By TREVOR HOGG
Images courtesy of Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.
Jim Carrey reprises his role as the main antagonist, Dr. Ivo Robotnik.
MPC served as the main vendor with 1,200 to 1,400 shots involving character animation.
Successfully adapting video games has been a rare feat in Hollywood – and even more so to warrant a sequel – but filmmaker Jeff Fowler and Visual Effects Supervisor Ged Wright have come together once again to produce Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for Paramount Pictures and Sega Sammy Group. In the sequel, Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey) escapes from the Mushroom Planet and partners with an alien echidna called Knuckles (Idris Elba) to find a mystical emerald that has the power to destroy civilizations and defeat his hedgehog nemesis Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and the two-tailed fox Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey).
“After finishing shooting, we did a version of the film through Blender rendered in Eevee with motion blur, depth of field, proper tracks, and integrated the characters into the live-action photography. An in-house team of 10 to 14 people produced well over 12,000 versions of shots [within a period of 12 to 14 weeks] that went into editorial and allowed the creative team to come up with a cut of the movie that didn’t throw MPC off track. This was critical in allowing the film to get completed by the absolute skin of our teeth.”
—Ged Wright, Visual Effects Supervisor
For Tails, Visual Effects Supervisor Ged Wright wanted to make sure that his tails were present and creating nice shapes.
“The thing that has drawn me back to this was Jeff Fowler, [producer] Toby Ascher, [executive producer] Nan Morales and all of the of the other people involved who made turning up to work feel like you’re making a movie with your friends rather than going into battle every day,” states Wright. “The first one made the storytelling side of things more straightforward [this time around] and created a certain number of parameters that you’re working within.”
“We ended up with 1,200 or 1,400 character animation shots, so those little furry dudes are in most of the movie. Certain things were reusable [from the first movie], like the look and quality of the fur. These characters have vast eyes, so a significant amount of work was spent improving the shading, look and feel of them as they communicate a great deal, and that worked paid off in this film.”
—Ged Wright, Visual Effects Supervisor
The sequel was unable to outrun the pandemic. “We were making an animated film on a live-action schedule, which means rather than having three or four years we’re doing it in half of the time,” notes Wright. “Then all movie productions stopped. All of the big companies shrunk their staff, but [when all of the productions simultaneously started up again] then everyone wanted to hire back their same staff within the same six- to eight-week period. You had a huge amount of content, however, not enough people trained on how to do it. There is a massive skills shortage in the visual effects industry right now.”
Knuckles rarely opened his hand because it looked like he was wearing oven mitts.
Critical in being able to release Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on time was the emphasis placed on previs and postvis. “After finishing shooting,” comments Wright, “we did a version of the film through Blender rendered in Eevee with motion blur, depth of field, proper tracks, and integrated the characters into the live-action photography. An in-house team of 10 to 14 people produced well over 12,000 versions of shots [within a period of 12 to 14 weeks] that went into editorial and allowed the creative team to come up with a cut of the movie that didn’t throw MPC off track. This was critical in allowing the film to get completed by the absolute skin of our teeth.”
DNEG got the opportunity to explore the Mushroom Planet that was hinted at the end of the original movie.
There were over 1,900 visual effects shots by MPC, DNEG, Marza Planet Animation and an in-house team while Fish Flight Entertainment assisted with the previs and postvis. “We ended up with 1,200 or 1,400 character animation shots, so those little furry dudes are in most of the movie,” laughs Wright. “Certain things were reusable [from the first movie], like the look and quality of the fur. These characters have vast eyes, so a significant amount of work was spent improving the shading, look and feel of them as they communicate a great deal, and that worked paid off in this film.”
“The focus was on making sure that the things that were in and around the humans had the most amount of real production budget spent on them. We wanted the production designer involved in designing the whole film because otherwise we would have had big chunks of the film where those decisions were being made by the wrong people. There is no other way to put it!”
—Ged Wright, Visual Effects Supervisor
A massive amount of blue electrical energy is generated by Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey) on the Mushroom Planet.
