Press & Awards

FXGuide: Dark Shadows - Retro old school VFX with a modern twist

Posted on: June 11th, 2012

We take a look at the visual effects in Tim Burton’s latest film, Dark Shadows, talking to overall VFX supe Angus Bickerton and showcasing the work of MPC, Method Studios, The Senate and Mattes and Miniatures. Read more...

CG Channel Q&A: Victoria Alonso, Marvel’s Visual Effects Chief

Posted on: November 3rd, 2011

1,600 VFX shots. 13 individual studios. 3 separate continents. In the wake of Captain America’s global success, we spoke to Marvel Executive Vice President Victoria Alonso about what it means to weld so many facilities into an international fighting force – and just what makes a great Marvel movie.

Captain America: The First Avenger has been on release for less than eight weeks, but it’s already made more than double its $140 million budget back. Not bad for a big-screen adaptation of one of Marvel’s most human of superhuman characters – and even better for a movie whose 1,600 VFX shots were shared between 13 studios spread across three continents. Read more...

Animation World Network: The Senate and Method Studios Arm Captain America

Posted on: November 3rd, 2011

The main body of work for The Senate’s 170+ shots on Captain America: First Avenger (supervised by the company's Richard Higham) involved the Kruger Chase Sequence, a major action sequence near the beginning of the film, where Steve Rogers, having just taken the "Super Soldier Serum" that will transform him into Captain America, gives chase to Heinz Kruger, a man bent on stealing the serum for his own dastardly ends.

The chase takes place through the bustling streets of 1940s Brooklyn. As Kruger escapes by stolen car, Steve is able to give chase by foot, thanks to his newly enhanced physical attributes. Very much a classic car chase, the pair weave in and out of traffic and dodge pedestrians, culminating in Steve leaping onto the roof of the car and hanging on for dear life, before forcing Kruger to crash the vehicle down by the Brooklyn Docks. Read more...

FX Guide: The Dawn Treader's VFX Crew

Posted on: November 3rd, 2011

For The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, visual effects supervisor Angus Bickerton led the creation of some 1400 shots in the third film adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ fantasy series. We highlight a number of the key effects by Framestore, MPC, Cinesite, The Senate and The Mill. Read more...

Death Fall: Captain America and His Visual Effects Commandos

Posted on: November 1st, 2011

Captain America: The First Avenger tells the story of Steve Rogers, a skinny World War II-era soldier who volunteers for a top-secret research project, takes a “Super Soldier Serum,” and becomes the patriotic superhero Captain America.

The movie is directed by Joe Johnston, who gives Captain America some of the sense of adventure he used in his previous films, such as Jumanji, The Rocketeers, and Jurassic Park 3. Read more...

FX Guide: Captain America - Super Soldier FX

Posted on: October 31st, 2011

One of the fun panels we attended at SIGGRAPH 2011 in Vancouver covered the VFX in Marvel films Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger. With that in mind we present a look at the work of several of the studios for Captain America.

Conceiving an old-fashioned comic book outing for Marvel’s Captain America: The First Avenger – set mostly during World War II – director Joe Johnston still relied on just shy of 1600 visual effects shots, and more than a dozen vendors for the stereo release. Visual effects supervisor Chris Townsend and visual effects supervisor Mark Soper, along with Method London VFX supe Stephane Ceretti, led the worldwide effects effort on the film. Read more...