Samson & DelilahI.E. Effects Boosts Stereo 3D Pipeline with Isilon Storage
I.E. Effects has installed an Isilon IQ6000x cluster storage system at its Culver City location. With several large stereoscopic projects currently active, the Isilon system expands the company’s ability to manage the data and throughput requirements of multiple jobs. For clients this means increased efficiency and reliability for demanding stereo 3D projects. The clustered Isilon... »
Previs Society Ramps Up
The Previsualization Society, a new non-profit, interdisciplinary organization dedicated to advancing previsualization in feature film, games, commercials and architecture, has launched a new online portal, and issued a call for membership. The initiatives are part of the organization’s ramp-up activities in its inaugural year. Founded in September, the group aims to cultivate a community for... »
Joe Letteri on the Visual Effects of Avatar
After supervising visual effects on massive projects such as Peter Jackson’s final two films in his Lord of the Rings trilogy, Stephen Sommers’ Van Helsing, and Jackson’s King Kong, Joe Letteri might have faced an even greater challenge with James Cameron’s Avatar. For this newest project, which is winning troves of awards and breaking... »
Avatar Tops Visual Effects Society Noms
Avatar, with its groundbreaking 3D computer graphics, has received 11 nominations from the Visual Effects Society for its 8th annual VES awards, far outdistancing the competition. Stop-motion animation film Coraline, also in 3D, was second with 4 nominations. In addition to director James Cameron’s global blockbuster, nominees for best visual effects in a visual-effects driven... »
VFX Oscar Short List
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has narrowed to seven the films that will be compete in the best visual effects bakeoff on Jan. 21. In alphabetical order, they are: Avatar, District 9, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Star Trek, Terminator Salvation, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and 2012. At the bakeoff,... »
The Making of Avatar
James Cameron’s long-awaited epic fantasy Avatar is definitely “titanic” in size and scope. “It’s got a big story—that’s where it starts,” said producer Jon Landau, who also produced Cameron’s last film, Titanic. “Jim created a story that called for a world that did not exist. The technology did not exist before Titanic. The technical... »
Men Who Stare At Monitors
Visual FX supervisor Thomas J. Smith has overseen digital effects on pictures where you know you’ll be watching a lot of digital sleight-of-hand, like The League of Extraordinary Gentleman and The Chronicles of Riddick, and also films you wouldn’t immediately expect to be FX heavy, like all three Ocean’s films with George Clooney. He... »
Gorillas or Guerrillas? The Year in FX
Because of our own release schedule for this annual fall “voters’ guide” to the upcoming awards—just call us “Secretaries of the State of the Crew!”—we go to press just as this year’s two 800-pound gorillas of visual effects are hitting screens. The symbolically simian pair is succinctly referred to by VFX supervisor Wojciech Zielinski,... »
3D at NAB
In the middle of all the technology at NAB, industry panels at the Content Theater discussed the convergence of art and technology. One of the biggest issues discussed in a number of panels was the future of 3D cinema and how it’s now “Easy on the eyes, the way 3D should be.” 3D images have... »
Eric Forsberg On Shooting Sex Pot 3D
Perhaps the biggest indication of the re-emergence of 3D is the fact that low-budget production icon, The Asylum is producing several 3D films for the direct-to-video and television markets. Company partner in charge of production, David Latt explained that “our buyers wanted it, Blockbuster specifically. If they want it, we’re going to do it.... »
Latest Headlines
Director Series
Joe Johnston Conjures The WolfmanFebruary 2010 | By Scott Essman
Former Industrial Light and Magic art director Joe Johnston became a feature film director over 20 years ago when he came aboard... »
Danish Director Blends Comedy and Tragedy in An Education
January 2010 | By Mary Ann Skweres
The critically acclaimed film, An Education, which garnered the Audience Award at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, has quietly slipped into Oscar contention. From... »
Exclusive Film Reviews
Up in the AirDecember 2009 | By Len Klady
Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) has an amiable disposition that belies the fact that it’s best to stay out of his path. You see he’s... »
The Young Victoria
December 2009 | By Len Klady
The enduring image of Queen Victoria, whose reign dominated the bulk of the 19th century, is of a benevolent, elderly grandmother. Though she was... »