Category: Visual Effects

Press Release from IMAX Corporation

TORONTO, June 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ: IMAX; TSX: IMX) and BIG Cinemas, a division of Adlabs Films Ltd, a Reliance ADA Group company and India's largest entertainment conglomerate, today announced an agreement to install IMAX's new digital projection system in BIG Cinemas' flagship IMAX(R) theatre in the heart of Mumbai. The installation is scheduled to be completed in July 2009, and will mark the first digital IMAX location in India.

Natalie Portman has been signed on to play the lead in Darren Aronofsky's BLACK SWAN supernatural thriller, per THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

The film, set up at Universal since 2007, and based in the world of New York City ballet, has been changed a bit in the last two years. Universal put the film in turnaround and has been making the rounds at the studios and specialty divisions. Development exec at Aronofsky's Protozoa Pictures, Mark Heyman, has done a re-write of John McLaughlin's original script. Mike Medavoy's Phoenix Pictures and Protozoa are producing.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY's Michael Ausiello reports that Noah Wyle has been hired to headline Steven Spielberg's untitled alien-invasion pilot for TNT.

The series was announced last month at TNT's upfront presentations. The story takes place six months after evil aliens decimate mankind, while Wyle would play the leader of a group of citizens trying to take down the extra terrestrials.

Press Release from Pixologic Inc.

Pixologic Inc., makers of the award-winning 3D sculpting, texturing and painting application ZBrush, released a preview video showcasing two new powerful features of the soon to be released ZBrush 4.

Spotlight

Press Release from Boris FX

Marlborough MA -- June 16, 2009 -- Boris FX, the leading developer of integrated effects technology for video and film, announced that the Boris Continuum Chroma Key Unit now includes a Chroma Key Studio filter for real-time previews and rendering in Apple Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Final Cut Express.

Press Release from DAZ 3D

DRAPER, Utah - June 16, 2009 - Providing artists with greater opportunity for advanced 3D content creation, DAZ 3D today announced a new free version of its celebrated 3D art and animation package, DAZ Studio 3, as well as the debut of its enhanced, professional-quality toolset, DAZ Studio 3 Advanced, ideal for 3D animators, designers and illustrators.

Disneynature has acquired the North American and Mexican distribution rights to the exciting new underwater film "OceanWorld 3D," the first feature-length nature documentary ever filmed and released in 3D, it was announced today by Jean-Francois Camilleri, executive vice president and general manager for Disneynature, and Francois Mantello, chairman of 3D Entertainment.

Press Release from Troika Design Group

Troika Design Group announced that Stan Lim has joined the strategic branding and design agency as art director, where he'll play an important role guiding creative on projects within Troika's collaborative environment. Lim comes to Troika from Imaginary Forces, where he developed a reputation for artistic rigor, strategic thinking and a fresh design approach -- qualities that will soon be put to use on upcoming work for Troika clients such as ABC and Fox.

Press Release from The Gnomon Workshop

Two years after being killed, Marvel Comics will bring back to life Captain America, according to the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS (via IESB.net).

"The original Captain America is finally coming back," Marvel Comics editor in chief Joe Quesada said. "We've been patiently planning for this moment for 21/2 years."

Cinesite created all of the visual effects, and oversaw the Visual Effects Supervision for Liberty Films' sci-fi thriller MOON. Their work involved the creation of over 270 visual effects shots, including the photorealistic CG Gerty robot (one of the film's principal characters), stunning panoramic digital lunarscape matte paintings showing the space environment, and extensive multi-element compositing.