Lionsgate has just announced production will begin next year in Hong Kong on an untitled John Wickspin-off feature film centered around the character of blind-assassin Caine. Action star Donnie Yen will reprise his John Wick: Chapter 4 role as the sunglass-wearing badass.Though story details have not been revealed, the film will continue Caines Wick 4 story arc that saw him freed from his obligations to the High Table.The new film was developed as part of Chad Stahelskis recently announced deal with Lionsgate overseeing the expansion of the John Wick universe. Thunder Roads Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee (John Wick: Chapters 1 through 4, Ballerina, Monkey Man) will produce, alongside Stahelski (John Wick: Chapter 3Parabellum, Day Shift, John Wick: Chapter 4, Ballerina), who produces through his 87Eleven Entertainment production banner.Robert Askins, a Tony nominee for his play Hand to God and a veteran of Netflixs The Umbrella Academy and AMCs The Son, is writing the screenplay.Lionsgate also just announced thatShannon Tindle, writer / director of last years Netflix hit,Ultraman: Rising, is on board to direct an untitled animatedJohn Wickprequel feature. Franchise star Keanu Reeves reportedly will voice the lead character.Stahelski is also involved with the project; Vanessa Taylor (The Shape of Water,Hillbilly Elegy) is writing the script.From the moment Donnie Yen appeared on screen in John Wick: Chapter 4, he captivated audiences and created an authentic, emotional connection that left an indelible mark and had fans asking for more, said Adam Fogelson, chair, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. The John Wick universe that Chad, Basil, and Erica have built offers a tapestry of fascinating characters brought to life by the most extraordinary performers, and were excited to have one of the worlds biggest superstars on board to continue this journey.Working on John Wick: Chapter 4 was an extraordinary experience, said Yen. The reason these films resonate so deeply is because, like myself, Chad, Basil, and Erica push themselves to create action, fights, and stunts that are not only thrilling, inventive and artistic, but also expressive of character, story, and emotion. Caine is an incredible character with a haunted past, and I am excited to return to the role.Our next dive into theJohn Wickuniverse,Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas as an assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma, hits theaters June 5. Watch the trailerhere. The film, directed by Len Wiseman, written by Shay Hatten, based on characters created by Derek Kolstad, and produced by Iwanyk, Lee, and Stahelski, will be released on June 6, 2025.Yen is represented by Independent Artist Group and by Peco Ng at Bullet Films. Robert Askins is represented by WME and Grandview.Source: Lionsgate Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

Salacious starlet Sydney Sweeney (Immaculate, Eden) is in final talks to star in the upcoming live action Gundam feature from Legendary and Bandai Namco Filmworks, Deadline has confirmed. All casting details are under wraps.Jim Mickle (Sweet Tooth) has replaced both Jordan Vogt-Roberts (Kong: Skull Island) as director and Brian K. Vaughn (Y: The Last Man) as writer.The Gundam series is set in the futuristic Universal Century, where independent human colonies fight space battles with the greater population of Earth via giant robots called Mobile Suits. The series launched an entire genre of mecha anime, which is still widely popular today.While the new films plot has not been revealed, there are over 40 years of materials to choose from: Yoshiyuki Tominos Mobile Suit Gundam first premiered as a TV series in 1979, which birthed an entire franchise.Mickle will produce with partner Linda Moran under their Nightshade banner. Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

HBO has just announced that production has begun on Season 3 of House of The Dragon. Based on George R.R. Martins book, Fire & Blood, the series is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and tells the story of House Targaryen.Tommy Flanagan joins the Season 3 cast as Ser Roderick Dustin, while Dan Fogler will star as Ser Torrhen Manderly. Previously announced new season cast members include James Norton as Ormund Hightower.Returning cast members include Matt Smith, Emma DArcy, Olivia Cooke, Steve Toussaint, Rhys Ifans, Fabien Frankel, Ewan Mitchell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Sonoya Mizuno, Harry Collett, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Phia Saban, Jefferson Hall, Matthew Needham, Tom Bennett, Kieran Bew, Kurt Egyiawan, Freddie Fox, Clinton Liberty, Gayle Rankin, and Abubakar Salim.Directors for Season 3 are Clare Kilner, Nina Lopez-Corrado, Andrij Parekh, and Loni Peristere.Season 3 credits include Co-Creator/Showrunner/Executive Producer, Ryan Condal; Co-Creator/Executive Producer, George R.R. Martin; Executive Producers Sara Hess, Melissa Bernstein, Kevin de la Noy, Vince Gerardis, David Hancock, and Philippa Goslett.Season 2 VFX houses included BUF, Frame by Frame, FutureWorks Media, Incessant Rain Studios, Lux Machina Consulting, Midas VFX, MPC, MR. X, NVIZ, Outpost VFX, Pixomondo, The Third Floor, Weta FX, and Vast. No word yet on the new season.Source: HBO Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

Audiences may soon here Beep Beep at a local cinema, as distributor Ketchup Entertaiment has just acquired Coyote vs. Acme, the ill-fated live-action/3DCG hybrid film that was shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery in 2023 for a tax write-off, much to the anger of Hollywood and Looney Tunes fans, according to The Hollywood Reporter. As reported 10 days ago, Ketchup was in talks to pick up the film reportedly for close to $50 million. Terms of the final deal were not announced.In a statement made today, Gareth West, CEO of Ketchup Entertainment, said, Were thrilled to have made a deal with Warner Bros. Pictures to bring this film to audiences worldwide.Coyote vs. Acmeis a perfect blend of nostalgia and modern storytelling, capturing the essence of the beloved Looney Tunes characters while introducing them to a new generation. We believe it will resonate with both longtime fans and newcomers alike.Coyote vs. Acme is directed by Dave Green, with a screenplay by Samy Burch, James Gunn, and Jeremy Slater. Based on Ian Fraziers 1990 humor article Coyote v. Acme, the flick was adapted for the big screen by Burch. Mixing courtroom procedural and zany comedic elements, the story centers on a down-and-out billboard lawyer who decides to represent Wile. E. Coyote in his lawsuit against ACME Corporation over its defective products.John Cena (Peacemaker) stars alongside Lana Condor (To All the Boys Ive Loved Before), Will Forte (Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken), P.J. Byrne (Gen V), and others.The VFX were created by BUF, DNEG, Double Negative, Firebrand VFX, Framestore, Jellyfish Pictures, and Warner Brothers, with George Murphy acting as visual effects supervisor.Ketchup recently distributed Warner Bros. Discoverys The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, which opened in theaters March 14. Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

Leading visualization company Halon Entertainment is expanding its international footprint by opening a new state-of-the-art studio in Glasgow, Scotland. The new studio is backed by a 28 million investment in talent over the next three years with a plan to create up to 250 jobs. In addition, the company is also making an investment in its Los Angelese headquarters.With production happening across the globe, expanding our full-service studios on both sides of the Atlantic allows us to better support our clients with world-class services and top-tier talent, no matter where projects take them, said Chris Ferriter, President of Halon Entertainment. Our new Scotland studio strengthens our ability to collaborate seamlessly across time zones and deliver exceptional work to even more productions worldwide.The expansion is designed to increase opportunities for Halons clients and its growing global team. The additional resources, talent pipelines, and cross-continental infrastructure will help the company to take on more ambitious work across film, television, and interactive media.Founded in 2003, Halon is a pioneer in real-time visualization, virtual production, and cinematic animation for both the film and gaming industries. The studio has contributed to numerous high-profile projects in recent years including The Batman, The Planet of the Apes franchise, and the upcoming Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning and Warner Bros.' The Minecraft Movie. Halon also continues to produce game cinematics for Epic Games global sensation Fortnite, and immersive live-event and visualization and animation for advertisements. According to the company, Halons decision to establish a presence in Glasgow was driven by the citys vibrant tech ecosystem, rich creative talent pool, and world-renowned academic institutions. The move has been supported by Scottish Enterprise, Scotlands national economic development agency, and Screen Scotland.Glasgow offers us access to an incredible network of artists, engineers, and creative thinkers, added Ferriter. Were excited to grow alongside this community, bringing Halons global perspective and technology-driven approach to a thriving local industry.Crosshaven Partners acted as location advisor to Halon on the Glasgow expansion.Source: Halon Entertainment Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

Production has begun on Marvel Studios Avengers: Doomsday, set to hit theaters May 1, 2026. In a multi-hour global livestream, Marvel revealed several of the films all-star cast, teasing the return of some familiar heroes. The band is getting back together at last!The Avengers: Doomsday cast includes Chris Hemsworth, Vanessa Kirby, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Letitia Wright, Paul Rudd, Wyatt Russell, Tenoch Huerta Mejia, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Simu Liu, Florence Pugh, Kelsey Grammer, Lewis Pullman, Danny Ramirez, Joseph Quinn, David Harbour, Winston Duke, Hannah John-Kamen, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Channing Tatum, and Pedro Pascal. Robert Downey Jr. will return to the franchise as Victor von Doom.Anthony and Joe Russo have returned to direct Doomsday, as well as Avengers: Secret Wars.Being able to create stories and explore characters within the Marvel Universe fulfilled a lifelong dream of ours, and we discovered a powerful connection with audiences in each film that we made, the Russos said in a statement last year. Were thrilled to collaborate once again with [Kevin Feige, Louis DEsposito], and the entire Marvel team to bring this epic adventure in storytelling to new and surprising places for both the fans and ourselves.Check out the Doomsday production announcement now:Source: The Walt Disney Company Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

Leading VFX company Rodeo FX, known for its work on HBOs Game of Thrones, Netflixs Stranger Things, Denis Villeneuves Dune Part 1 & 2, and Prime Videos The Rings of Power has acquiredMikros Animation, the animation studio behind PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, Orion and the Dark, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem that was just recently shut down as part of the collapse of Technicolor Group late last month.The acquisition includes all of Mikros Animations operations, as well as Technicolor Canadas equipment. Operations reportedly continued uninterrupted following the recent shutdown of other companies within the Technicolor group. According to Rodeo FX, This strategic expansion aligns with Rodeo FXs ongoing global growth, following the establishment of its fifth international office in Paris in 2023. It also underscores the studios economic stability and resilience as the visual effects industry navigates post-pandemic shifts and recent disruptions caused by Hollywood labor strikes.Though now part of the Rodeo FX network, Mikros Animation will retain its brand identity, maintain its projects and production pipeline, and most of its creative, technical and leadership team. The animation studio is currently working on several high-profile titles, including the upcoming third instalment of the PAW Patrol film franchise, directed by Cal Brunker. The company just confirmed to AWN that the vast majority of the recent headcount remains in both Canada and in France.This is a deeply meaningful moment for me and for all of us at Rodeo FX, says Sebastien Moreau, Founder & CEO of Rodeo FX. Welcoming Mikros Animation into our creative family isnt just about growth, its about aligning with people who share our values, our passion for storytelling, and our belief in the magic of animation. Together, were building something that goes beyond business: a creative home where artists can dream bigger, push further, and inspire the world.Mikros, which was acquired by Technicolor in 2015, has worked on 17 feature-length animated films and numerous series for studios including Paramount Animation, Netflix, and DreamWorks Animation, producing nearly 300 hours of programming broadcast in over 180 countries on networks such as Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, TF1, and France TV.Mikros Animation and Rodeo FX have always shared a mutual respect and admiration, says Julien Meesters, newly appointed President of Mikros Animation. This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for us. Joining the Rodeo FX family opens new doors for us to explore broader animation horizons and to continually reinvent ourselves. Over the years, we've built incredible stories alongside our partners. Now, we're embracing new challenges and evolving landscapes to ensure Mikros Animation remains a leading home for filmmakers.Rodeo FX has become one of the leading studios within the industry; its work on Dune: Part One and Part Two both earning Academy Awards for Outstanding Visual Effects. The studio also received three nominations at the Visual Effects Society Awards for its contributions to Expats, The Rings of Power Season 2, and Dune: Prophecy.Source: Rodeo FX Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

