(hindustantimes.com)
James Cameron directed Avatar is one of the costliest movies ever made. It has got one of the highest openings so far.
Oscar-winning producer Jon Landau has rejected rumours about delay of Avatar 2, saying there is no question of delay as a date for its release was never set.
In India to oversee the 3D release of Titanic, Jon told IANS, Avatar 2 has not been delayed. We never set a date for it to delay it.
We are in very early stages of pre-production and we want to put all the pieces together before we formally announce a date."
Jon is James Cameron's partner in producing both Titanic and Avatar.
And like the first, the next two sequels of Avatar will also push the technological frontiers of filmmaking and viewing. Both the films will be shot on an increased frame rate giving the audience a perceptible difference in quality of images.
Though Hollywood experimented with a faster frame rate in the 1970s, the technology could not gain traction.
"Things like higher frame rate have existed in the industry before, but using them meant converting all film projectors. Digital projectors however have no such issues and can run at a higher frame rate without changing anything," he said.
As a strong proponent of 3D, Jon added: "A film ultimately is about the story. But how you present the story and how you manage engagement from the audience is enhanced by the use of technology. 3D activates more of your mind and the brain has to work more to process the imagery you see leading to greater audience engagement."
Free-To-Play Game "Hawken" Secures $10 Million in Funding
(kbmod.com) As reported by Venture Beat, forthcoming free to play title Hawken has caught the attention of some of the same investment groups behind the free-to-play behemoth, League of Legends. Meteor Entertainment has successfully secured $10 million in funding for the continued development of Hawken. That money should go a long way towards polish and shine–just have a look at what Tim Schafer’s team is planning to add to their new adventure title with just the $2 million they raised on Kickstarter.
Hawken is scheduled to release on December 12 of this year, and if you want to get in the rounds of alpha and beta testing coming up, you can sign up at PlayHawken.com. With this new cash infusion for the development team, let’s hope it’s worth the wait!
VIDEO - Sample game play: http://www.kbmod.com/2012/03/01/hawken-secures-10-million- in-funding/
Sci-Fi Tale "Quarantine" Gets Big Screen Adaptation
(Variety) Black Forest Film Group has announced to Variety their plans to bring to the screen the world of the upcoming post-apocalyptic novel trilogy, Quarantine. The first book in the series (which was originally going to be spelled "Quaranteen"), "The Loners," is set for release this July
The “Paying To Work For Free” VFX Business Model
(vfxsoldier.wordpress.com)Audio from Digital Domain Talk at Roth and Gabelli & Company Investor Conferences
An investment website is recommending investors consider buying stock in Digital Domain. This part caught my eye which I tweeted:
New horizontal expansion includes government-funded Bachelors and Masters programs wherein students pay Digital Domain to work for Digital Domain
Soon after my tweet I get an email from a new VFX blogger called OccupyVFX who was able to find audio of the presentation given by Digital Domain’s CEO John Textor. The whole 22 minute presentation is posted above but the surprising part starts around 15:40 when Mr. Textor talks about their new VFX school in Florida called Digital Domain Institute:
Classes starting in the education space, what’s interesting is the relationship between the digital studio and the college. Not only is this a first in a number of ways that we’ve talked about, but 30% of the workforce at our digital studio down in Florida, is not only going to be free, with student labor, its going to be labor that’s actually paying us for the priviledge of working on our films.
Now this was the controversial element of this and the first discussions with the Department of Education, cuz it sounds like you’re taking advantage of the students. But we were able to persuade even the academic community, if we don’t do something to dramatically reduce costs in our industry, not only ours but many other industries in this country, then we’re going to lose these industries .. we’re going to lose these jobs. And our industry was going very quickly to India and China.
So, if 30% of our labor can be free, actually paying tuition, but by your Junior and Senior year at the college, you’re working on real firms (films), as part of the professional workflow, and you graduate with a resume that has five major films, your name in the credits, and more than just an intership level of experience, then that’s the perfect kind of trade off.
