Transformers Hits Jackpot, TinTin Creepy? & Eggs In Ratatouille
Transformers Reaches $246.1 Million Worldwide
(ComingSoon.net) In addition to its $152.5 million earnings
from the first 6 1/2 days domestically, Michael Bay's Transformers has
also brought in $93.6 million in 23 other countries where the movie
has opened since June 28. That brings the worldwide total to $246.1
million in just a little over a week.
Not bad for a movie which reportedly cost $150 million to make (not
counting advertising dollars)!
The robots' box office steamrolling should continue for a couple more
days until Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix hits conventional
theaters and IMAX theaters starting at 12:01am on Wednesday.
Pushing Back Superman Sequel "Total Horseshit"
(IESB.net) Earlier this month, it was reported that The Mayor of
Castro Street producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan said their Bryan
Singer-directed film on gay rights activist Harvey Milk would be shot
after Singer finishes filming Valkyrie. Not so fast, say the folks
working on the Superman Returns sequel.
"That's total horse sh*t," said a source within Singer's camp for
IESB.net. "I would say the same thing if I was producing that film but
don't you realize that most of the 'Superman' producers are working
with Bryan on 'Valkyrie'? Gil Adler and Chris Lee both are in Germany
with Bryan and I can guarantee you that there is some work being done
with 'Superman' right now."
The current plan is to start shooting the Superman Returns sequel by
the summer of 2008.
Spileberg / Jackson CG MoCap'd TinTin Films Creepy?
(orig-rune.livejournal.com) The entertainment news is that
(ComingSoon.net) In addition to its $152.5 million earnings
from the first 6 1/2 days domestically, Michael Bay's Transformers has
also brought in $93.6 million in 23 other countries where the movie
has opened since June 28. That brings the worldwide total to $246.1
million in just a little over a week.
Not bad for a movie which reportedly cost $150 million to make (not
counting advertising dollars)!
The robots' box office steamrolling should continue for a couple more
days until Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix hits conventional
theaters and IMAX theaters starting at 12:01am on Wednesday.
Pushing Back Superman Sequel "Total Horseshit"
(IESB.net) Earlier this month, it was reported that The Mayor of
Castro Street producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan said their Bryan
Singer-directed film on gay rights activist Harvey Milk would be shot
after Singer finishes filming Valkyrie. Not so fast, say the folks
working on the Superman Returns sequel.
"That's total horse sh*t," said a source within Singer's camp for
IESB.net. "I would say the same thing if I was producing that film but
don't you realize that most of the 'Superman' producers are working
with Bryan on 'Valkyrie'? Gil Adler and Chris Lee both are in Germany
with Bryan and I can guarantee you that there is some work being done
with 'Superman' right now."
The current plan is to start shooting the Superman Returns sequel by
the summer of 2008.
Spileberg / Jackson CG MoCap'd TinTin Films Creepy?
(orig-rune.livejournal.com) The entertainment news is that
Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson will be doing 3 TinTin "animated"
features. Each will direct "at least one" film and both will be acting
as producers of all three.
When I say they will be "animated" I mean that the characters will be
computer generated over motion-captured actors. As the publicity puts
it:
They announced the deal yesterday with Spielberg promising the films
would be shot in 3D, using motion capture technology to translate the
movements of real actors into animated characters.
And:
He said the new motion capture techniques would enable the characters
to be "reborn as living beings, expressing emotion and a soul which
goes far beyond anything we've seen to date with computer animated
characters." "[We are] faithfully replicating Herge's original
designs, but not rendering them as cartoons, or the familiar looking
computer animated characters – instead we're making them look
photo-realistic, the fibres of their clothing, the pores of their skin
and each individual hair," said Jackson.
"They look exactly like real people – but real Herge people!"
I'm not sure what to think of that. It might be interesting and it
might be creepy. The idea of photorealistic toons is interesting in
small doses but wears thin all too often in features. 3-D Homer
Simpson was amusing as a joke but I wouldn't want a feature like that.
What works as a gag or as a clip in a commercial often goes bad in
long form.
There have been animated TinTin films and live action ones in the
past. Now we get one that's in-between.
I suppose it's inevitable and the only surprising thing is that we
haven't been deluged with computer-regenerated Bogarts, Laurel &
Hardys, Jim Varneys, and Charlie Chaplin co-starring in a Mr. Bean
film.
I can hardly wait until they use the process on Cathy or Ziggy.
I sense a great disturbance in the cartoon force...
Source: http://orig-rune.livejournal.com/45110.html
LucasArts, EA Talk Indy Jones, Film/Game Process
(gamasutra.com) At their joint 'Shades of Gray' session at the
recent Hollywood & Game conference, Lucasarts president Jim Ward and
EA LA vice president Neil Young detailed how management and production
processes have, and can better, converge between the film and game
industries.
Managing Pipelines
Newsweek's N'Gai Croal moderated the session, which started with a
question about what converged pipelines actually are and how important
they are to the future of both games and Hollywood.
Young explained that there are actually two pipelines, one for the
overall creative process and a tactical pipeline.
Starting with the tactical pipeline, Young explained: "Our industry
and the CG animation industry, from a production standpoint, have been
convergent for a very long time. There's a lot of free flow of talent
between the two industries. Platforms become more powerful and the
talent from the film industry actually become more relevant for
games."
More: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=14536
VFX Hallmarks Ranked By USA Today
(news.awn.com) In celebration of its 25th anniversary, USA
TODAY has compiled a list of the 25 top movie milestones of the past
25 years.
Topping the list is Peter Jackson's Tolkien epic LORD OF THE RINGS
trilogy, which won 17 Oscars and brought in a box office gross of more
than $3 billion.
