Category: Visual Effects

Guillermo del Toro has plans for the next decade, including remakes of FRANKENSTEIN, THE HOBBIT two-picture project and an adaptation of DROOD, per VARIETY.

Universal has a three-year first look deal with del Toro they signed a year ago, and have committed to him with four directing projects, including remakes of FRANKENSTEIN, DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE and SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE. Project four will be an adaptation of Dan Simmons' novel DROOD that is set for publication by Little, Brown in February.

Thornberg and Forester recently collaborated with Minneapolis agency Peterson Milla Hooks (PMH) to create a new spot for Target that turns a classic cube-shaped puzzle into a mesmerizing showcase for the store's fall styles.

Finish have recently finished work on a Tiger Aspect production NO HEROICS for ITV2 in the U.K., the channel's first sitcom.

Directed by Ben Gregor using a single camera, NO HEROICS follows the very real lives of four off-duty superheroes in London, their struggles in love and their bigger struggles with fame -- or lack of it. Based in a superheroes-only Soho pub, the sitcom focuses on their relationships, their sex lives and their constant desperation for success and fame.

Strategic branding and design agency Troika Design Group created a branding campaign for FOX for the 2008 fall programming season. FOX's new look debuted August 18, 2008, with elements rolled out until the fall season's official launch on September 1, 2008.

FOX selected Troika to implement the "SO FOX" concept and create a contemporary visual expression that would embrace the network's maverick spirit and capture the attitude of this new brand position.

This week The Gnomon Workshop released two new titles in their popular "Behind The Scenes" series, which gives an in-depth look at the creation of a game cinematic sequence. Produced with Producer Emmanuel Fragelus, Art Director Mark Goerner and Director Louis Bolivar, this series follows a team of artists as they demonstrate their production techniques from concept phase to final rendered animation. Each DVD includes actual production meetings with Art Director Mark Goerner as he goes over the existing designs and lends direction to the project.

Stephen Sommers is negotiating to be brought on to direct the next feature version of TARZAN for Warner Bros. and producer Jerry Weintraub, per VARIETY.

Sommers would also co-write the script with Stuart Beattie. TARZAN has been in development at WB and Weintraub since 2003, when John August was hired to write a script. Guillermo del Toro negotiated two years ago to direct.

3Dconnexion's award-winning line of 3D mice is now supported by the recently released Adobe Acrobat 9 family of products, including Acrobat 9 Reader, Acrobat 9 Standard, Acrobat 9 Pro, and the new Acrobat 9 Pro Extended.

Acrobat 9 is great for creating and sharing Adobe PDF documents and 3Dconnexion's 3D mice augment Acrobat 9 by allowing people to navigate 2D and 3D content within PDF documents more intuitively than with a traditional mouse alone.

The latest Adam Neustadter-directed music video for rock band Morningwood gives a tasty launch to SUGARBABY, the lead single off the band's new four-track digital EP released this month.

Neustadter tapped New York-based visual FX studio Guava (www.guavanyc.com) and their vfx artist Mark Wilhelm to handle effects and compositing on the song's comedic video, which depicts a puppet protagonist living the fast life.

Publicis Mojo's new campaign for the Toyota Camry in Australia is an unpretentious and inventive tale about finding inspiration and the connectivity of ideas.

The :60 spot features earnest young engineers in lab coats carrying out experiments and exchanging ideas. Above their heads, represented by abstract 3D "widgets," are their ideas and contribution to the whole. We follow the journey of a team member struggling to find his own widget.

Rushes, in partnership with Itch Film, will soon reopen their fully equipped, newly refurbished and re-branded studio. This new venture will combine a state of the art studio space with Rushes' long-standing knowledge of pack shots and motion control studio shoots.

Itch Film is a boutique production company, founded by Charlie Paul, an experienced food shoot specialist.

The studio has undergone a complete transformation, with a larger stage area and a stylish, contemporary client area, WiFi Internet access and a roof terrace.

Diane Kruger (TROY, NATIONAL TREASURE) has been cast in Quentin Tarantino's INGLORIOUS BASTARDS, in a role that had been rumored to be Nastassja Kinski's, per THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Kruger will play Bridget Von Hammersmark, the glamorous German actress who aids a group of American soldiers on a World War II mission to kill Nazis to infiltrate a movie premiere. Kinski was in talks with Tarantino, who flew to Germany to meet with her, but a deal was not reached. Kruger, who, like Kinski, is German, will speak in German and in English for the role.

VFX software developer The Foundry has appointed Richard Shackleton as the new product manager for Nuke, its compositing system. Shackleton has more than 15 years experience of product development in the visual effects/editing markets, having previously worked in similar roles with well-known manufacturers, including The Foundry. He takes over from Matt Plec, who has become Nuke product designer.