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Category: Visual Effects

Game Headline News

Activision Gears up for Battle With Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

The fate of the earth and the survival of the human race hang in the balance in the TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN videogame from Activision Publishing. Based on Hasbro's TRANSFORMERS property and the upcoming film from DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures in association with Hasbro, the game propels players straight into an adrenaline-pumping battle for supremacy across the globe where every second and every choice makes the difference between mankind's salvation and annihilation.

Time Headline News

Time Warner Posts $16B Loss for 2008

Time Warner reported its financial results for its full year and fourth quarter (ending Dec. 31, 2008) on Wednesday, with an operating loss on the year of $16 billion. That figure reflected a decline of $24.9 billion compared to 2007's operating income of $8.9 billion, due mainly to a $24.2 billion noncash impairment to reduce the carrying value of goodwill and intangible assets.

Studio Headline News

Horror Writer Gets Comicbook/Film Deal

Horror film writer Neal Marshall Stevens will write two comicbooks for Studio 407 that the company may also adopt into features, per VARIETY.

Futuristic action-thriller HAVOC BRIGADE will come out March 25 and scary actioner DEMON SQUAD is set for release later in 2009. Stevens originally came to Studio 407 to write HUNTER with director Eric Vallete and co-produced by Stallion Pictures.

Studio 407 is working with Myriad Pictures to produce two films based on their graphic novels: HYBRID and THE NIGHT PROJECTIONIST.

Online Headline News

Moviegoers Follow the Angels & Demons Path of Illumination in Online Contest

On May 15, 2009, famed Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon will follow the Path of Illumination in order to thwart the Illuminati's plot to commit unspeakable acts of violence in their quest to destroy the Vatican in Columbia Pictures' ANGELS & DEMONS.

Online moviegoers from seven countries will have the chance to follow their own path with the Angels & Demons Path of Illumination Contest on www.AngelsAndDemons.MSN.com.

Headline News

Chris Allen Re-Joins MPC

Chris Allen has re-joined MPC from Absolute Post. Allen, who left MPC three years ago, takes up the position of Senior Producer, and will be based in the London studio.

Allen has worked with many commercials directors during his time at both companies. His recent credits include; Lux for Dawn Shadforth at RSA (JWT New York/Tokyo), Transport for London for Emil Moller/Fredrik Bond at Sonny (M&C Saatchi) and Boots for David LaChapelle at HSI through Mother London.

Headline News

Jonas Bros. 3-D Gets One-Week IMAX Engagement

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' THE JONAS BROTHERS: THE 3D CONCERT EXPERIENCE, directed by Bruce Hendricks (Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour), will be released for a one week engagement in select IMAX 3-D theatres, simultaneously with the film's wide release in 3-D on February 27, 2009.

Technology Headline News

Autodesk 3ds Max Design Software: Exposure Technology Scientifically Validated

Autodesk's Exposure lighting simulation and analysis technology has been validated in a collaborative effort between the National Research Council Canada (NRC), Harvard University and Autodesk. This technology is included in Autodesk 3ds Max Design software. The validation recognizes that quantitative daylight simulation results provided by the software are as accurate and reliable as the existing "gold standard" for simulated test cases.

Autodesk Headline News

Autodesk Technology Key Player in Super Bowl Commercials

Advertisers and movie studios relied on technology from Autodesk to tackle the cutting-edge visual effects and animation integral to delivering their Super Bowl XLIII message.

"Super Bowl commercials and trailers are some of the most demanding entertainment projects in the world," said Bruno Sargeant, senior industry manager for television and broadcast, Autodesk Media & Entertainment. "For over 15 years, leading creatives have relied on a variety of Autodesk solutions to shape awe-inspiring content."

Design Headline News

3Dconnexion 3D Mice Now Supported by MAXON

3Dconnexion's 3D mice are now supported by MAXON's leading 3D software solutions for Mac OS X 10.4.9 or later, including the new versions of CINEMA 4D and BodyPaint 3D. Expanding support to the Mac platform provides the creative community with a more intuitive and immersive way to interact with MAXON's 3D software solutions used by today's leading creative professionals and 3D artists.

Channel Headline News

Sci Fi and Universal Channels Launch in Hong Kong

NBC Universal Global Networks has launched Universal Channel and Sci Fi Channel on now TV in Hong Kong in January 2009.

The move is part of NBCU Global Network's ongoing channels expansion in Asia and central to the company's objective, led by Roma Khanna, President, Global Networks & Digital Initiatives, to grow to over 100 channels internationally by 2010.

Universal Channel (now TV channel 522) and Sci Fi (now TV channel 124) are available with traditional Chinese subtitling.

Animation Headline News

Image Metrics Introduces Service Levels

Image Metrics has introduced four new facial animation service levels for film and game customers. Due to throughput innovations in Image Metrics' proprietary technology as well as significant improvements to its in-house facial animation processes, the new service levels now offer even better results at more competitive prices.