No matter the lighting conditions and position of the camera, Sonic, Knuckles and Tails always had to be recognizable. “If you photograph one of us at sunset, we look different, which is something we have come to expect,” says Wright. “But with iconic, stylized characters there is often an expectation for them to look consistent throughout the film, which is not a photographic reality. It was easy at first but got harder towards the end.” The original 2D character designs had to be adapted to work in 3D. “Sonic’s mouth had to be off to one side and generally on the camera’s side,” adds Wright. “For Knuckles, you rarely want to open his hand because it looks like he’s wearing oven mitts. You want to keep him on character and make sure that he feels strong and intimidating. For Tails, you want to make sure that his tails are present as part of his character and creating nice shapes. They can easily look as if they were dragged along the floor. Nobody wanted that.”
A ring portal opens with adversaries searching for Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey).
Driving the character animation was the voice cast. “A lot of the time, if the voice performance changes, then it feels like the actual physical performance needs to change, not just the lip sync,” notes Wright. “We were as diligent as possible to make sure that the voice performance was turned over as early as possible so that the animators could be sitting there working with it. We also did a similar thing with filming the actors while they were performing. We didn’t end up going through the process of doing any facial motion capture this time around because the characters are so wildly different and the amount of effort that goes into capturing that data felt like it was a diminishing return doing that.” Less was considered more with the lip sync. “They don’t have lips so it can feel like a latex mask moving around if you’re not careful,” observes Wright. “You want to be hitting the core shapes; however, focusing on properly enunciating each syllable is not the best outcome.” The process of getting the live-action and CG characters to interact did not greatly change. “We had the usual hit list of interactive items, like little sandbags that people can pick up,” says Wright. “We slightly moved things along from the first film, as far as on-set reference, which was more helpful. The most challenging interaction bits are when the characters are hugging them. Picking them up was more successful, because with the little bodies it’s easier to figure out what that interaction is going to be. To nail those interactive shots, you need to be doing a 3D representation of the human characters. We weren’t able to do that this time around because we simply ran out of time.”
Various Rube Goldberg traps were constructed out of mushrooms by Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey).
An emphasis was placed on getting practical elements. “For the snowboard chase we did a week-long shoot up in the Canadian Rockies that gave us a tremendous amount of material to inform that,” states Wright. “When they discover the Big Owl cavern, that was all CG because there are no human characters. The focus was on making sure that the things that were in and around the humans had the most amount of real production budget spent on them. We wanted the production designer involved in designing the whole film because otherwise we would have had big chunks of the film where those decisions were being made by the wrong people. There is no other way to put it!” Minimal greenscreen was utilized. “At the end of the film when they’re in the riverbed, rather than surround everything in greenscreen we chose a location that had a similar texture and feel,” adds Wright. “That’s a better approach rather than having to change absolutely everything.” Virtual production was part of the toolset. “We had the LED volume and used that to get the lighting in a better place on the set pieces and characters,” says Wright. “One example is when Robotnik is in the ‘mech head’ and has all of the electricity around him, he was actually in a LED volume. It was better to do the roto and extract him off something that was giving him all sorts of interesting lighting cues on his face and eyes rather than trying to light the actor and have a clean key to pull.”
“We had the LED volume and used that to get the lighting in a better place on the set pieces and characters. One example is when Robotnik is in the ‘mech head’ and has all of the electricity around him, he was actually in a LED volume. It was better to do the roto and extract him off something that was giving him all sorts of interesting lighting cues on his face and eyes rather than trying to light the actor and have a clean key to pull.”
—Ged Wright, Visual Effects Supervisor
Most of the interior of the giant mech robot was dark until the emerald electricity comes on and lights it up.
Knuckles and Tails can move at high speed like Sonic. “One of the core differences this time around is we had other characters in that heightened reality,” observes Wright. “As soon as you have two characters that are moving at the same speed, you almost don’t know that everything is in a heightened reality. There were a different set of parameters there. We had a couple of instances where we wanted to demonstrate that effect upon the rest of the world. One of them is when they’re fighting in the backyard and Robotnik spills his popcorn as they go into this heightened speed. We shot Jim on a super high-speed camera to get that. Most of the time it was two CG characters that are in that world, so you’ve got a lot more flexibility to alter and add things to be able to heighten those moments.” The speed trails were tricky. “They’re quite a graphic stylized element and self-illuminated, so it’s hard to get a sense of depth,” explains Wright. “You end up having to design them specifically for the shots to get the right look.” Driving everything was the sheer volume of the performance and character animation. “There is no shortcut for that. It takes time both for the animation team and the wonderful animation director that we had, Eric Guaglione, to come on and find that language,” Wright says, adding that the tonal variety of the narrative was an asset. “What I enjoyed about making this film was the possibility to lean into storytelling and the intimacy between characters while also having these big action beats. Often on movies you get to do one or the other. It’s unusual to be able to do both.”
