Category: Visual Effects

Integrated Design Tools of Tallahassee, Florida stopped the NAB Show in Las Vegas earlier in April with a powerful combination of innovative technology and a little help from Einstein himself.

IDT introduced the Digital Cinema Edition of its slow motion products at the show through a powerful short feature film entitled THE MYSTERY OF TIME.

After running into difficulty last week trying to launch its initial public stock offering, Venice-based vfx/commercial studio Digital Domain is now considering raising capital through private equity. According to THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, Digital Domain was not able to close the deal at its asking price of 6 million shares at $12 to $14 a piece. The studio was trying to raise $70 million after expenses.

Universal Studios has optioned Oni Press comic series RESURRECTION by ELI STONE co-creator Marc Guggenheim, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Universal's Scott Stuber is producing along with Eric Gitter of Closed on Mondays Ent., the producing arm of Oni Press.

The story centers around the aftermath of an alien invasion, in which the human survivors try to take back control of the planet.

Illustrated by Dave Dumeer, the comic was first published in October, with the third issue recently released.

Smoke and Mirrors New York and @radical.media's Tarsem create the beertastic world for BBH and brew masters at Miller Lite. The ever-elusive Beer Heaven is revealed to our hero, Mark, as he spots the descending stairwell into the promised land. What he finds is a bar where the taps and shelves are fully stocked with the perfect combination of taste and refreshment. Mark is the star of the bar -- everyone knows his name and the barstool reflects that notion.

Becker Group, in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, will bring worldwide audiences "Harry Potter: The Exhibition," a state-of-the-art exhibition highlighting artifacts from the Warner Bros. films based on J.K. Rowling's book series. The 10,000 square foot experience will premiere in spring 2009 in a major market, and will appear in 10 or more cities around the world throughout a five-year span.

Director Brian De Palma's THE FURY, a 1978 supernatural horror flick, is being revived by Fox 2000, per VARIETY.

Fox has hired Brian McGreevy and Lee Shipman to write a contemporary reimagining of the film, to be centered on a young man with heightened kinetic powers who is abducted by the government.

The original starred Kirk Douglas and John Cassavetes, was released by 20th Century Fox and was based on John Farris' 1976 novel of the same name.

Mike Weber will executive produce; Ted Field will produce via his Radar Pictures.

dvGarage has released "dpMatte," a greenscreen keyer for Apple's Aperture 2.1. Based on technology used in dvGarage's existing keyer, dvMatte, the new background replacement tool is the first plug-in to be released using Aperture's brand new SDK.

dvGarage founder, Alex Lindsay said, "We view the photography industry as a massive growth market and we're glad Apple has opened Aperture to third party development."

PAN'S LABYRINTH director Guillermo del Toro has signed on to direct THE HOBBIT and its sequel for New Line-MGM.

This is a major step forward for the LORD OF THE RINGS prequels, which had been held up in litigation for several years.

The official announcement came Friday from executive producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, New Line president Toby Emmerich and Mary Parent, chief of MGM's Worldwide Motion Picture Group.

VARIETY reports Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer will portray Italian scientist Vittoria Vetra in Columbia Pictures' DA VINCI CODE prequel ANGELS & DEMONS.

Tom Hanks will reprise his role as religious art scholar Robert Langdon. Vetra becomes entangled with Langdon as they attempt to sort through a mystery surrounding two groups with powerful and ancient roots: the Illuminati, the most powerful underground organization in history, and the Catholic Church.

Ron Howard will be back to direct the prequel from an Akiva Goldsman script.

Digital-Tutors released MENTAL RAY WORKFLOWS IN MAYA: CAUSTICS -- the latest release in a growing library of interactive training for emerging digital artists using Maya, the award-winning 3D modeling, animation, effects, and rendering solution.

MENTAL RAY WORKFLOWS IN MAYA: CAUSTICS contains two hours of project-based training for intermediate artists learning methods for realistically reflecting and refracting light rays in scenes and time-saving rendering techniques that can be used in numerous scenarios that require caustic effects.

Chuck Huebner, president and CEO, Big Stage, announced an addition to the company's executive ranks with industry vet Jonas Gray as SVP of marketing.

Gray, who has spent nearly 20 years creating synergies between brands and consumers, will help identify and implement strategic marketing partnerships for Big Stage, and drive overall branding, product marketing, and communications efforts on behalf of the company.