Category: Visual Effects

Headline News

McGregor Aboard Bay's Island

DreamWorks is in negotiations with Ewan McGregor (BIG FISH) to star in Michael Bay's next sci-fi feature, THE ISLAND, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Caspian Tredwell-Owen (BEYOND BORDERS) wrote the spec screenplay, which chronicles a harvested being" who tries to escape the utopian facility he is housed in. Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci (TV's ALIAS) have been hired to polish the script. Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald and Ian Bryce (CATCH ME IF YOU CAN) are set to produce. Marc Haines will oversee the project for the studio, which hopes to starting filming in the fall.

Headline News

Immersion VirtualHand Plug-In for MOCAP Certified by Kaydara

Immersion Corp. has announced that Kaydara has certified Immersion's new VirtualHand for MOCAP plug-in for MOCAP software. With this new combination, professional filmmakers, motion-capture directors, visual effects artists and game developers can use Immersion's CyberGlove hand-sensing hardware to capture hand motion, then edit and blend the animation in MOCAP. The CyberGlove provides high-performance hand measurement and real-time motion capture.

Headline News

Kelseus Unveils Antics Pre-Viz at SIGGRAPH 2004

Kelseus will launch Antics Pre-Viz, its own previs product that uses intelligent realtime 3D animation technology, at SIGGRAPH 2004, Aug. 10-12, at the Los Angeles Convention Center in booth #1355.

Headline News

Fox Boots X2's Singer from Lot

20th Century Fox has pulled the plug on X-MEN helmer Brian Singer's two-year first look deal, now that the director has signed on to direct Warner Bros. SUPERMAN, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Singer's Bad Hat Harry production company, which was based on the Fox lot, was asked to clear out its offices. Singer, who is working on SUPERMAN out of the Warner lot, does not have a overall deal with Warner, despite his development of the remake of LOGAN'S RUN.

Game Headline News

SUN Game Attracts Academy Award-Winning Composer

Howard Shore, the world-renowned film composer who composed the scores for THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, will compose game music for Webzen Inc.s next in-house developed game, SUN: SOUL OF THE ULTIMATE NATION. The massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) will be first introduced in early 2005 and launched later in the year. The original SUN soundtrack will be distributed for sale globally.

Software Headline News

Imagineer Systems Releases monet

Imagineer Systems announced the release of monet, its new product for broadcast, film and video post-production markets. monet is uniquely offers a start-to-finish solution for replacing elements in film and video. monet offers precision, lens distortion aware, 2D motion tracking with tools that allow accurate adjustments of the track to be made. It allows properties of the source material, such as lens distortion, shadows, highlights and grain/noise easily to be applied to the new element.

Film Headline News

Zathura Boys Cast

Josh Hutcherson (THE POLAR EXPRESS) and Jonah Bobo (AROUND THE BEND) have cast in Columbia Pictures' film rendition of ZATHURA, reports VARIETY. Based on the book by children's author Chris Van Allsburg, the story follows two young brothers whose house is launched into space. Tim Robbins plays their father. Jon Favreau (ELF) will direct with Michael De Luca and Bill Teitler producing. Ted Field and Louis D'Esposito will serve as exec producers with Peter Billingsley co-producing. The screenplay was penned by David Koepp. Columbia hopes to have the film in theaters in 2005.

Headline News

Van Helsing Helmer Heads for Flash Gordon

VAN HELSING writer-director Stephen Sommers, along with his producing partner Bob Ducsay, has landed the rights to FLASH GORDON, which the duo will develop for Universal, reports VARIETY. Sommers will write the FLASH screenplay, but has yet to decided whether he will direct. Hearst Corp.'s King Features Syndicate, who owns the rights to the character, have assigned Rick Karo to produce for the company. Overseeing the project for Universal will be vice chairman Scott Stuber and vp of production Dylan Clark.

Film Headline News

Digital Musings From the Editor:

In anticipation of SIGGRAPH next week, VFXWORLD focuses on emerging technologies throughout August. We begin on Friday with Mary Ann Skweres' sneak peek at Paul Debevec's latest cutting-edge virtual journey, THE PARTHENON, a short film premiering in SIGGRAPH's Electronic Theater. Using the best archaeological sources available, Debevec digitally reconstructs the famed temple and photorealistically recreates many of the sculptures, revealing a host of new 3D visualization advancements.

Software Headline News

E-on Software Announces Vue 5 Esprit

e-on software, the leading publisher in natural 3D scenery software, announces the forthcoming release of the fifth iteration of Vue/Esprit, its award winning scenery rendering and animation software for casual and advanced digital artists. Vue 5 Esprit will add a long list of superior realism features for the creation of ultra natural 3D graphics.

Wars Headline News

Lucasfilm Announces Revenge of the Sith Graphic Novel

Lucasfilm and Dark Horse Comics are teaming up to create a graphic novel based on STAR WARS: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH. Dark Horse and the concept artists behind the film will produce the graphic novel called STAR WARS: VISIONARIES, a collection of 12 tales told by the artists that helped envision the worlds, creatures, technologies and characters of EPISODE III.

Headline News

Dosch Design Releases Logo Animations For 3ds max & Maya

Dosch Design is releasing the 3ds max and Maya versions of Dosch 3D: Logo Animations, each containing 25 animated logo scenes. All scenes are optimized and "ready to go" for use in 3ds max or Maya, and include all relevant textures. Because the animations are provided as fully editable scenes, the user is able to adjust output resolution and many other effects and visual parameters. Users can render for the Internet, video (PAL or NTSC), DVD, business presentations or the higher cinema resolution.

