VFX Oscar Predictions Spreadsheet

(goldderby.com)              

    "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" won visual effects in a visual effects-driven feature motion picture at the 10th annual Visual Effects Society Awards. Seven of the nine winners of this prize went on to claim the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.

Two of its Oscars rival were in that race  -- "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" -- while another, "Hugo," which the supporting visual effects award. The fifth Oscar contender -- "Real Steel" -- was snubbed by the VES.

The motion capture used in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is similar to the technique used in "King Kong" which won this Oscar race in 2005. Andy Serkis played a primate in both films and also appeared in digitally enhanced form in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Joe Letteri won for two of those three films -- "The Two Towers" and "Return of the King" -- as well as "King Kong" and “Avatar." His co-nominees -- Daniel Barrett, Dan Lemmon and R. Christopher White -- are all first-timers. This is the only Oscar bid for this summer blockbuster. The last film to win its sole nomination in this race was "Death Becomes Her" in 1992.

"Hugo" is the only Best Picture nominee represented in this category which could give it the edge. Oscar cham Rob Legato ("Titanic") vies for the third time -- his other bid was for "Apollo 13" -- while Ben Grossmann, Alex Henning and Joss Williams are first-time nominees.

Two other films in the "Harry Potter" franchise -- "Prisoner of Azkaban" (2004) and "Deathly Hallows: Part 1" (2010) -- contended in this category. Oscar champs Tim Burke ("Gladiator") and John Richardson ("Aliens") were nominated for those films as well as this one. Greg Butler and Dave Vickery are first-time nominees.

"Transformers" (2007) was nominated for Best Visual Effects but didn't win while the first sequel -- "Revenge of the Fallen" (2009) -- was snubbed which is not a good sign for this third entry. John Frazier won one ("Spider-Man 2") of his previous nine bids while Scott Farrar has gone one ("Cocoon") for five. This is the second nominations for Scott Benza who was recognized for the first film in this franchise. Matthew Butler is an Oscar rookie.

Erik Nash, who contended for "I, Robot" picked up another bid for fashioning the men of steel featured in "Real Steel." Swen Gillberg, John Rosengrant and Ben Taylor are rookie nominees.

Take a look - odds spreadsheet:        http://www.goldderby.com/events/445/oscars-2011/best-visual-effects.html




With "Akira" on Hold, Warner Bros. Turns to Live-Action "Bleach" Movie 

(spinoff.comicbookresources.com)              Undeterred by its difficulties with Akira, Warner Bros. has acquired the live-action film rights to Bleach, the bestselling action-fantasy manga by Tite Kubo, Variety reports. Wrath of the Titans screenwriter Dan Mazeau will pen the adaptation, with Get Smart‘s Peter Segal producing and possibly directing.

“I’ve always been a huge fan of Bleach and have great respect for its creator Kubo and the truly original and amazing world he has created in this manga,” Segal said.

Debuting in 2001, Bleach follows Ichigo Kurosaki, a teenager with the ability to see spirits who inadvertently absorbs the powers of a Soul Reaper — a personification of death similar to the Grim Reaper — and dedicates his life to protecting the innocent and guiding lost souls to the afterlife.

The manga’s 53 volumes to date have sold 75 million copies in Japan, and spawned a hit animated television series and four feature films. Warner Bros. has been trying to secure the rights to the property since at least March 2010.

Heroes alum Masi Oka, who brought Bleach to Segal’s Callahan Filmworks, will also produce along with Segal’s partner Michael Ewing and Viz Productions, a subsidiary of Viz Media, which publishes the manga in North America.




VFX Company Shows Young People Tech Career Opportunities

(womenintechnology.co.uk)              A British visual effects company that has worked on films such as Harry Potter has taken time away from the computers to show young people the careers they could have in the technology sector.

Double Negative, which has won Bafta awards for its work, has taken part in BigAmbition, a project run by e-skills UK.

More than 50 technology employers have collaborated with BigAmbition so far. The website is aimed at young people and features interviews with IT professionals, company profiles, games and quizzes, in the hope that they can see the range of careers they could have in the technology sector.

"The visual effects industry needs all kinds of creative and technical talent. BigAmbition is a great way to show young people the variety of career opportunities there are," commented Vic Rodgers from Double Negative.

"Attracting the right people into the industry is key to our continued growth. It’s important to us to get young people interested in technology as early as possible, and to show them how varied and exciting the industry can be."

It is predicted that 500,000 people will be required to fill IT jobs in the next five years.

womenintechnology has a dedicated careers advice service for women, graduates and experienced professional looking for technology and IT jobs.



Kerry Conran's "John Carter of Mars" Demo Reel

For a look at what might have been, here is Kerry Conran's "John Carter of Mars" demo reel for Looking Glass Films and Paramount Pictures.