TOY STORY followed right behind at #2 for launching 3D animation on
the big screen.
Other vfx and special effects milestones that made the list include
TITANIC (#5), INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (#9), BATMAN (#10),
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (#12), MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III (#14), TOTAL
RECALL (#17), CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (#19), THE MATRIX (#20),
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (#22) and the STAR WARS prequels (#23).
For the complete list, visit www.usatoday.com/life/top25-movies.htm?csp=34.
ILM Artist Hopes Movie Will Usher In New Era For CGI
(tformers.com) An article in Sunday's edition of the
Philadelphia Inquirer quotes Scott Farrar, the Industrial Light &
Magic visual effects supervisor for "Transformers" as saying, "I kept
thinking for a long time that we are dumbing down...I think
["Transformers"] is at least a higher-water mark to do everything we
can to make it look real."
Mr. Farrar explains the very in-depth process of making these robots.
The 10,000-plus pieces has to for each robot is designed and painted
on the computer. There is a large complexity for the "layers of all
the paint and textures and dirts and all those things that make a
shiny surface on a body panel look like a painted metal surface, or
dull aluminum bronze or brass."
How involved was Director Michael Bay on the design and direction of
these robots? Mr. Farrar and animation supervisor Scott Benza would
have a videoconference with Mr. Bay every day. "We would show him the
shots but he would always welcome proposals on our part," says Mr.
Farrar.
Did You Find the Easter Eggs in Ratatouille?
(Walt Disney Studios) Disney/Pixar's Ratatouille has been
captivating audiences across the country since it debuted as the #1
comedy last weekend. But now Disney and Pixar are giving audiences
everywhere a reason to look even closer at the movie because there are
a few hidden details and inside jokes that can only be found by the
keen observer. Some of these hidden treasures have become a tradition
for Pixar Animation Studios, such as the Pizza Planet Truck which has
appeared in nearly every Pixar film since it made its debut in 1995's
Toy Story, while others are a unique insider's view into the world of
the filmmakers of Ratatouille.
A few of these gems are listed here, but audiences will have to see
Ratatouille for themselves to find some of these and many more.
- The Pizza Planet Truck, which first made an appearance in Toy Story,
has made a cameo in nearly every Pixar film. For example, the truck
can be seen whizzing by when the tank gang is escaping from the
dentist's office in Finding Nemo. In Ratatouille, the infamous Pizza
Planet Truck can be seen on a bridge over the Seine during the scene
in which Skinner is chasing Remy.
- The number A113, which refers to Brad Bird and John Lasseter's
former classroom at CalArts, makes an appearance in every Pixar film.
For example, A113 can be seen in Cars on the train that McQueen
narrowly misses when he first loses Mack and exits onto Route 66. A113
also appears in Ratatouille, but you'll have to look carefully for
yourself to find it.
- Pixar's official "Good Luck Charm," actor John Ratzenberger makes
another appearance in Ratatouille as the head waiter, Mustafa. John's
voice has appeared in every Pixar movie including as Hamm the piggy
bank in Toy Story and Toy Story 2, PT Flea in A Bug's Life, The
Underminer in The Incredibles, and Mack the truck in Cars.
- Mabel's living room has several framed photos depicting Mabel and
her late husband as members of the French resistance during WWII. This
might explain how Mabel learned to use a shotgun.
- The character Bomb Voyage from The Incredibles makes two appearances
in Ratatouille. He appears as a mime on the bridge by Notre Dame when
Linguini and Colette skate past (see the above photo). Bomb Voyage's
second appearance is the front-page headline and photo on the
newspaper Colette is reading with the Solene Le Claire review.
- Restaurant critic Anton Ego's (voice of Peter O'Toole) office is
shaped like a coffin to reinforce the idea that a bad review from Ego
can be the "death" of a restaurant.
- There were 372 graphics created that appear on food labels, boxes,
street signs, posters, and businesses. Many of these graphics are
named after Ratatouille crew members.
- Lasseter Cabernet Sauvignon is named for executive producer John Lasseter
- Chateau-Bird Champagne named for director Brad Bird
- Chateau-Jessup Pauillac Medoc named for production designer Harley Jessup
- Colette rides a "Calahan" branded motorcycle, named after Sharon
Calahan, the director of photography/lighting.
- The "Bouchiba" brand spaghetti Linguini cooks with in his apartment
is named for animator Bolhem Bouchiba.
- The "Bradford" mixer in the kitchen is named for producer Brad Lewis
- The "Susman" brand olive oil is named for associate producer Galyn Susman.
- "Bar Des 7 Chanceux" is a storefront seen on the streets of Paris.
It is named for the "Lucky 7 Lounge," a homemade secret lounge inside
Pixar Animation Studios.
Oh Happy Days: DreamWorks Animation Cuts Credit Limit
(Associated Press) DreamWorks Animation SKG, the film
production company behind "Shrek," "Over the Hedge" and other
feature-length cartoons, said in a regulatory filing Friday it reduced
its revolving credit limit by half.
The animation studio had been able to borrow up to $200 million under
the 2004 agreement, but on June 29 decided to reduce its limit to $100
million, according to the filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
The company had no debts outstanding under the agreement as of Friday.
Sony Prints Apology For Video Game Shootout In Manchester Cathedral
(The Associated Press)
LONDON: Sony Corp. issued a public apology Friday for a violent video
game that features a bloody shootout inside an Anglican cathedral, but
it did not address the Church of England's demands that the company
withdraw the game.
The church had demanded Sony stop selling the game "Resistance: Fall
of Man," which includes a gunbattle between an American soldier and
aliens inside a building that resembles Manchester Cathedral in
northwest England.