Emmy-Award winner Margaret Dean is the Head of Studio for SKYBOUND, the home of Invincible and The Walking Dead, and is responsible for the production of original content and studio operations. Inspired at an early age by dramatic black and white films from the 30s and 40s, Marge discovered the moving image as an art student and delved into her passion for visual storytelling through animation. Known for building studios and animation pipelines, Marge has been responsible for the design or re-design of several studios, and as President of Women in Animation, she is a recognized global leader in advancing women in the field of animation.
As the head of a studio, you are responsible for creating and nurturing the culture, where everyone feels they belong. What I work to do is instill a space that embraces mentoring – not only to expand and diversify the workforce, but because it lends a strong sense of inspiration and community. The flow of shared experience, knowledge and support is critical to building a collaborative environment. Women in Animation’s mentoring program is our most successful initiative and demand continues to grow. What is truly exciting is that our formal mentorship matches planted the seeds to grow new networks. I don’t think you can make your way in this often-challenging industry without people who share their lessons learned, foster your talents and provide encouragement – and as someone who benefitted from great mentors, I’m proud to be in a position to pay this forward.
I was a single working parent early in my career, and the issue of balancing a career and family is highly personal. I was able to figure out a way where I did not have to sacrifice one for the other – but so many parents, particularly women, feel backed into making that tough choice. Women in Animation is focused on the enormous need to provide job flexibility and more support for working parents and caregivers. The number of women who have had to walk away from their jobs because of the high cost and lack of childcare and too few options for hybrid work schedules is startling – even more so due to COVID. We need to do better and we highly encourage partners to join our advocacy.
There is an enormous need to provide job flexibility and more support for working parents and caregivers.
Women in Animation wants to achieve 50/50 parity for women and underrepresented genders in the animated creative workforce by 2025 – and we believe the industry is already committed to that goal. What we‘re focused on now is how to make it easter to do it. We’ve created a searchable database of more than 6,000 women/diverse gender professionals to dispel that myth of ‘I can’t find anyone to hire.’ We are also working on breaking down barriers to build the pipeline, including creating pathways that do not require going to an expensive art school or college. I’m very excited about our ongoing work with the California Board of Education and The BRIC Foundation to build out training and apprenticeship programs to prepare people for a multitude of jobs and enrich our talent pool.
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By CHRIS McGOWAN
Images courtesy of DNEG and Netflix.
A time jet getting ready to jump across decades. Height references included weather balloons and footage of Felix Baumgartner’s record freefall as a reference point for the curvature of the Earth.
Netflix’s The Adam Project is a family drama embedded in time-traveling, world-saving science fiction. To help with the sci-fi aspect, Overall Visual Effects Supervisor Alessandro Ongaro tasked DNEG London with conjuring up unique-looking wormholes, decades-hopping “time jets” and digi-double “time soldiers.”
The wormholes were a key visual effect in The Adam Project. It was decided that the wormholes would have some kind of funnel in the middle through which a jet could disappear. Then each wormhole had to disappear after the jet had gone through.
In the Shawn Levy-directed story, Adam (Ryan Reynolds) is a time pilot from 2050, on an illegal mission to rescue his wife Laura (Zoe Saldana). He crash-lands in 2022, and, as he heals himself and fixes his jet, enlists the help of his 12-year-old self (Walker Scobell). It is the year following the death of their father, Louis Reed (Mark Ruffalo), from which they have never recovered emotionally. Reed was a brilliant quantum physicist who accidentally invented time travel, which has been used by Reed’s former partner, Maya Sorian (Catherine Keener), to enrich herself and create a dystopian future. To undo this terrible timeline, Adam and his younger self travel to 2018 to seek out the help of their younger father. Once there, they must also find a way to make peace with his future absence. Jennifer Garner also stars in the film, portraying Adam’s mother Ellie Reed.