VIDEO - Take a look:      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdEas1NWusY&feature=youtube_gdata_player



Greek Mythological "Hercules" Sets Up at MGM

(darkhorizons.com)               Dwayne Johnson is in talks to play the titular Greek mythological hero “Hercules” in a new film about his exploits setup at MGM and Spyglass Entertainment reports The New York Daily News.

An adaptation of Steve Moore's comic "Hercules: The Thracian Wars", the story follows Hercules years after he carried out his twelve tasks and has turned his back on the Gods.

Now he and six friends have become mercenaries who've been hired by the King of Thrace to train his men into becoming an army every bit as ruthless as they are. Ryan Condal wrote the script while Brett Ratner is set to direct.




James Cameron’s Avatar The Game: Walkthrough Video

(cinestarsite.info)                As seen on avatarmoviegame.com Today, were throwing you into the Pandora rain forest, one of 16 different environments in the game, as a member of the Resources Development Administration, or RDA military.

VIDEO - Take a look:            http://cinestarsite.info/james-camerons-avatar-the-game-walkthrough-video.htm



Visual Effects & Animation veteran Tony Hudson joins “The Eyes of Thailand” Team

(eyesofthailand.com)                Tony Hudson is a veteran filmmaker and entertainer with more than two decades of experience in film visual effects and animation. Having spent most of his career working at such companies as Industrial Light and Magic, Walt Disney Feature Animation and Lucasfilm Animation, Tony now finds satisfaction with his home-based visual effects studio, Fxvet Studio, which specializes in production design and providing visual effects and title services for independent film producers looking for collaborative services at a reasonable price. Recent projects include the motion graphics for Jayebird Films’ “The Right to Love”, and title and effects work for Wandering/Cut Films’ “Things I Don’t Understand” and San Simeon Films’ “Into the Wild”.

Tony joins “The Eyes of Thailand” team as the Titles and Motion Graphics designer.

Welcome aboard, Tony!

Source:     http://www.eyesofthailand.com/2012/02/19/visual-effects-animation-veteran-tony-hudson-joins-the-eyes-of-thailand-team/

Support “The Eyes of Thailand” Film:    http://www.eyesofthailand.com/2012/02/01/action-alert-28-days-left-to-support-the-eyes-of-thailand-film/



2012 SJ Movie Awards: Best Creature Effects Artists

(screenjunkies.com)             The moment of shock and awe come blasting to your mind when you remember cinematic moments like King Kong coming from the jungle, the brontosaurs grazing in "Jurassic Park", or poor John Hurt having his chest burst open in "Alien." These scenes have become fewer and fewer through out time as we settle for "Transformers"-esque fast paced special effects or cheap CGI. But here are three movies that don't fall into the modern day pitfalls of creature effects and give us some of the most memorable creature moments in recent cinema history. These are the Screen Junkies Awards winners for Best Creature Effects.



MASTERSFX to Collaborate with Twisted Twins Productions on American Mary

(btlnews.com)            Hollywood-based MASTERSFX is partnering with Twisted Twins Productions to create the character designs and produce the prosthetic and makeup special effects for the new indie horror film American Mary, currently in production.

The deal comes on the heels of the recently released DVD of Dead Hooker in a Trunk – the debut film from Twisted Twins Productions. Inspired by Robert Rodriguez‘s 1995 book Rebel Without A Crew, Jen and Sylvia Soska – identical twin sisters from Vancouver – produced Dead Hooker in a Trunk on a shoestring budget – writing, directing and staring in the film themselves, as well as doing their own stunts. The film went on to develop a cult following – touring film festivals and getting picked up by IFC Midnight.

Full article:   http://www.btlnews.com/news/mastersfx-to-collaborate-with-twisted-twins-productions-on-american-mary/




Hayek Producing Animated Adaptation of Gibran's The Prophet

(comingsoon.net)               Khalil Gibran's best known fictional work "The Prophet" is being adapted for the big screen in a new production that will involve collaborations across many borders. In this adaptation, each of the 89-year old classic's chapters will be directed by a different award-winning filmmaker, with Roger Allers (The Lion King) responsible for the connective through-line narrative.

Pre-production is scheduled to begin this month, with Salma Hayek producing along with Clark Peterson and Ron Senkowski. Doha Film Insititute (DFI) is co-financing along with Participant Media, MyGroup Lebanon, FFA Private Bank, JRW Entertainment and Code Red Productions.

"'The Prophet' has been an incredible source of wisdom and inspiration for millions of people all over the world. Being of Lebanese descent, I'm particularly proud to be part of a project that will present this masterpiece to new generations, in a way never seen before," said Hayek.




Vote For 'Best Visual Effects' Oscar

http://www.goldderby.com/predictions/addprediction/18/23



Cockpit Photo from "The Europa Report" Channels Kubrick’s Space Odyssey

(io9.com)              Cockpit photo from The Europa Report channels Kubrick's Space Odyssey We've seen possible footage from the mysterious space flick The Europa Report, which is about a team of astronauts headed out to explore one of Jupiter's moons. This newly released production still reveals yet another sweeping view of the gorgeous ship.