The entertainment giant said in an apology published in The Manchester
Evening News that company officials had met with church community
leaders and Sony acknowledged the game had caused offense. The company
said it now considered the matter closed.
"It was never our intention to offend anyone in the making of this
game, and we would like to apologize unreservedly to them for causing
that offense, and to all parts of the wider community who we might
also have offended," Sony Computer Entertainment Europe President
David A. Reeves said in the apology.
Manchester Cathedral officials were not immediately available for comment.
Today in Europe
U.K. readies charges against bomb suspect
French police target former president and prime minister over smear campaign
Russian Parliament passes anti-extremism measure
Reeve also promised Manchester Cathedral would never be used in future
Sony video games.
Sony, however, declined to comment on the church's outstanding
demands, which in also included a donation to the church's education
department, which works to fight gun violence in Manchester.
"We now consider the matter closed, and will not be making any further
comment," the company said in a separate statement.
Even in Transformers, The Black Guy Still Gets It First
(news-daily.com) It never fails. For as long as I can
remember watching blockbuster movies with dashing, Anglo-Saxon lead
characters, the non-essential black character is almost always the
first guy to eat dirt.
Samuel L. Jackson, while one of my favorite actors of all time, has
nobly sacrificed himself in a number of films. In the 1993 thriller
"Jurassic Park," Jackson, the lone black character, lets the other
characters escape while he is torn to bits by velociraptors.
In "Deep Blue Sea" Jackson is not the only black character, but he is
the first one chomped in half by the huge shark that breaks through
the reinforced glass of the underwater compound built to study shark
brain waves.
In the 2005 film "A Sound of Thunder," it's 2055 and time travel is a
reality. However, one member of a time-traveling safari group steps
off the path and unwittingly smashes a huge butterfly under his combat
boot.
This seemingly harmless act sets off a chain reaction of shifts in
reality, which does all sorts of screwy things with the flora and
fauna. New York City is eventually consumed by overgrown plants and
crazy looking insects. Eventually, the urban landscape is replaced by
jungle, and the normally harmless animals there are replaced by highly
aggressive baboon-velociraptor hybrids who eventually grow bat wings
and become even more deadly.
The saddest scene in the movie is when the only black character, David
Oyelowo, predictably gets injured and can't keep up with the rest of
the bunch. Eventually, the crazed monkey-dino killing machines catch
up with him, and there is nothing he can do but pray as they circle
around him like Native Americans circling homesteaders in a spaghetti
western.
Even sadder, he tells the group something along the lines of, "Go on
... if you figure out what caused time to change, then I'll be alive
again in the real world," moments before he is gobbled.
A lot of these deaths are dignified, such as the roles often played by
Charles S. Dutton. If you need a black guy to sacrifice himself in
your movie, he's the best. He's died nobly in "Secret Window,"
"Gothika," "Alien 3," and "Mimic."
He has cemented the image of the nice-guy cop and good-Samaritan black
guy who stands up to protect the (usually white) hero character, only
to be dispatched into oblivion.
In the last few years, I believe movie makers have gotten a lot better
about falling into this predictable formula. That's why I was slightly
disappointed on July 4 when I saw "Transformers."
More: http://www.news-daily.com/opinion/local_story_189220159.html
VFX House Brings Sci-Fi "Sunshine" To a Crawl
When sci-fi movie "Sunshine" opens, we're five decades into the
future, and the big ball of light is in its death throes. The first
mission to relight the sun with an island-sized nuclear device has
gone missing, so a second crew sets off seven years later to try to
finish the job.
Instead of the industry norm of farming out visual effects to a dozen
vendors, Boyle essentially used one effects house (London's Moving
Picture Co.) for almost all of the film's 750 effects shots. It gave
Boyle more quality control, but it slowed post-production to a crawl.
"Sunshine" was supposed to be completed a year ago, with a theatrical
release in October 2006, which was then moved to March 2007.
In a way, the lessons of making this movie parallel what Boyle hopes
audiences take away.
"Do we go back to the moon? Do we go somewhere different?" the
director said. "Do we play safe? Or do we take a big risk?"
More: http://www.nynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070708/ENTERTAINMENT/707080348
ILM Alumnus, Masi At Potter Premier
(news.yahoo.com) Masi Oka arrives at the premiere of 'Harry
Potter and The Order of the Phoenix' at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in
Los Angeles, Sunday July 8, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles).
Take a look: http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/en/102601potter/im:/070709/482/3484eadf8a3e433398c197ee60584afa;_ylt=AhBj7_cDO8hUMI4D_2O3SfLBaMYA
CalArts Getting a Bad Rap Online?
(jcdusenberry.blogspot.com) Yesterday, they featured our
CalArts Open Show intro on CartoonBrew.com - and I guess some people
actually took the film seriously which is frankly very sad because the
reality of the way the industry is headed ... is that a lot of the
films ARE motion capture these days. The film was meant to make fun of
it and show that Mo-Cap is NOT the way to go.
BUT ... did the films this year have what it takes to show the world
that traditional animation (2d or 3d) is alive and well? I have mixed
feelings leaning toward the answer "No".
Now I'm not gonna point any fingers here at people I feel haven't been
stepping it up a notch, and frankly I'm one of the accused, myself as
part of CalArts. But, this is a school for Character Animation. Let's
keep that in mind.
Tonight on CartoonBrew.com, there was another article specifically
about the films. Thanks to the magic of the internet, students can now
plaster their films on YouTube for all the world to see - resulting
in:
CALARTS EXPOSED!
- Before the big jump in student's ability to post their work online,
the only ones who saw the films were people in the industry, their
parents and friends and demo reel filtering people at studios. CalArts
has a big reputation, and usually only the best of the best of the
best have leaked out into popular culture.