It’s one thing to work for low pay, it’s another thing to work for free, but it’s unfathomable to be expected to pay to work for free. The company intends to make money by not only creating content through huge subsidies provided by the Florida government, but by having a workforce of laborers who not only are working for free, but paying a tuition totaling $105,000 for non-residents which does not include food, housing, or transportation costs.
All of a sudden the things I’ve been blogging about in the VFX industry have rapidly become a reality. One of my first articles was criticism of a similar program being offered by Gnomon. I also wrote about how some companies capitalize on the allure of prestige starry-eyed prospects get. I pointed out instances in Montreal, and Michigan where rich US studios took advantage of generous government subsidies and still managed to leave VFX professionals unpaid. At one point I even warned:
Variety’s David Cohen tweeted what sums up the situation best:
Problems at Maxsar Digital & Kerner Optical point up a #vfx management practice that must stop: using new deals to pay past obligations.
The common #vfx practice of using new deals to pay old bills is why some refer to the entire vfx business as a Ponzi scheme.
Remember that tweet. Tattoo it to your arm if you can because if you think these Ponzi-like schemes are limited to just small facilities, wait until you get a load of what some of the bigger facilities are trying to do to get subsidy money.
And then Imageworks New Mexico closed as its clients changed their focus onto larger subsidies in Vancouver. The Department of Justice found VFX powerhouses like Pixar and ILM engaged in collusion and we now learn Steve Jobs was involved.
And the reaction by VFX professionals? Apathy.
Former Digital Domain founder and ILM General Manager Scott Ross recently commented with a statement I can’t help but agree with:
I did however get frustrated by the oft times lack of motivation by the workers, the owners, the studios and the director/producers. On the LinkedIn thread, there were only a handful of participants…. this issue has been haunting our Industry for years….APATHY TO DO ANYTHING except complain.
Look businessmen are going to do what businessmen do. They will do everything they can to take advantage of the environment to maximize the amount of money they can make. Sometimes that involves doing something unethical, wrong, or even illegal. It’s our job to prevent such practices.
We’ve let ourselves succumb to fear, uncertainty, and doubt by disregarding obvious facts. Do you really believe that your jobs are going to India and China? Just yesterday Steve Hulett posted on the Chinese VFX industry inability to find skilled talent. It’s laughable to think that the Florida Department of Education gave 100s of millions of taxpayer dollars to DD to build a school of paid free labor in a noble effort to prevent an industry from going to India or China. Even with all that free money DD is still opening a facility in India and China. Someone surely got taken for a ride there!
And where are the VFX jocks that have routinely chastised those of us who urge organization to prevent employers who try to engage in such exploitation? The reaction is “well I can just say no to working for free myself.” Look at what is happening now. A major VFX company is now turning the routinely accepted practice of free labor into a major part of it’s business plan.
I understand the skepticism about unionization. I know some of you could care less about portable benefits and enforcement of labor law but there is something else to this. It’s about solidarity. The idea that lets others know that if you mess with one of us you can expect to hear from all of us.
Help a Robot Saga Get Made
(content.usatoday.com)Pop Candy reader @geekgirldiva points out an interesting Kickstarter project that already has some impressive backers.
Visual effects artist Brandon Fayette (Star Trek, Super 8, Cloverfield) is one of the forces behind Dome, a proposed CG animated series about a robot trying to find his way home.
The creators show portions of the unfinished work in their video -- you should check it out -- and say their goal is to present the 90-minute feature online in 10-minute episodes.
"If they can make this idea happen, I think it would be epic -- and a great step for creativity in the industry," @geekgirldiva says.
You may recognize some of the faces in the video, including Damon Lindelof (Lost) and Martin Starr (Freaks and Geeks). The guys have two months to raise $79,000. Incentives to give include T-shirts, an invite to the premiere screening and more.
I hope the guys can make their dream happen!