Yet another shockwave just hit the visual effects industry as Jellyfish Pictures ceased global operations, on the heels of Scanline VFX shutting down its German facilities and Technicolor shuttering its global operations and entering bankruptcy proceedings. Not surprised by this economic turmoil is Scott Ross, who experienced firsthand the inequity of the Hollywood studio system as the general manager of Industrial Light & Magic from 1988-1992 and co-founder of Digital Domain, where he worked from 1993-2006.The lessons he learned provide the narrative spine for Upstart: The Digital Film Revolution Managing the Unmanageable, written by Ross and Joanne OBrien-Levin and published by Native Book Publishing. In thinking about writing a book, Ross considered the memoir Enough by Cassidy Hutchinson, a former White House aide and assistant to Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. I found that I was more interested in how Cassidy Hutchison became a Trump supporter than her personal story, states Ross, who decided to seek out a ghostwriter. It was going to take a lot of time and energy to actually write the book, so I looked at Ed Catmulls book Creativity, Inc.which did quite well, and he had a ghostwriter. I asked a friend in Arizona if he knew anybody who was a good ghostwriter. I ended up having a conversation with Joanne OBrien-Levin and we clicked.Originally, Ross looked for a traditional publisher but found he needed an agent. All of the agents came back with the same comment, which was memoirs dont sell unless your last name is Obama or Trump, he remarks. It needs to be rewritten as a business book. I hired an editor who told me, You need to have 15 principles that are business oriented that resonate with all kinds of business people. Each one of those principles becomes a chapter and you write to that. After thinking about it a lot, I revisited why I should write the book and said, If the journey has lessons to be taught that are business, creative, and entrepreneurial, while at the same time is wrapped around things of interest and famous like Titanic and Lucasfilm, thats the story which needs to be told. I fired the editor and realized that I would never be accepted by a traditional publisher. I pinged about 15 self-publishing organizations and ultimately decided on Native Book Publishing.The books title dates back to 1994 when questions arose as to whether Digital Domain would go out of business. Employees were given T-shirts with the word upstart on the front. Ross laughs, What a perfect name for the book because it describes me as a person as well as the company and the attitude we had.Watch AWN / VFXWorld's 2-part interview with Ross at FMX 2015:Ross research involved talking to numerous people as well as referencing a personal blog that essentially served as a journal. There are things that I spoke to people about and they would say, I dont remember it happening that way, states Ross. And we would talk about it. The book didnt change my opinion of what happened; I put down on paper how I viewed things now that Im an old guy. At the time I was fighting wars, not battles. There was a lot of anger, and I was hurt. That pain of being written out of history and pushed out of the way has subsided. Now in my 70s, I can look back and say, Im grateful for some of the things that happened. In fact, I would not be where I am in my life had not those things happened. Ross anger and hurt stem from his feelings he was not properly acknowledged in the Lucasfilm and Imagine Entertainment documentary miniseries, Light & Magic, for his contributions in transforming ILM, with praise instead focused on his protg, Jim Morris. It has also been painful to him that James Cameron and Stan Winston took full credit for the establishment of Digital Domain while Ross hardly gets mentioned, despite being the primary force behind the VFX companys founding as well as running day-to-day operations. A constant joy throughout the emotional rollercoaster has been music. The saxophone is Ross instrument of choice. Its still a big part of my life, not only playing and practicing, but listening. The lesson I learned from music is that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Thats the same for a career business. Ross goes on to share that advertising executive Jay Chiat was a mentor. An important part of being a leader is not going in front of your team and talk about things in a corp speak way thats not transparent, he says. You need to tell the truth, be open about it all, and instill courage, excitement and a larger mission than what your employees might think that theyre on. Thats what I learned from Jay Chiat.He then notes that the three pillars for a business are finance, technology and culture, adding, Finance people are generally brake pedals. Theyll tell you, Theres not enough money. Come back with a better budget. Creative people are generally gas pedals. They want to go faster, have better software, and more time. If its not good enough theyll continue to work on it. You need a leader who understands how to use the brake, step on the gas, and drive the car. When theres an accident up ahead, he or she knows to slow the car down. But when theres an open road, put the pedal to the metal. Those kinds of people are generally rare.Core principles Ross believes in include looking for opportunities in problems, allowing for mistakes, and giving power away. Theres that scene in Apollo 13 when Gene Kranz, played by Ed Harris, realizes that there is a severe problem with the capsule in space, throws a box on table, tosses stuff into it, and states, This is what youve got to work with. Now fix it, Ross states. Often times, when people are faced with critical decisions and the sky seems like its falling, they dont look for possible solutions let alone a new way of doing things. You have to recognize that the sky is falling, be honest with your people, and say, Lets all get together and figure out how were going to fix this. The tolerance for mistakes, however, depends on the financial state of the company. Apple can make big mistakes and not suffer from it. But if youre Digital Domain, where your revenue is $65 million a year and your profit margin is three percent, you cant afford big mistakes. Adding that micromanagement is counterproductive, Ross shares, Giving power away is the most important one. Youve heard it hundreds of times from people in business, which is, I hire people who are smarter than I am and let them run with it because theyre better at it than I could ever be. Even if youre the smartest visual effects producer in the world you cant manage six shows and do them well.As Ross sees it, the billion-dollar question is how to unite the fractured visual effects industry to achieve a financially sustainable business partnership with Hollywood studios. Unfortunately, I tried for 25 to 30 years [to establish a trade association] and was not successful at it, he says. In the mid to late 1980s, there were only four or five shops that were doing cinematic visual effects and the shop that I was running [ILM] probably had 75 percent market share. We had profit margins anywhere between three to seven percent, which is not enough to do much of anything. The reason it was never a really profitable business was there were only five or six clients; they talked to each other and had a trade association. The studios understood that the business model that was in place at that point and until this day was beneficial to them. As there were more visual effects companies coming online, there was a studio executive who was quoted as saying, I dont feel like Im doing my job unless I put a visual effects company out of business.Visual effects companies bear the entire responsibility for delivering final sequences on projects where determining every element needed on-screen is often a moving target throughout the production. Ive never heard a movie director say, I want my visual effects to look exactly like that last movie you did, remarks Ross. No. Every film is a new invention. And they want it faster. Even precise instructions change. When I started Digital Domain and was working with James Cameron, we realized that one of the biggest problems in the visual effects pipeline was that the director never had any relationship with the men and women actually creating the effects. Its an impossibility. We tried it. The reason why its impossible is the director is a general out in the field fighting this war on the Eastern Front and your troops are sequestered underground. The only time that he has to go see them is when theyre delivering shots and says, That sucks. [That happens] even if the directions are precise. Ive always felt that an international trade association was the only way to address the business model, notes Ross. It has nothing to do with price fixing. Its to do with how businesses charge [for their services]. Diversity makes visual effects companies less financially vulnerable. Commercials divisions were established at ILM and Digital Domain where we were doing adverts around the world. We started location-based entertainment activities where we would do theme park rides. Had we not looked at those opportunities and figured out a way to utilize the skills of the men and women already in the studio, and bolted on a marketing and client service team that had expertise in a specific area, we probably would have been out of business.Ross also says that fiscal sustainability can be achieved through owning intellectual property. If we look at any of the visual effects/CGI companies that actually made it and had value, almost every single one produced their own IP in the animation world, whether it was Blue Sky Studios, Pixar or Pacific Data Images. They were similar in many ways to Digital Domain and ILM but decided to become animation studios. Then they wound-up, and this is the magic, having a distribution deal or being acquired by a major studio. With the financing and distribution, they transitioned from being a service company into creating their own IP. In the beginning Hollywood studios had their own effects departments. As recently as 2022, Netflix purchased Scanline VFX while Sony Pictures Entertainment bought Pixomondo. Were still in the cycle of studios acquiring visual effects companies, but we might have seen the first crack in the wall where Netflix closed Scanline VFX in Germany, observes Ross. A studio realizes how important visual effects and animation are and ends up acquiring or starting its own effort. The studio runs it for a couple of years and discovers, There is no money in this. Let the outside guys lose the money. Then video game technology comes around, like Unity and Epic Games; those companies think, Maybe our big area of growth is in the movie business. Unity spent ridiculous amounts of money on acquiring Wts software group only to find out, What the hell are we going to do with it? This cycle keeps on going. Of course, compounding recent VFX industry upheavals has been the expansive growth of AI, which Ross acknowledges will fundamentally change society for better and worse. AI is going to do incredible things in lots of different areas that will help humanity, he believes. But if we limit the scope to media and entertainment, its going to have a major impact. Look at the reactions, where unions are stipulating that you cant recreate the voices of actors. Look at the guardrails theyre trying to put in place.As the studios continue applying pressure to produce good work done faster and cheaper, the use of AI will significantly eliminate visual effects jobs, which Ross says are 80 percent of the overhead. The majority of visual effects workers are not visual effects artists, he explains. Theyre at best putting the arms on the Venus de Milo. Theyre not creating the Venus do Milo out of pure granite. The faster and cheaper mode has forced people to do things that arent always feasible [such as setting up facilities in countries with a lower cost of living], and with the new technology of AI and machine learning, then generative AI and agent AI, most of those tasks [roto, paint and compositing] in my opinion will become obsolete.However, according to Ross, AI will not democratize filmmaking in that there is one fundamental element that will remain elusive. I have not yet seen an example of an AI film where I went, Wow. I care about these characters and want to learn more about them, he concludes. Its pulling my heartstrings, making me laugh and cry. What I have seen is amazing production value, and production value is a whole lot easier, particularly with the toolsets that are available today, than actually creating great stories.You can purchase Upstart: The Digital Film Revolution Managing the Unmanageable at Amazon.com. Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer best known for composing in-depth filmmaker and movie profiles for VFX Voice, Animation Magazine, and British Cinematographer.

Zoinks! Netflix has just announced an all-new eight-episode live-action Scooby-Doo series, based on the Hanna-Barbera characters, that will uncover how everyones favorite mystery-solving gang, and their beloved dog, first teamed up to crack the haunting case that started it all. AWN first reported on the possible show development early last year.The show is billed as a modern reimagining of the iconic mystery-solving group of teens and their very special dog. During their final summer at camp, old friends Shaggy and Daphne get embroiled in a haunting mystery surrounding a lonely lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder. Together with the pragmatic and scientific townie, Velma, and the strange, but ever so handsome new kid, Freddy, they set out to solve the case that is pulling each of them into a creepy nightmare that threatens to expose all of their secrets.Ruh Roh!Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg (via Midnight Radio)serve as showrunners, writers, and executive producers. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman (via Berlanti Productions and its overall deal with Warner Bros. Television), Andr Nemec and Jeff Pinkner (via Midnight Radio) also serve as executive producers. From Warner Bros. Television. No word yet on casting or expected release date.Regarding the announcement, Berlanti said, One of my first and favorite jobs in Hollywood was sitting with Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera while they signed animation cells. Josh and Scott and everyone at Midnight Radio have crafted a story that captures their amazing spirits and their genius creation. We are grateful to them and everyone at Warners and Netflix for the partnership in helping bring this iteration of Scooby-Doo to life!Clancy Collins White, President, Creative Affairs, Warner Bros. Television, added, Were thrilled to collaborate with our longstanding partners at Berlanti Productions and with Midnight Radio to bring the legendary Scooby-Doo franchise to a live-action series for the first time. Its no mystery why audiences continue to love these iconic characters after more than a half century. Were excited for a new generation to discover Mystery Inc. And were grateful to our partners at Netflix for the opportunity.Source: Netflix Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

Union VFX has shared with AWN and VFXWorld some of their powerful and poignant digital environment visual effects work on the Peacock and Sky eight-part series, The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Their work was recently nominated for a VES Award for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Photoreal Episode.The show tells the extraordinary true story of Lali Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew sent to Auschwitz in 1942. Forced to work as a tattooist, he meets Gita, a fellow prisoner, and their love blossoms amidst unimaginable horrors. Decades later, Lali recounts his story to writer Heather Morris, reflecting on the courage, love, and survival that defined his life.The studio notes that they were honored to collaborate with an incredible team to bring this poignant series to life. Working closely with Synchronicity Films, Alan Church, Simon Giles, Claire Mundell, and colleagues at Untold Studios, the Union VFX team played a key role in realizing the harrowing yet hopeful story. Their work ranged from the intricate digital reconstruction of Auschwitz-Birkenau to atmospheric effects like fire, ash, and weather.Tali Shalom-Ezer directs. Claire Mundell executive produces through her company Synchronicity Films. The show is produced in association with Sky Studios and All3Media International. The series is a co-production for Sky and Peacock. Jacquelin Perske serves as executive producer and lead writer alongside episode writers Evan Placey (Associate Producer) and Gabbie Asher. Serena Thompson executive produces for Sky Studios.The series is now streaming on NOW in the UK and Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, Peacock in the US, and Stan in Australia.Source: Union VFX Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