“The wormhole was the main pivot of the movie. DNEG has a great history of doing wormholes and black holes for movies, so we had the tricky task of coming up with something innovative that had not been done before.”
—Mike Duffy, VFX Producer, DNEG
The time jets needed to project velocity and urgency when leaving Earth’s environment. Vibration and camera shake were added to Adam’s jet to give the chase a more frantic feel.
The single most important effect in The Adam Project was, arguably, the wormholes that the time jets create for time jumping. Explains DNEG VFX Producer Mike Duffy, “The wormhole was the main pivot of the movie. DNEG has a great history of doing wormholes and black holes for movies, so we had the tricky task of coming up with something innovative that had not been done before.”
“There was also one instance where we had to digitally replace young Adam’s legs. There is a scene where they are plummeting so quickly towards Earth that they had to rig young Adam on wires to make him appear weightless, but to add to the comedy value we added [a boy’s] legs dangling behind him, which really helped to sell the gag of those couple of shots.”
—Alexander Seaman, Visual Effects Supervisor, DNEG
Time soldiers drop from the jet of Sorian (Catherine Keener) and begin pursuit on hoverboards. Stunt actors in time soldier outfits were digitally scanned on set, with the data used to create digital versions.
Older Adam (Ryan Reynolds), younger Adam (Walker Scobell) and Laura (Zoe Saldana) are in a classic GMC Jimmy truck as they flee the time soldiers through the forest.
DNEG Visual Effects Supervisor Alexander Seaman recalls, “The creation and animation of the wormhole was actually quite a simple 3D task with some fairly rudimentary 3D volumes and shapes which could then be easily animated to be scaled up and down.” The real challenge was working out the unique design of the wormhole, which had to disappear after the jet flew through it. Seaman adds, “Director Shawn Levy guided us towards optical flares and lens distortions as references. We looked at the way that different prisms behaved, and then ultimately decided that the wormhole needed to have some kind of funnel in the middle of it which the ship could disappear through.”
DNEG augmented the time jets’ original designs and designed their cloaking effect. The spectacular dogfights of the swift and agile jets – piloted by older Adam or Sorian’s head of security, Christos (Alex Mallari Jr.) – were “a fairly complex process,” according to Seaman. “We were provided with a few rounds of pre-visualization, as well as some aerial footage and plates of mountains from above the clouds in North America, which we then repurposed to create the same camera angles and speeds. Where this wasn’t possible, we digitally created the parts of the environment, including a digital valley, a digital rock surface and a digital cave. We would then block all of that out and animate the chase. Next, we would assess whether the scene was thrilling or fast enough and augment each shot accordingly. On some occasions the aerial footage wasn’t fast or high enough, so we had to look for ways to re-speed the plates we already had or simply replace it with a CG version of the same thing from a different perspective.”
A time jet in pursuit of the GMC Jimmy in the forest. DNEG had to replace forest, build forest extensions and blend it all with existing plate material.
Continues Seaman, “Once we had established how high and far away from the Earth they wanted to put the chase, we looked at references such as weather balloons and Felix Baumgartner’s world record freefall [in 2012]. This footage proved useful as a reference point for the curvature of the Earth and sense of serenity at that altitude. We also used the Hubble space telescope footage as a reference for how the clouds cast shadows onto the oceans and land masses. We then used some of our own proprietary tools to generate some of the atmosphere effects that you see from the Earth.”
The time jets needed to project velocity and urgency once they were leaving the Earth’s environment, at the edge of space where everything is calm and serene, Seaman explains, “We had to use a few film-making tricks, including adding a certain amount of vibration and camera shake to Adam’s jet in particular to give it a more frantic feel. We also used an element of ‘space dust’ through the air, which gave a sense of traveling through something that we could justify as water particles. Anytime that the jets got close to each other, we could justify haze or vapor from the jets washing past and over them. When the Sorian jet starts shooting at the time jet, we’ve got the tracers from the guns, which are able to convey a sense of speed and danger as well.”