This is no more. Now we have the world looking over us. We've in a
sense "gone public". And it seems our shareholders aren't impressed.
The article on CartoonBrew stated that "the overwhelming impression I
got from this year's batch of films is that CalArts is increasingly a
school that is coasting along its reputation than on the quality of
work its current students produce".
Sad to say, I agree.
I won't name who, but I overheard one of the best animators from a
Major studio commenting on the show that they only really felt that
two, maybe three of the films in this year's producer's show had a
real developed Character.
(Here's that Character Animation thing again). I totally agree with
this person. Watching the show for the third time, I was able to sit
back and really judge and I was thinking the exact same thing that
this person stated after the show. Where is the character? We're
supposed to be leaders in character animation, right? I recently
posted an article transposing what John K. thought of schools like
CalArts and what they're lacking, so I won't repeat myself in detail
when I say:
WE NEED TO STEP IT UP! We need to push beyond what our instructors
show us, find a strong story - good character designs that support
that story and that reflect that character. Where is the character? My
Instructor from SMC told me that when I get to CalArts, I need to help
bring character back. I see now what he meant.
I've seen work from other students around the world that blows us out
of the water. I think when people get here, they can let themselves
think, "Well I'm at CalArts, the best school for animation in the
world - must meant I'm damn good. Let me whip something out for a film
this year and then get a Disney callback"
Doesn't work that way. That's how empires crumble. Fact of the matter
is, we aren't the best unless we make ourselves so. It's getting
easier and easier for people out there to learn animation and get it
out into the world, and with CGI entering in, it's EVEN EASIER and the
public barely notices a different between quality and shit. Except the
people who matter, the people who cherish animation and love it as an
art form.
I know for myself, I'm taking the John K. comment, the CartoonBrew
articles and my own personal realizations and letting it fuel my work
ethic. I'm not one of the best ones out there ... YET.
'Indiana Jones' Filming Draws Fans From All Over The World
(New Haven Register) Elodie Cinquanta flew all the way from
Orsi Geres, Switzerland, to chase her dream. Early on a recent
morning, that dream came true when she met director Steven Spielberg
on High Street.
"We were coming here for that. It is a dream. So we are very happy
now," she said.
Cinquanta, 20, and three other fans of Spielberg and "Indiana Jones"
are among the throngs who have come downtown to watch the fourth
"Indy" movie being filmed. This quartet just traveled a little
farther.
Cinquanta, along with Aaron Wilkinson, 21, of Christchurch, New
Zealand, Antoni Conteddu, 26, of Bologna, Italy, and Fred China, 26,
of Lyon, France, also met co-star Shia LaBeouf, but it was the
director they really came to see.
They are the kind of fans who are really more interested in the
director than the star, the kind who love Spielberg's movies because,
for the most part, he doesn't rely on computer-generated imagery
(CGI), but on real sets and real acting.
"CGI is a bad thing for movies. It's not magic," said China as the
group had breakfast Monday at Atticus Bookstore and Cafe, up the
street from where the movie was filming.
It's "not artistic _ all computer," added Cinquanta.
"The movies from the '80s produced by Spielberg ... all have a good
feeling," Conteddu said. "This kind of feeling is lost nowadays. It's
all about money and box office."
You can have "Lord of the Rings," even though it was filmed in New
Zealand. Give them "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," the movie Spielberg
directed after "Raiders of the Lost Ark," and "The Goonies," which
Spielberg wrote and produced.
The four, who knew of each other from Internet fan forums but met for
the first time when they arrived here, range in their devotion.
Wilkinson traveled the farthest and is an "Indiana Jones" fan, but
said he is "just sort of tagging along." An unexpected leap in a stock
he owns gave him the opportunity to take a vacation from his
meteorology job.
China, a Web designer, is a collector of "Goonies" and "Indiana Jones"
memorabilia and is creating a Harrison Ford Web site in French. He
wears an Indiana Jones costume that cost him almost $2,000. The hat is
a genuine Herbert Johnson fedora.
"I went to San Francisco just to buy the shoes" while heading to the
"Goonies" set in Oregon, he said.
Conteddu's MySpace page tells his story: Wannabeonindy4. "My first
goal was to be an extra in the movie," he said. He couldn't get a work
visa, but he came anyway.
"It was a good chance to meet new people, see the United States and
see what kind of work or activities a movie requires ... I love
cinema."
Conteddu wasn't with the others when they ran into Spielberg, and he
wasn't happy to learn he missed out. "I'm not so obsessed about
meeting the stars, but it's so bad to know they had the chance to
spend a minute ..."
"Five minutes!" said Wilkinson. The others were sympathetic to
Conteddu but thrilled that Spielberg signed their T-shirts, drawings
and other stuff. "To Elodie, thank you for your art!" Spielberg wrote
on her portrait of him.
"He took his time for us. He was very nice," said Cinquanta.
All four spoke highly of people they've met in Connecticut. Conteddu
said New Haven reminded him of Bologna.
"It has a similar feeling ... because Bologna too is a university city
so it's full of young people and old buildings."
A couple of things surprised them, though. Not having cars, they
haven't gotten outside the central city, so they haven't seen a
McDonald's yet. But one thing they did see that they didn't expect: a
raccoon.
Props Collector Takes Home Potter Magic
(Pioneer Press) Bruce Hubbard, a Minnesota-based movie props
dealer, uses a Harry Potter special-effects wand to "magically" make a
Harry Potter quill pen "levitate." Hubbard is a middleman, acquiring
movie props from prop masters and selling them to collectors around
the world. Surrounding him are some of his treasures, including
proclamations from "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." (SCOTT
TAKUSHI, Pioneer Press)
If Bruce Hubbard dies prematurely, it's all settled: His niece gets
the Superman costume - the one Christopher Reeve wore in the 1977
movie. After all, it could pay for college.
