Furious FX Blazes Through First Year
Burbank-based Furious FX enters its sophomore year with a wide assortment of their first years work erupting into theaters and onto DVD shelves. Currently in production are MR. AND MRS. SMITH and FEVER PITCH.
The newly ignited facility has completed nearly 500 shots in the last 12 months. Their work is featured in more than 15 high profile films, including THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK, SPIDER-MAN 2, SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW, FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX, the upcoming UNDERCLASSMAN, as well as Sundance indie CHRYSTAL starring Billy Bob Thornton.
The four partners at Furious Scott Dougherty, president; David Lingenfelser, visual effects supervisor; Jeffrey Baksinski, digital manager and Ralph Denson, gm all formerly worked at Kodak-owned Cinesite in managerial and creative positions. The four of us fill very distinct roles as we strive to bring together the best elements of our previous industry experiences. Our goal is to create a sort of visual effects utopia for both our clients and ourselves, Dougherty explained.
Dougherty, the former exec producer at Cinesite, with more than 80 films to his credit, also oversees the marketing and project development of the new business. Promoting the Furious creative team within the community is the least difficult part of the job. Our talented and seasoned group appeals to studios and production companies alike. My approach has always been very straightforward, with a focus on collaboration in a friendly environment, and that seems to be what both our colleagues and artists want in this competitive market.
Lingenfelser, a 10-year vfx veteran who has worked on more than 60 projects as both a supervisor and digital compositor, serves as the creative force behind the companys big-screen work. Lingenfelser is charged with overseeing all shots that come through the facility to ensure that the filmmakers vision is achieved. We have really enjoyed the accessibility of supervisors on our projects this past year. Its refreshing to have more one-on-one time as it feels so much more like were all working together. The smaller sized company plays a big part in creating that atmosphere, Lingenfelser said.
Added Dougherty, David has always been highly sought after for his compositing talents, though he welcomed the opportunity to help build a smaller studio that is conducive to the artists creative expression.
Baksinski shares this sentiment in his management of the artistic staff. Having worked at several large visual effects houses in addition to Cinesite during his career, including Digital Domain and Disney, Baksinski understands the facility needs from both an artistic and business standpoint.
Completing the four-way partnership is Denson, who brings his production and technology expertise. Previous stints as production manager at Cinesite, DreamWorks, and operations manager at Digital Domain have prepared Denson for the challenges of running the streamlined Furious FX.
Lingenfelser added, Over the past year, weve had so many supervisors tell us that they want to work more directly with the artists. We try to keep our pipeline simple and the lines of communication wide open. So far, this seems to be the type of setup that keeps everyone happy, and makes them look forward to working with us again on future projects.
Reflecting back on the start-ups first year Dougherty concluded, A big part of this venture has been to find a way to enjoy what we have excelled at in the past, while remaining small enough to provide more direct interaction throughout the creative process. We also hope to avoid the overhead and internal issues that seem inevitable at many larger companies.
You can explore more of Furious FX at www.furiousvfx.com.