HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE opened with a record five-day domestic gross of $158 million, and we have in-depth coverage of the impressive vfx, which has taken a decidedly naturalistic turn, thanks to director David Yates. We provide an overview in Part 1 with Tim Burke, the overall vfx supervisor, and the diverse work supplied by Double Negative, MPC and Rising Sun Pictures. In Part 2, we explore ILM's great fire and water simulation along with the eerie Inferi character animation. Meanwhile, with SIGGRAPH just two weeks away, we chat exclusively with Sebastian Sylwan and Joe Letteri about Weta Digital's new R&D group and the recruiting they will be doing in New Orleans.

Bill Desowitz
Editor