But Hubbard may need to update his will: He just acquired Harry
Potter's broom, the Nimbus 2000. That piece of movie magic could send
the little one to graduate school. At Harvard.
Hubbard is a movie props dealer who lives in Minnesota, and right now,
he's flying high on Harry Potter movie magic.
"Harry Potter is the 'Star Wars' of this era," Hubbard says. "History.
It's history."
The Twin Cities dealer of "The Williams Collection" is like this with
movie prop masters. He sells their props to collectors worldwide,
collectors who probably wouldn't let children with potentially sticky
fingers handle their investments.
But don't worry, kids! You can still see Harry's accessories: Hubbard
will bring some of his treasures to the Bakken Library and Museum's
Wizards' Day on July 21 in celebration of the release of the seventh
and final Harry Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
In fact, children might even get a chance to sit atop the Nimbus 2000,
Harry's broom that was featured in the first two Harry Potter movies.
(We say "might" because Hubbard says that Daniel Radcliffe, the actor
who plays Harry, wanted the original bicycle seat that was affixed to
the Nimbus for his upgraded broom, the Firebolt, and Hubbard needs to
get a new seat affixed to the broom).
More: http://www.twincities.com/life/ci_6306194
features. Each will direct "at least one" film and both will be acting
as producers of all three.
When I say they will be "animated" I mean that the characters will be
computer generated over motion-captured actors. As the publicity puts
it:
They announced the deal yesterday with Spielberg promising the films
would be shot in 3D, using motion capture technology to translate the
movements of real actors into animated characters.
And:
He said the new motion capture techniques would enable the characters
to be "reborn as living beings, expressing emotion and a soul which
goes far beyond anything we've seen to date with computer animated
characters." "[We are] faithfully replicating Herge's original
designs, but not rendering them as cartoons, or the familiar looking
computer animated characters – instead we're making them look
photo-realistic, the fibres of their clothing, the pores of their skin
and each individual hair," said Jackson.
"They look exactly like real people – but real Herge people!"
I'm not sure what to think of that. It might be interesting and it
might be creepy. The idea of photorealistic toons is interesting in
small doses but wears thin all too often in features. 3-D Homer
Simpson was amusing as a joke but I wouldn't want a feature like that.
What works as a gag or as a clip in a commercial often goes bad in
long form.
There have been animated TinTin films and live action ones in the
past. Now we get one that's in-between.
I suppose it's inevitable and the only surprising thing is that we
haven't been deluged with computer-regenerated Bogarts, Laurel &
Hardys, Jim Varneys, and Charlie Chaplin co-starring in a Mr. Bean
film.
I can hardly wait until they use the process on Cathy or Ziggy.
I sense a great disturbance in the cartoon force...
Source: http://orig-rune.livejournal.com/45110.html
LucasArts, EA Talk Indy Jones, Film/Game Process
(gamasutra.com) At their joint 'Shades of Gray' session at the
recent Hollywood & Game conference, Lucasarts president Jim Ward and
EA LA vice president Neil Young detailed how management and production
processes have, and can better, converge between the film and game
industries.
Managing Pipelines
Newsweek's N'Gai Croal moderated the session, which started with a
question about what converged pipelines actually are and how important
they are to the future of both games and Hollywood.
Young explained that there are actually two pipelines, one for the
overall creative process and a tactical pipeline.
Starting with the tactical pipeline, Young explained: "Our industry
and the CG animation industry, from a production standpoint, have been
convergent for a very long time. There's a lot of free flow of talent
between the two industries. Platforms become more powerful and the
talent from the film industry actually become more relevant for
games."
More: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=14536
VFX Hallmarks Ranked By USA Today
(news.awn.com) In celebration of its 25th anniversary, USA
TODAY has compiled a list of the 25 top movie milestones of the past
25 years.
Topping the list is Peter Jackson's Tolkien epic LORD OF THE RINGS
trilogy, which won 17 Oscars and brought in a box office gross of more
than $3 billion.
TOY STORY followed right behind at #2 for launching 3D animation on
the big screen.
Other vfx and special effects milestones that made the list include
TITANIC (#5), INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (#9), BATMAN (#10),
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST (#12), MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III (#14), TOTAL
RECALL (#17), CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (#19), THE MATRIX (#20),
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (#22) and the STAR WARS prequels (#23).
For the complete list, visit www.usatoday.com/life/top25-movies.htm?csp=34.
ILM Artist Hopes Movie Will Usher In New Era For CGI
(tformers.com) An article in Sunday's edition of the
Philadelphia Inquirer quotes Scott Farrar, the Industrial Light &
Magic visual effects supervisor for "Transformers" as saying, "I kept
thinking for a long time that we are dumbing down...I think
["Transformers"] is at least a higher-water mark to do everything we
can to make it look real."
Mr. Farrar explains the very in-depth process of making these robots.
The 10,000-plus pieces has to for each robot is designed and painted
on the computer. There is a large complexity for the "layers of all
the paint and textures and dirts and all those things that make a
shiny surface on a body panel look like a painted metal surface, or
dull aluminum bronze or brass."
How involved was Director Michael Bay on the design and direction of
these robots? Mr. Farrar and animation supervisor Scott Benza would
have a videoconference with Mr. Bay every day. "We would show him the
shots but he would always welcome proposals on our part," says Mr.
Farrar.
Did You Find the Easter Eggs in Ratatouille?
