Category: Visual Effects

Debbie Denise has been promoted to evp, Production Infrastructure, and exec producer at Sony Pictures Imageworks, Denise, who joined Imageworks with Ken Ralston in 1995, is a highly respected executive visual effects producer who most recently completed production on the CG feature THE POLAR EXPRESS, on which she also received credit as associate producer. It was her sixth film with director Robert Zemeckis. With this promotion, she continues in her role as an exec producer along with oversight of Imageworks production infrastructure. Together with recently appointed Jenny Fulle, the two evps lead all aspects of Imageworks production, from client relations and bidding to production management and staffing. Both continue to report to Imageworks president Tim Sarnoff.

3Dconnexion, a Logitech company, has announced that visitors to CGI Festival 2004 will be able to test-drive its award-winning line of 3D motion controllers as part of a free, no-obligation 21-day evaluation.

CGI Festival 2004 reconvenes at the Business Design Centre in London from Dec. 7 to 8 after commencing last month in Leeds.

Kim Libreri, former vfx supervisor at ESC Ent., played a key role in the inception and development of Iridas FrameCycler Digital Daily System and SpeedGrade, the new non-destructive color grading and film finishing application. Both products were used extensively in the two MATRIX sequels as well as CATWOMAN.

Tom Hanks will play famed symbologist Robert Langdon in Columbia Pictures upcoming film adaptation based on Dan Browns best-selling thriller THE DA VINCI CODE, slated for release May 19, 2006. Ron Howard will direct from a script by Akiva Goldsman, who previously collaborated on Oscar-winner A BEAUTIFUL MIND. Brian Grazer and John Calley will produce. Presumably vfx, with lots of potential for virtual environments, would be handled by Sony Pictures Imageworks.

AP reports that Japanese electronics maker Toshiba Corp. is getting support from Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and its sister studio New Line for its next-generation DVD format, HD DVD, to be launched at the end of 2005 in players, recorders and other products.

SPIDER-MAN 2, with vfx designed by John Dykstra and created by Sony Pictures Imageworks, slings its way on multiple DVDs Nov. 30, 2004, courtesy of Columbia TriStar Home Ent.

A double-disc special edition loaded with more than 10 hours of bonus material retails for $29.96.

Bonus features include:* Commentary by director Sam Raimi, actor Tobey Maguire, producer Ani Ahrati and co-producer Grant Curtis* Technical commentary

Alfonso Cuarón stepped into the directors chair for HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, the third and darkest entry so far in the smash movie franchise, which arrives on DVD Nov. 23, 2004 (Warner Home Video, $29.95). Not surprisingly, along with the creepier plot and creeping sense of doubt, the vfx are up to the task, particularly the CGI creatures such as Buckbeak and the Dementors.

At a screening of the Chinese blockbuster film HERO last week, the NSW attorney general Bob Debus announced that a NSW fund used to attract traditional film projects will now also be available to digital production. Animal Logic welcomed the incentive and applauded the government for recognizing the importance of digital production to the future of international filmmaking.

Animal Logics director of communications & public affairs, Greg