Thompson on Hollywood

Immersed in Movies: Revisiting 'The Avengers' and Handicapping the VFX Oscar Race

Features

Unlike the Oscar race for best animated feature, there's already a clear front-runner for VFX: "The Avengers," with its dazzling work from Industrial Light & Magic (especially the Hulk). Of course, there's still quite a heated race ahead when Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" hits theaters December 14...

By Bill Desowitz
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September 6, 2012 3:08 PM
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Immersed in Movies: Halon Partners with Minimo Vfx on New Previs Process

News

Previs boutique Halon Entertainment ("The Hunger Games," "Prometheus," "Life of Pi") has formed a partnership with Minimo Vfx of Barcelona that will usher in a new "build it once" philosophy for CG creatures during pre-production. This will avoid the duplication of making them again later on during VFX. The two companies are currently working together on "Dome," directed by VFXer Brandon Fayette.

By Bill Desowitz
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August 20, 2012 7:56 PM
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Immersed in Movies: Previewing Art and Science at SIGGRAPH, with Muren, Letteri, Trumbull, Landau, Deakins

Features

The prestigious computer graphics conference SIGGRAPH has always been about the convergence of art and science. It's a place to showcase the latest and greatest advancements driving the industry's blockbuster work in VFX and animation. This year, the 39th edition returns to the LA Convention Center (Aug. 5-9).

By Bill Desowitz
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July 26, 2012 12:27 PM
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Immersed in Movies: Dissecting 'Prometheus' with Scripter Damon Lindelof and VFXers

Features

While it's not surprising that critics and journos are deeply divided over "Prometheus," it helps to have low expectations. In my case, I came away with more than I expected. I found Ridley Scott's return to sci-fi enthralling. He seems to have transcended the "Alien" universe by combining it with "Blade Runner."

By Bill Desowitz
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June 8, 2012 6:25 PM
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Immersed in Movies: VFX Vet Dean Wright Talks Directing Mexico Period Drama 'For Greater Glory'

Features

Dean Wright is the latest VFXer to cross over into directing with "For Greater Glory" (opening tomorrow in limited release), following in the footsteps of James Cameron, Peter Jackson, and Andrew Adamson...

By Bill Desowitz
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May 31, 2012 7:32 PM
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Oscar Watch: William Joyce Talks Brave New Interactive World of Oscar Winner 'Fantastic Flying Books' UPDATED

Awards

Who says high and low tech can't come together in animation and publishing?

By Bill Desowitz
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February 11, 2012 7:22 PM
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Immersed in Movies: 'Tree of Life' Tech Visionary Trumbull Talks Future Cinema

Features

Douglas Trumbull's been on a mission to improve the theatrical moviegoing experience for decades. Digital technology has finally caught up with need, and the tech guru ("2001: A Space Odyssey"), who believes he can do something about reviving a sense of showmanship with superior-looking, mind-blowing presentations before it's too late.

By Bill Desowitz
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February 8, 2012 4:24 PM
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Oscar Nominations Bring Surprises in Animation and VFX: 'Cars 2,' 'Tintin,' and Superheroes Snubbed

Awards

Well, we heard it was coming -- and, sure enough -- the animation branch rejected Pixar's "Cars 2" and Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin" in favor of two hand-drawn European indies: "A Cat in Paris" from France and "Chico & Rita" from Spain.

By Bill Desowitz
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January 24, 2012 5:21 PM
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Visual Effects Designer Douglas Trumbull to Receive Academy's Gordon E. Sawyer Award

Awards

The Academy will award Douglas Trumbull, the visionary behind some of the most significant visual effects innovations in recent film history, its Gorden E. Sawyer Award.

By Jacob Combs
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January 11, 2012 4:26 PM
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'The Adventures of Tintin' Dominates Visual Effects Society Nominations

Awards

Yet again this weekend I had a conversation with an animator who adores Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin," but doesn't consider the film to be animation, but performance capture, which is a visual effect. Thus the film from Peter Jackson's Weta Digital did dominate the Visual Effects Society (VES) film categories with six nominations.