Archive notice: This article was originally published on February 11, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
This year’s most popular films feature outstanding work by artists at film studios and small visual-effects design agencies around the world. Throughout film production—from set to screen—these artists rely on digital filmmaking tools from Autodesk Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK). For the 14th consecutive year, every film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects was created using Autodesk technology.
The Third Floor
The Visual Effects Society (VES) recently nominated “Valkyrie” for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Motion Picture. The Third Floor used Autodesk Maya and Autodesk Mudbox extensively to create previsualizations of the film’s sequences. To model realistic wartime German landscapes, North Africa and Hitler’s bunker accurately, the studio combined GPS data, location photographs and 3D assets in Maya. The software controlled the scene’s appearance in real time. “Autodesk software is the backbone of all our film-development work. We were very proud to contribute to ‘Valkyrie,’ but we could not have done it without Autodesk tools,” explained Chris Edwards, Head of Previsualization and CEO of The Third Floor.
Sony Pictures Imageworks
Sony Pictures Imageworks, the principal visual-effects company on “Valkyrie,” completed 600 “invisible” visual-effects shots. Its key tools were Maya for modeling, construction and animation, and the Autodesk Flame system for interactive video editing. “Flame’s highly interactive toolset was the perfect solution for integrating computer-generated elements seamlessly,” commented David Takayama, lead Flame artist at Sony Pictures Imageworks.
Weta Digital
For computer-generated monolithic robots, mysterious shape-changing spaceships and enormous swarms of voracious nanorobots, Weta Digital hired more than 250 artists who produced over 200 shots for “The Day the Earth Stood Still.” The VES recently nominated Weta’s computer-generated newborn Klaatu sequence for Best Single Visual Effect of the Year. Compositing Supervisor Areito Echevarria described a particularly complex sequence involving swarming Aphidoidea: “Maya was our primary tool for modeling, rigging, animation and lighting. We used it together with our proprietary tools for the swarm-particle effects. Maya enabled our artists to control and direct the characters’ performance while maintaining an organic impression.”
The Orphanage
The Orphanage created more than 150 shots for “The Spirit,” an entirely green-screen production. Maya was used for most of the 3D work. “I enjoyed the challenge of filling this large, empty background. Every frame had to be beautiful and cool at the same time,” said Rich McBride, Visual Effects Supervisor at The Orphanage. “Maya simply works. It is the best tool for rigging and animation. It is simple, straightforward and rarely prone to errors.”
Rising Sun
Visual-effects company Rising Sun Pictures created 73 shots for “The Spirit” and more than 150 for the film epic “Australia.” Studio Communications Manager Ian Cope explained: “We became involved with ‘Australia’ at a very early stage. For our film previsualization, artists could create iterations in Maya and respond quickly and directly to client feedback.” To handle a complex sequence involving a herd of real and computer-generated cattle, the studio created Posse, an internal proprietary crowd-simulation tool that worked seamlessly with Maya. “This allowed us to reference and control individual cow components and collisions intelligently. Developing Posse and knowing that it works seamlessly with Maya has strengthened our studio’s position and created a valuable asset that will help secure future projects.”
LOOK Effects
The work of Hollywood- and New York-based LOOK Effects can be seen in “The Spirit,” “The Wrestler,” “Bedtime Stories” and “Yes Man.” Henrik Fett, LOOK partner and Visual Effects Supervisor on “Yes Man,” explained: “The many ideas our artists have and develop require tools that are versatile and reliable at the same time. That is precisely why Maya became LOOK’s program for 3D implementation.”
EFILM Digital Laboratories
EFILM Digital Laboratories used the Autodesk Lustre digital color-grading system on several of the season’s most popular films. EFILM also used its proprietary EWORKS digital-intermediate system. The films included “Milk,” “Frost/Nixon,” “Defiance,” “Doubt,” “Bedtime Stories,” “Four Christmases” and “Yes Man.” EFILM graded footage from 4K, 35 mm and 16 mm film and from the Genesis camera, and also brought its Lustre timing and color-grading experience to “Revolutionary Road.” “Software-based Lustre technology is genuinely made for work on location. You did not have to carry masses of equipment, and the remote unit retained every advantage without compromise,” confirmed Michael Cooper, Vice President of Business Development at EFILM. “In the digital age, we are truly obsessed with image quality. We are enthusiastic about Lustre because it gives filmmakers the freedom to tell the story they want and gives EFILM the flexibility to evolve rapidly with every new digital technology.”