Headline News

Zorro Director May Helm Green Lantern

Martin Campbell and Warner Bros. are negotiating for Campbell to helm the studio's live-action take on DC Comics' hero GREEN LANTERN, according to VARIETY.

Campbell last directed CASINO ROYALE, with two ZORRO films and GOLDENEYE also on his resume.

Greg Berlanti wrote the script with Marc Guggenheim and Michael Green. Donald DeLine will produce with Berlanti.

Digital Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

As we head into the Oscar homestretch, it's time for VFXWORLD's sixth annual chat with the nominated supervisors, so we spoke with Digital Domain's Eric Barba (THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON), Double Negative's Paul Franklin (THE DARK KNIGHT) and ILM's Ben Snow (IRON MAN) about achieving more realistic-looking CG and what they thought of each other's work. Meanwhile, the Academy's Sci Tech Awards dinner is Saturday night at the Beverly Wilshire, so Ellen Wolff caught up with Bonner Medalist Mark Kimball and I spoke with Ed Catmull, who's receiving the Gordon E.

Headline News

NewTek Unveils New 3D Technology

NewTek Inc. has revealed LightWave CORE, its next-generation 3D application via a streamed live presentation on www.ustream.com to 3D artists around the world. LightWave CORE is a completely new system offering a unified environment that allows anything to be animated in any number of ways. LightWave CORE is a node-based, multi-processing, unified application, designed to be as future-proof as possible, with a concentration on capacity and performance.

Awards Headline News

Jessica Biel to Host Academy's Sci-Tech Awards

Actress Jessica Biel will host the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Scientific and Technical Awards on Saturday, February 7, at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills.

Among the six awards that Biel will present during the evening is the Academy's Gordon E. Sawyer Award, an Oscar statuette, which is being bestowed on Ed Catmull for his lifetime of technical contributions and leadership in the field of computer graphics for the motion picture industry.

Headline News

Digital Anarchy: Two Plugins for Apple's Aperture

Digital Anarchy, a provider of cost-effective special effects software for Adobe and Apple products, has released two software products for use in Apple's Aperture. Knoll Light Factory generates lighting effects that dramatically enhance the natural or man-made lighting in photographs. ToonIt! Photo creates cartoon-like images from photographs, freeing artists from time consuming techniques such as hand painting and masking. Both products are currently available for Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.

Home Headline News

Paul Chesney Appointed VP Int'l Operations, UPIE

Universal Pictures International Ent. (UPIE), the international home entertainment division of Universal Pictures, has appointed Paul Chesney as VP, International Operations, effective from March 2, 2009.

Based in London, Chesney will report to Eddie Cunningham, President, UPIE and will be responsible for the efficiency, systems and planning of all aspects of Universal's international home entertainment operations in regard to manufacturing, distribution and supply chain.

Spot Headline News

Brickyard VFX Touch Down on Super Bowl Spots

Artist owned-and-operated bi-coastal effects boutique Brickyard VFX contributed visual effects, including CG and compositing work, for three ads that aired during Sunday's Super Bowl XLIII Game. Brickyard's talented Santa Monica-based effects team worked on SPHERE OF SUMMER for Bud Light Lime directed by Smuggler's Stylewar via DDB Chicago, ONE UP for Cash4Gold directed by Hungry Man's Bryan Buckley via Euro RSCG Edge and Arnold Worldwide and THUGS for Denny's directed by Biscuit Filmworks' Perlorian Brothers via Goodby, Silverstein & Partners.

Ntropic Headline News

Ntropic Opens Los Angeles Space, Welcomes New CG Talent

On the heels of opening a new 8,000-square-foot space in San Francisco last summer, VFX company Ntropic has opened a Los Angeles location to service its growing client base in the commercial, feature film and music video arenas. Designed to facilitate creative collaboration and equipped with the latest technology, the new space can handle visual effects projects of any size. Ntropic recently wrapped vfx work on THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, and worked with Len Wiseman on the third installment of UNDERWORLD, its first major film project out of the L.A. office.

Headline News

Radical 3D Hires Mark Kochinski

Mark Kochinski has joined Radical 3D as Visual Effects Supervisor.

With more than 15 years of senior leadership and hands-on animator experience, Kochinski will use his extensive technical background to build and create methodologies for a groundbreaking new 3D series ANIMAL ARMAGEDDON.

"Mark has considerable talent and vast television experience," said Jason McKinley, owner of Radical 3D. "Producing over four hours of original content for this series, his experience is key to meeting our deadlines."

Effects Headline News

Eden FX Helps Chuck Enter the Third Dimension

Eden FX, a Hollywood-based creator of visual effects for feature films, television programs and commercials, has created a number of CG visual effects for a special network television presentation in 3-D for an upcoming episode of NBC's CHUCK.

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