Visual Effects

Digital Musings From the Editor:

Posted In | News Categories: AWN Site News, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Event: SIGGRAPH | Site Categories: Visual Effects
In anticipation of SIGGRAPH next week, VFXWORLD focuses on emerging technologies throughout August. We begin on Friday with Mary Ann Skweres' sneak peek at Paul Debevec's latest cutting-edge virtual journey, THE PARTHENON, a short film premiering in SIGGRAPH's Electronic Theater. Using the best archaeological sources available, Debevec digitally reconstructs the famed temple and photorealistically recreates many of the sculptures, revealing a host of new 3D visualization advancements.

Lucasfilm Announces Revenge of the Sith Graphic Novel

Posted In | News Categories: Licensing, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Site Categories: Licensing, Visual Effects
Lucasfilm and Dark Horse Comics are teaming up to create a graphic novel based on STAR WARS: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH. Dark Horse and the concept artists behind the film will produce the graphic novel called STAR WARS: VISIONARIES, a collection of 12 tales told by the artists that helped envision the worlds, creatures, technologies and characters of EPISODE III.

ATI Brings FireGL X3-256 to SIGGRAPH 2004

Posted In | News Categories: Technology, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All, North America | Event: SIGGRAPH | Site Categories: Technology, Visual Effects
ATI Technologies continues to innovate for the large AGP market with the new FireGL X3-256 workstation graphics accelerator, which gives users an impressive list of professional features for $1,099.

Sideshow Welcomes Creative Director Kobliska

Posted In | News Categories: People, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Site Categories: People, Visual Effects
Fresh off the success of three Promax Awards, leading creative concept, design/effects and production company Sideshow Creative has added creative director Andrew Kobliska to its team. Kobliska will be heading up the west coast creative group based in Los Angeles.

"Andrew's vast experience in all realms of our industry makes him a natural fit for Sideshow," said Scott Mantel, Sideshow Creative ceo. "He brings the highest pedigree of strategic thinking and creative leadership to his new role at the company."

Picture Mill Opens & Closes The Village

Posted In | News Categories: Films, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Site Categories: Films, Visual Effects
Picture Mill was the production company behind the opening and closing sequences for THE VILLAGE. Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan contacted Picture Mill soon after principal photography was done, to begin developing concepts for the titles.

Side Effects Hosts Annual Houdini Meeting & Job Fair

Posted In | News Categories: Events, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Event: SIGGRAPH | Site Categories: Events, Visual Effects
Side Effects Software will be hosting its Annual Houdini Meeting on Aug. 8, 2004 during SIGGRAPH in Los Angeles. This event will bring together Houdini users from around the world to network with their peers, witness the official unveiling of Houdini 7 and catch an exclusive sneak-peak into Houdini's future.

Motion Picture Sound Editors Elects New Board of Directors

Posted In | News Categories: People, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Site Categories: People, Visual Effects
Elected in a special board election was Marc Lanza (JFK, GLORY) as secretary. Newly elected to two-year terms are sound editors Harry Cheney (BOTTLE ROCKET, DRACULA), Jeremy J. Gordon (THE OC, SMALLVILLE), Robert Hargreaves (DUCK DODGERS, BATMAN BEYOND) Anne-Marie Slack (BRING IT ON, HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES), Roland Thai (L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, CITY OF GOD) and Steven D. Williams (THIRTEEN DAYS, ARMY OF DARKNESS).

Sky Captain Helm to Take on Princess of Mars

Posted In | News Categories: Films, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Site Categories: Films, Visual Effects
After original director Robert Rodriguez dropped off the project due to his resignation from the Director's Guild over directing credits on his film SIN CITY, Alphaville is in negotiations with SKY CAPTAIN helmer Kerry Coran to direct the screen adaptation of the classic sci-fi adventure, A PRINCESS OF MARS, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Based on the first book in Edgar Rice Burroughs' 11-volume JOHN CARTER OF MARS series, the studio is hoping to make a franchise. Alphaville has produced THE MUMMY series.

MPC Leads UKTI Trade Mission to SIGGRAPH 2004

Posted In | News Categories: Events, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Event: SIGGRAPH | Site Categories: Events, Visual Effects
MPC (The Moving Picture Co.) will play an instrumental role in U.K. Trade and Investment’s (UKTI) exploratory trade mission to SIGGRAPH 2004. Partnering with the National Centre for Computer Animation at Bournemouth University and UKTI, MPC will form part of the representation from U.K. visual effects companies. MPC will be at Booth #2153.

PGA Presents Producing Magic On Time And On Budget Mixer

Posted In | News Categories: Events, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Site Categories: Events, Visual Effects
The PGA New Media Council and the Visual Effects Society are hosting a mixer and discussion panel titled "Producing Magic On Time And On Budget." Attendees will be able to meet the producers and executives behind such film and television productions as SPIDERMAN 2, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, THE LAST SAMURAI, and POLAR EXPRESS. The event will take place on Aug. 19, 2004 at Sony Imageworks Theatre, 9050 West Washington Boulevard, Culver City, California 90232.