'Bioshock' Film Loses Yet Another Director, Put On Hold (Again)
(multiplayerblog.mtv.com) It seems like a decaying, undersea dystopia can't quite catch a break on the big screen as Juan Carlos Fresnadillo joins Gore Verbinksi among the ranks of filmmakers unable to get a Bioshock movie made.
It all comes down to budgets, it seems: this time as with The Ring and Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski's attempts to get Bioshock onscreen, as back in 2009, the money men balked at an R-rated, north of a $100 million movie based on a video game. Universal, the studio backing the film, wasn't too keen on the $160 million price tag that Verbinski put together for the movie and it seems like Fresnadillo wasn't able to get the cost down to something the studio was happy with either.
There are a couple of things going on here, a lot of to do with the general currents swirling around in Universal HQ. Over the last couple of years, they've had a string of high-profile genre misses like Scott Pilgrim, The Wolfman, and The Thing that cost way more than they should have and didn't find an audience for whatever reason (too much quirk, too terrible, to whom do we direct this ill-advised prequel). I have to imagine they're looking at the decent but not great box office for the very expensive Prince of Persia at Disney ($200 million budget with just a $90 million take in the U.S., although it made its money back worldwide). Add an R-rating to the mix and Bioshock needs to happen on the cheap if it's going to happen at all.
Juan Carlos Fresnadillo is the writer-director of 28 Weeks Later which was... not great, but he was also responsible for the pretty fantastic Intacto back in 2001. I was sincerely curious about what he might have had in mind for the story, look, and feel of the movie.
The Hunger Games Breaks IMAX Opening Weekend Record
(IMAX Corporation) IMAX Corporation and Lionsgate today announced that the limited release of "The Hunger Games: The IMAX Experience" grossed $10.6 million in IMAX® theatres worldwide during its three-day opening weekend beginning March 23. Domestically, the film grossed $152.5 million, of which $10.2 million was generated in 268 IMAX theatres for a per-screen average of $38,000. The results mark an IMAX domestic box office opening weekend record for a digital-only release and for a non-sequel 2D release.
Veteran Animator Glen Keane Is Leaving Walt Disney Animation
(hollywoodreporter.com) Animator Glen Keane, a 38-year veteran of the Walt Disney Animation Studios who worked on such classics as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, announced Friday that he is leaving the company.
In a letter sent to his co-workers, he said that while the studio has been his “artistic home,” he had decided after “long and thoughtful consideration” that there are “endless new territories to explore” and so he is moving on.
Keane played a key role in the Disney animation renaissance of the ‘90s, and his departure came as a shock to many in the animation community. “He’s such a Disney icon and an inspiration to so many people,” one source said.
Confirming his departure, a Disney spokesperson said, “After an incredible 38-year career as an animator, storyteller, and filmmaking pioneer with Walt Disney Animation Studios, Glen Keane has decided that the time has come to take the next step in his personal exploration of the art of animation. As much as we are saddened by his departure, we respect his desires and wish him the very best with all his future endeavors.”
Keane could not be immediately reached for further comment. His last project was 2010’s Tangled, on which he is credited as animation supervisor and directing animator for the character of Rapunzel. While he has been developing several ideas, according to one insider, he was not currently attached to any future project at Disney.
Keane brought to life such characters as Ariel in The Little Mermaid, the Beast in Beauty and the Beast and the title characters in Aladdin, Pocahontas and Tarzan.
In his letter, which was posted by the animation web site Cartoon Brew, he said, "I owe so much to those great animators who mentored me – Eric Larson, Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston – as well as to the many other wonderful people at Disney whom I have been fortunate to work with in the past nearly 38 years.”
Saying that “I am convinced that animation really is the ultimate form of our time with endless new territories to explore,” he wrote, “I can’t resist its siren call to step out and discover them.”