Linda Napolitano was your everyday New York housewife. That was until she claimed to have been abducted by aliens from her second-floor apartment in 1989 a story she still believes to be true to this day. Netflixs three-part docuseries The Manhattan Alien Abduction follows this tale, featuring Lindas firsthand accounts and fantastical recreations of her experience.Leading the series production was Story Films Director Dan Vernon, who wanted to tap into 80s retrofuturism within the narrative. The Manhattan Alien Abduction was the perfect opportunity to evoke old sci-fi movie flavor, he says. And for this, I wanted to add subtle nuances in post to enhance its authenticity. Lux Aeterna was brought on to help pull the look together, meticulously crafting paranormal and archival-looking scenes.Here's the trailer:Blending VFX and videographyA major focus of ours was perfecting the lighting, explains Rob Hifle, Creative Director of Lux Aeterna. The shots we worked on included a lot of dynamic assets, such as curtains moving, so it was crucial to make sure we made it look lifelike in line with Dans vision. The first step to achieve this was to reference the series principal photography.DoP Tim Cragg was the studio's main point of reference; his Cooke lenses created flare, chromatic fall off, and a specific bokeh. I wanted to use a docu-drama interview style while speaking to those involved, he says. The lighting, color, and tone were all very important to keep in mind. To achieve an 80s comic-book style, Cragg shot using an LUT to bring out the cyans, reds, and yellows in the scenes.It was from these shots that Lux Aeterna started to build its visual effects. The team worked carefully to replicate the bold colors and hyper-realistic lighting style, ensuring their creations blended seamlessly with the rest of the series. We needed to make our work as subtle as possible, explains Tav Flett, VFX Supervisor. This not only made it lifelike but also ensured consistency with the shows aesthetic and Tims unique shot style.Lux Aeterna captured references on-set through a combination of lens grids, and bokeh and flare characteristics. These were used to create an optical gizmo that matched the Cooke lens characteristics at every focal length. Presets were then created based on this enabling the team to recreate dynamic lens flares for integrations with CG elements and retaining the pivotal 80s sci-fi aesthetic. Referencing 80s cinemaIn addition to the principal photography, Lux Aeterna drew inspiration from classic 80s films. Vernon provided the team with a series of movies he was inspired by, from Ghostbusters to Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. The VFX studio took these bold, contemporary lighting styles and applied them to the series.To integrate the neon colors commonly used by directors like Spielberg and Kubrick, Lux Aeterna adopted cloud tank visuals licensed from artist Chris Parks. This was a traditional technique used in films at the time, continues Flett. Combining it with a modern production process made for a truly unique lighting set-up.Shining a light on the UFOEvery aspect of The Manhattan Alien Abduction was thoroughly researched to align with both the directors vision and accounts from the people who experienced it. This was no different when the team created their largest asset: the spaceship used in the abduction. We used descriptions from Bud Hopkins, an American UFOlogist who interviewed eyewitnesses of paranormal events, says Flett. The amount of material we had to base our UFO on really helped us create a well-rounded CG asset.After various iterations, the team decided on a classic, retro UFO shape, which was highly detailed thanks to the combination of references. The next challenge was for Lux Aeterna to light it in a convincing and hyper-realistic way, making an older concept fit for modern-day viewers.Flett and his team used light groups when rendering the spaceship to maximize integration control within the composites streamlining the process by rendering a single set of global AOVs. These were subtracted from specific light groups to control material properties in compositing, reducing the number of render layers required. To enhance efficiency, the team wrapped this approach into the gizmo for the benefit of the compositing team.Building a convincing spaceship was an incredibly careful process, he continues. We used multiple AOVs to perfect the look, making sure the lights shone down in a sci-fi-esque, intimidating way. The end product was highly realistic with cloud visuals layered in the back, but with all the retrofuturistic inspirations from the 1980s.The Manhattan Alien Abduction turns Linda Napolitanos story into a visually striking, culturally rich docuseries. Using a combination of retro SFX, modern VFX, and a variety of references, the Lux Aeterna team was able to create a lighting style that perfectly matched the tale.

Disney+ has released a new trailer for Doctor Who Season 2, which showcases the Doctor and his companion Belinda Chandra as they adventure across time and space.In Season 2, the Doctor and Belinda face great dangers, bigger enemies, and wilder terrors than ever before on their way back to Earth.Ncuti Gatwa stars as the Doctor, alongside Varada Sethu as Belinda Chandra and Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday. Previously announced guest cast includes Rose Ayling-Ellis, Christopher Chung, Rylan Clark, Alan Cumming, Anita Dobson, Freddie Fox, Michelle Greenidge, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruth Madeley, Jemma Redgrave, and Susan Twist.Russell T Davies serves as showrunner, executive producer, and writer. Joel Collins, Phil Collinson, Julie Gardner, and Jane Tranter also executive produce.The series is produced by Bad Wolf, with BBC Studios for Disney Branded Television, BBC One, and BBC iPlayer.Doctor Who Season 2 premieres April 12 on Disney+ where available, and exclusively on the BBC and BBC iPlayer in the UK. New episodes will premiere weekly.Check out the trailer now:Source: Disney+ Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

Chaos has launched Chaos Arena, a new virtual production tool that allows artists to bypass game engines and use their normal pipeline to put ray-traced 3D content on LED walls in a matter of minutes. Arena aims to deliver fully path-traced quality renders in real-time, accurately capturing lighting and seamlessly blending virtual environments with physical sets.Virtual production has been transformative, but the current process is full of crashes and rebuilds that can cost studios thousands of dollars per minute, said Christopher Nichols, Director of Special Projects at the Chaos Innovation Lab. Arena will not only let artists use the same assets from pre to post, but adds in a level of real-time path tracing and stability that wasnt possible before today. This is exactly what Hollywood needs to rein in budgets and kick off the next big wave of independent filmmaking.Arena was designed to help studios quickly move their 3D scenes from popular tools like Maya, Houdini, Blender and 3DS Max onto LED screens, without a game engine. Artists can build their assets, bring a V-Ray scene file into Chaos Arena, and start their virtual shoots. Chaos is also working on USD and MaterialX support, to allow artists to bring in assets or shaders from outside of the Chaos ecosystem.Arena is powered by Chaos Vantage, one of the first path tracers to support NVIDIAs DLSS 4 ray reconstruction/upscaling technology, a suite of neural rendering tools designed to boost FPS and image quality. By implementing DLSS 4s new denoiser algorithm (built on a new AI transformer model) users can enjoy a noticeable improvement in the visual fidelity of wires, hairs and interior scenes without upgrading their current RTX cards. This boost ensures that even after denoising and/or upscaling, users will see perfect anti-aliasing of objects and textures as fine as 1 to 2 pixels.Virtual production is reaping the benefits of the latest wave of technological advancement, added James Blevins, co-founder of MESH and former post-production supervisor on The Mandalorian. Arenas utilization of DLSS 4 has given me and my productions the opportunity to get great environmental work to the wall as quickly as possible. It really feels like a tool thats enabling the art department.Arena is available now and priced on a daily or annual rate. Arena can also be tested in a trial format that includes a watermark.Source: Chaos Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

Bill Kroyer has spent his career at the crossroads of tradition and technology. As a Disney-trained animator, director of FernGully: The Last Rainforest, and a pioneer of CG animation with Tron, Kroyer has been at the forefront of one of the most transformative periods in animation history. Now, in his new book, Mr. InBetween: My Life in the Middle of the Animation Revolution, he reflects on a career that straddled two vastly different eras of filmmaking. A purchase link with discount code, MRIB25, for both the paperback and eBook can be found on his website, https://www.mrinbetween.org.Its called Mr. InBetween because not only did I start out doing in-betweens, which people dont really do anymore, but my career ended up being in between the two great eras of animation, Kroyer explains. There was the hand-drawn era, and then the computer era. And I was right in the middle.Kroyers career began in 1975 at Disney at a time when the new guard of animation greats like John Musker, Brad Bird, Andrew Stanton, John Lasseter, and Henry Selick (to name a few) had begun their careers at the studio. Kroyer muses that back then, the tools and techniques of animation had remained unchanged for over 70 years. An animator from Snow White or the old Fleischer Studios in the 1930s could have sat down at my desk at Disney and gone right to work, he recalls. From 1915 to 1985, no one changed anything. Then, all of a sudden, in 10 years, we went from never using computers to Toy Story. That was the symbol of the new age.The shift from hand-drawn animation to digital tools transformed the industry - not only in terms of technology but also in how individual artistry was perceived. Back then, you could instantly tell a Milt Kahl scene from a Freddie Moore scene, a Bill Tytla scene, or a Frank Thomas scene, Kroyer notes. You could tell a Chuck Jones short from a Bob Clampett short just by the drawing style. The individual skill was amazing. But with CG, everything started to look more uniform. The computer has leveled the playing field, and its getting harder to identify specific animators by their style.Which gets to one of the reasons why Kroyer wrote Mr. InBetween: My Life in the Middle of the Animation Revolution. The purity of the hand-drawn world is a civilization gone with the wind, he shares. I want people to get a little sense of what that was like before it all changed with the transition to computers, which has been one of the most impactful transitions in the history of art. Remember, animated films are the only films where 100% of what you see on-screen is created by someone. So, our medium was more impacted by the computer than any other. And I happened to be right there at the very, very beginning. With Tron, I stumbled into this thing that nobody had ever done before. And I got hooked on it very early. I was exposed to every step along that transition. And I just thought it would be interesting for people to read about that. Not as a history book, with names, dates, and events, but from my personal experience. As he details, one of the defining moments of Kroyers career came with Tron, the groundbreaking 1982 film that introduced the world to CGI in a live-action setting. But at the time, no one - not even the filmmakers - fully understood how it would work. It was a fluke Tron ever got made, Kroyer admits. Its one of those happy accidents of history. Disneys live-action films like The Apple Dumpling Gang (1979) werent doing well at the box office. So, they brought in this young executive, Tom Wilhite, who was looking to energize the division. Steve Lisberger (writer/director of Tron) came up with this crazy idea for a video game movie. And the only person in town even interested was Tom Wilhite.When we sold Tron to Disney in 1980, the tools to make it didnt even exist yet, he adds. You look at some of the sample reels from the studios that made the film, they were terrible. We jumped off the cliff and built our wings on the way down.Each day on the production meant breaking new ground. Almost every single day, I was doing something for the first time in history, he says. Whether defining a scene, figuring out how to animate movement, or integrating CGI with live action - nobody had done it before.Kroyer also describesTronas a one take movie. We hardly ever got a chance to do retakes because of how much work was involved. Now, of course, you look at a visual effects shot, its the 143rdversion of that shot.Take a look at the original Tron trailer:Even Hollywoods top visual effects artists were baffled. When Richard Taylor (the films VFX supervisor) presented Tron at the Academys visual effects bakeoff, there wasnt a single question, Kroyer recalls. These were the greatest VFX artists in the world, and they had never seen anything like it. They later told us, We think you guys cheated because you used computers - and we dont understand computers.He laughs when noting that there was more computing time in one frame of Tron: Legacy (2010) than in the entire original Tron film. Its similar to how the Apollo program sent astronauts to the moon using a computer with less power than in your watch. That's kind of how we made movies in the old days. It's almost hard to get your head around.Despite its lasting impact, Tron struggled at the box office. We knew we had accomplished something historic, he says. It was absolutely a joyous feeling to have created such a monumental thing, which is why its failure at the box office was so confusing and devastating. But it came out during one of the greatest summers ever - E.T., Blade Runner, Star Trek II. Audiences like technology, but at the end of the day, they respond to story and character more than anything.Today, Tron remains one of the most visually distinct films ever made. If you pull a single frame from Tron, people immediately recognize it, Kroyer says. How many films can you say that about? After Tron, Kroyer was fascinated by computer animation but frustrated by its limitations. Determined to merge the expressive power of hand-drawn animation with digital tools, he launched Kroyer Films and created Technological Threat, a 1988 Oscar-nominated short that blended 2D and 3D animation.That film was the moment when the two worlds met - hand-drawn and CG, neither able to fully replace the other, he explains. Its still a defining moment in animation history. Kroyer continues, One point I make in my book is that animation is one of the only forms of filmmaking where one person can sit in a room and create an entire movie that will entertain an audience. The individual animator still has that ability. I describe a situation when I was nominated for an Oscar (for Technological Threat). I was with the other nominees. Who was I sitting between? Cordell Barker on one side, who literally did his entire film, The Cat Came Back, by himself in his apartment, and on the other side, John Lasseter, who did Tin Toy at Pixar in 3D. Im in the middle. And my film combined hand-drawn animation and computers, what hadn't been done before. So, it was such an oddly metaphorical gathering. Cordell, in a lot of ways, represented the thing that all of us animators love the most. And that was the ability to sit there by yourself in a room and make a movie. What a great, powerful thing that is. And people are still doing it. Its wonderful.He continued his hybrid approach with the animated feature film, FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992), which used 40,000 frames of computer imagery, title sequences for Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, and the Coca-Cola polar bear commercials, which marked a symbolic moment in animations evolution.The bear had to slap and splash the water in one of the Coca-Cola commercials, but at the time, CG couldnt do water effects, Kroyer says. The client demanded it. So, we had a 2D animator hand-draw the splash on paper, then composited it into the CG animation. That was one of the last times hand-drawn animation was used like that in a CG film.By the time he joined Rhythm & Hues, it was clear that CG had won the battle. Traditional 2D animation was still being done, but the industry had shifted, he acknowledges.Beyond filmmaking, Kroyer spent years teaching young animators at Chapman University and through the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. But making the transition from director to teacher wasnt easy.One of the biggest lessons I learned was that being a good teacher is completely different from being a director, he says. Students dont always do the work or show up, and you cant treat them like a production crew. You have to be a coach, a guide - even a psychologist at times. Looking back, Kroyer values the friendships he forged throughout his career. The people I met - whether big-name directors or PAs - were what made this career special. Ive kept those friendships for 45 years, and Im prouder of that than anything I did on screen.As artificial intelligence and new technologies reshape animation yet again, Kroyer sees parallels to past industry disruptions.From the very beginning, people asked, Is this technology good? Will it replace artists? he says. I hope my book gives people a reference point to see that these debates arent new. At the end of the day, no technology is inherently evil - its about how we use it.And, he argues, artists will always find a way to make something meaningful. Give an artist a pencil, and theyll draw something. Give them sophisticated tools, and theyll create something extraordinary.For those eager to explore Kroyers personal journey through animation history, his book Mr. InBetween is available now. You can find a purchase link and discount code, MRIB25, for both the paperback and eBook on his website, https://www.mrinbetween.org. Published by CRC Press. Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

