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Category: Visual Effects

Film Headline News

Andy Hall of Elastic, a52 Directs Theatrical Opening for Newport Beach Film Fest

Press Release from Elastic

SANTA MONICA, CALIF. - Apr. 30, 2009 - Full-service design company Elastic (www.elastic.tv) is very proud to detail the work of Andy Hall, 3D and visual effects supervisor at VFX boutique a52 (www.a52.com), for the 2009 Newport Beach Film Festival. Working through Elastic and in collaboration with advertising agency RPA's creative director Scott McDonald and SVP/executive producer Gary Paticoff, Hall directed the festival's official :30 opening, which introduced all fare screened at the 8-day event that kicked off last week.

Headline News

Date Change: Vector City Racers Contest Begins May 18, 2009

Press Release from Vector Entertainment

Vector Entertainment has extended the start date of its Fastest Road to Fun Contest. Beginning May 18, 2009, Vector Entertainment invites all racing and gaming fans to design and submit a vehicle using the CarStructor easy-to-use online design tool. The grand prize winner’s submission will become one of the official starter vehicles for Vector City Racers and the winner will receive tickets and roundtrip air travel to their choice of one of four national racing spectator events.

Effects Headline News

Entity FX Scores Second Emmy Award For Sport Science

Press Release from Entity FX

Santa Monica, CA (April 30, 2009) -- Film, television and commercial visual effects company Entity FX has landed a 2009 Sports Emmy Award for its work on the television series SPORT SCIENCE. The award marks Entity FX's second Emmy accolade for the show, which is produced by BASE Productions and airs on Fox Sports Network (FSN).

Disney Headline News

Jackman Leaves Mutants, Finds Ghosts

Hugh Jackman is now attached to star in GHOSTOPOLIS, per THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, an upcoming graphic novel by Doug TenNapel set up at Disney.

Jackman is set to produce through his Seed Productions. The Gotham Group will also produce. Casey Wolfe will oversee for Disney.

Season Headline News

FOX Picks Up Second Season of Fringe

Press Release from FOX

FOX has renewed FRINGE, the No. 1 new series among Adults 18-49, with a full second season, it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, President, Entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Company.

"FRINGE proved to be a notable addition to our schedule all season and it really has fans buzzing as it builds to a fantastic season finale," said Reilly. "J.J. and the whole Bad Robot team have been phenomenal partners, and we look forward to years of making great television with them."

Headline News

The Rock to Head 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

PRODUCTION WEEKLY reports that Dwayne Johnson has been cast in Disney's live-action redo of 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, under helmer McG.

The studio reportedly hopes to make the film this year in Australia, and has put the project in fast-track.

The synopsis is as follows:

Games Headline News

Lionsgate Open to Games

MCVUK.com is reporting that Lionsgate is moving into games, producing casual and mobile titles from its TV and film properties. The studio is seeking developer partners to turn films like CRANK, RAMBO and SAW into playable entertainment. These new initiatives would be separate from console licensing, which Lionsgate’s president of digital media Curt Marvis thinks the company's titles are less viable.

Headline News

Potter Director Grabbing Reins of Lone Ranger?

In a brief Twitter post, Production Daily said HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE director Mike Newell was in negotiations to direct Disney's LONE RANGER. Little is known of the project outside of an announcement that Johnny Depp was attached to play Tonto and that PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN scribes Ted Elliot and Terry Russo had penned the script. Newell is currently in production on PRINCE OF PERSIA for Disney.

Series Headline News

Warner Bros. Signs Death Note

Warner Bros. has picked up the live-action feature rights to Japanese manga series DEATH NOTE, according to VARIETY. Writers Charley and Vlas Parlapanides will adapt the project. Plot follows a college student who gains the powers to kill a person by simply writing down their name and thinking of them.

Headline News

Friday the 13th Director's Next Chapter Comes from Dracula

Via VARIETY, we learn FRIDAY THE 13TH helmer Marcus Nispel is in negotiations to direct THE LAST VOYAGE OF DEMETER, which is based on the chapter in Bram Stoker's DRACULA where the Count travels from Transylvania to England aboard a cargo ship. The Phoenix Pictures production will be produced by Mike Medavoy, Arnie Messer, and Brad Fischer.

Film Headline News

Luma Helps Bring Wolverine to a Thrilling Close

Luma Pictures, the Venice, CA visual effects studio, created 125 visual effects shots for X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, the lion's share of which appear in the concluding "Aftermath" sequence. Luma created the CG environment where the scene takes place-a destroyed nuclear reactor and its environs-as well as the huge assortment of dust, debris and other atmospherics that accompanies the mayhem. Most significantly, its team of animators produced photo-real CG doubles for several of the film's mutant cast, including Victor Creed (Sabretooth), as well as Wolverine's adamantium claws.

Film Headline News

Underworld Creator To Direct Pale Horsemen Feature

NEHST Studios, a film production, financing and distribution company helmed by Larry Meistrich, has acquired Sandrunner Entertainment's feature film, THE PALE HORSEMEN. The film is based on an upcoming Darkstorm Studios graphic novel of the same name.

Written and created by UNDERWORLD creator, Kevin Grevioux, THE PALE HORSEMEN graphic novel is the story of a gang of mysterious hit men, forced together to uncover who killed their assassin mentor. Grevioux will also write the screenplay and make his directorial debut with this supernatural crime thriller.