(Walt Disney Studios) Disney/Pixar's Ratatouille has been
captivating audiences across the country since it debuted as the #1
comedy last weekend. But now Disney and Pixar are giving audiences
everywhere a reason to look even closer at the movie because there are
a few hidden details and inside jokes that can only be found by the
keen observer. Some of these hidden treasures have become a tradition
for Pixar Animation Studios, such as the Pizza Planet Truck which has
appeared in nearly every Pixar film since it made its debut in 1995's
Toy Story, while others are a unique insider's view into the world of
the filmmakers of Ratatouille.
A few of these gems are listed here, but audiences will have to see
Ratatouille for themselves to find some of these and many more.
- The Pizza Planet Truck, which first made an appearance in Toy Story,
has made a cameo in nearly every Pixar film. For example, the truck
can be seen whizzing by when the tank gang is escaping from the
dentist's office in Finding Nemo. In Ratatouille, the infamous Pizza
Planet Truck can be seen on a bridge over the Seine during the scene
in which Skinner is chasing Remy.
- The number A113, which refers to Brad Bird and John Lasseter's
former classroom at CalArts, makes an appearance in every Pixar film.
For example, A113 can be seen in Cars on the train that McQueen
narrowly misses when he first loses Mack and exits onto Route 66. A113
also appears in Ratatouille, but you'll have to look carefully for
yourself to find it.
- Pixar's official "Good Luck Charm," actor John Ratzenberger makes
another appearance in Ratatouille as the head waiter, Mustafa. John's
voice has appeared in every Pixar movie including as Hamm the piggy
bank in Toy Story and Toy Story 2, PT Flea in A Bug's Life, The
Underminer in The Incredibles, and Mack the truck in Cars.
- Mabel's living room has several framed photos depicting Mabel and
her late husband as members of the French resistance during WWII. This
might explain how Mabel learned to use a shotgun.
- The character Bomb Voyage from The Incredibles makes two appearances
in Ratatouille. He appears as a mime on the bridge by Notre Dame when
Linguini and Colette skate past (see the above photo). Bomb Voyage's
second appearance is the front-page headline and photo on the
newspaper Colette is reading with the Solene Le Claire review.
- Restaurant critic Anton Ego's (voice of Peter O'Toole) office is
shaped like a coffin to reinforce the idea that a bad review from Ego
can be the "death" of a restaurant.
- There were 372 graphics created that appear on food labels, boxes,
street signs, posters, and businesses. Many of these graphics are
named after Ratatouille crew members.
- Lasseter Cabernet Sauvignon is named for executive producer John Lasseter
- Chateau-Bird Champagne named for director Brad Bird
- Chateau-Jessup Pauillac Medoc named for production designer Harley Jessup
- Colette rides a "Calahan" branded motorcycle, named after Sharon
Calahan, the director of photography/lighting.
- The "Bouchiba" brand spaghetti Linguini cooks with in his apartment
is named for animator Bolhem Bouchiba.
- The "Bradford" mixer in the kitchen is named for producer Brad Lewis
- The "Susman" brand olive oil is named for associate producer Galyn Susman.
- "Bar Des 7 Chanceux" is a storefront seen on the streets of Paris.
It is named for the "Lucky 7 Lounge," a homemade secret lounge inside
Pixar Animation Studios.
Oh Happy Days: DreamWorks Animation Cuts Credit Limit
(Associated Press) DreamWorks Animation SKG, the film
production company behind "Shrek," "Over the Hedge" and other
feature-length cartoons, said in a regulatory filing Friday it reduced
its revolving credit limit by half.
The animation studio had been able to borrow up to $200 million under
the 2004 agreement, but on June 29 decided to reduce its limit to $100
million, according to the filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
The company had no debts outstanding under the agreement as of Friday.
Sony Prints Apology For Video Game Shootout In Manchester Cathedral
(The Associated Press)
LONDON: Sony Corp. issued a public apology Friday for a violent video
game that features a bloody shootout inside an Anglican cathedral, but
it did not address the Church of England's demands that the company
withdraw the game.
The church had demanded Sony stop selling the game "Resistance: Fall
of Man," which includes a gunbattle between an American soldier and
aliens inside a building that resembles Manchester Cathedral in
northwest England.
The entertainment giant said in an apology published in The Manchester
Evening News that company officials had met with church community
leaders and Sony acknowledged the game had caused offense. The company
said it now considered the matter closed.
"It was never our intention to offend anyone in the making of this
game, and we would like to apologize unreservedly to them for causing
that offense, and to all parts of the wider community who we might
also have offended," Sony Computer Entertainment Europe President
David A. Reeves said in the apology.
Manchester Cathedral officials were not immediately available for comment.
Today in Europe
U.K. readies charges against bomb suspect
French police target former president and prime minister over smear campaign
Russian Parliament passes anti-extremism measure
Reeve also promised Manchester Cathedral would never be used in future
Sony video games.
Sony, however, declined to comment on the church's outstanding
demands, which in also included a donation to the church's education
department, which works to fight gun violence in Manchester.
"We now consider the matter closed, and will not be making any further
comment," the company said in a separate statement.
Even in Transformers, The Black Guy Still Gets It First
(news-daily.com) It never fails. For as long as I can
remember watching blockbuster movies with dashing, Anglo-Saxon lead
characters, the non-essential black character is almost always the
first guy to eat dirt.
Samuel L. Jackson, while one of my favorite actors of all time, has
nobly sacrificed himself in a number of films. In the 1993 thriller
"Jurassic Park," Jackson, the lone black character, lets the other
characters escape while he is torn to bits by velociraptors.