Matt Owens, co-showrunner of Netflixs One Piece, recently took to Instagram to reveal he has stepped down from the series to focus on his mental health.The last 6 years working on the live action One Piece have been a life changing journey, Owens wrote. A dream come true. Its also been A LOT. So Im stepping off the Going Merry to take a break and focus on myself and my mental health. Thank you so much to Oda, Shueisha, Tomorrow Studios, Netflix, and the entire cast and crew for your trust, partnership, and hard work. For now Im gonna take a breath, do some therapy, try and rank up in Marvel Rivals, and come back refreshed for the new adventures that await. Thanks to everyone who has supported me. See you real soon!Owens developed the series alongside co-showrunner Steven Maeda, who stepped down from his role ahead of production for Season 2. Joe Tracz will lead the series following both departures. Maeda will remain an executive producer.One Piece Season 2 stars newcomers Sendhil Ramamurthy, Katey Sagal, Mark Harelik, Daniel Lasker, Camrus Johnson, Jazzara Jaslyn, David Dastmalchian, Werner Coetser, Brendan Murray, Clive Russell, Callum Kerr, Julia Rehwald, Rob Colletti, and Ty Keogh. Returning cast includes Iaki Godoy as Monkey D. Luffy; Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro; Emily Rudd as Nami; Jacob Romero as Usopp; and Taz Skylar as Sanji.The live-action pirate adventure is created in partnership with Shueisha and produced by Tomorrow Studios and Netflix. Matt Owens and Steven Maeda are writers, executive producers, and showrunners. Oda, Marty Adelstein, and Becky Clements also executive produce.For Season 1, Victor Scalise served as production VFX supervisor; Scott Ramsey served as VFX producer, with VFX handled by Barnstorm VFX, CoSA VFX, Eyeline Studios, Framestore, Goodbye Kansas Studios, Incessant Rain, Ingenuity Studios, NetFX, Refuge, Rising Sun Pictures, and Scanline VFX. Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

Indeed, they are building a weapon the second and final season of Lucasfilms critically acclaimed Rogue One prequel, Andor, will hit Disney+ on April 22 after some serious delay. Originally slated to premiere August 2024, the show was pushed to last November, then until this spring. The season will unfold as four 3-episode chapters.Diego Luna returns as Cassian Andor, joined by cast members Stellan Skarsgrd, Genevieve OReilly, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, Elizabeth Dulau, and Alan Tudyk, with Ben Mendelsohn and Forest Whitaker.The series was created by Tony Gilroy, who also serves as an executive producer along with Kathleen Kennedy, Sanne Wohlenberg, Diego Luna, Luke Hull and John Gilroy. Tony Gilroy wrote the first three episodes, with Beau Willimon writing episodes 4-6, Dan Gilroy penning episodes 7-9 and Tom Bissell putting pen to paper for episodes 10-12. The directors for the series are Ariel Kleiman (Eps. 1-6), Janus Metz (Eps. 7-9) and Alonso Ruizpalacios (Eps. 10-12).VFX studios on Season 2 include Clear Angle Studios, ILM, ILM Stagecraft, Scanline VFX, and Soho VFX.Source: Disney+ Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

What a looney twist! Coyote vs. Acme, the ill-fated live-action/3DCG hybrid film that was shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery in 2023 for a tax write-off, may soon be bought and distributed by Ketchup Entertainment. While negotiations are still in progress, the deal is reportedly near $50 million.Coyote vs. Acme is directed by Dave Green, with a screenplay by Samy Burch, James Gunn, and Jeremy Slater. Based on Ian Fraziers 1990 humor article Coyote v. Acme, the flick was adapted for the big screen by Burch. Mixing courtroom procedural and zany comedic elements, the story centers on a down-and-out billboard lawyer who decides to represent Wile. E. Coyote in his lawsuit against ACME Corporation over its defective products.John Cena (Peacemaker) stars alongside Lana Condor (To All the Boys Ive Loved Before), Will Forte (Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken), P.J. Byrne (Gen V), and others.The VFX were created by BUF, DNEG, Double Negative, Firebrand VFX, Framestore, Jellyfish Pictures, and Warner Brothers, with George Murphy acting as visual effects supervisor.Ketchup recently distributed Warner Bros. Discoverys The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, which opened in theaters March 14. Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

The FMX 2025program isnow online. Lists of participating speakers and companies have also been published. The event runs May 6-9 in Stuttgart, May 10 June 10 on-demand.Production supervisor Kevin Baillie and Metaphysic VFX supervisor Jo Plaete will host an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how artist-empowering AI transformed Robert Zemeckis film Here. This session explores how AI-enabled de-aging technology preserved the performances of Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, and Kelly Reilly, seamlessly spanning decades.Baillie and Plaete will break down the real-time face-swapping system that allowed actors and directors to see de-aged performances instantly on set, as well as the AI-driven post-production techniques that allowed Zemeckis to leap over the uncanny valley. They will also discuss AIs broader impact on digital environments, body reconstruction, and enhancing prosthetics for aged characters. This session is part of the VFX for Features track. A devastating deluge hits the world in the Oscar-winning animated feature, Flow. Since the animals don't talk, non-verbal communication plays a decisive role: body language and the animals' natural sounds. In his FMX presentation, animation supervisor Thibaut Delahaye will explain how he approached his part of the feat, focusing on animating quadrupeds. The session is part of the Feature Animation track.Sound designer Gurwal Loc Dallas will elaborate on how sound can convey emotions to help immerse viewers in a film without dialogue. The session is part of the Sound Design track, curated by Nami Strack.Florian Gellinger, co-founder and executive producer, RISE | Visual Effects Studios, looks at the history of our vocabulary and compares it to other industries. How are these industries perceived in the public compared to what we do? How are the companies in our industry marketing themselves? This session is part of the Managing Change track, curated by Imke Fehrmann. Platige Image Producer Marina Borokhova and Lead Previs Artist Dominik Wawrzyniak will take an in-depth look at the pre-production process of the "Crossfire" episode of Prime Videos Secret Level animated anthology series. They will cover everythingfrom storyboarding to motion capture, editing and previs. This session is part of the Animated Seriestrack.How does it feel to have a body? How do we want it to feel? Raman Djafari's presentation will provide insight into his process and thoughts as a director of animated music videos and short films, as well as his practice as an illustrator. This session is part of the News track, curated by Shelley Page.Source: FMX 2025 Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

When George Lucas came up with the concept for Star Wars, he was inspired by his inner child who loved watching Saturday matinee adventure serials. So, its appropriate that Christopher Ford and Jon Watts channeled a Goonies-vibe into the franchise with LucasfilmsStar Wars: Skeleton Crew.Now streaming on Disney+, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew follows the journey of four kids who make a discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy. Finding their way home will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined. The live-action series stars Jude Law as the mysterious Jod Na Nawood.Brought on to oversee the digital wizardry was Production VFX Supervisor John Knoll as well as an alliance of visual effects vendors that included DNEG, who provided 150 shots across three episodes involving futuristic currency (gold credits), destroyed cities, security droids, atmospherics, and the elephantine principal character Neel.I grew-up watching Star Wars, Goonies, and Amblin; all those films were given to us as key references for Skeleton Crew, states Chris McLaughlin, VFX Supervisor, DNEG. It was exciting to be brought into that world. Some of the practical techniques from Lucas original trilogy were utilized. John Knoll was driving the visual effects to the point that I believe he had his own motion control rig and shot some the spaceship miniatures himself, McLaughlin continues. John comes from that mindset and was very clear about achieving the filmic look. The way that our work was critiqued, it was about something that was filmic and photographic. There was a lot of discussion about contrast ratio and how light was defocused correctly. As we went through the project, John shared shots from ILM and Hybride, so we could visually see what was going on in the rest of the show and match the look. My favorite shot of ours is the spaceship landing on At Achrann in Episode 104, remarks McLaughlin. It comes out of this fog into a dusty environment. The engines are gunning with smoke and sparks flying into the camera. At Achrann is populated with villages that have been ravaged by war. There were some on-set pieces of destroyed buildings that we had to model and match, he adds, noting that the buildings construction had to be kept in mind. But then we built up a kit of destroyed building pieces and scattered that around. It was mostly a CG environment. We considered, is it reenforced concrete and steel beams? As for the texture, you have to give it a story of how it got destroyed. Was it a bomb that went off? Is there an area that looks burned because that is where the explosion impacted? They discover what is clearly a school that is destroyed and if you look at that you can make out exactly where all the missiles hit. You get an idea of what has gone on there. Atmospherics were an important component. We added a lot of rolling mist and volumetrics, McLaughlin says. A lot of that is simulated and constantly moving. It gives a lot of texture and is a lighting tool. We had a library of clouds with different simulations that we would scatter throughout the scene. Another major series environment is the Mint, which can be found in Episodes 107 and 108. According to McLaughlin, The Mint can be broken down into three main areas. The spaceship lands on this grassy knoll, which opens up. They are actually on top of a lift platform that starts to move down under the ground. We had to build that massive spaceship lift shaft. As theyre going down, they see on one side the credit maker, which is a massive machine that makes the currency which the galaxy uses. They stop at the bottom, come out, and go into one of 1,130 vaults filled with stacks and stacks of these credits, which were key props. The moment when Jod Na Nawood walks up to a pile of credits, picks one out, and that pile starts to crumble, falls apart, and flows through his hand, all of those credits were completely CG. There were also a few little set pieces like the ramp that came down from the spaceship and the grounds of the platform. But pretty much everything there was bluescreen. We had to fill a lot in with CG. Extensive work went into conveying a sense of scale for the vaults. The door was heavy and made of thick, solid steel, adds McLaughlin. The space inside there was cavernous and dusty. We looked at numerous references of huge spaces. The Boeing Everett Factory was a key reference for us. Par for the Star Wars course, there is no shortage of alien species and droids. In Episode 104, the army walking through has these four-legged horse-like creatures with them called eopies, states McLaughlin. That asset came from ILM. We had a few of those marching through and then also the security droids in Episode 107. What was cool about the security droids was on-set in a lot of shots they have a full-size security droid manned by puppeteers standing behind them. When the puppeteer walks, the foot and leg movement of the droid matches their movement; their arms and head were operated by rods. In animation, we had to match their awkward, shuffling style of walking. In several of our shots there are three or four droids. One of them is real, so you have a perfect reference to match. You know when its right. You have to give them a little bit of life and ambient movement even when theyre standing and guarding. You cant have them completely static. The majority of the shots with Neel were accomplished practically. That is a young actor with an animatronic elephant head that is puppeteered by people offscreen, reveals McLaughlin. There is a little panel on the front that he can see out of, which we took out on every shot where you could see it. That was a straightforward job. But when he had to do things like run down a spaceship ramp, he couldnt see that well. For his safety, we would take it off and completely replace the head in CG. We had to match the animatronic completely. ILM was leading on that asset, so we ingested their asset and had to match their textures and shaders, McLaughlin continues. We tracked the actor tightly around the neck and shoulders so that we got a good lock on the head. We made sure the animation rig had the same capabilities as the animatronic. No more, no less. We had a lot of reference to match that performance. Then the color matching was tricky. Its a complex mixture of colors. Its blue but also has grey and pink. Noting that certain facial nuances were digitally enhanced, McLaughlin concludes, We ran a skin and hair simulation to give us deformation and get some swinging of the ears and trunk. But we couldnt go over the top because then your shots start to stand out. We couldnt make them look too perfect! And in the end, you would struggle to tell what shots are CG or just the animatronic. Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer best known for composing in-depth filmmaker and movie profiles for VFX Voice, Animation Magazine, and British Cinematographer.