"Maleficent" Designers Fit Horns To Angelina Jolie
(EW) Walt Disney Pictures' live-action Sleeping Beauty re-telling, Maleficent, is now eyeing a June start with Angelina Jolie in the leading role and Robert Stromberg making his directing debut. Today, the actress spoke with EW about the part and what audiences can expect when the evil sorceress comes to the big screen.
"It sounds really crazy to say that there will be something that’s good for young girls in this," says Jolie, "because it sounds like you’re saying they should be a villain. [Maleficent] is actually a great person, but she’s not perfect. She’s far from perfect... In general, it’s a very good message to say, “let’s look at something from the other side.” But then also, what our challenge will be — and the script writer [Linda Woolverton] has already cracked it — is not to simplify it, not to just reverse the story but tell a bigger story that doesn’t point the finger [at Princess Aurora] either. It doesn’t flip it."
Stromberg, best known for having served as a production designer on Avatar, Alice in Wonderland and Disney's upcoming, Oz the Great and Powerful, is currently in the stage of perfecting the film's visual design.
"I’ve already got my horns fitted," adds Jolie. "My kids are very happy... We’re still figuring out the look. We’re experimenting with different things. But the horns are the horns – you can’t deny them. You have to have horns."
Sci-fi "Jupiter Ascending" Pushes Forward
(darkhorizons.com)Offers are out to Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis for the lead roles in Lana and Andy Wachowski's "Jupiter Ascending" at Warner Bros. Pictures reports Deadline.
The film will be the first major science fiction action franchise effort from the duo since "The Matrix", though specific plot details are being kept under wraps.
Production is aiming to kick off later this year once they wrap their ambitious ensemble sci-fi dramatic piece "Cloud Atlas".
Wrath Of The Titans Star Toby Kebbell Talks Big Monsters, Digital Effects And Green Wood
We’ve still got massive monsters, powerful gods and a ton of epic battles, but director Jonathan Liebesman and company are making big changes with their Clash of the Titans sequel, Wrath of the Titans, and one major step in the right direction is the inclusion of some comedic relief courtesy of Toby Kebbell.
Kebbell steps in as Agenor, the forgotten son of Poseidon and, therefore, Perseus’ (Sam Worthington) cousin. When the mortals stop praying to the gods, they lose their powers, leaving them helpless against the Titans. Now the safety of the world lies in Perseus’ hands, but in order to find the location at which he must start his journey, he needs the self-proclaimed Navigator, Agenor. Along with Queen Andromeda (Rosamund Pike), they trek through Cyclopes territory and on in an effort to find a way to keep the Titans and Kronos from ravaging the earth.
Sure starring in a major motion picture sounds glamorous, but in Kebbell’s case it involved being covered in mud, wearing tiny costumes in cold weather, having to hit marks perfectly for the sake of visual effects and more. However, as a guy who prefers to be on set even when he’s not called, making Wrath of the Titans was a pleasure for the actor. Read all about his experience in the interview below.
Take a look: http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Wrath-Titans-Star-Toby- Kebbell-Talks-Big-Monsters- Digital-Effects-Green-Wood- 30147.html
Disney VP of Production Returns to Rhythm & Hues
(variety.com)After just a year with Disney Animation, Erika Burton will return to Rhythm & Hues as co-prexy of the company's film division.
Burton was with the visual effects and animation house for 10 years before joining Disney as VP of production. Her return comes as the company continues its push to develop original content.
Lee Berger, co-prexy of Rhythm & Hues' film division, said it was important to rehire Burton because she already knows how the company works and understands its plans for the future.
"Our management layer here is pretty thin for a company of this size," Berger said of Rhythm & Hues, which has approximately 1,300 employees. "And as I looked around, it just made sense to bring Erika back because she was familiar with everything."
Berger said Burton's experience will also be essential as the company starts to develop its own original content, which he hopes will become an additional revenue stream in tough economic times for the vfx business.
Rhythm & Hues, based in Marina del Rey, also recently touted plans for two new divisions in Taiwan.
