feature at the 2012 Oscars ceremony and Nintendo 3DS owners will be able to get a unique insight into the animation through these stunning short clips, like many Nintendo 3DS games that can be received via SpotPass.
Full article: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/2/prweb9153373.htm
Paramount Gives TV Oscar Push ‘Rango’
(deadline.com) Paramount is trying hard in the animation catagory, where it is trying to gain a foothold on its own against other more established studios in the ‘toon biz. It has created a series of 15-second TV spots for its Animated Feature nominee Rango that amusingly and directly attempt to emphasize the ‘toon’s appeal to members of the acting, writing, directing and producing branches of the Academy — the specific targets of the spots. The first spot on acting began running during last Sunday’s SAG Awards, and they will continue through the voting period. Oscar ballots are due back Febraury 21. Rango represents the first Animated Feature nomination for Paramount (and ILM), although the studio also distributes two other nominees in the category, DreamWorks Animation’s Puss In Boots and Kung Fu Panda 2.
VIDEO - Take a look: http://www.deadline.com/2012/02/transformers-to-get-big-tv- oscar-push-from-paramount- rango-also-targeting-voters/
‘John Carter’ Featurette: More Comedy, Less Sci-Fi Action
(screenrant.com)The comparatively threatening Martian creatures and provocative elements in author Edgar Rice Burrough’s original John Carter novels have been made somewhat “friendlier” in Walt Disney Picture’s upcoming film adaptation – be they the 12-foot tall native inhabitants of Mars, Carter’s “Martian dog” Woola, or even the thunderous White Apes which the hero battles in a death match.
Previously-released John Carter promos has been primarily focused on footage featuring lots of CGI spectacle and grand-scale sci-fi action. Today, we have a new featurette that offers an early taste of the film’s approach to humor (among other things).
Disney’s John Carter movie tells the story of its namesake (Taylor Kitsch), an ex-military captain who’s still in mourning over the loss of his family during the Civil War. After seeking refuge in a cave, Carter inadvertently finds himself transported to Mars, a civilized alien world whose inhabitants are currently engaged in their own internalized conflict. Carter joins forces with individuals such as the green-skinned Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the humanoid Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins), coming to the realization that he alone can help save this troubled world from destroying itself.
It’s fair to say: John Carter looks a whole lot more like a traditional Disney live-action adventure, based on this new material. Not only is the humor presented here very all-ages friendly, but characters like Woola also seem all the more cartoonish and cutesy in motion (rather than in still images). There’s also something to be said about the visual of Carter bouncing around the Martian landscape, almost like a Looney Tunes character – put kindly, that element is harder to take seriously, when you see it in action.
Obviously, the logic behind “Disney-fying” the John Carter universe is to make it more accessible to moviegoers who have never heard of (much less read) Burrough’s source material. While that approach should make the $250 million production more of a marketable product, it’s also resulted in John Carter bearing all the stronger a resemblance to last year’s Disney-backed Mars Needs Moms – and that association is definitely one the Mouse House does NOT want the average moviegoer to make.
We will see how Disney’s John Carter gamble pays off when the film is released in 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D theaters in the U.S. on March 9th, 2012.
VIDEO - Take a look: http://screenrant.com/john-carter-featurette-sandy- 149355/
SPFX Oscar Winner Howard Berger Answers Five Questions About 'The Grey'
(makeupmag.com) In the new film The Grey, Liam Neeson's character, John Ottway, and several members of an oil rig crew struggle to survive mother nature and a pack of terrifying wolves when their airplane crashes in the frozen Alaskan wilderness. Tasked with bringing these wolves to life was none other than Howard Berger and his team from KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Berger recently answered five burning questions about his latest adventure, including whether he's any match for Liam Neeson:
1. What was the director's vision for the wolf designs? Did he want them stylized or exaggerated in any way?
Howard Berger: [The director] Joe Carnahan approached this film like JAWS. He wanted the baddest, biggest, meanest wolves ever and that is what we gave him.
2. How much lead time was your team given to create the various wolf puppets?
HB: Not much at all as we were hired in November and we shipped in January. We had a crew work through the Christmas holiday to get everything completed.
3. What were some challenges working with the puppets or applying make-up in such harsh conditions?
HB: The worst conditions I have ever worked in, in my life. I have never been so cold. I am cold just thinking about it now! It was very difficult to stand and walk in the snow let alone do make-ups, dress blood and puppeteer. We should all get badges that say, "We survived THE GREY!"
4. Were there any shots that were originally designed for CGI that you proved could be done practically?
HB: Joe wanted to shoot everything practical and then augment accordingly, which he did. We did everything he could think of to avoid CGI, only due to cost as it was a small budget. Gunnar Hansen was the CG Supervisor and a great guy who I thought did an excellent job on the CG wolves.
5. Liam Neeson vs. KNB wolf. Who wins?
HB: Liam will always win as he can kick my ass!
Robert Zemeckis in Talks to Adapt "Back to the Future" for Stage Musical
(playbill.com)Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis, who directed the 1985 feature film "Back to the Future," is currently in talks with "Future" film collaborators Bob Gale and Alan Silvestri to explore a musical adaptation of the film, according to Deadline.com.
"Back to the Future," which starred Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, featured a screenplay co-written by Zemeckis and Gale. Silvestri composed music for the film.
Zemeckis’ film studio, ImageMovers, would be involved if the "Back to the Future" musical goes forward.
Zemeckis won the Academy Award in 1995 for his direction of "Forrest Gump." He was nominated, along with co-writer Gale, for the Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen award for "Back to the Future." Silvestri was nominated for Academy Awards for his work on "The Polar Express" and "Forrest Gump."
Zemeckis also directed "Back to the Future Part II" (1989) and "Back to the Future Part III" (1990).
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