Creative assets platform Envato has partnered with KitBash3D, a premium 3D assets company, to offer four of its 3D model kits (City Streets, Manhattan, City Cars, Storefronts) exclusively for subscribers on the Envato website.With the growing popularity of 3D design, the one-stop creative assets platform aims to allow creatives to download high-quality 3D models, templates, and renders seamlessly. Since the asset category launched late last year, nearly one quarter of Envato subscribers have downloaded 3D assets.In a landscape where 3D design drives innovation, Envato is committed to providing our users with the highest caliber assets, said Envato CMO Noelle Kim. Our collaboration with KitBash3D delivers precisely that. These assets aren't just models; they're production-grade elements designed for film and gaming, renowned for their realism. The unique ability to download complementary kits allows creatives to construct entire, interconnected worlds, significantly elevating the quality and efficiency of their productions.The four model kits include:Manhattan - Bring New York City to life with everything from skyscrapers, to museums, to local pizzerias, inspired by the iconic streets of Manhattan itself.City Streets - Transform streets into living, breathing spaces with this bold collection of buildings and unique details like fire hydrants, park benches, and other.Storefronts - What city is complete without some retail spaces? Add in a Mini-Mart, burger joint, fashion boutiques, cafes, and others.Essentials - Choose from a selection of real life vehicles to add that touch of authenticity, including your everyday sedan, midsize SUV, and city transit bus. Source: Envato Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

The Rookie Awards 2025 will be open for entries starting April 7. Now in its 15th year, the global competition offers an opportunity for aspiring artists in creative industries to gain exposure and connect with industry leaders. Entries close June 20, with finalists announced July 31 and winners announced August 20.Students, recent graduates, and emerging talents can showcase their work to over 120 industry professionals, compete for prizes, and get noticed by key studios.In its newest edition, the event boasts increased studio engagement; an extended competition timeline; structured guidelines for each category; new entry limits; and a resource hub with submission guides, tips from past winners, and FAQs.Check out the teaser for the competition now:Source: The Rookie Awards Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

Before notching seven Academy Award-nominations and a win earlier this month for his work as the production designer on Wicked, Nathan Crowley started out as a junior set designer for Steven Spielbergs Hook. Getting the opportunity to work on Jon M. Chu and Universals epic, award-winning musical enabled him to recapture the same experience but this time as the production designer. I remember walking through the door of MGM Stage 27 and Hooks ship was up to the rafters, recalls Crowley. I recall thinking, This is where I want to be. I thought all films were like that. It turns out that few are. But Wicked was. There are so many visual effects in this film. Its about how we can make enough thats real. What I liked about Pablo Helman [VFX Supervisor] is he said, Give me enough so I can see the real photography and the natural lighting, so we know what were matching to. My job is to reduce questions for his teams in post-production. We know what it looks like because weve got an example over there. That balance was good. Pablo has got enough on his plate with flying animals and monkeys without having to deal with architecture. We grew nine million tulips. Of course, you can do that in CGI if you wanted to. Crowley emphasizes in-camera elements as a mantra, having worked with Christopher Nolan on eight productions, with five of them earning Oscar nominations. It took working on all of those other films to make this one, he notes. On Interstellar, I grew 500 acres of corn where the house was located. I knew that we could grow tulips because all you have to do is find the right farmer who is excited. We found Mark Eves, and his wife is a fanatic about Wicked. The tulips are the color of the rainbow. There are all of these themes. People have asked me, Why did you bother growing nine million tulips when you can do it in CGI? Because it was one of the first things we did, and we had to start as we intended. If people see a film crew that is going to grow tulips, and the studio can see were going to do this for real it stamps a code on the film. Budgeting and time had to be taken into consideration. Pablo has a certain amount of time in post-production, and I only have a certain amount of time in pre-production. Its not going to look good if he is overloaded and cant get the scale and size of the sets required to balance the image. The art of production design is determining with visual effects where reality ends and CGI starts. The CGI needs to go unnoticed and unquestioned by the audience. Unreal Engine was a critical component of Crowleys art department workflow. What I do is design the set, we push it through Unreal Engine and do a fly-through, he explains. I build a big foamcore model of what I can build out of that fly-through. Hopefully we can afford to build that or then we have to get spray paint and say, We cant afford to build that bit. For Shiz, it was about starting in reality with a real boat, landscape and river, digital Shiz in the background, and pushing through an archway into the dock which is physical and real. Im going to try to have a 50-foot-high set so I can get most of it in-camera, but if we turn this way, Pablo knows hes got to top that up. The departments run as one.Clever decisions had to be made to accommodate the need for production mobility. According to Crowley, The problem with musical dance numbers is theres all of this other crew that you dont get on other films. Its not like doing a Christopher Nolan film where we can go light in Iceland and shoot this stuff. Weve got to take 50 or 100 dancers, all of the make-up and costumes. It becomes this mammoth thing so thats why traditionally musicals are shot on backlots. But we had all of these tulips. Jon M. Chu [Director] said to me, If we sink the village we can run through the tulips and if you build me a runup of the tulips into the backlot we can link them perfectly. What that allows us then to do is build embankments on the backlot, so we didnt have greenscreen below 35 feet. We embanked it and put landscape up and grass, flowers and tulips. It was like the Teletubbies! Partnerships with special effects team, led by Paul Corbould, were especially critical when creating the Emerald City Express. I have worked with Paul on many films, including Dunkirk, so I know that he can build big rigs, remarks Crowley. Its like, Youve got to build me a train that moves. I wanted 500 yards of track and for the train to run it into and out of the station. That didnt happen but we did build the train, and it did work. The thing is if you dont build the train, you miss out on the art direction of making it; its like a piece of sculpture. If you just go with the concept and then deliver the film, youve missed out on that middle bit, which is where you discover the set because youre physically making it in 3D. You manipulate and change it. You dont just lay that image. What I find incredible about AI is it is all very 2D. A lot of people are making 2D images that look beautiful. But you have to make them in 3D as a set. You actually need old school art directors who can take something that is ethereal and turn it into something not ethereal. You get a concept, do it in 3D and learn about it. Weve now gone backwards to a much more art direction driven film industry with AI. One significant area of special effects collaboration was when the Wizard of Oz made a grand entrance through a massive mechanical head. Paul Corbould and a puppeteer built this little 12-inch-tall maquette, whereas the actual thing was more like 17 feet high, Crowley says. We worked with these maquettes for a long time to get the expressions right. But the fundamental design was the Wizard is the man behind the curtain. I didnt want a Wes Anderson curtain. If you have ever been to any art gallery with string architecture, I wanted it to be so you couldnt see the depth of this hanging string. It seems ethereal. The head would come through the string and go, I am Oz. It would be scary, ethereal, like an art piece. But you cant use string. I remember we sat with Pablo and said, We can build it for real, but you have to enhance it if something goes wrong because I dont know if this is going to work. We did it live scene by scene. Youve got a big hydraulic head and were twisting it. Its hanging from the stage ceiling so we can get some leverage. Its incredibly complicated. You take risks but just like the train it has to work on the day. The risk is the fun. Reference designs for Shiz, the university where Elphaba and Glinda attend, included the White City from the Chicago World Fair in 1893. Its an American Faerie tale so I need nostalgia for the audience, Crowley shares. There are also the onion domes and Moorish stuff out of Spain. Water provided a visual motif, which meant that the set had to be flooded. No one liked the water, and it was a fight in those meetings. But heres the theory. How do you get to Shiz? You cant go by train or air balloon because thats the Wizards technology. You cant go by horse and cart because the animals are free. There are no cars. Historically how do you move around? By river. Therefore, I have to show Glinda in a boat going down a river. So, I found and put the White City arch in that landscape. Ive got to build the set two-sided so I can push through it. I also have to construct a tank and a set around the tank. Everyone hates you when you build a tank because theres no such thing as a tank that doesnt leak. You have to keep refilling it and that costs a lot of money. You have to have pumps and 24-hour people. Something Ive learned from Chris Nolan is if you made it difficult then only the people who need to be there show up! The Map Room was inspired by a museum installation Crowley discovered during the production of Dunkirk. The Map Room started as separate set, he reveals. But then I showed Jon this image of a map on a wall. It was an art installation that was in 3D. When you walk up to it you step into it and realize its not a picture but a 3D space. I saw it in Dunkirk when I had a free Sunday. They had these crazy installations in the ship museum of these forced perspective shipyards. I had always thought that was fascinating, so we decided we were going to build this forced map of the whole of Oz in this half egg dome that would show everything. Then Jon said, I want to do Sentimental Man in there and to go from day to night. We had to hydraulically lift the lid off the top of the egg and put a night backing behind. It became this theatrical show within the Map Room, which when you see it, is brilliant.Forests were ultimately constructed on soundstages. I didnt want to use my biggest stage in that way, but we went scouting forests and Jon was like, I dont like any of these, Crowley says. In the van on the way back, he said, Trees shouldnt be straight. I said, Maybe they should be circular. Then we sketched out all these circular trees and he was like, We need to build this forest. I could only go so high with the trees because we had a ceiling height problem on that stage. Most stages are 50 to 55 feet, which is annoying. I could only get a light rig in. That is one set which Pablo didnt like! Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer best known for composing in-depth filmmaker and movie profiles for VFX Voice, Animation Magazine, and British Cinematographer.