Get a Look at Rick Baker's Amazing Effects Work for Men in Black 3
(dreadcentral.com)As we said earlier, don't expect heavy coverage for the third film in the Men in Black franchise from us. The flick is fringy at best. However, you cats just HAVE to check this out!
In Men in Black 3, Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back... in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner. But when K's life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him -- secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to save his partner, the agency, and the future of humankind.
Barry Sonnenfeld's Men in Black 3 also stars Jemaine Clement and Emma Thompson. Look for it in theaters May 25, 2012, from Columbia Pictures.
Take a look: http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/54036/get-look-rick- bakers-amazing-effects-work- men-black-3
Monster Man – Monstrous Reality Show
(ghoularama.com)Part of the problem with this show is it has all the reality show tropes that tick me off. Everything seems staged, to the family strife to the drama with making the monsters. In the first episode Cleve has to make a two headed shark for 2-Headed Shark Attack (2012). The client comes in with the shark’s heads stacked on top of one another (bunk sharks?), and Cleve shows him how having the heads side by side would be better. The whole scenario felt scripted to me. I could see a producer going to the client and saying “So come in and tell them you want bunk sharks, and Cleve will save the day by showing you a better design”. Maybe it wasn’t, but that’s how it felt to me.
So if I don’t like the reality show part of it, what do I think of the monsters?
The second episode they had to make a werewolf for Hallow Pointe. The werewolf head came off looking like a high school football mascot with a huge schnoz. I know effects are meant to be filmed, and don’t look as cool in the harsh rays of daylight, but this head was almost comical. I’m a big fan of practical effects, and I applaud Hallow Pointe director Thomas J. Churchill for going that route instead of crappy CGI. Still he shot it in the best angels to make it scary, which is quick cuts where you hardly see it.
Another thing that annoyed me was that the titular Monster Man, Cleve, hardly did anything creative with this werewolf build. His daughter, Constance, designed it. The sculptor did the clay version, and the molder cast everything and did the foam. If he’s the Monster Man, would think he would do more than do painting and gluing fur (Don’t get me started on the visit to the guard dog school to get “inspiration” for the werewolf-staged, staged staged). If he’s the monster man, I want to see him more hands on throughout the whole monster making process.
I think SyFy missed an opportunity here. They could have shown the episode of Monster Man where they create the effects, and follow it with the actual film they worked on. It could be a Saturday movie event each week. I’d tune in for that.
I did like the parts where they were fabricating the creatures and I wish they would concentrate more on that. I also like the backdrop of a struggling effects company trying to make it in a world where CGI has almost all but replaced them.
Full article: http://ghoularama.com/2012/03/monster-man-monstrous-reality- show/
VFX: The 400-Pound Shark in the Room
(twitchpost.com)Our topic this week is the difference between practical effects and fancy computer-generated graphics and how each affects an audience on an emotional level. My preference has always been practical effects, but I think CGI, when used wisely, can really help a story and be quite groundbreaking in some cases.
But instead of just reading my rambling, we’re giving you two opinions for the price of one (FREE.99). Please allow me to introduce Twitch’s kick-butt office manager, Maria! M, what’s your take?
M: Hey Lauren, I love your ramblin’! But thanks for asking. When thinking about the movies and shows that I’m fond of, I find myself really gravitating toward the tangible effects that I can actually see and imagine feeling. Yeah, it can come off pretty campy at times (which, in itself is sometimes the appeal), but I’d rather have a wobbly set piece or awkward mask that has texture and that the actors are actually interacting with, than a glossy computer image on a green screen, provided of course that everything else is solid (story, acting, etc.).
Hmm, CGI used wisely? I need examples. In non-animated movies it all just ends up looking cartoony to me and is a distraction from the story. I just end up thinking, “God, that dragon and legion of muscly soldiers look soooo fake and must’ve cost a fortune.” So, why not just watch a Pixar film instead?