The older Adam and younger Adam in the cockpit at a dramatic yet comical moment during a chase sequence with Sorian’s jet pursuing them.
Adds Seaman, “One of the features of that sequence was a huge Earth that the environment team did a really good job of creating. If we had kept Earth in the correct position throughout that sequence, you would have only seen it in a couple of shots, so we had to really cheat where the Earth was in relation to the camera in order to keep some kind of visual anchor point as to where they were going and how fast they were moving. In some cases, we even cheated the scale of the Earth to make it feel like they were traveling faster away from it.”
“Once we had established how high and far away from the Earth they wanted to put the chase, we looked at references such as weather balloons and Felix Baumgartner’s world record freefall [in 2012]. This footage proved useful as a reference point for the curvature of the Earth and sense of serenity at that altitude. We also used the Hubble space telescope footage as a reference for how the clouds cast shadows onto the oceans and land masses. We then used some of our own proprietary tools to generate some of the atmosphere effects that you see from the Earth.”
—Alexander Seaman, Visual Effects Supervisor, DNEG
DNEG also worked on the truck chase sequences that involved the Adams and Laura fleeing Sorian in a classic GMC Jimmy. They drive along and through a forest with Sorian’s jet and flying time soldiers in hot pursuit. DNEG had to replace forest and build forest extensions and blend it all with existing plate material. Explains Seaman, “There was a real forest complete with various types of vegetation and a dirt road running through the middle of it. To make the sequence more thrilling, they wanted to replace the dirt road and instead show the [truck] weaving to and fro between various bushes. We used the on-set reference for what the trees and plants looked like and then had a very talented modeling team recreate the same vegetation, as well as a very good environment team effectively fill in the forest for the pieces that were absent.”
Older Adam pilots a time jet through a CGI canyon. Much of that environment was digitally created, including a digital valley, a digital rock surface and a digital cave.
When the time soldiers flew through the forest in pursuit of the truck, cutting between trees while riding hoverboards, it is reminiscent of the Star Wars: Return of the Jedi chases in the forests of Endor. Responds Seaman, “We also felt that there were some influences by Return of the Jedi in the style of the forest and the speed at which the heroes were being chased through it. But this wasn’t something that we were asked to match or reference.”
The time soldiers often required digi-doubles. Seaman notes, “There were real-life stunt actors in time soldier outfits that they digitally scanned on set. They then sent us the data, and we recreated digital versions of the stuntmen in their costumes. We did a couple of varieties of them holding their weapons in different ways with slightly different imperfections to their armor. We then modeled and rigged the hover platforms to their feet. The team had done a really good job of filming the stunt performers through the sequence, but sometimes they were not going quite fast enough. So, in a lot of cases, we digitally re-produced them, using the footage as a reference to see how they moved and how their costumes reacted to the environment, but ultimately digitally replacing them to make them go faster.”
Digi-doubles were also used as replacements for actors in aircrafts, especially during the flying scenes. Comments Seaman, “There was also one instance where we had to digitally replace young Adam’s legs. There is a scene where they are plummeting so quickly towards Earth that they had to rig young Adam on wires to make him appear weightless, but to add to the comedy value we added [a boy’s] legs dangling behind him, which really helped to sell the gag of those couple of shots.”
“We had to use a few film-making tricks, including adding a certain amount of vibration and camera shake to Adam’s jet in particular to give it a more frantic feel. We also used an element of ‘space dust’ through the air, which gave a sense of traveling through something that we could justify as water particles. Anytime that the jets got close to each other, we could justify haze or vapor from the jets washing past and over them. When the Sorian jet starts shooting at the time jet, we’ve got the tracers from the guns, which are able to convey a sense of speed and danger as well.”
—Alexander Seaman, Visual Effects Supervisor, DNEG
Closeup of a time jet in the canyons. DNEG was tasked with adding extra detailing to the time jet exteriors and their cockpits.
DNEG has a history of creating wormholes and black holes, and was challenged to come up with something innovative for The Adam Project.
