It was a Canadian visual effects house that rebuilt the White House in CG, using Maya, during a 25-second shot for DreamWorks’ HEAD OF STATE, the Chris Rock film, and his directorial debut, where Rock's character set his sights on becoming the president. Toronto-based Toybox did the comedic pyrotechnics on the American icon. Digital matte paintings were created for the sky and lawn in Photoshop and inferno, while 3D trees were built in Houdini to add depth to the shot. The fire that ensues at the White House was done completely in CG, using Maya and Houdini for the fire and smoke elements, as well as the debris. The final elements were composited together in inferno.

Toybox also did the dust, smoke and debris for the live pyro elements for Miss Pearl’s House sequence. The first step in this shot was to remove the moving talent out of the background to leave a clear canvas for the Toybox teams. A second unit crew built a steel set of the house and shot pyro elements, composited later into the shot. Then the 3D debris, smoke and dust were built in and composited into the shot along with fire elements and previously removed talent.

Toybox (www.compt.com ) has done effects on CHICAGO, GODS AND GENERALS, New Line Cinema’s THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT and the ABC/Disney children’s television movie, A WRINKLE IN TIME, recently shown at the Sprockets Film Festival in Toronto.