The Adobe Substance 3D team has unveiled multiple updates at GDC, designed to help users work faster and create with more precision.Substance 3D updates include:Substance 3D Painter - The Filled Path feature is a new Path Type thatallows users to fill in a shape traced on a models surface. Path improvementsaim to give greater precision and flexibility. A new unified export windowstreamlines exporting.Substance 3D Designer - Introduces improved rendering technology for more realistic previews.Substance 3D Indie Bundle - Includes pro tools for independent creators who want access to professional-grade tools at a lower price.The software also boasts deepened support for Blender, Unreal Engine, Unity, 3ds Max, and Maya. Expanded Universal Scene Description (USD) support allows for smoother and more efficient asset movement between applications.Source: Adobe Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

Demigods, rejoice! The live-action Percy Jackson and the Olympians series has been renewed for a third season ahead of its second season debut, coming to Disney+ this December. This news comes fresh on the heels of the shows 8 Emmy Award wins this past Saturday at the 3rd Annual Childrens & Family Emmy Awards.Season 3 will be based on The Titans Curse, the third installment of Rick Riordans Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series, published by Disney Hyperion.From the moment Percy Jackson and the Olympians debuted, it was clear this series had struck a chord with fans of all ages, said Ayo Davis, president, Disney Branded Television. With Season 2 set to premiere this December, were thrilled to announce that Percys journey will continue with a third season. Huge thanks to our incredible cast and creative team, our partners at 20th Television, and our visionary and talented producers who continue to bring Rick Riordans world to life with such depth and imagination.Were so grateful to be continuing the story of Percy Jackson on Disney+, added Riordan. This third season will be new territory for the screen, bringing fan favorites like the Hunters of Artemis and Nico di Angelo to life for the first time. Its a huge sign of commitment from Disney, and speaks volumes about the enthusiasm with which the fandom has embraced the TV show. Thank you, demigods worldwide!Percy Jackson is created by Riordan and Jonathan E. Steinberg; Season 2 is executive produced by Steinberg and Dan Shotz alongside Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Craig Silverstein, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Bert Salke, Jeremy Bell, D.J. Goldberg, James Bobin, Jim Rowe, Albert Kim, Jason Ensler and Sarah Watson.The series stars Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, Aryan Simhadri, Charlie Bushnell, Dior Goodjohn and Daniel Diemer.Percy Jackson Season 1 is available on Disney+.Check out the Season 3 celebration video now:Source: Disney Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

Disney and DreamWorks Animation / Netflix were the big winners this weekend as The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) held its 3rd Annual Childrens & Family Emmys at two separate awards ceremonies this past Saturday afternoon and evening.Hosted by Eric Bauza, the voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig among countless others, the awards ceremony featured presenters including Ella Bright Terrence Little Gardenhigh (voice of John Patrick Pat Patterson in Fright Krewe), Paul Walter Hauser (voice of Dark in Orion and the Dark), Leah Sava Jeffries (Annabeth Chase in Percy Jackson and the Olympians ), Kiersten Kelly (voice of Brooklyn in Jurassic World: Chaos Theory), Amanda Martinez (voice of Abuela in Rosie Rules), Arianna McDonald (Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie), Bobby Moynihan (Former Saturday Night Live cast member, voice of Bobby Boots in Pupstruction), Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson in Percy Jackson and the Olympians), Aryan Simhadri (Grover Underwood in Percy Jackson and the Olympians), Cree Summer (voice of Lizard & DeeDee in Spirit Rangers), Jacob Tremblay (voice of Orion in Orion and the Dark), and Izaac Wang (Sam Wing in Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai).Big winners on the day included Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which took home eight Emmys, and Orion and the Dark, which snagged six.The complete list of winners - is as follows:Outstanding Preschool SeriesBlue's Clues & You!Nickelodeon [9 Story Media Group / Brown Bag Films]Executive Producer: Vince Commisso, Wendy Harris, Traci Paige Johnson, Todd Kessler, Angela C. Santomero, Jennifer TwomeySupervising Producer: Nisa Contreras, Shevaun Gray, Peter GriffithsSenior Producer: Ana VociProducer: Jackie PaytonSeries Producer: Lesley SaliwonchykLine Producer: Natasha Daly, Patrick R. Quinn, Kyle WhaleyConsulting Producer: Steve Burns, M.R. Horhager, Vadim Kapridov, Nora Keely, Marcy Pritchard, Jennifer ShermanAssociate Producer: Maddie KrollOutstanding Children's or Family Viewing SeriesFraggle Rock: Back to the RockApple TV+ [The Jim Henson Company in association with Apple]Executive Producer: Alex Cuthbertson, Matt Fusfeld, Lisa Henson, Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan, Halle Stanford, John TartagliaCo-Executive Producer: Dave Goelz, Karen PrellProducer: Chris PlourdeCo-Producer: Tim O'BrienOutstanding Young Teen SeriesPercy Jackson and the OlympiansDisney+Executive Producer: Jeremy Bell, James Bobin, Anders Engstrom, DJ Goldberg, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Monica Owusu-Breen, Becky Riordan, Rick Riordan, Jim Rowe, Bert Salke, Dan Shotz, Craig Silverstein, Jonathan E. Steinberg, Jet WilkinsonCo-Executive Producer: Shernold Edwards, Andrew Miller, Joe TraczProducer: John CatronAssociate Producer: Zo NearyOutstanding Fiction SpecialThe Velveteen RabbitApple TV+ [Magic Lamp Pictures in association with Apple]Executive Producer: Michael RoseProducer: Martin PopeCo-Executive Producer / Writer: Tom BidwellCo-Producer: David Collins, Jane HawleyDirector: Jennifer PerrottAnimation Producer: Simon QuinnAnimation Director: Rick ThieleOutstanding Non-Fiction ProgramStand Up & Shout: Songs From a Philly High SchoolHBO | Max [HBO Documentary Films, Get Lifted Film Co.]Executive Producer: Nancy Abraham, Tommy Benjamin, Lisa Heller, Mike Jackson, John Legend, Sara Rodriguez, Ty StikloriusProducer / Director: Amy SchatzOutstanding Preschool Animated SeriesThe Tiny Chef ShowNickelodeonExecutive Producer: Ozlem 'Ozi' Akturk, Kristen Bell, Alex Bulkley, Corey Campodonico, Leah Gotcsik, Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Rachel Larsen, Adam Reid, Morgan SackettCo-Executive Producer: Michael KaufmanLine Producer: Sara Crowley, Jason WyattOutstanding Children's or Young Teen Animated SeriesMarvel's Moon Girl and Devil DinosaurDisney+ [Flying Bark Productions, Cinema Gypsy Productions]Executive Producer: Laurence Fishburne, Steve Loter, Helen SuglandSupervising Producer: Rodney Clouden, Pilar FlynnProducer: Rafael ChaidezLine Producer: Laura Leganza ReynoldsAssociate Producer: Cameron CastilloCo-Producer / Story Editor: Jeffrey M. Howard, Kate KondellOutstanding Animated SpecialOrion and the DarkNetflix [DreamWorks Animation]Executive Producer: Bonnie Arnold, Walt DohrnProducer: Peter McCownLine Producer: Ashley LaidlawDirector: Sean CharmatzWriter: Charlie KaufmanAssociate Producer: Kristin BrennerOutstanding Short Form Live Action ProgramElmo and Jesse Remember Uncle Jack | GriefSesame Workshop [Sesame Workshop]Executive Producer: Melissa Dino, Sal Perez, Kay Wilson StallingsProducer: Ashmou Etossi YoungeLine Producer: Amanda YoungAssociate Producer: Fiorela GonzalesDirector: Frank CampagnaWriter: Ayub ArainOutstanding Short Form Animated ProgramOnce Upon a StudioDisney+ [Walt Disney Animation Studios]Executive Producer: Jennifer LeeProducer: Yvett Merino, Bradford SimonsenDirected / Written by: Dan Abraham, Trent CorreyOutstanding Public Service InitiativeLa Fuerza-STEM: Engaging Hispanic Families in Science Through Culturally Relevant MediaUnivisionExecutive Producer: Carlos Collazo, Teri Gonzalez Arvesu, Joy Lorenzo Kennedy, Michelle Lpez, Anthony Tassi, Jessica Mercer YoungProducer: Alexandra Barrera, Charlie Cartaya, Joy Castaeda, Cecilia Fernandez, Eduardo Forero, Cynthia Hoisington, Temis Laguna, Michelle Lpez, William Melendez, Monica Mola, Katherine Mora, Claudia Prado, Vanessa Prez Mrquez, Alexia Raynal, Rafael Rodriguez, Hernan TorresDirector: Charlie CartayaWriter: Carlos Collazo, Alejandro Reyes, Gloria Rodrguez de los Reyes, Jimena RomeroWell VersedNickelodeonExecutive Producer: Danielle DeCourcey, Jarrett Moreno, Matthew Segal, Taye Shuayb, Jessie Surovell, Mike Vainisi, Tom WernerExecutive Vice President, Nickelodeon Animation: Eryk CasemiroExecutive in Charge of Production: Kelley GardnerCo-Executive Producer: Dennis "Kosh" JacobsSupervising Producer: Gerry Mattei*HONORABLE MENTION*Sesame Workshop: Emotional Well-BeingSesame WorkshopExecutive Producer: Melissa Dino, Olexa Hewryk, Sal Perez, Kay Wilson StallingsProducer: Imogen Dentith, Courtney Hindle, Yuewen Jiang, Karyn Leibovich, Magali McDonald, Andrew Moriarty, Alia Nakashima, Justin Simonich, Ashmou YoungeLine Producer: Aimee Blackton, Amanda YoungAssociate Producer: Fiorela GonzalesDirector: Shannon Flynn, Joanna Hepworth, Andrew Moriarty, Matt VogelWriter: Ayub Arain, Samantha Berger, Liz Hara, Andrew Moriarty, Maxwell NicollOutstanding Lead Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen ProgramChristian Slater as Mulgarath - The Spiderwick ChroniclesRoku Channel [20th Television, Paramount Television Studios]Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen ProgramAmanda Lawrence as Matron Shipley - Malory TowersBYUtv [King Bert Productions]Outstanding Younger Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen ProgramPhoenix Laroche as William - The Velveteen RabbitApple TV+ [Magic Lamp Pictures in association with Apple]Outstanding Puppetry PerformerLeslie Carrara-Rudolph as Abby Cadabby & Tango - Sesame StreetMax [Sesame Workshop]Outstanding Voice Performer in a Preschool ProgramKari Wahlgren as Granny Caterina, Ms. Poochytail & Magda - SuperkittiesDisney JuniorOutstanding Voice Performer in a Children's or Young Teen ProgramEric Bauza as Daffy Duck & Bugs Bunny - Teen Titans Go!Cartoon Network [Warner Bros. Animation]Outstanding Younger Voice Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen ProgramJacob Tremblay as Orion - Orion and the DarkNetflix [DreamWorks Animation]Outstanding Children's PersonalityMeryl Streep - Storyline OnlineStorylineOnline.net [The Story Garage]Outstanding Writing for a Children's or Young Teen Animated Series"Dancing With Myself"- Marvels Moon Girl and Devil DinosaurDisney+ [Cinema Gypsy Productions]Co-Producer and Story Editor: Kate KondellAssociate Story Editor: Halima Lucas Writer Liz HaraOutstanding Directing for a Single Camera Live Action Series"The Big City" - A Real Bugs LifeNational Geographic [Plimsoll Productions]Director: Alex RankenAND"I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher"- Percy Jackson and the OlympiansDisney+Director: James BobinOutstanding Individual Achievement in AnimationBackground DesignMiho Tomimasu - Visual Development ArtistOrion and the Dark(Netflix [DreamWorks Animation])Philip Vose - Background DesignerMerry Little Batman(Amazon Prime Video [Amazon MGM Studios, DC Comics, Warner Bros. Animation])Character AnimationElena Najar - Animation SupervisorMerry Little Batman (Amazon Prime Video [Amazon MGM Studios, DC Comics, Warner Bros. Animation])Character DesignLesego Vorster - Character DesignerKizazi Moto: Generation Fire(Disney+)ColorLauren Zurcher - Visual Development Artist / Digimatte ArtistOrion and the Dark (Netflix [DreamWorks Animation])Production DesignGuillaume Fesquet - Art DirectorMerry Little Batman (Amazon Prime Video [Amazon MGM Studios, DC Comics, Warner Bros. Animation])StoryboardDavid Lux - Storyboard ArtistSnoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin (Apple TV+ [WildBrain Studios in association with Apple])Outstanding Interactive MediaCousin Hodie Playdate -Donkey HodiePBS Kids [Fred Rogers Productions, Curious Media]Executive Producer: Ellen DohertySupervising Producer: Kristin DiQuolloIllustrator: Yolanda MartinezCreative Director: Tony MontanoHTML5 Developer: Dylan PopeInteractive Producer: Melanie Harke, Johnathan VanDerschaafOutstanding Writing for a Preschool or Children's Series"Can They Be Friends?" - Sesame StreetMax [Sesame Workshop]Head Writer: Ken ScarboroughWriter: Andrew Moriarty, Katherine SandfordOutstanding Writing for a Young Teen Series"I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher"- Percy Jackson and the OlympiansDisney+Written for Television by: Rick Riordan, Jonathan E. SteinbergOutstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated Series"Not a Mascot" - Molly of DenaliPBS Kids [GBH Kids, Atomic Cartoons]Writer: Xunei Lance TwitchellHead Writer: Raye LankfordOutstanding Directing for a Multiple Camera Live Action Series"The Sign Language ABCs" - Sesame StreetMax [Sesame Workshop]Director: Shannon FlynnOutstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated Series"Glass" - StoryBots: Answer TimeNetflix [Netflix Animation]Director: Jeff Gill, Colin Lepper, Evan Spiridellis, Nate TheisOutstanding Directing for an Animated SeriesThe Molecular Level- Marvels Moon Girl and Devil DinosaurDisney+ [Flying Bark Productions, Cinema Gypsy Productions]Director: Samantha Suyi LeeSupervising Director: Ben JuwonoAnimation Director: Jen DickinsonOutstanding Voice Directing for an Animated SeriesMonsters at WorkDisney+Voice Director: Kevin Deters, Stevie Wermers-SkeltonOutstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Live Action ProgramPercy Jackson and the OlympiansDisney+Lead Composer: Bear McCrearyComposer: Omer Ben-Zvi, Brian Claeys, Alexandre Ct, Bailey Gordon, Jesse Hartov, Kelsey WoodsOutstanding Music Direction and Composition for an Animated ProgramFrog and ToadApple TV+ [Titmouse in association with Apple]Composer: Mark EvittsOutstanding Original Song for a Preschool Program"That's Why We Love Nature" - Sesame StreetMax [Sesame Workshop]Lyricist: Molly BoylanComposer & Lyricist: Benj Pasek, Justin PaulOutstanding Original Song for a Children's or Young Teen Program"My Sails are Set" - One PieceNetflix [Shueisha / Tomorrow Studios / Netflix]Composer & Lyricist: Sonya Belousova, Giona OstinelliOutstanding Show OpenPercy Jackson and the OlympiansDisney+ [Imaginary Forces]Animator: Christian Arnsparger, Alex Rupert, Jeffrey Su, Michael WangLead Illustrator: Jorge ArtolaArt Director / Animator: Henry ChangEditor; Lexi GunvaldsonDesigner / Animator: Merrill HallThemes by: Bear McCrearyDesigner: Brandon SavoyCreative Director: Karin Fong, Tosh KodamaIllustrator: Ruthy Kim, Ella LeeOutstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera Live Action ProgramA Real Bug's LifeNational Geographic [Plimsoll Productions]Photography: Robert Hollingworth, Alex Jones, Nathan SmallDirector of Photography: Simon de GlanvilleOutstanding Editing for a Single Camera Live Action ProgramPercy Jackson and the OlympiansDisney+Editor: Colleen Rafferty, Stewart Schill, Curtis ThurberOutstanding Editing for a Multiple Camera Live Action ProgramAll-Round ChampionBYUtv [marblemedia]Editor: Wyatt Chinn, Marc Fourreau, Craig Passfield, Lindsay RagoneOutstanding Editing for a Preschool Animated ProgramStoryBots: Answer TimeNetflix [Netflix Animation]Editor: Nico Colaleo, Rachael Rusakoff, Evan SpiridellisAnimatic Editor: Stella LightheartOutstanding Editing for an Animated ProgramOrion and the DarkNetflix [DreamWorks Animation]Editor: Kevin Sukho LeeOutstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for a Live Action ProgramA Real Bug's LifeNational Geographic [Plimsoll Productions]Re-Recording Mixe:r Brian MoseleySound Editor: David YappFoley Artist: Jonathon CawteOutstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated ProgramStar Wars: Young Jedi AdventuresDisney+ [Lucasfilm Ltd.]Sound Designer: Heather Olsen, MPSERe-Recording Mixer: Fil Brown, Melissa EllisDialogue Editor: Robbi Smith, MPSEFoley Artist: John J LampinenFoley Mixer: David Bonilla, MPSEOutstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for an Animated ProgramOrion and the DarkNetflix [DreamWorks Animation]Sound Designer: Jessey Drake, Jeff Halbert, Marc SchmidtRe-Recording Mixer: D.J. LynchSupervising Music Editor: Rob McIntyreSound Editor: Laria DeLeon, Matt Festle, Cat Gensler, Grace StenslandDialogue Editor: Jason OliverFoley Artist: Vincent Deng, Laura MaciusFoley Mixer: Roberto D. AlegriaOutstanding Lighting, Camera and Technical ArtsA Real Bug's LifeNational Geographic [Plimsoll Productions]Camera Technician: Josh Kingsley-Jones, Tim WatsonOutstanding Visual Effects for a Live Action ProgramPercy Jackson and the OlympiansDisney+ [ILM, Raynault VFX, MPC, Storm, M.A.R.Z., Hybride]Visual Effects Coordinator: Yasmin Blake, Jason Neisewander, Emma OrnerVisual Effects Senior Coordinator: Derrek Brajkovich-HornVirtual Production Supervisor: Sonia ContrerasVisual Effects Head of Production: Jacinthe CtExecutive Visual Effects Art Director Yanick Dusseault Senior VFX Supervisor Erik HenryExecutive Visual Effects Producer: Adele Jones-VenablesAnimation Supervisor: Benoit MoranneAssociate VFX Supervisor: Donny RauschExecutive Visual Effects Supervisor: Mathieu RaynaultSenior VFX Producer: Matt RobkenVisual Effects Editor: Anthony SafariikVisual Effects On Set Supervisor: Rick SanderAssociate Visual Effects Supervisor: Daniel SchmidCG Supervisor: Philippe ThrouxVFX Supervisor: Justin Bunt, Jose Burgos, Roman Schmidt, Jeff WhiteVFX Producer: Katherine ChambersSFX Supervisor: Joel WhistVisual Effects Supervisor: Luca Bonatti, Simon Marinof, Espen Nordahl, Sylvain ThrouxVisual Effects Producer Mlanie Carignan, Valrie Clment, Stacey MacDonald, Richard Martin, Jessica-Rose SmithAssociate Visual Effects Producer: Amanda Newby Fitzgerald, Shawn SmolenskyOutstanding Casting for a Live Action ProgramPercy Jackson and the OlympiansDisney+Casting by: Candice Elzinga, CSACasting by: Denise Chamian, CSA, Jordana Sapiurka, CSAOutstanding Casting for an Animated ProgramGremlins: Secrets of The MogwaiMax [Warner Bros. Animation]Casting by: Agnes Kim, Sarah NoonanOutstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/ Scenic Design for a Single Camera ProgramThe Spiderwick ChroniclesRoku Channel [20th Television, Paramount Television Studios]Supervising Art Director: Andrew LiArt Director: Michael CorradoProduction Designer: Elena AlbaneseSet Decorator: Ide FoyleOutstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/ Scenic Design for a Multiple Camera ProgramBunk'dDisney ChannelProduction Designer: Kelly HoganSet Decorator: Britt WoodsOutstanding Costume Design/StylingFraggle Rock: Back to the RockApple TV+ [The Jim Henson Company in association with Apple]Costumer: Gina Bennett, Terri Grant, Kim LennoxSenior Designer / Fabricator: Robert BennettCreative Supervisor / Designer: Pete Brooke, Jason WeberAnimatronics Supervisor: John CriswellOn-Set Wrangling Supervisor: Alex "Jrgen" FurgusonPuppet Builder: Joel Gennari, Laura Manns, Anney Ozar, Tina Roland, Sierra SchoeningOn-Set Puppet Wrangler: Dusty HagerudStitcher: Sue HlavenkaWrangler / Fabricator: Kristi Ann Holt, Dina MeschkuleitCreature Shop Supervisor / Costume Designer: Scott JohnsonFabricator / Animatronic Mechanic: Peter KominekPuppet Build Supervisor / Lead Fabricator: Rollie KrewsonProp Master: Kesar LacroixOn-Set Animatronic Lead: Jason WardLead Animatronic Mechanic: Leo WieserOutstanding Hairstyling and MakeupThe Santa ClausesDisney+ [20th Television, Disney Branded Television]Special Effects Makeup Department Head: Howard BergerSpecial Makeup Effects Co-Department Head: Erica PreusSpecial Effects Key Makeup Artist: Scott StoddardKey Hairstylist: Nina AdadoHairstylist: Taylor Bennett, Morgan Ferrando, Patricia Pineda Lansingh, Shay Sanford FongKey Makeup Artist: Stephanie Kae PanekMakeup Department Head: Kathleen FreemanHair Department Head: Anissa SalazarOutstanding Stunt Coordination for a Live Action ProgramOne PieceNetflix [Shueisha / Tomorrow Studios / Netflix]Supervising Stunt Coordinator: Franz SpilhausStunt Coordinator: Darrell McLeanOutstanding ChoreographyHigh School Musical: The Musical: The SeriesDisney+Choreographer: Zach WoodleeSource: NATAS Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

