Search form

Category: Visual Effects

Headline News

One Hour Photo Helmer to Put Wolf Man into Focus

ONE HOUR PHOTO helmer Mark Romanek has been tapped to direct Universal's re-imagining of the horror classic, THE WOLF MAN, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Benicio Del Toro is set to star as well as produce along with Scott Stuber, Mary Parent and Rick Yorn.

SEVEN scribe Andrew Kevin Walker has adapted the screenplay, which will follow the plot of the 1941 original. Lawrence Talbot returns to his ancestral home in Victorian-era Great Britain and is bitten by a werewolf.

The film is set to start production in the fall.

Henson Headline News

Jim Henson Co. to Develop Trio of Book-Based Films

The Jim Henson Co. has announced the most recent additions to its feature film development slate and live-action projects based on beloved fantasy titles. The company has acquired the rights to THE BOGGART by novelist Susan Cooper (THE DARK IS RISING), THE DOUBTFUL GUEST, the whimsical classic story by Edward Gorey, and the popular fantasy adventure trilogy MONSTER BLOOD TATTOO by D.M. Cornish. Jim Henson's Creature Shop, the company's visual and special effects division, will bring the myriad fantasy characters and creatures of each film to life using a blend of CG and animatronics.

Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

With Dennis Muren receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at this Sunday's VES Awards at the Kodak Grand Ballroom in Hollywood, VFXWORLD took the opportunity to chat with the eight-time Oscar- winning legend from ILM. You can read what the always-insightful Muren has to say about his career and the industry in Friday's exclusive Q&A. Also, Fred Galpern reviews Maya 8.5 and Marco Consoli reports on the animation and vfx delights he experienced at the Future Film Festival last month in Bologna.

Bill DesowitzEditor

Artists Headline News

Corel Painter X Blurs Line Between Traditional & Digital Art

Corel Corp. announced the availability of Corel Painter X. The latest version of Corel Painter continues its focus on giving professional artists, designers and photographers a natural painting and illustration experience that is unmatched by any other software.

Headline News

Rhythm & Hues Purchases FrameCycler DI

Rhythm & Hues Inc. has purchased three seats of Iridas' FrameCycler DI. FrameCycler DI offers a powerful toolset combining uncompressed playback of 2K content, conform, primary color correction and ReviewLink, Iridas' new remote collaboration system.

"FrameCycler DI allows us to do 2K playback and saves us the step of having to do a film-out," said Harry Lam, digital compositing supervisor at Rhythm & Hues. "It's great being able to go into the screening room each day and see our work in realtime. It allows us to keep close tabs on our work as we go."

Autodesk Headline News

Autodesk Offers VFX Solutions For Super Bowl 2007 Spots

Many of this year's memorable Super Bowl commercials were created with Autodesk Inc.'s visual effects, editing and finishing and 3D animation products. Autodesk's tools allowed post-production facilities to complete eye-catching work on tight deadlines for Budweiser, Coca-Cola, FedEx and many other advertisers.

Headline News

Polanski's Pompeii Ready to Erupt

Academy Award-winning director Roman Polanski has signed on to direct POMPEII, the NEW YORK TIMES best-selling novel by Robert Harris (author of ARCHANGEL and FATHERLAND). POMPEII tells the story of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in A.D. 79 through the eyes of a young engineer, Marcus Attilius, who is sent to repair the greatest aqueduct in the Roman Empire, which brings water to 250,000 people on the Bay of Naples. Attilius not only has to fight the corrupt forces that control the town of Pompeii, but ultimately the overwhelming power of nature itself.

Headline News

Journey 3-D to Open Summer 2008

One of the first big commercial tests of 3-D will come with the opening of JOURNEY 3-D in the summer of 2008, as the remake of JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH from New Line Cinema and Walden Media is expected to play on more than 1,500 Real D 3-D screens, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.

Headline News

Pixel Farm Pimps Two New Hoes

The Pixel Farm, renowned technology provider to the world's digital film effects industry, has announced the launch of PFHoe 2.0 and PFHoePro. Launched in 2004, PFHoe introduced automatic match moving to the pro-sumer market with its ability to bring computer animation and live video together in a seamless fashion.

