Category: Visual Effects

With the popular Russian sci-fi thriller, NIGHT WATCH (NOCHNOI DOZOR), set to platform Feb. 17 in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco from Fox Searchlight Pictures, the second part of the trilogy, DAY WATCH, has just shattered box office records in Moscow. Fox Searchlight will release DAY WATCH theatrically later in 2006. The third part, DAWN WATCH, is currently in pre-production.

DAY WATCH premiered in Moscow on Jan. 1 with the biggest opening day gross ever at $2.1M. The three-day cume was $7.8M. DAY WATCH is now approaching a record $30M.

Rendercore Inc. has extended its promotional offer of unlimited use pricing model. Though Virtual Renderrack was only launched in December 2005, it was highly successful and generated a lot of requests from clients for the promotional offer to be extended. This promotion is available to those who purchase unlimited solution from Jan. 4-6, 2006.

2046, Wong Kar Wais wistful sci-fi love story about trying to recapture lost memories (with stunning vfx from French-based Buf) has arrived on DVD (Sony Pictures Home Ent., $29.95). A fitting follow-up to IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, theres more than meets the eye (neon lights, swirling smoke, CGI trains and dreamy close-ups) in this erotic, improvisational journey. Extras include breakdowns of vfx, music and numerology.

Bonus features also include:* Alternate ending* Deleted scenes: Black Spider and the Android visit Chow

Ted Rae will serve as visual effects supervisor on Mel Gibsons APOCALYPTO, the mythic action-adventure set against the turbulent end times of the once great Mayan civilization, now shooting in Mexico and slated for a summer release by Disneys Touchstone Pictures.

Eovia Corp. announced the immediate availability of the international English and French language editions of its complete 3D solution, Carrara 5. Responding to the need for mainstream accessibility while addressing the sophisticated requirements of professionals, Eovia Carrara 5 is made available in two versions. Both Carrara 5 and the more extensive Carrara 5 Pro present a potent and compelling suite of 3D modeling, animation and rendering tools wrapped within a more enjoyable user interface.

VFX boutique Ring of Fire recently completed effects on the dynamic Forces of Nature spot for the upcoming Olympic Winter Games on NBC. In this spot, directed by Kendall Bowlin of The NBC Agency, the sheer power of the Olympic athletes seem to change their environment by conjuring up extreme phenomena around them. The dramatic effects in the spot give it a supernatural feel.

Marc Ruxin has been hired as the coo of The Mill Group North America and Alistair Thompson has been promoted to md of The Mill New York.

Ruxin will be responsible for the growth, management and development of new products and services for The Mill and BEAM.TV. Ruxin brings 13 years of experience leading strategy, business development and marketing efforts on both the client and agency side of the technology and entertainment business.

RE:Vision Effects offers Twixtor, their popular retiming solution, for SOFTIMAGE|XSI animation software.

Twixtor 4.5 raises the bar in motion estimation. Nick Brooks, Oscar and Emmy winner for visual effects, said, "Twixtor 4.5 represents a new touchstone in retiming. The difference in accuracy means that retiming artifacts are either drastically reduced or disappear on the hardest to retime footage. "

Twixtor runs as an FxTree operator within SOFTIMAGE|XSI and provides the following features:* Calculation of motion vectors at each pixel.

NANNY MCPHEE, the new children's fantasy film, directed by Kirk Jones and starring Emma Thompson and Colin Firth, from a screenplay by Thompson, opens Jan. 27 through Universal Pictures. A team of more than 80 artists and technicians at Framestore CFC in London worked for nine months on the films digital vfx, providing some 150 shots. In addition, Framestore CFC's Digital Lab facility created the film's distinctive Digital Intermediate.

Kicking off January's highly anticipated Rose Bowl, ABC Sports has tapped Concrete Pictures to produce the open for the Bowl Championship Series' (BCS) National Championship game between University of Southern California and the University of Texas. The 1:40 spot, helmed by Tripp Dixon, will feature famed college football broadcaster Keith Jackson guiding fans through the thrilling tale of the 2005 college football season.