Headline News

ATI Brings FireGL X3-256 to SIGGRAPH 2004

ATI Technologies continues to innovate for the large AGP market with the new FireGL X3-256 workstation graphics accelerator, which gives users an impressive list of professional features for $1,099.

Creative Headline News

Sideshow Welcomes Creative Director Kobliska

Fresh off the success of three Promax Awards, leading creative concept, design/effects and production company Sideshow Creative has added creative director Andrew Kobliska to its team. Kobliska will be heading up the west coast creative group based in Los Angeles.

"Andrew's vast experience in all realms of our industry makes him a natural fit for Sideshow," said Scott Mantel, Sideshow Creative ceo. "He brings the highest pedigree of strategic thinking and creative leadership to his new role at the company."

Effects Headline News

Side Effects Hosts Annual Houdini Meeting & Job Fair

Side Effects Software will be hosting its Annual Houdini Meeting on Aug. 8, 2004 during SIGGRAPH in Los Angeles. This event will bring together Houdini users from around the world to network with their peers, witness the official unveiling of Houdini 7 and catch an exclusive sneak-peak into Houdini's future.

Film Headline News

Picture Mill Opens & Closes The Village

Picture Mill was the production company behind the opening and closing sequences for THE VILLAGE. Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan contacted Picture Mill soon after principal photography was done, to begin developing concepts for the titles.

Sound Headline News

Motion Picture Sound Editors Elects New Board of Directors

Elected in a special board election was Marc Lanza (JFK, GLORY) as secretary. Newly elected to two-year terms are sound editors Harry Cheney (BOTTLE ROCKET, DRACULA), Jeremy J. Gordon (THE OC, SMALLVILLE), Robert Hargreaves (DUCK DODGERS, BATMAN BEYOND) Anne-Marie Slack (BRING IT ON, HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES), Roland Thai (L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, CITY OF GOD) and Steven D. Williams (THIRTEEN DAYS, ARMY OF DARKNESS).

Headline News

Oregon3D Announces Unreal Technology Seminar at SIGGRAPH 2004

Oregon3D has announced it will offer a series of classes specifically devoted to content creation for the Unreal Engine, the leading 3D technology platform pioneered by Epic Games. Scheduled during the SIGGRAPH 2004 Conference, this one-day session will run on both Aug. 9 and Aug. 10, from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm in the Los Angeles Room at The Wilshire Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Headline News

MPC Leads UKTI Trade Mission to SIGGRAPH 2004

MPC (The Moving Picture Co.) will play an instrumental role in U.K. Trade and Investments (UKTI) exploratory trade mission to SIGGRAPH 2004. Partnering with the National Centre for Computer Animation at Bournemouth University and UKTI, MPC will form part of the representation from U.K. visual effects companies. MPC will be at Booth #2153.

Work Headline News

HP Printing Division Showcases VFX Strengths of Poiraud

French brothers Didier and Thierry Poiraud have returned to the U.S. commercial market after releasing their feature debut, ATOMIK CIRCUS, in Paris last week. With leading commercial production company Tool of North America, the brothers co-directed a spot for HPs Printing division, PRINTER, which has been airing in key markets in Western Europe since June. Together with François Vogel, the Poiraud brothers direct U.S.-based projects through Tool satellite company Paranoid Projects @ Tool.

Effects Headline News

PGA Presents Producing Magic On Time And On Budget Mixer

The PGA New Media Council and the Visual Effects Society are hosting a mixer and discussion panel titled "Producing Magic On Time And On Budget." Attendees will be able to meet the producers and executives behind such film and television productions as SPIDERMAN 2, THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW, HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, THE LAST SAMURAI, and POLAR EXPRESS. The event will take place on Aug. 19, 2004 at Sony Imageworks Theatre, 9050 West Washington Boulevard, Culver City, California 90232.

Series Headline News

Sky Captain Helm to Take on Princess of Mars

After original director Robert Rodriguez dropped off the project due to his resignation from the Director's Guild over directing credits on his film SIN CITY, Alphaville is in negotiations with SKY CAPTAIN helmer Kerry Coran to direct the screen adaptation of the classic sci-fi adventure, A PRINCESS OF MARS, reports HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Based on the first book in Edgar Rice Burroughs' 11-volume JOHN CARTER OF MARS series, the studio is hoping to make a franchise. Alphaville has produced THE MUMMY series.

Media Headline News

Media Design School Hires New Faculty

The Media Design School, New Zealand's premiere learning institution for the digital arts, announces a slate of new faculty additions that include Tom Zuber, Patrick McNabb and Richard Hicks, going into its visit to SIGGRAPH 2004 conference at the Los Angeles Convention Center from August 10-12, 2004 at booth #1958.

Software Headline News

SIGGRAPH 2004 Lines Up New Zealand Players for Tech Talk

New Zealand companies will be featured at a panel session as part of the SIGGRAPH conference Tech Talk series, held this year at the Los Angeles Convention Center, August 10-13. Hosted by NZTE, the session, "Middle Earth: Imagination Made More Real" provides a presentation forum for New Zealand companies and will be moderated by Dr. Steve Upstill, a founding member of Pixar Animation Studios and a recent New Zealand immigrant.

Pages