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Thor previs
Press Release from The Third Floor
Los Angeles, CA (May 9, 2011) — The Third Floor, Inc., a preeminent provider of previsualization for Hollywood films and global entertainment, is pleased to have delivered all previs for the new film Thor (Marvel Studios/Paramount Pictures). Gerardo Ramirez supervised the company's specialized team to create an animated blueprint for all the major sequences in the film over a period of 18 months.
The Third Floor’s previs sequences were shaped by director Kenneth Branagh and his key collaborators, including the production designer, costume designer, cinematographer, stunt choreographer, editor and visual effects supervisor, in a collaborative process that allowed the entire team to hone in on the most effective way to depict the mythic characters and storyline. The Third Floor additionally provided “technical previs” -- dimensions and camera information to help the filmmakers reproduce the director’s decisions on set, and “postvis” for reference use in the cut prior to commissioning and delivery of final visual effects.
Some of the more challenging sequences were staged on the ice planet of Jotunheim, the production's most intricate set. The Third Floor team worked closely with visual effects supervisor Wesley Sewell and visual effects producer Diana Giorgiutti to hone in on the director’s vision, and plan out the complex visual effects shots required to tell a story of this magnitude.
While director Branagh had used previs selectively on prior projects, Thor was the first of his films where previs played a central and integral role to help him achieve his vision. This effort included the use of previs to prototype and explore options for all the mythic characters and creatures, including the design and movement of eight-legged horse Sleipnir, the look and feel of key props and costume elements like Thor's cape and hammer and the range and possible styles of motion for the dark forces of Asgard sent to invade Earth.
“Our goal was to be a nexus for the production, to help bring all of the creative and technical pieces of the puzzle together, and to depict the director’s vision as accurately as possible,” said Chris Edwards, CEO and Creative Director, The Third Floor, Inc. “As this was the début of Thor in a major motion picture, our team had both the opportunity and the responsibility to help Marvel and the filmmakers stay faithful to the original IP, while pushing the limits of what’s possible with this powerful and intriguing cast of characters.”
Thor marks The Third Floor's second project with Marvel Studios, following the company's previous contribution of previs for Iron Man 2. Other projects in The Third Floor's current slate include X-Men: First Class and Captain America: The First Avenger.
About The Third Floor, Inc.
The Third Floor, Inc. is a preeminent provider of 3D digital previsualization for clients in industries including motion pictures, commercials and video games. Since 2004, The Third Floor has helped clients visualize and maximize their creative content by producing computer-animated blueprints, known as “previsualizations” or “previs” for short. Feature film credits range from Avatar, Iron Man 2 and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland to recent and upcoming releases, including X-Men: First Class and Captain America: The First Avenger. The Third Floor also works with video game developers to design detailed cinematics for titles such as Resident Evil 5, Need for Speed and the Command & Conquer series. The Third Floor’s veteran previs teams work closely with directors, designers and visual effects supervisors to help them design and deliver the most compelling creative work. For further information, including details on the previs process and examples of The Third Floor’s work, please visit
www.thethirdfloorinc.com .
