Tagged With: Visual

In an attempt to reach out to the growing desktop visual effects community, Discreet has announced it is repricing the update to version 2.1 of its paint, animation and 3D compositing software combustion to US$995. Discreet's combustion technology has been used to produce visual effects in recent blockbuster films such as STAR TREK NEMESIS, HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS and both LORD OF THE RINGS films.

GTN Travelling Pictures has added visual effects artist Michael Orlando to its staff. In his former position as CGI artist at ILM, Orlandos credits include an array of visual effects for feature films including STAR WARS: EPISODE II "ATTACK OF THE CLONES," THE TIME MACHINE, MEN IN BLACK II and MINORITY REPORT. Orlando has also worked in the effects divisions of Paramount Pictures, Disney, Sony ImageWorks and Cinesite. In addition to his 3D skills, Michael also has experience in the design and construction of model miniatures, mechanical action props, photography and oil painting.

The Art Institutes International Minnesota (Ai Minnesota), located in downtown Minneapolis, is now offering a bachelor's degree program in Visual Effects & Motion Graphics. To accommodate the new program, Ai Minnesota has expanded its facilities to include a green room, a professional-level sound recording studio, several digital video cameras and lighting kits. The Visual Effects & Motion Graphics program utilizes software applications such as Combustion, Shake, Maya, Final Cut Pro and Adobe After Effects.

The Thanksgiving holiday weekend worked some magic for HARRY POTTER, but didn't add up to treasure for Disney's latest animated effort. Debuting on Wednesday, November 27, Disney's animated adventure TREASURE PLANET opened in fourth place with $16.5M, barely edging out the holiday's other animated debut, Adam Sandler's EIGHT CRAZY NIGHTS, which earned $15.1M over the four-day weekend for fifth place.

Sony Pictures Imageworks is enhancing its visual effects department with the hire of three new visual effects supervisors: Mark Stetson, Kevin Mack and Richard Hoover. Mark Stetson began his career on STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, and has worked on such films as BLADE RUNNER, THE RIGHT STUFF, GHOSTBUSTERS and DIE HARD. He won an Oscar and a BAFTA Award in 2002 for visual effects on THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING. Kevin Mack won the Academy Award in 1999 for Best Visual Effects with WHAT DREAMS MAY COME and has supervised effects on DR.

Santa Monica-based visual effects studio R!OT has promoted Ken Nakada to the post of director of visual effects. In his new role, Nakada will oversee all of the studios activities related to the production of visual effects for feature films, episodic television, commercials and music videos. His role will include managing the department, providing creative oversight for current projects and planning for long term growth. Nakada will also continue to perform his previous duties as a matte painter and compositor.

The urban drama 8 MILE, starring rap artist Eminem, took in a surprising $54.4M in its debut weekend, bumping last week's number one THE SANTA CLAUSE 2 down a notch. The family-friendly CLAUSE 2, with visual effects by Tippett Studios and GVFX, earned $28.4M for a two-week total of $60.1M. Psychological thriller THE RING, with visual effects by Method Studios, Rhythm & Hues, Asylum and Tippett Studios, moved to third, with $16M for a cume of $86.1M. Action-comedy I SPY, with visual effects by Sony Pictures Imageworks, added another $9M for a two-week take of $24.7M and fourth place.

DreamWorks' new thriller THE RING, with visual effects by Tippett Studios, Rhythm & Hues and Asylum, debuted at number one this weekend with $15M. The film is a remake of the Japanese hit RINGU, about a cursed videotape that causes all those who watch it to die within seven days. THE RING certainly put a curse on RED DRAGON, which dropped to third after holding the top spot for two weeks. The serial killer thriller, with visual effects by Cinesite, earned $8.8M for a two-week total of $77.8M. JONAH: A VEGGIETALES MOVIE has edged out action comedy THE TUXEDO for eighth place.

Winners of the 54th Annual Creative Arts Emmy Awards were announced at the Shrine Auditorium on September 14, 2002. SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE's Darrell Hammond hosted the evening, which honors television's top talent behind the camera. In the animation-related categories, FUTURAMA, which recently found a new home on Cartoon Network, picked up its first Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program Less Than One Hour, beating out fellow Fox nominees THE SIMPSONS and KING OF THE HILL, as well as Comedy Central's SOUTH PARK and Nickelodeon's AS TOLD BY GINGER.

The top two movies held their places from last weekend, with extreme-sports actioner XXX, with visual effects by Digital Domain, coming in at number one with $23M, for a gross to date of $84.9M. Alien thriller SIGNS, with visual effects by ILM, was in second place, with $19.5M for a cume of $150.7M. The surfer girls of BLUE CRUSH had a third place debut with $15.2M and kids' action pic SPY KIDS 2: THE ISLAND OF LOST DREAMS, with visual effects by ComputerCafe, added another $11.6M to its total for a ten day cume of $45.7M and fourth place.

Visual effects artist Kate ONeill has joined the creative team of New York-based animation, visual effects and design company Black Logic. "Kate had been freelancing for us for quite a while, and we were attracted to the ease with which she approaches her work," said executive producer Ivan Molomut. "Kate's talent and personality is a perfect fit for the effects/CGI team we have assembled and our clients love working with her." ONeill has been freelancing as a Flame/Inferno artist since 1995.

GOLDMEMBER, the third installment in the AUSTIN POWERS franchise, handily topped the box office this weekend with a whopping $71.4M debut. This gives the spy spoof $75M total (including Thursday's sneak preview gross) making it the highest July debut ever. The weekend's other new film, Disney's THE COUNTRY BEARS, based on the Disneyland theme park attraction, made a lackluster sixth place debut with $5.2M. This may not bode well for Disney's upcoming features based on theme rides The Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.