Press release from FMX 2012:

FMX 2012 is highlighting one of the most profound changes that have been taking place in film production: the advent of Virtual Production. Virtual Production transfers former analogue processes into the digital realm, blurring the boundaries between pre-production, production and post. Directors such as James Cameron, Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg have recently made great use of Virtual Production possibilities as exemplified by the successes of such films as Tintin and Avatar. The Virtual Production track is possible thanks to the generous support by FMX Main Partner Autodesk. Marc Petit, Senior Vice President, Autodesk Media & Entertainment, explains the appeal of Virtual Production:

"With the advent of digital pre-production, production and post-production, virtual production completes the digital film production pipeline. Virtual production places the creative decision-making back into the hands of director. The on-set real-time interaction between Autodesk MotionBuilder and Autodesk Maya software, provides a wealth of highly flexible CG assets which can flow throughout the filmmaking process and free filmmakers to focus on expressing their creative visions."

Aside from Avatar and Tintin, FMX offers presentations on the action movie Real Steel, Spielberg's drama War Horse, the 2012 remake of Total Recall which comes to the cinemas in August as well as sessions on Virtual Production in Games and in Television. In addition to the Virtual Production track, the audience can await presentations on the blockbuster Battleship and the box office hit The Hunger Games, an exclusive preview of highly anticipated animation feature Dr. Seuss' The Lorax as well as a screening of Marvel's latest comic adventure The Avengers.

The complete FMX 2012 program is online at www.fmx.de. 

Virtual Production I - World Building: From Avatar to Tintin

"World Building" refers to the stages that precede the actual film production - it is, analogously speaking, the concept of things to come. "World Building" involves the construction of a digital world space - the invention of a fictional universe that can include aspects such as geography, culture and history and so forth. The British production designer and film producer Alex McDowell, who is, among others, known for his work on Watchmen, curates the "World Building" track which explores how these fictional worlds come into being. For one thing, McDowell and Speedcam's Director Mario Janelle analyze the fusion of two worlds when they look at "Worldbuilding for Independent Movies" using the example of Juan Diego Solanas' Upside Down, a sci-fi take on "Romeo and Juliet" starring Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst.

In contrast, Art Directors Andrew Jones and Jeff Wisniewski shift their perspective to blockbuster movies: together they illuminate digital worlds spanning from the Na'vi inhabitants in Avatar's exoplanetary Pandora to the highly detailed world of comic-turned-film Tintin.

Virtual Production II - Previs: Spielberg's War Horse and Wiseman's Total Recall