Ralph Headline News

C.S. Lewis' Screwtape Letters Ascending to the Bigscreen

Ralph Winter Prods. and Walden Media's Bristol Bay Prods. are teaming to produce a bigscreen adaptation of C.S. Lewis' THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, reports VARIETY. The production companies hope to have the film ready for 2008.

The novel, which was first published in 1942, follows a senior demon named, Screwtape, as he advises his nephew, Wormwood, on how to undermine faith and encourage sin.

Square Headline News

Dave Child Joins Golden Square

Dave Child, one of the industry's top vfx artists, has recently hooked up with leading post-production boutique Golden Square, having run the 3D department at One Post for three years and before that, senior animator at Rushes.

Child joins the recently expanded 3D department of six full-time animators plus permanent freelancers. Golden Square has recently refurbished a stylish and comfortable new space at no. 4 (Golden Square) to accommodate the ever-increasing workload and staff. No. 4 will also accommodate two new suites, Disqo and the design department.

Digital Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

We conclude our business focus this month with J. Paul Peszko's report on NVIDIA's Digital Bollywood Initiative, the VFXWORLD survey of "What to Expect in 2007" and an interview with character concept artist Aaron Sims about his new production company and new short that he directed. Meanwhile, Alain Bielik covers some of the fascinating work behind THE MESSENGERS (opening Friday).

Bill DesowitzEditor

Artists Headline News

Illustrators & Matte Artists Union IATSE Local 790 Taps modo

Luxology's modo has been selected as a digital tool for use by members of the Illustrators and Matte Artists Union IATSE Local 790. modo got the nod due to its artist friendly workflow and ability to work seamlessly in downstream production pipelines consisting of multiple digital art tools. As part of the arrangement, Luxology will offer IATSE Local 790 members a specially priced customized bundle of modo software and learning materials that provides a range of 2D and 3D functionality on both the PC and Mac platforms.

Channel Headline News

Masters Of Horror Season to Wrap Up on Showtime

The MASTERS OF HORROR 13-episode series will be wrapping up on Showtime with THE WASHINGTONIANS, directed by Peter Medak (THE CHANGELING) to debut Jan. 26, 2007, at 10:00 pm, with repeats through the following Tuesday and the 13th story, DREAM CRUISE, directed by Norio Tsuruta (RINGU 0: BÂSUDEI, PREMONITION), to bow Feb. 2 at 10:00 pm.

Imax Headline News

300 Bound for IMAX

Zack Snyder's highly anticipated adaptation of 300, based on the Frank Miller graphic novel, will be simultaneously released domestically in both IMAX and conventional theaters on March 9.

"Warner Bros. Pictures and the filmmakers are very excited to bring this unique cinematic experience to both conventional and IMAX theaters this spring," said Dan Fellman, president of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. "The immersive IMAX Experience will transform this film, offering audiences an alternative way to view this highly-charged picture."

Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

Well, the nominations for the 79th Academy Awards were announced early Tuesday morning, and congratulations to VFX nominees PIRATES OF THE CARIBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST, POSEIDON and SUPERMAN RETURNS. Jill Smolin recaps last week's bakeoff, bolstered by some terrific clips. And good luck to the three animated feature contenders: CARS, HAPPY FEET and MONSTER HOUSE.

Work Headline News

Pirates, Poseidon, Superman Returns Get VFX Oscar Nominations

Boasting innovations in on-set performance capture (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST) and CG water (POSEIDON), Industrial Light & Magic led the way with two out of three nominations for best achievement in visual effects in the 79th Oscar race. SUPERMAN RETURNS, with its digital flying, heroic feats and superlative crystal work, earned the third nomination.

Season Headline News

Zoic Embarks on 24 Season Six

Zoic Studios has joined the team that helps bring the acclaimed television series 24 to life. The highly anticipated season six launched on Fox on Jan. 13 and 14, delivering the cliffhanger excitement and bold performances for which the show is known.

Zoic will provide both dramatic and invisible effects throughout the season, as Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) embarks on his continuing high stakes adventure, playing out in realtime, hour by nail-biting hour.

Headline News

SCI FI Launches The Dresden Files With New Spin Marketing Campaign

SCI FI launched an original new marketing campaign to promote THE DRESDEN FILES, a fresh supernatural take on the television crime drama, which premieres Jan. 21, 9:00 pm, as lead-in to the channels critically-acclaimed series, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, which begins airing in its new timeslot, Sundays at 10:00 pm.

Pages