Oregon3D Announces Unreal Technology Seminar at SIGGRAPH 2004

Posted In | News Categories: Education and Training, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Event: SIGGRAPH | Site Categories: Education and Training, Visual Effects
Oregon3D has announced it will offer a series of classes specifically devoted to content creation for the Unreal Engine, the leading 3D technology platform pioneered by Epic Games. Scheduled during the SIGGRAPH 2004 Conference, this one-day session will run on both Aug. 9 and Aug. 10, from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm in the Los Angeles Room at The Wilshire Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

HP Printing Division Showcases VFX Strengths of Poiraud

Posted In | News Categories: Commercials, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All, Europe | Site Categories: Commercials, Visual Effects
French brothers Didier and Thierry Poiraud have returned to the U.S. commercial market after releasing their feature debut, ATOMIK CIRCUS, in Paris last week. With leading commercial production company Tool of North America, the brothers co-directed a spot for HP’s Printing division, PRINTER, which has been airing in key markets in Western Europe since June. Together with François Vogel, the Poiraud brothers direct U.S.-based projects through Tool satellite company Paranoid Projects @ Tool.

Media Design School Hires New Faculty

Posted In | News Categories: Anime, Education and Training, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All, Australia, North America, South America | Event: SIGGRAPH | Site Categories: Anime, Education and Training, Visual Effects
The Media Design School, New Zealand's premiere learning institution for the digital arts, announces a slate of new faculty additions that include Tom Zuber, Patrick McNabb and Richard Hicks, going into its visit to SIGGRAPH 2004 conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center from August 10-12, 2004 at booth #1958.

Gnomon Comes to SIGGRAPH with New Resident Artist and DVDs

Posted In | News Categories: Events, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All, Asia, North America | Event: SIGGRAPH | Site Categories: Events, Visual Effects
At SIGGRAPH 2004, the Gnomon Workshop and the Gnomon School of Visual Effects (booth #1113) will be showcasing its educational products with various presentations and its library of 82 DVDs. In addition, Gnomon will have books available to get them signed such as EXPOSE I, EXPOSE II, D'ARTISTE, ELEMENTAL and more from booth partners CG Networks and Ballistic Media.

SIGGRAPH 2004 Lines Up New Zealand Players for Tech Talk

Posted In | News Categories: Events, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All, Australia | Event: SIGGRAPH | Site Categories: Events, Visual Effects
New Zealand companies will be featured at a panel session as part of the SIGGRAPH conference Tech Talk series, held this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center, August 10-13. Hosted by NZTE, the session, "Middle Earth: Imagination Made More Real" provides a presentation forum for New Zealand companies and will be moderated by Dr. Steve Upstill, a founding member of Pixar Animation Studios and a recent New Zealand immigrant.

Digital Musings From the Editor:

Posted In | News Categories: AWN Site News, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Site Categories: Visual Effects
The response to our 3D coverage in architecture, education and forensics has been quite enthusiastic. Tomorrow Christopher Harz caps our coverage with quite an extensive overview of cutting edge 3D advances throughout various non-entertainment industries. Plus,

Click 3x Adds VFX Producers to Staff

Posted In | News Categories: Anime, People, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Site Categories: Anime, People, Visual Effects
Producers Tyra Hanshaw and Cara Buckley have joined the production department at Click 3x. Both Hanshaw, who arrives from Berwyn Editorial, and Buckley, formerly with Spontaneous, have broad experience in producing visual effects, animation and other post work. At Click 3x, they will produce both commercial and broadcast design projects.

Scientific/Technical Oscar Deadline July 30

Posted In | News Categories: Call for Entries, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All, North America | Site Categories: Call for Entries, Visual Effects
Friday, July 30, 2004, is the deadline to submit scientific and technical achievements to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for 77th Academy Awards consideration.

In late May, application forms were sent to more than 850 companies and individuals within the sci-tech community both in the United States and abroad.

ATI Brings HD Gaming to Mobile Users

Posted In | News Categories: Technology, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All, Europe, North America | Site Categories: Technology, Visual Effects
ATI Technologies Inc. raised the performance bar with the introduction of MOBILITY RADEON 9800. Designed for the mobile gaming enthusiast, MOBILITY RADEON 9800 enables users to enjoy the latest DirectX9 games at optimal settings for the highest levels of performance.

Gamers Can Get Their Paws On Catwoman

Posted In | News Categories: Internet and Interactive, Visual Effects | Geographic Region: All | Site Categories: Games, Internet and Interactive, Visual Effects
Those who would like to “play” with the pretty Halle Berry version of CATWOMAN from Warner Bros. Pictures theatrical can get their paws on the new videogame from Electronic Arts available in stores now for PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube, Game Boy Advance and PC CD-ROM.

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