Cannes Lions 2012 winners announced
Check out the Cannes Lions 2012 advertising winners in the Film Craft category, and read fxguide coverage of the visual effects work.
Brave New Hair
Sim Samurais, digital curling irons and the amazing world of Pixar’s Brave simulation team.
Prime Focus adopts Shotgun & Revolver starting with MIB3
Shotgun Software was founded in 2006 by a group of vfx professionals to build production tracking and pipeline solutions. Shotgun today has more than 350 animation, visual effects and game development clients including Digital Domain, Double Negative, Reliance, Framestore, Pixomondo, Playstation, Blizzard and Zoic Studios. The newest addition to this line up is Prime Focus.
RenderMan – new bundles and info from Pixar
A look at Pixar’s new website for RenderMan ahead of the RPS17 release. Also, RenderMan for Maya is to be combined with RenderMan Studio.
Prometheus: rebuilding hallowed vfx space
fxguide explores Ridley Scott’s alien world in Prometheus, with exclusive in-depth coverage of the VFX by Weta, Fuel, MPC and other vendors.
VES Job Fair this weekend
This weekend, Saturday, June 16, 2012, in Los Angeles, New York and London there is the second annual VES Career Fair & Tech Expo. fxguide has spoken to many of the VFX studios attending – here’s a quick guide to the Fair and Expo.
Prometheus: in-depth coverage on fxguide
fxguide will be covering Prometheus in-depth, with articles, an fxpodcast and fxguidetv all this week. To get an idea of what to expect, check out this excerpt including a breakdown of Fuel’s star map orrery sequence.
Alien versus a 5″ gun
Image Engine worked with Battleship lead vendor ILM on crafting the alien Thugs for two on-ship sequences. We break down the work with images and videos.
Huntsman: every trick in the fairytale book
How face replacements, shattering soldiers, CG trolls and magic metallic mirrors were made for Snow White and the Huntsman. fxinsider members can also watch an exclusive interview with Double Negative.
TV roundup: four shows with feature effects
We break down some notable VFX shots from TV shows The River, the Titanic mini-series, Inside the Human Body and Underbelly: Razor.
fxphd sale extended + free class from NUK217
fxguide’s sister site – VFX training provider fxphd.com – is extending its sale. Join for $199 and get two courses + extras for the April term. Plus see a sneak peak of NUK217 – NUKE and Digital Environments.
DeepX – Underwater @ Cine Gear
We preview Achtel’s Deep X underwater RED Epic camera rig, which will be launched at this weekend’s Cine Gear Expo in LA.
What does it take to make a CGI cookie?
A step-by-step, detailed look at a Ballerina cookie spot by Swedish studio Lost Liner, including breakdown videos from concept to final.
Breaking down Ghost Recon Alpha
We take a look at Mikros Image’s CG and compositing VFX for Ghost Recon Alpha, a short promo for Ghost Recon: Future Soldier. Includes a breakdown video and bts images.
Paul Debevec and ICT: an fxphd BKD
Watch a full fxphd class featuring ICT’s Paul Debevec on the development of the Light Stage, plus find out about fxphd’s limited time special offer.
Comic effects: Men In Black 3
fxguide goes back to the Men In Black and back in time with MIB3 and the VFX artists at Sony Pictures Imageworks. Includes bonus fxinsider content.
MPC is berry nice to Ribena
We speak with the 3D and 2D artists behind a fully CG Ribena spot created by MPC, and feature behind the scenes videos from the TVC.
Battleship: tactical water and fluid sims (updated)
For a film to challenge the water pipelines of companies like ILM & Scanline it needs to be pushing the limit of cutting edge technology. Regardless of the box office success of Battleship, the water simulations are incredible, & the overall effects impressive. UPDATED: With new exclusive making of ILM clips.
Cinematics case study: Mass Effect 3
Digic Pictures breaks down its work for a Mass Effect 3 trailer with detailed behind the scenes videos, images and commentary.
Dark Shadows: retro old school VFX with a modern twist
Rarely do a film’s themes & conceptual approach match so nicely with the methodology of the vfx used to make it. Dark Shadows deploys miniatures, old fashion sets, water tanks: all using cutting edge vfx. (UPDATED + MPC)
BL4Nuke: Baselight for Nuke and on set
We take a look at Baselight’s new Filmlight and FLIP products for on-set through to post color management and grading.
FUGU & TAKO: A vfx director’s short film
Robot vfx has just made a funny short film, FUGU & TAKO, that follows the story of two Japanese salary men whose lives radically change when one of them eats a puffer fish in a sushi bar. The film was written and directed by Ben West who we caught up with to discuss the work.
FMX 2012 – day three
Day three at FMX saw a huge turnout for the ILM and Weta Digital Avengers presentation, plus more great virtual production talks.
Cinesite announces sale to UK private investment firm Endless LLP
Endless LLP has acquired Cinesite from Kodak for an undisclosed amount. The deal involves Cinesite’s existing management team, supported by its new investment backer.
FMX 2012 – day two
Day two of FMX 2012 in Stuttgart brought a number of exclusive first-looks at movies such as Men In Black 3 and Total Recall, breakdowns of the VFX for Game of Thrones, plus some incredible virtual production sessions.
Art of Stereo Conversion: 2D to 3D – 2012
An in-depth look at the art of stereo conversion, including The Avengers, John Carter, Titanic and Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
FMX 2012 – day one
fxguide is in Stuttgart, Germany for FMX 2012, our second year at the festival. It looks to be an incredible week of visual effects, animation, virtual production and filmmaking presentations. Here’s our rundown of day one.
VFX roll call for The Avengers (updated)
Surely one of two or three films that will define the term ‘summer blockbuster’. The Avengers brought together not only some great Marvel characters but also an impressive roll call of visual effects houses: ILM, Weta and several others.
fxguidetv live @NAB2012 BTS video
As a thanks to our readers who supported our fx2012 drive, we have the promised behind-the-scenes (BTS) video. Geek out a bit with the tech behind our fxguidtv live netcast from Las Vegas.
Total Recall: the version you never got to see
A new models and miniature doco, Sense of Scale, is screening this weekend in London. We have a deleted scene about the models for the never-made 1987 version of Total Recall.