Ready to blast some bugs? Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Gran Turismo) is set to write and direct a feature adaptation of the Robert A. Heinlein sci-fi novel Starship Troopers for Columbia Pictures, according to The Hollywood Reporter.The classic story follows an interstellar war between Earth and an infestation of bug-like aliens and digs into military life and the concept of earning voting rights through the acts of service. Most known for its campy 1997 feature adaptation from Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Total Recall), the story has also been accused of espousing fascist ideology. The upcoming project will not be a Verhoeven remake.Blomkamp will produce alongside creative partner Terri Tatchell. Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

Leading VFX and animation studio Framestore had the recent good fortune of working from previs to postvis to final on Jon M. Chus award-winning hit musical adventure, Wicked. On the film, Framestore Pre-Production Services devised the camera angles and movements for sequences involving Nessarose Thropps levitating wheelchair, Elphaba taking flight, and Doctor Dillamond.The chorography is similar, from action scenes through to musical numbers, notes Christopher McDonald, Visualization Supervisor, Framestore. A great starting point is to look at storyboards to get a representation of whether its a set or location and then block out the action literally from a top-down perspective. Thats a strong basis because its always something you can refer back to once youve got that basic blocking in place. On Defying Gravity, in particular, we worked quite closely with the stunt team, which had a bunch of tests that were done with the various rigs. They had all of these concepts for movements that Elphaba was going to perform at certain points during the song. Then it was a case of figuring out how do we fit this in? How is it going to look? How are we going to shoot it? Those are the building blocks for scenes like that.Previs is about imagining the possibilities. The challenge with previs in a lot of cases is its that first swing of ideas, remarks McDonald. What you hope is at every point its going to progress. Previs is informative to the point where you can get everyone on the same page as to where its going to go from there. Seeing the stuff that came through from the postvis, it was rewarding to see how those ideas evolved into what they eventually became.Postvis revolves around getting the best out of what has already been established. Its like, So they shot this. How are we going to make this work? laughs Maike Fiene, Visualization Supervisor, Framestore. This is where it comes in handy to see all of the previs work and to have a notion of, These were the ideas that we discussed. Because quite often, films are still in their early stages of development when it comes to environments, set extensions, or characters. When the postvis starts, nothing is set and final. There is still some room to go, How can we improve from what has been done in previs and work together alongside the film team to see in which direction theyre developing things? You know how long things are going to be. Although, that being said, there were a lot of transition shots and shot extensions that were explored in postvis. For instance, the transition from the Ozdust Party through the ceiling with the fish and then onto Shiz University. There was a bit more of that kind of creative figuring out of what that might look like. In the opening sequence, Glinda is on the bubble platform and starts to look back at the school. The camera pushes past her, and you transition into this river, underwater environment. They played it nicely with the music as well because the sound cue was coming a bit before the visual transition at that point, so you knew something was going on. There was this wonder of awe of Where are we going next? The creative and technical processes were streamlined by doing everything in-house. What was useful with it being so end to end at Framestore, between the art department right through to the final visual effects, is we are able to stay in touch with everybody at every stage, states McDonald. Doctor Dillamond interacts with a lot of specific tools, like a projector and a teapot contraption. While we were doing the previs, Framestore animation is also figuring out how is he going to interact with the world and use these various contraptions. We can see those animation tests that theyre working on and incorporate them into our previs and postvis. It all weaves and knits together. An animation test might be great but then to be able to see it in the context of a shot or scene gives it a different dimension. At least once a week the postvis team communicated with the animation and visual effects supervisors. Were seeing where things are developing and where we can share assets to make sure that were not showing something completely different to the director as to where the final is headed, remarks Fiene. For previs as well as postvis, there are certain technical limitations that are never going to push into the realm of looking like the final stuff. There is a point where it doesnt become efficient to continue developing assets. Having massive practical sets were extremely helpful, especially the Plaza of Emerald City and Shiz University. Trying to build on top of those felt like extending a painting, states Fiene. It was lovely to have that starting point.Unlike in an action scene, a musical numbers duration is determined by the length of song. Its a different type of challenge, states Fiene. At least it gives you those couple of points and notes that you know youre going to have to hit. Essentially, it makes your guesswork shorter. Even for the previs, there was a temp audio to work with already that put it into the ballpark of the length of the musical number. Throughout the postvis, we always had temp mock-ups of songs to accommodate the edits.One of the first sequences that Framestore worked on was Nessarose Thropps levitating wheelchair. There were a lot of conversations early on about how they were going to depict the gravity aspect, remarks McDonald. It was about having it feel grounded, not mystical. This is this first time that youre seeing those powers in that way, so its about setting the tone. The weight of the wheelchair had to be taken into consideration. There were quite a few people involved, from animation to the director and visual effects supervisor, all trying to wrap their minds around making that work, recalls Fiene. It came down to tests. Lets try something similar to the previs and see if it hits the right tone. Is it too much? It was critical that it shouldnt feel magical. Its gravity but in the other direction! She has not developed her full powers at that point so theres a certain limitation to how high everything reaches. The wheelchair is floating. Its not stable or frozen in any way. Theres always some sort of movement because its at a fine balance level at that point. Elphaba takes flight for the first time during the Defying Gravity scene. According to Fiene, You have an idea of what style of movie this is going to be. With previs and postvis, its about iterating quickly on ideas, testing them out and seeing if they land. With Elphaba flying, there were all kinds of different poses with the broomstick because there are numerous moments where shes holding it and levitating. There is also traditional riding a broomstick stuff. We iterated on different poses and various styles of movement. Its about what fits with what youre trying to do in a scene and moment. In the meetings, director Jon M. Chu would stress being respectful to the source material. He didnt want to do anything that would deviate in a strange direction and possibly alienate the fans of the musical. Defying Gravity was shot entirely against bluescreen. There was little reference for how big the loops should be that shes actually flying, how much do we stick to the camera and her screen position, what are the physical limitations of shooting this, and how do you make it work on the big screen? notes Fiene. With the layout of Emerald City coming together, there was a bit of discovery to be done. We needed to determine where do you have a good moment or angle for a big panoramic view to show off the city, but also her progression throughout the sequence. The further you get into the song, the more epic the shots get, and it becomes more like that action sequence where you can see her taking control over her flight path and embracing her powers. At the end, shes spiraling, twirling, and looping over backwards. There are small movements you can do while filming this, but how do you scale that into this huge environment and make that backdrop with the broom going back down onto the Emerald City? What feels crazy enough at that point?Increasing Framestores workload on the project is that Wicked has been divided into two feature films. It is a huge scope across both movies and were working on them back-to-back, states Fiene. We postvis somewhere around 900 plus shots in the end for the first movie, which is a good chunk of everything from small window views to huge numbers of animals plus transition shots. It required lots of different environments, various effects, capes, broomsticks, and set extensions.As usual on a project like this, the major challenges are always about exploring ideas. Thats the biggest thing with previs because what works in a storyboard and looks great doesnt necessarily work once you start getting into the specifics of the scene or story, remarks McDonald. You have to iterate on the ideas and bounce back and forth with visual effects, stunts, and everybody else. You work with all of them to solve those problems. Seeing those scenes come together was incredibly rewarding. Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer best known for composing in-depth filmmaker and movie profiles for VFX Voice, Animation Magazine, and British Cinematographer.