L: Totally fair, and I couldn’t agree more! But I think there are moments that couldn’t exist without CGI. Think about Gollum in LotR — a character with a physical body so compact that a human body wouldn’t fit inside a costume. Or Jurassic Park — in this clip, the scale of the flock would be exceptionally hard to do practically, and even though the T-Rex is the product of a computer in this scene, it’s backed up with an incredible animatronic robot later in the film. It’s in the merger of the two technologies that I’d like to think the movie magic happens. Here’s a great snippet on ILM and how CGI can be used to tell stories we couldn’t tell before.
On the flip side, I think CGI is resorted to too quickly these days. It’s a noncommittal way to say, “we’ll fix it in post.” That’s the kind of computer-generated stuff I can’t get behind. I especially appreciate the use of practical effects in TV shows, who have even less time and money than big budget movies.
M: Alright missy, you make good points. Jurassic Park would not be the movie it is without a combination of graphics and robotics, particularly in terms of showing sheer scale and numbers. I’m impressed with how both were used in concert so seamlessly in that film. At no point did I feel like the effects took anything away from the story; they only served to enhance it in a way that I’m not sure would’ve worked as well on a smaller scale. That balance of practical and CGI has got to be such a tricky line to tow if you have access to both technologies. I wonder how a movie like Jaws would fare if it was remade today. Would a more streamlined, agile, computerized shark make a bigger splash, or is there something so primal and frightening in only seeing the mechanical beast’s iconic grin extremely close up, never getting a clear view of its full form? But with Jurassic Park as a template, perhaps a combination of effects would create as good if not a better creature. My biggest qualm really is that all too often it seems like filmmakers create scenes so as to justify the cost of using fancy technology, which ends up in all this excessive footage that adds nothing to the movie. I hate “baggy” movies! Trim the fat! So, I echo your sentiment that simply because the technology and resources are available, doesn’t mean they ought to be used. Of course, the upside of using computer-generated effects over practical machines is that you’re not left lugging a 400-pound, life-sized shark model into the dumpster.
L: Well, I happen to think lugging a 400-pound shark around might be one heck of a good time. Imagine the photo ops! I think what we’re getting at is that we like when we feel a sense of, “How did they DO that?!” when we watch a movie or a TV show, and that feeling comes from that tricky recipe of killer storytelling and convincing magic tricks — be it makeup, animatronics, or CGI. I wonder if we’re less impacted by CGI because we use computers everyday and just assume that, “Oh, well, a computer made that shot.” Most of us don’t paint foam rubber or rig hydraulics on a daily basis, and I think that might be part of practical effects’ mystique that has stood the test of time.
Pixar Creates a Beautiful 3D Animated Sculpture
VIDEO - Take a look: http://www.dump.com/pixarcreates/
All VFX Workers Will End Up Being Paid Less
(vfxsoldier.wordpress.com)VFX Supervisor Scott Squires responds to the new biz model where students pay Digital Domain to work for Digital Domain:
Wow, Florida is going down a sink hole as quick as it can with both their laws and their tax approach. A year ago they took $1.7 billion in education funding and gave it to the corporations and rich. I guess this is part of what they bought. Yeah, that smaller government thing is certainly working now.
So to be clear – to compete with an area that has a lower cost of living, we will simply lower the wages here. Not only that, but we’ll make people pay to do so. And they’ll like it. Foxcomm USA here we come.
The fact is it still costs what it does to live in the US. They’ve only lowered the wages. Oops, those aren’t actually wages.
So what do the brilliant politicians, taxpayers and students think will happen when these students graduate and have degrees in visual effects? They won’t be able to find work and will be unemployed. Why should vfx companies hire and pay graduates when they can get 30% or more paying employees? Imagine if the rest of the industry approaches it like this. And they will in order to compete. Most vfx companies have little shame. It’s not only a race to the bottom, DD has added a rocket back to get there as quickly as possible. And Florida is simply giving them a big push down the hill.