In "Deep Blue Sea" Jackson is not the only black character, but he is
the first one chomped in half by the huge shark that breaks through
the reinforced glass of the underwater compound built to study shark
brain waves.
In the 2005 film "A Sound of Thunder," it's 2055 and time travel is a
reality. However, one member of a time-traveling safari group steps
off the path and unwittingly smashes a huge butterfly under his combat
boot.
This seemingly harmless act sets off a chain reaction of shifts in
reality, which does all sorts of screwy things with the flora and
fauna. New York City is eventually consumed by overgrown plants and
crazy looking insects. Eventually, the urban landscape is replaced by
jungle, and the normally harmless animals there are replaced by highly
aggressive baboon-velociraptor hybrids who eventually grow bat wings
and become even more deadly.
The saddest scene in the movie is when the only black character, David
Oyelowo, predictably gets injured and can't keep up with the rest of
the bunch. Eventually, the crazed monkey-dino killing machines catch
up with him, and there is nothing he can do but pray as they circle
around him like Native Americans circling homesteaders in a spaghetti
western.
Even sadder, he tells the group something along the lines of, "Go on
... if you figure out what caused time to change, then I'll be alive
again in the real world," moments before he is gobbled.
A lot of these deaths are dignified, such as the roles often played by
Charles S. Dutton. If you need a black guy to sacrifice himself in
your movie, he's the best. He's died nobly in "Secret Window,"
"Gothika," "Alien 3," and "Mimic."
He has cemented the image of the nice-guy cop and good-Samaritan black
guy who stands up to protect the (usually white) hero character, only
to be dispatched into oblivion.
In the last few years, I believe movie makers have gotten a lot better
about falling into this predictable formula. That's why I was slightly
disappointed on July 4 when I saw "Transformers."
More: http://www.news-daily.com/opinion/local_story_189220159.html
VFX House Brings Sci-Fi "Sunshine" To a Crawl
When sci-fi movie "Sunshine" opens, we're five decades into the
future, and the big ball of light is in its death throes. The first
mission to relight the sun with an island-sized nuclear device has
gone missing, so a second crew sets off seven years later to try to
finish the job.
Instead of the industry norm of farming out visual effects to a dozen
vendors, Boyle essentially used one effects house (London's Moving
Picture Co.) for almost all of the film's 750 effects shots. It gave
Boyle more quality control, but it slowed post-production to a crawl.
"Sunshine" was supposed to be completed a year ago, with a theatrical
release in October 2006, which was then moved to March 2007.
In a way, the lessons of making this movie parallel what Boyle hopes
audiences take away.
"Do we go back to the moon? Do we go somewhere different?" the
director said. "Do we play safe? Or do we take a big risk?"
More: http://www.nynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070708/ENTERTAINMENT/707080348
ILM Alumnus, Masi At Potter Premier
(news.yahoo.com) Masi Oka arrives at the premiere of 'Harry
Potter and The Order of the Phoenix' at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in
Los Angeles, Sunday July 8, 2007. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles).
Take a look: http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/en/102601potter/im:/070709/482/3484eadf8a3e433398c197ee60584afa;_ylt=AhBj7_cDO8hUMI4D_2O3SfLBaMYA
CalArts Getting a Bad Rap Online?
(jcdusenberry.blogspot.com) Yesterday, they featured our
CalArts Open Show intro on CartoonBrew.com - and I guess some people
actually took the film seriously which is frankly very sad because the
reality of the way the industry is headed ... is that a lot of the
films ARE motion capture these days. The film was meant to make fun of
it and show that Mo-Cap is NOT the way to go.
BUT ... did the films this year have what it takes to show the world
that traditional animation (2d or 3d) is alive and well? I have mixed
feelings leaning toward the answer "No".
Now I'm not gonna point any fingers here at people I feel haven't been
stepping it up a notch, and frankly I'm one of the accused, myself as
part of CalArts. But, this is a school for Character Animation. Let's
keep that in mind.
Tonight on CartoonBrew.com, there was another article specifically
about the films. Thanks to the magic of the internet, students can now
plaster their films on YouTube for all the world to see - resulting
in:
CALARTS EXPOSED!
- Before the big jump in student's ability to post their work online,
the only ones who saw the films were people in the industry, their
parents and friends and demo reel filtering people at studios. CalArts
has a big reputation, and usually only the best of the best of the
best have leaked out into popular culture.
This is no more. Now we have the world looking over us. We've in a
sense "gone public". And it seems our shareholders aren't impressed.
The article on CartoonBrew stated that "the overwhelming impression I
got from this year's batch of films is that CalArts is increasingly a
school that is coasting along its reputation than on the quality of
work its current students produce".
Sad to say, I agree.
I won't name who, but I overheard one of the best animators from a
Major studio commenting on the show that they only really felt that
two, maybe three of the films in this year's producer's show had a
real developed Character.
(Here's that Character Animation thing again). I totally agree with
this person. Watching the show for the third time, I was able to sit
back and really judge and I was thinking the exact same thing that
this person stated after the show. Where is the character? We're
supposed to be leaders in character animation, right? I recently
posted an article transposing what John K. thought of schools like
CalArts and what they're lacking, so I won't repeat myself in detail
when I say:
WE NEED TO STEP IT UP! We need to push beyond what our instructors
show us, find a strong story - good character designs that support
that story and that reflect that character. Where is the character? My
Instructor from SMC told me that when I get to CalArts, I need to help
bring character back. I see now what he meant.