This image is taken from the "nose camera" on the ship and shoots straight down, conjuring up a lovely 2001: A Space Odyssey vibe thanks to the polygonal shaft. The Europa Report should hit theaters sometime in 2013.

Take a look             http://io9.com/5887301/cockpit-photo-from-the-europa-report-channels-kubricks-space-odyssey

VIDEO - Possible footage - Take a look:   http://io9.com/the-europa-report/



Unscene Heroes: Stan Winston

(eatsleeplivefilm.com)                  This week follows on thematically from special effects, when I looked at the stunning contribution of Weta Digital, but the focus today pre-dates the kind of jaw-dropping scenes we see in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and addresses earlier techniques such as animatronics and prosthetics. Today’s individual in question has had a fantastic impact on both the film industry and on the awards front.

Stan Winston, visual effects supervisor, makeup artist and bit-part director, was born in 1946 in Arlington, Virginia. After he graduated High School, he took a 4-year University course where he undertook sculpture and painting. Shortly afterwards he moved to Hollywood, but since an acting career failed, he altered his approach and became a makeup apprentice at Walt Disney.

Only a few years later, Winston had established his own effects company and won an Emmy for a TV film, Gargoyles, in 1972. He continued to gain such Emmy recognition for the rest of the decade, until 1982 where he was nominated for an Oscar for the movie Heartbeeps. However, it was his astounding work on the Carpenter classic, The Thing, that propelled him into the limelight, which is a film that still holds its own today.

The following year he continued to work on projects for TV before beginning a recurring partnership with James Cameron. Their first film, Terminator, genuinely put Winston on the map with his vision and realisation of the now iconic machine portrayed by Schwarzenegger and just two years later in ’86, he won his first Oscar (Visual Effects) for his designs and creation of the terrifying nasties in Aliens.

The years that followed saw him assert his skills to film such as Edward Scissorhands and both Predators (for which he created the recognisable character). 1988 saw his first venture into directing with the horror film, Pumpkinhead, which won him Best First Time Director at the Paris Film Festival.

However, it was in 1990 when he reignited his affiliation with Cameron for the superb Terminator 2: Judgement Day, which blew audiences, as well as the Academy, away with its breathtaking  visuals, earning two Oscars (Best Visuals & Makeup) at the 1992 ceremony.

Following that, he again teamed up with Tim Burton for Batman Returns, creating the look for Danny DeVito’s The Penguins and Pfeiffer’s Catwoman, for which he was praised for his realisation of Burton’s ideas and tone of the film.

1993′s Jurassic Park saw a slight change in direction from horror nasties to prehistoric ones, when he worked alongside Spielberg for this monster (excuse the pun) blockbuster. Animatronics were at the forefront of this visual effects marvel, and earned him another Best Visual Effects Oscar.

A more prominent venture into animatronics was to come, as himself and Cameron joined forces to establish Digital Domain: a visual effects company that became one of the most renowned in the world. Since completing the hugely successful Titanic, the pair parted ways, yet Winston continued with his team to earn an Oscar nomination for Jurassic Park: The Lost World, until yet another Spielberg movie came knocking.

This time it was the Kubrick inspired A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, where some advanced animatronics and striking CGI earned him the final Oscar nod of his career. The fantastic SFX and visuals were largely down to the handy skills and his team as well as his imprecible vision, as the film went on to receive numerous Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

Towards the latter stages of his career, Stan Winston shared his creative input on Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, but beforehand had been left very hurt after being snubbed for Paul W.S. Anderson’s Alien vs. Predator. Considering he designed both the original concepts and visual effects on the films, he expected to be included, yet unfortunately wasn’t. This was probably a blessing in disguise, as even though it had great takings at the Box Office, it was a truly pitiful film.

Upon his death in 2008, Arnold Schwarzenegger made a public speech honouring his life, as well as John Favreau dedicating a sci-fi award for Iron Man to him in his memory.

Winston had intended Jurassic Park 4 to be his next project, and even up to his death he had a hand in Avatar with old pal Cameron, and his studio Legacy Effects (renamed from the original Stan Winston Studios) continued to strongly with Avatar and Shutter Island. Winston was a massive influence in his field and should be remembered for his prowess, impeccable skill and dedication.



Special Effects Company of the Year 2012!

(q-sfx.com)              We are very proud to announce that we have been named Special Effects Company of the Year 2012 at the Event Production Awards.

We’d like to thank all at the Event Production Show, our clients and most importantly our fantastic (and hungover) team.

SPFX Portfolio:   http://www.q-sfx.com/sfx-portfolio/

Source:    http://www.q-sfx.com/2012/02/event-production-awards-special-effects-company-of-the-year-2012/