Film Headline News

Phone Remake Rings at Imprint

SCREEN DAILY reports that Imprint Ent. has snagged the rights to remake Korean horror flick PHONE from Mirovision. The remake film had been languishing in development hell at Rogue Pictures for three years. The original film's director, Ahn Byung-ki, is set to direct and plans to shoot in Korea at the end of the year. Ahn will produce along with Mirovision CEO Jason Chae and Imprint producer Mark Morgan. Imprint hopes to have the film in theaters next summer.

Headline News

Dimension To Finally Release The Road

Dimension Films has announced the new release date for John Hillcoat's adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's THE ROAD. Delayed since last fall, the post-apocalyptic tale will arrive in theaters Oct. 16, 2009. The film stars Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Robert Duvall. The story follows a quiet man and his son as they venture across the decimated U.S. to a safe spot on the East Coast while trying to avoid cannibals and killers along the way.

Global Headline News

Sci Fi, 13th Street Launch on Ziggo in The Netherlands

Press Release from NBC Universal Global Networks

LONDON -- 29 April 2009 -- NBC Universal Global Networks has today confirmed a significant carriage deal with Holland's largest cable operator Ziggo, which will see its popular channels Sci Fi and 13th Street available to an additional 1.2 million subscribers across the Netherlands.

The agreement significantly increases coverage of its channels in The Netherlands as the long awaited Sci Fi and 13th Street join the well-established Hallmark Channel, currently already available on Ziggo.

Digital Headline News

Digital Kitchen Standardizes on Boris Continuum Complete

Press Release from Boris FX

Marlborough MA -- April 28, 2009 -- Boris FX , the leading developer of integrated effects technology for video and film, today announced that Digital Kitchen recently standardized on Boris Continuum Complete AE (BCC AE) for its Adobe After Effects systems, purchasing 65 licenses to give its artists a wide range of tools and plug-ins in one unified visual effects suite.

Creative Headline News

Radium Goes Retro for Pepsi

Press Release from Radium

Santa Monica, CA, April 28, 2009: Digital studio Radium, (http://www.radium.com), Santa Monica/Dallas created a rare glimpse into the past with its high-fructose corn syrup-free, 3D-animated commercial THROWBACK, for Pepsi out of TBWAChiatDay, LA. Radium designed an authentic, retro world that touts the re-release of Pepsi's original natural sugar formula.

Click here to view the spot.

Headline News

Cinesite Creates Entirely CG Sequence for Wolverine

Press Release from Cinesite

LONDON, April 29, 2009 - Cinesite created a series of shots for Fox's X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, released in the UK today with continued rollouts throughout the world this week. Cinesite's work included an entirely CG plane, clouds, ground and sky. Turned around in just five weeks, the photorealistic work blends seamlessly with the action.

Headline News

e-on Software Uncovers Vue 7.5

Press Release from e-on Software

April 29, 2009. Beaverton, Oregon: e-on software, maker of Vue, the leading solutions for natural 3D environments, today disclosed the new features available in its upcoming professional solutions, Vue 7.5 xStream and Vue 7.5 Infinite.

Headline News

Danny Huston Becomes Poseidon for Clash

Danny Huston has signed on to play Poseidon in the remake of CLASH OF THE TITANS, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures production also stars Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Sam Worthington, Mads Mikkelsen, Gemma Arterton, Jason Flemyng and Alexa Davalos

THE INCREDIBLE HULK helmer Louis Leterrier is directing the Perseus myth film. Production started Monday in the U.K. Thunder Road's Basil Iwanyk and Kevin de la Noy are producing.

Headline News

Gameloft Finds Sherlock Holmes Mobile Rights

Gameloft announced a worldwide licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Digital Distribution to develop, publish and distribute the mobile game for the Warner Bros. Pictures' and Village Roadshow Pictures' film SHERLOCK HOLMES, directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Robert Downey, Jr. The game is scheduled for release prior to the U.S. theatrical release on Christmas Day 2009.

Comedy Headline News

Larry The Cable Guy Gets the "Royale" Treatment in Comedy Central Roast

Press Release from Royale

Los Angeles, CA - (April 28, 2009) - Motion design & production house Royale was called upon by COMEDY CENTRAL to create some fun and glitz for the show open for the "COMEDY CENTRAL Roast Of Larry The Cable Guy."

Headline News

John Wells, Don Murphy to be Forgotten

Producers John Wells (John Wells Productions) and Don Murphy (Angryfilms) have purchased the option rights to independent comic THE FORGOTTEN, reports THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Wells is producing with his company's president Claire Polstein while Angryfilms' Susan Montford will produce as well.

Headline News

Absolute Hits A Triple For Miller Lite

Press Release from Absolute

Transatlantic VFX studio Absolute puts its high-end skillset to work for Miller Lite in a trio of enjoyable new spots via Joaquin Baca-Asay of Park Pictures and BBH, New York.

In the spots BOWLING, MOVIE and TAILGATE, CD/Lead Flame Artist Dirk Greene and his team of Flame and Combustion artists have crafted seamless effects work that's every bit as smooth as the taste of Miller Lite.

View BOWLING here.

Headline News

Ridley Scott Toying with Aliens Return

IESB reports from Fox co-chairman Tom Rothman that Ridley Scott might be interested in returning to the ALIENS franchise in which he created. Scott hasn't been quiet about his dislike for the ALIENS VS. PREDATOR series and his return would most likely be a prequel. Rothman told IESB, "I think he's toying with the idea and that would be great for us.

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