Global visual entertainment services group Prime Focus has contributed over 120 visual effects shots to the much-anticipated Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures stereoscopic release “TRON: Legacy”.
Press Release from Prime Focus
20 December 2010- Global visual entertainment services group Prime Focus has contributed over 120 visual effects shots to the much-anticipated Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures stereoscopic release “TRON: Legacy”. The film, which is directed by Joseph Kosinski and stars Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde, hit theaters December 17, 2010.
“TRON: Legacy” tells the story of Sam Flynn (Hedlund), a rebellious 27-year-old who is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn (Bridges); a man once known as the world's leading video-game developer. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the old Flynn's Arcade - a signal that could only come from his father - he finds himself pulled into a digital world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. With the help of the fearless warrior Quorra (Wilde), father and son embark on a life-or-death journey across a cyber universe.
Prime Focus completed three highly immersive CG based sequences under the VFX supervision of Chris Harvey, DFX supervision of Jon Cowley and VFX Producer Randal Shore. The team completed nearly thirteen minutes of stereoscopic work that featured grand, sweeping vistas of the digital grid landscape, detailed matte paintings from within TRON city and a plummeting out-of-control elevator sequence.
Once clear of the city, Sam, Flynn and Quorra travel across the Grid aboard an updated version of the Solar Sailer – an enormous yet elegant tanker-like ship. The ship carries the three characters effortlessly through an all CG world; over giant canyons and under starry skies. Teams in both Los Angeles and Vancouver crafted the look and details of the Solar Sailer and generated all of the incredible environments.
Cowley said, "Working with Eric Barba at Digital Domain, our goal was to help Joe [Kosinski] visually realize this grand world he had crafted while pushing the boundaries and expanse of what is possible in 3D."
Prime Focus has an extensive history working on stereoscopic projects and continues to be an industry leader in developing new stereo VFX and conversion technologies. This project paired the talent at Prime Focus with Academy Award®-winning VFX Supervisor Eric Barba and his team at the lead facility, Digital Domain.
Harvey and Cowley oversaw a team of over sixty artists in the Vancouver and Los Angeles offices over the course of eight months of production. The teams’ software toolkit included Maya, Vray, Nuke and Terragen.
About Prime FocusPrime Focus is a global Visual Entertainment Services group that provides creative and technical services to the film, broadcast, commercials, gaming, internet and media industries.
The group offers a genuine end-to-end solution from pre-production to final delivery - including previsualisation, equipment hire, visual effects, video and audio post-production, digital intermediate, digital asset management and distribution.
Prime Focus employs more than 2250 people with state-of-the-art facilities throughout the key markets of North America, the UK and India. Using its ‘Worldsourcing’ business model, Prime Focus provides a network that combines global cost advantages, resources and talent pool with strong relationships and a deep understanding of the local markets.
Prime Focus is a public stock company with shares traded in the Mumbai and National Stock exchanges in India (Symbol - PFOCUS). Prime Focus also owns and operates Prime Focus London plc (Symbol - PFO), which is publicly traded in the LSE’s AIM market. For more information, please visit www.primefocusworld.com.
About the MovieWalt Disney Pictures’ “TRON: Legacy” is a 3D action-packed adventure set in a digital world unlike anything captured on the big screen. Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), a rebellious 27-year-old, is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn (Oscar® and Golden Globe® winner Jeff Bridges), a man once known as the world’s leading video-game developer. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from the abandoned Flynn’s Arcade—that could have only come from his father—he finds himself pulled into a world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. With the help of the fearless warrior Quorra (Olivia Wilde), father and son embark on a life-or-death journey across a visually stunning universe—created by Kevin Himself—which has become far more advanced with never-before-imagined vehicles, weapons and landscapes, and a ruthless villain who will stop at nothing to prevent their escape.
“TRON: Legacy” is directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver and Steven Lisberger. The story is by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz and Brian Klugman & Lee Sternthal, and the screenplay is by Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz, based on characters created by Steven Lisberger and Bonnie MacBird. Presented in Disney Digital 3D™, Real D 3D and IMAX® 3D and scored by Grammy Award®–winning electronic music duo Daft Punk, “TRON: Legacy” hits theaters on December 17, 2010.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
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