Joe Hartwick, Twentieth Century Fox's president of physical production, has been upped to oversee a new vfx department at the studio, given the high volume of effects-laden event films and the need to shift priorities and streamline costs. Hartwick will not only coordinate the visual effects needs of all Fox films, but also serve as liaison for the effects houses collaborating with them.
With digital tools impacting the entire moviemaking process, and Fox now needing to schedule and produce vfx earlier and interface with other departments more aggressively, it became essential to create an in-house vfx department.
Reporting to Hartwick is eight-year vet Rich Thorne, svp, visual effects. In addition, Robin Griffin (vfx producer on the upcoming THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN and FAT ALBERT) and Karen Murphy (vfx producer on the upcoming TAXI and THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX) have joined the department as vps.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