To those of you who are students or thinking about entering visual effects -
This is a very competitive industry. Yes, 500 TV channels, the world of multimedia, tent poles, China opening up, blah, blah, blah. But at the end of the day there is only so much media that can be consumed (and paid for) and only so much visual effects work.
The industry is in trouble because there are tax incentives that tilt the entire competive field and visual effects companies continue to try to do fixed bids for very complex and changing work. Pressure from the studios in terms of cost and time makes everyone a loser. it’s incredibly competive for both companies and workers. Many in the U.S. now have to travel overseas or to other locations simply to keep working. If you’re living in the US you’d better get your passport and working visas arranged.
There are already too many for profit schools churning out too many graduates in visual effects. Same as the film schools. The idea that it’s cool and interesting, etc doesn’t solve the problem of way more people than there are jobs available. Do you have any idea of the number of ‘directors’ graduating from film schools versus how many actually make it? History major might be a more practical solution for getting jobs.
Some of you are going to go all out and make it. Some of you are going to fall at some point by the wayside. Year after year of cranking out graduates at all of these schools will simply make it more difficult for everyone. How long do you plan to work in the visual effects industry? Because based simply on the number of new people and the fact that schools stoop to working their students, how long do you think companies will wait until they can get 50% of the work force as paying students?
Students across America are going into debt big time just to go to college or schools. The average graduate is $25,000 in debt on graduating. Some are as high as $150,000 or more in debt. That’s going to take a long time to pay off even at vfx salaries.
Don’t forget with 30% labor from paying students all vfx workers will end up being paid less.
Don’t pay big bucks to this school to simply learn vfx. You might as well apply to some vfx companies who would charge you less.
Instead of trying to actually solve the industry problem, DD seems to have sold a bill of goods to Florida and students for very short term gains.
Congratulations.
Source: http://vfxsoldier.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/the-paying-to- work-for-free-vfx-business- model/
Universal's 'Battleship' Deployed to Fight U.K. Piracy (Video)
(hollywoodreporter.com)Universal Pictures U.K. and the Industry Trust for IP Awareness have united to deploy the studio’s upcoming tentpole Battleship, with Liam Neeson and Rihanna among its crew, in the war against piracy.
The studio's overseas distribution arm has cut together a special trailer using content from Universal's high-profile release – out April 11 here – to highlight why the cinema is the best place to see the movie.
It's part of the Industry Trust for IP Awareness’ campaign entitled "Moments Worth Paying For" and is the first in a series of title-specific ad spots beginning in theaters to boost anti-piracy sentiment amongst consumers.
Edited with film content, the trailer turns the camera on the viewer to capture the emotions that watching film and TV can evoke with the legend that these as "moments worth paying for."
GALLERY: 10 Most-Pirated Movies Of All Time
The 30-second spot will be shown in all cinemas across the U.K. over an eight-week period ending May 10.
Additionally, a supporting poster will be showcased on more than 500 outdoor sites across the U.K. over a two-week period.
Universal Pictures U.K. managing director Niels Swinkels said: "Showcasing our summer blockbuster Battleship, the message reinforces the notion that films like this are made to be seen on the big screen and deepens cinemagoers' understanding that their support is essential for us to continue to deliver such unique experiences."
Industry Trust for IP Awareness director general Liz Bales said: "Using new release content to engage with our audience on the important issue of copyright infringement is a proven approach embraced by both the film and TV industries. We feel certain it will provide great benefits to the marketing of the release while continuing the great strides made in change attitudes and consumer behaviour around copyright theft."
VIDEO - For Viewing Only - No Copies: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/universal-battleship- piracy-rihanna-304135
Man Vs. CGI
*From Japanese Talent Show 世界1のSHOWタイム (Seikai Ichi no Showtime)*
Performance Group カゲム (Kagemu) combines CG and live action into an impressive performance.
VIDEO - Take a look: http://uniquedaily.com/2012/03/man-vs-cgi/
No comments:
Post a Comment