fxguide’s guide to FMX 2013

April 2, 2013

The definitive guide to the effects, animation, games and transmedia presentations planned for FMX 2013 in Stuttgart, Germany from 23 to 26 April.

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The best tech demos from GDC2013

April 2, 2013

Some of the best game engine and tech demos from this year’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

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Creature features: VFX in TVCs

April 2, 2013

Dinosaurs to dragons, Easter bunnies and…avalanches. We look at characters and creatures in recent TVCs.

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G.I. Joe: Retaliation – kick-ass action

April 1, 2013

Find out how the biggest effects shots in G.I. Joe: Retaliation were created by ILM, Digital Domain and Method Studios. Featuring exclusive Digital Domain making of VFX clips.

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Rhythm & Hues auction won by Prana Studios (UPDATED x2)

March 29, 2013

Rhythm and Hues has been sold at auction following bankruptcy to Prana Studios. Final hearing scheduled for Friday at 10:00 am.

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What’s new from Autodesk

March 26, 2013

See the new announcements from Autodesk for Maya, 3ds Max, MotionBuilder, Mudbox, Softimage and Sketchbook Designer.

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More notes from the NVIDIA GPU Tech Conference

March 26, 2013

In the second of our reports from GTC, we cover HFR with Douglas Trumbull, ZOIC’s ZEUS pipeline, Rhythm & Hues Crom VFX platform, as well as a few more details about Octane’s cloud solution and the GRID VCA.

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How VFX saved Washington: Olympus Has Fallen

March 25, 2013

We break down the visual effects behind Olympus Has Fallen with before and after imagery and making of videos.

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How Star Trek went into darkness for Earth Hour

March 24, 2013

With J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek: Into Darkness only a few months away from opening, the film’s distributors staged a Trek-themed quadrocopter light display as part of WWF’s Earth Hour over the weekend in London. Stunt? Sure, but a fun one – see the video here.

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NVIDIA GPU Tech Conference report

March 20, 2013

The GPU Technology Conference (GTC) advances GPU computing in computer graphics, games, mobile, and the cloud. For the vfx and production, this tech is has become an incredibly important part of the process and today we cover new announcements from the NVIDIA keynote.

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Heads will roll: VFX on TV

March 20, 2013

How practical and digital effects, previs and complete greenscreen environments help bring the shows The Walking Dead, Mr. Selfridge and Spartacus to your TV screen. UPDATED with Stargate’s Walking Dead breakdown reel.

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How to make a giant molten lava monster…called James

March 19, 2013

How do you create a Lava Monster, crush streets and still have fresh breath? Behind the scenes of MPC’s VFX for a new spot pitting The Ice Man ‘superhero’ against a molten lava monster named… James.

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Behind the scenes of Black Mirror

March 19, 2013

A look at the slightly futuristic and surreal VFX in the UK TV series Black Mirror by Painting Practice.

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VFX Town Hall photos and notes

March 14, 2013

Our live notes from the VFX Town Hall which took place on March 14th – Pi Day – in LA, the Bay Area, Austin, Wellington, Vancouver – and around the world via a live simulcast.

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Different ads – different techniques

March 14, 2013

A look at the innovative use of effects in some recent spots by Digital Domain, Important Looking Pirates, Poetica, Framestore, Alt.vfx and Realise Studio. Includes an EXCLUSIVE breakdown from DD for their Dead Space 3 game promo.

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SideFX releases Houdini 12.5

March 14, 2013

Houdini 12.5 is now available, the impressive new tools include an Ocean FX Wave tool, and a Cloud FX generator – part of a DreamWorks Animation & Side Effects Software collaboration!

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Mari 2.0 launched in the UK

March 14, 2013

The Foundry has launched Mari 2.0, with advanced layering functions. Here’s our rundown of the new features of the 3D paint program.

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Happy accidents in DiRT: Showdown

March 13, 2013

A look at the rendering and game engine tech behind the VES Award-nominated Codemasters game DiRT: Showdown.

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International VFX Town Hall meetings (updated)

March 12, 2013

Here’s how to RSVP to VFX Town Hall meetings happening in LA, the Bay Area, Austin and Vancouver on March 14th, plus details of the planned live broadcast.

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Luxology teases new MODO 701

March 12, 2013

Luxology announced a new version of their 3D package today, which contains new features, optimizations, a new Linux version, as well as an increase in price.

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The wonderful world of Oz

March 11, 2013

Behind the scenes of Disney’s Oz: The Great and Powerful and the stunning VFX work for China Girl, Finley the flying monkey and the Land of Oz. UPDATED with befores and afters imagery and Luma Pictures’ work for the tornado sequence.

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No small feat: making Jack the Giant Slayer

March 8, 2013

How performance captured giants and massive beanstalks were imagined for Bryan Singer’s Jack the Giant Slayer.

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Games online all the time might only be good in theory: SimCity

March 7, 2013

EA’s SimCity server troubles have highlighted the problem of being online, all the time.

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Earthly effects in History Channel’s The Bible

March 6, 2013

Behind the scenes of the VFX in History Channel’s ‘The Bible’ by London’s Lola. Plus a video making of breaking down key shots.

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VES open letter – what is the VES’s role here?

February 28, 2013

fxguide talks to VES Chair Jeff Okun about the VES open letter ‘Call to Action’, which contemplates a worldwide VFX congress of effects practitioners, and, seemingly conversely, for artists to lobby the Californian government for increased tax incentives in that U.S. state.

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The making of Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn

February 27, 2013

Behind the scenes of the web series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn with making of VFX videos from Arc Productions.

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Merlin: VFX Arnold TV pipeline

February 25, 2013

Behind the scenes of Vine’s visual effects for Merlin, including the scanning tech and Arnold pipeline used for season 5 of the BBC TV show.

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VES responds to VFX protest

February 25, 2013

Visual Effects Society Chair Jeff Okun has responded to issues arising after yesterday’s VFX protest near the Oscars.

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So how did they make Ted present at the Oscars?

February 25, 2013

Ted’s appearance with Mark Wahlberg almost stole the show at the Academy Awards. Here’s how Tippett Studio pulled it off.

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And the winner is…

February 24, 2013

Life of Pi won the Oscar today at the Academy Awards. However, the presentation of the VFX award was not without some controversy.

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