I've seen work from other students around the world that blows us out
of the water. I think when people get here, they can let themselves
think, "Well I'm at CalArts, the best school for animation in the
world - must meant I'm damn good. Let me whip something out for a film
this year and then get a Disney callback"
Doesn't work that way. That's how empires crumble. Fact of the matter
is, we aren't the best unless we make ourselves so. It's getting
easier and easier for people out there to learn animation and get it
out into the world, and with CGI entering in, it's EVEN EASIER and the
public barely notices a different between quality and shit. Except the
people who matter, the people who cherish animation and love it as an
art form.
I know for myself, I'm taking the John K. comment, the CartoonBrew
articles and my own personal realizations and letting it fuel my work
ethic. I'm not one of the best ones out there ... YET.
'Indiana Jones' Filming Draws Fans From All Over The World
(New Haven Register) Elodie Cinquanta flew all the way from
Orsi Geres, Switzerland, to chase her dream. Early on a recent
morning, that dream came true when she met director Steven Spielberg
on High Street.
"We were coming here for that. It is a dream. So we are very happy
now," she said.
Cinquanta, 20, and three other fans of Spielberg and "Indiana Jones"
are among the throngs who have come downtown to watch the fourth
"Indy" movie being filmed. This quartet just traveled a little
farther.
Cinquanta, along with Aaron Wilkinson, 21, of Christchurch, New
Zealand, Antoni Conteddu, 26, of Bologna, Italy, and Fred China, 26,
of Lyon, France, also met co-star Shia LaBeouf, but it was the
director they really came to see.
They are the kind of fans who are really more interested in the
director than the star, the kind who love Spielberg's movies because,
for the most part, he doesn't rely on computer-generated imagery
(CGI), but on real sets and real acting.
"CGI is a bad thing for movies. It's not magic," said China as the
group had breakfast Monday at Atticus Bookstore and Cafe, up the
street from where the movie was filming.
It's "not artistic _ all computer," added Cinquanta.
"The movies from the '80s produced by Spielberg ... all have a good
feeling," Conteddu said. "This kind of feeling is lost nowadays. It's
all about money and box office."
You can have "Lord of the Rings," even though it was filmed in New
Zealand. Give them "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," the movie Spielberg
directed after "Raiders of the Lost Ark," and "The Goonies," which
Spielberg wrote and produced.
The four, who knew of each other from Internet fan forums but met for
the first time when they arrived here, range in their devotion.
Wilkinson traveled the farthest and is an "Indiana Jones" fan, but
said he is "just sort of tagging along." An unexpected leap in a stock
he owns gave him the opportunity to take a vacation from his
meteorology job.
China, a Web designer, is a collector of "Goonies" and "Indiana Jones"
memorabilia and is creating a Harrison Ford Web site in French. He
wears an Indiana Jones costume that cost him almost $2,000. The hat is
a genuine Herbert Johnson fedora.
"I went to San Francisco just to buy the shoes" while heading to the
"Goonies" set in Oregon, he said.
Conteddu's MySpace page tells his story: Wannabeonindy4. "My first
goal was to be an extra in the movie," he said. He couldn't get a work
visa, but he came anyway.
"It was a good chance to meet new people, see the United States and
see what kind of work or activities a movie requires ... I love
cinema."
Conteddu wasn't with the others when they ran into Spielberg, and he
wasn't happy to learn he missed out. "I'm not so obsessed about
meeting the stars, but it's so bad to know they had the chance to
spend a minute ..."
"Five minutes!" said Wilkinson. The others were sympathetic to
Conteddu but thrilled that Spielberg signed their T-shirts, drawings
and other stuff. "To Elodie, thank you for your art!" Spielberg wrote
on her portrait of him.
"He took his time for us. He was very nice," said Cinquanta.
All four spoke highly of people they've met in Connecticut. Conteddu
said New Haven reminded him of Bologna.
"It has a similar feeling ... because Bologna too is a university city
so it's full of young people and old buildings."
A couple of things surprised them, though. Not having cars, they
haven't gotten outside the central city, so they haven't seen a
McDonald's yet. But one thing they did see that they didn't expect: a
raccoon.
Props Collector Takes Home Potter Magic
(Pioneer Press) Bruce Hubbard, a Minnesota-based movie props
dealer, uses a Harry Potter special-effects wand to "magically" make a
Harry Potter quill pen "levitate." Hubbard is a middleman, acquiring
movie props from prop masters and selling them to collectors around
the world. Surrounding him are some of his treasures, including
proclamations from "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." (SCOTT
TAKUSHI, Pioneer Press)
If Bruce Hubbard dies prematurely, it's all settled: His niece gets
the Superman costume - the one Christopher Reeve wore in the 1977
movie. After all, it could pay for college.
But Hubbard may need to update his will: He just acquired Harry
Potter's broom, the Nimbus 2000. That piece of movie magic could send
the little one to graduate school. At Harvard.
Hubbard is a movie props dealer who lives in Minnesota, and right now,
he's flying high on Harry Potter movie magic.
"Harry Potter is the 'Star Wars' of this era," Hubbard says. "History.
It's history."
The Twin Cities dealer of "The Williams Collection" is like this with
movie prop masters. He sells their props to collectors worldwide,
collectors who probably wouldn't let children with potentially sticky
fingers handle their investments.
But don't worry, kids! You can still see Harry's accessories: Hubbard
will bring some of his treasures to the Bakken Library and Museum's
Wizards' Day on July 21 in celebration of the release of the seventh
and final Harry Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
In fact, children might even get a chance to sit atop the Nimbus 2000,
Harry's broom that was featured in the first two Harry Potter movies.
(We say "might" because Hubbard says that Daniel Radcliffe, the actor
who plays Harry, wanted the original bicycle seat that was affixed to
the Nimbus for his upgraded broom, the Firebolt, and Hubbard needs to
get a new seat affixed to the broom).
More: http://www.twincities.com/life/ci_6306194