The voice of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and Porky Pig (among countless others), Eric Bauza, will host this Saturdays 3rd Annual Childrens & FamilyEmmy Awards (CAFE). Now in its third year, this standalone competition spotlights the pinnacle of creativity and innovation in childrens entertainment. The ceremony will be streamed live onwatch.theemmys.tvand through The Emmysapps (apps.theemmys.tv). Note that the Creative Arts CAFE ceremony recognizing excellence in behind-the-scenes and technical achievements, will take place at 8:00 PM PT and will not have a host.The nomination list is incredibly extensive; it includes I Am Groot, Marvels Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Orion and the Dark, Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie, and The Tiny Chef Show. Announced last December, the animation, visual effects and related nominees can be found on AWN here. Puppeteer and actorDave Goetz(The Muppets) will present the Lifetime Achievement Award to previously announced honoree, Emmy Award-winning performerFran Brill. Additional presenters for CAFE and the Creative Arts CAFE ceremonies include:Ella Bright(Darrell Rivers inMalory Towers),Noah Cottrell(Simon inThe Spiderwick Chronicles),Lucia Cunningham(Jessica Williams inJessicas Big Little World),Terrence Little Gardenhigh (voice of John Patrick Pat Patterson inFright Krewe),Duff Goldman(host,Kids Baking Championship),Jack Griffo(Max inThe Thundermans Return),Mykal-Michelle Harris(as Alice Baxter onRavens Home),Paul Walter Hauser(voice of Dark inOrion and the Dark),Leah Sava Jeffries(Annabeth Chase inPercy Jackson and the Olympians),Kiersten Kelly(voice of Brooklyn inJurassic World: Chaos Theory),Donna Kimball(Emmy nominee performer "Mokey Fraggle," fromFraggle Rock: Back to the Rock),Kira Kosarin(Phoebe Thunderman inThe Thundermans Return),Amanda Lawrence(Matron Shipley onMalory Towers),Amanda Martinez(voice of Abuela inRosie Rules),Arianna McDonald(Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-KindMarcie),Bobby Moynihan(FormerSaturday Night Livecast member, voice of Bobby Boots inPupstruction),Walker Scobell(Percy Jackson inPercy Jackson and the Olympians),Aryan Simhadri(Grover Underwood inPercy Jackson and the Olympians),Cree Summer(voice of Lizard & DeeDee inSpirit Rangers),John Tartaglia(Emmy nominee "Sprocket the Dog" (Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock),Jacob Tremblay(voice of Orion inOrion and the Dark) andIzaac Wang(Sam Wing inGremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai).Nominees and guests expected to attend the ceremonies includeBob Bergen(voice of Porky Pig in Looney Tunes Cartoons),Leslie Carrara-Rudolph(Abby Cadabby & Tango onSesame Street),Adam Copeland(Ares onPercy Jackson and the Olympians, WWE wrestler Edge),Ben Feldman (voice of Tylor Tuskmon inMonsters At Work),Eric Jacobson(Bert, Oscar the Grouch & Grover onSesame Street),Elizabeth Mitchell(Carol Calvin/Mrs. Claus onThe Santa Clauses),Maximilian Lee Piazza(One Piece),Sarah Rafferty(Donna inSuits; Katherine in My Life with the Walter Boys),David Rudman(Cookie Monster & Baby Bear onSesame Street),Eric Stonestreet(Cameron Tucker onModern Family, Magnus Antas aka The Mad Santa inThe Santa Clauses),and Kari Wahlgren(voices of Magda, Granny Catherine, Whiskers inSuperkitties). Bauza is a veteran Looney Tunes voice actor who most recently earned him two Childrens and Family Emmy Awards for Outstanding Voice Performance in an Animated Program first in 2022 for his performance of Bugs Bunny in Looney Tunes Cartoons and again in 2023 for his performances of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety, and Marvin the Martian inBugs Bunny Builders. Bauza is the voice of both Porky Pig and Daffy Duck inThe Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Moviecoming out in theaters on March 14, 2025. Bauza began his career in animation as a character designer working with production studios in Hollywood. It was this introduction to the animation world that led him to a successful career as one of the most in-demand voiceover artists in town.He received Emmyand Annie Award nominations for his work as the title character inThe Adventures of Puss in BootsandMuppet Babiesas well as for Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck in Looney Tunes Cartoons. His other television credits includeTiny Toons Looniversity,Unikitty,Archibalds Next Big Thing,The Rocketeer,Ballmastrz: 9009,Rise of the Teenage Mutant Turtles,Star vs. The Forces of Evil,Breadwinners,Uncle Grandpa,Atomic Puppet,The Powerpuff Girls,The Fairly Odd Parents,Wabbit: A Looney Tunes Production,Ultimate Spider-Man,Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,Guardians of the Galaxy,Transformers: Robots in Disguise,Sanjay and Craig,Mighty Magiswordsand the voice of Fozzie Bear, the big-hearted comedian, in Disney Juniors reimaginedMuppet Babiestelevision series.On the big screen, Bauza voiced Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Foghorn Leghorn, Elmer Fudd, and Marvin the Martian inSpace Jam: A New Legacy. He has voiced characters inThe Book of LifeandThe SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water, as well as Woody Woodpecker in theWoody Woodpeckerfeature film for Universal. He has also voiced characters in commercials such as Lucky the Leprechaun for Lucky Charms cereal, Trix Rabbit for Trix cereal and Marvin the Martian for Nike and Walmart.Hes been vewwy, vewwy busy!Source: NATAS Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.

Vicon has announced its Markerless Motion Capture solution will launch next week at the Game Developer Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, running March 19-21. Vicon Markerless for VFX will be available March 19. You can find them at Booth #S335.The launch follows an immersive exhibition of the Vicon Markerless prototype at SIGGRAPH 2023. The tech was beta-tested via Vicon's VFX Pioneer Program, through which the VFX and virtual production communities had the opportunity to discover, understand, and define how markerless motion capture could be applied in their industries. Beta participants included ILM, Gearbox Entertainment, Dimension | DNEG360, Dreamscape Immersive, and Framestore.Vicon Markerless allows users to instantly visualize ideas with the Vanguard markerless motion-tracking camera and new software incorporating advanced computer vision, machine learning, and algorithms to capture human performance without markers.Vicons Markerless Motion Capture is like magic providing Gearbox incredible flexibility and speed in the development and storytelling of our games, said Randy Pitchford, founder and president of Gearbox Entertainment. Anyone of us at Gearbox, including me, can jump into our Vicon Markerless Motion Capture volume even in our street clothes to quickly get the data we need as we work to bring exciting potential future projects to life, including Borderlands.Vicon Markerless, developed over several years with meticulous attention to detail, sets a new standard for motion capture across games, film, episodic TV and immersive experiences, said Vicon CEO Imogen O'Connor. It enables VFX teams to rapidly refine early creative ideas and iterations marker-free, and offers a seamless transition to optical motion capture as needed. Markerless motion capture opens up a world of possibilities for the VFX industry and delivers greater efficiency in creating innovative entertainment.Vicon Markerless reduces time to visualization, enabling rapid iteration from prototyping and previsualization to real-time animation even with props. Creative teams can quickly explore ideas marker-free and transition efficiently to full optical motion capture when required.The new markerless system from Vicon has significantly accelerated our creative process, enabling us to reach results faster, said Ben Kolakovic, Virtual Production Operations Manager at ILM, a beta participant. We now receive mocap data much more quickly than before, which allows our artists to experiment with new ideas in a fraction of the time. This streamlined workflow not only fosters creativity but also enhances our ability to iterate efficiently and fine-tune performances.Source: Vicon Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologistL'Wrenbrings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

Rodeo FXhas shared with AWN and VFXWorld a VFX breakdown reel and numerous before/after images highlighting some of their great work on HBOs sci-fi thriller Dune prequel series, Dune: Prophecy. With a crew of 450, the studio delivered 421 shots, across 44 sequence on the inaugural season.Recently renewed for Season 2, the show is set 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides. It follows two Harkonnen sisters as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind and establish the fabled sect that will become known as the Bene Gesserit.Dune: Prophecyis inspired by the novel Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.After working on Dune and Dune: Part Two, Rodeo FX headed back once more to Frank Herberts universe for HBOs prequel series, Dune: Prophecy. The teams work included creating a full-CG environment of the Imperial Palace on Kaitain, featuring opulent gardens, grand monuments, and a vast ocean backdrop. Inspired by Petros Koublis' photography and the Mediterranean landscape, they developed custom vegetation, procedural shaders, and detailed assets to bring the world to life.The workflow began with concept designs provided by the client, which were further refined by Rodeo FXs in-house art department before the generalist team segmented the environment into distinct sub-zones. Real-world set elements were then seamlessly integrated for continuity with live-action plates.Advanced techniques, including water simulations, procedural ocean tools, and extensive instancing, were used for added realism. Thoughtful lighting design, including physical sky models and volumetric haze, added depth. This intricate and ambitious environment not only serves as the backdrop for key moments in Dune: Prophecy but also amply illustrates the artistry and technical expertise of the Rodeo FX team; their work on Kaitain earned a nomination for Outstanding Environment in an Episode at the 2025 VES Awards. Source: Rodeo FX Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.