CG Today - VFX News

Montreal Facility Creating Canada's First Stereoscopic Animated Feature

Sarila Modus FXModus FX has embarked on an ambitious new stereoscopic 3D journey – an 80-minute animated film called Sarila. Directed by Nancy Florence Savard, Sarila is a compelling coming-of-age story set amongst the Inuit people of the Arctic. Starring Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music, The Last Station), Geneviève Bujold (Anne of the Thousand Days, The Trotsky), Rachelle Lefevre (Twilight, Barney’s Version), Dustin Milligan (Beverly Hills 90210, Slither) and Natar Ungalaq (The Fast Runner) the production will be the first feature-length stereoscopic animated film created in Canada.

For director Savard, the film has been a labour of love for the past ten years. "Sarila tells the story of three young Inuit who strike out on their own in order to save their clan from starvation," she said. "This is an inspirational story, full of hope. It shows young people facing daunting challenges and, through the experience, taking control of their lives. Their world is exotic to us but their experience is universal."

Cinisite LogoCinesite, one of the world’s leading film visual effects houses, today announced that it has awarded places on its 2011 Inspire internship program to four exceptional candidates – Luke Armstrong, Ruairi Twohig, Eleanor Bond and Tom Flavelle. The winners were chosen from more than 200 applicants for their exceptional compositing, modeling and texturing skills. The placements will commence in June and run for six weeks.

Rabbit's Black Swan And McMahon Paint LA With Lights For Peopleforbikes.orgRabbit, Bicoastal directors Black Swan and Trevor McMahan teamed up with Minneapolis-based ad agency Colle+McVoy to light up the streets of downtown Los Angeles with bicycles and projected animations in an illuminating new PSA, "Bikes Make Life Better," for national bicycling movement Peopleforbikes.org.

Rabbit directing duo +jacksonkarinja also collaborated on the web-based PSA, serving as DPs. The PSA features various bicyclists riding through the urban streets of downtown L.A., casting colorful projections on iconic city structures as they pass. The pack eventually gathers in an empty parking lot to gaze up at a projection reading, "Bikes Make Life Better."

ITV's Promo - Popstar to Opera StarITV's promo for the return of their entertainment show, 'Popstar to Opera Star' is so spectacular it will blow you away. Starring the considerable vocal talents of Katherine Jenkins and Rolando Villazon, the duo's rendition of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody is sung with such gusto that Myleene Klass, who accompanies them on the grand piano, is literally blown away. The promo was directed by Paul Quinn for ITV Creative and posted at Prime Focus, where work was completed in both London and India.

With a tight turnaround time, the Prime Focus 'Global Digital Pipeline' was utilised, allowing the project to be creatively led locally in London, while much of the prep work, such as clean up and wire removal, was completed at the same time in Mumbai.

During pre-prods and with only one day for the shoot, Senior VFX and Shoot Supervisor John Harvey offered advice on what layers to use, what layers he would need in post and how many passes had to be done within the day. On the shoot, John also worked as a second unit; using Canon 5D to shoot effects plates - and many of the elements he shot were used in the final promo.

An open letter from Eric Roth, VES Executive DirectorAs an Honorary Society, VES has led the way in promoting the incredible work of VFX artists but so far no one has stood up to lead the way on the business side of our business. No one has been able to speak out for unrepresented artists and facilities – or the craft as a whole – in any meaningful way.

It should not come as a surprise to anyone that the state of the visual effects industry is unsettled. Artists and visual effects companies are working longer hours for less income, delivering more amazing VFX under ever diminishing schedules, carrying larger financial burdens while others are profiting greatly from our work. As a result, there has been a lot of discussion recently about visual effects and its role in the entertainment industry. Many feel VFX artists are being taken advantage of and many others feel that VFX facilities are operating under unsustainable competitive restraints and profit margins. There have been calls for the creation of a VFX union to represent artists' interests while others have pushed to create a trade organization for VFX facilities to better navigate today's economic complexities.