DNEG contributed more than 350 shots spread over eight sequences, out of the 1,432 total VFX shots in the movie. The other visual effects studios working on The Adam Project included Scanline VFX, Lola VFX, Supervixen Studios and Clear Angle Studios, and there was an in-house VFX team. Cameron Waldbauer was Special Effects Supervisor.
By TREVOR HOGG
Images courtesy of Netflix and Alt.vfx, except where noted.
Benedict Cumberbatch portrays malicious rancher Phil Burbank while Kodi Smit-McPhee takes on the role of his brother’s effeminate stepson Peter Gordon in The Power of the Dog. (Image courtesy of Netflix)
With the exception of the Red Mill Inn, the town of Herndon, Montana was CG.
While movie critics praised the performances of Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee in The Power of the Dog, nothing was ever mentioned about the visual effects work supervised by Jay Hawkins (Wolf Like Me) and produced by Alt.vfx which amounted to over 200 shots. The lack of awareness and recognition is not something that bothers Hawkins. “People ask me, ‘What did you do on The Power of the Dog? That’s not a visual effects film.’ I show them the breakdown and they’re always quite surprised, which makes me happy.” Digital doubles were made to increase the herds of cattle, set extensions were required for the ranch, a town had to be digitally constructed, CG wounds were placed on animals and actors, and the outline of a dog was etched into the rolling hills.
“People ask me, ‘What did you do on The Power of the Dog? That’s not a visual effects film.’ I show them the breakdown and they’re always quite surprised, which makes me happy.”
—Jay Hawkins, Visual Effects Supervisor
Based on the novel by Thomas Savage, the cinematic adaption by Jane Campion (Bright Star) is set in the 1920s Montana where Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) wages brutal psychological warfare against the new bride (Kirsten Dunst) and stepson (Kobi Smit-McPhee) of his brother, George (Jesse Plemons), that unfolds on their family ranch. New Zealand doubled for Montana during principal photography, which was conducted by Ari Wenger (Lady Macbeth) who received an Oscar-nomination for her contributions. Campion had done some extensive scouting in Montana where Thomas Savage lived. “I thought it was going to be alpine trees and big logging forests, but that wasn’t the look or terrain that Jane was going for. She wanted vast and open fields which we found in New Zealand. In terms of changing New Zealand for Montana, we weren’t doing any of that.”
Part of a ranch house was built on a farm in the Hawkdun Range in Maniototo by Production Designer Grant Major (Mulan). “The house had to service all of these different story beats and lines of sight,” explains Hawkins. “On one of early recces there was a small-scale 3D printed model of the house. We walked out to the location, which wound up being used for the film, and placed and rotated the model around in the light and starting thinking about where the rest of the buildings should be placed.” Extensive previs was utilized for the interior shots as there was not a budget for big translights, and the preference was to avoid greenscreen or bluescreen. “We came up with this idea of vinyl backdrops [of which we had three],” notes Hawkins. “I did previs for what we would shoot outside of the window, what would be the set’s field of view and what would be the set’s horizon, given that we had a limited size for the backdrop that could be used outside of the window.”
Rocks were digitally constructed to integrate the railroad tracks into the landscape.
A drone captured aerial plate photography of the ranch. “We didn’t do a whole lot of drone footage on the show, and, on that day, it was the arrival of the governor for the dinner scene,” remarks Hawkins. “We had to make sure that the drone stayed at the right altitude so you could see enough of the top of the house, given the fact only half of it had been built. Some practical snow blankets were laid down while the cowboys are running to the front door. In the rough cut before seeing the shot with the full house and snow, we weren’t sure, but when we started adding snow and post rendered the house, it came alive.” Grant Major produced concept art for the fictional setting of Herndon, Montana. “While scouting, we couldn’t find something that spoke to Jane,” adds Hawkins, “so the only physically constructed building was the exterior of the Red Mill Inn, which was located a couple hundred meters from the ranch house. The rest of the town is CG.” Drone photogrammetry scans were taken of the ranch house and Red Mill Inn. “When we went to rebuild it,” he says, “we were able to take the real-world measurements of photogrammetry scan, marry those with the original concept and build from there with texture reference from the practical build.”
“[T]he only physically constructed building was the exterior of the Red Mill Inn, which was located a couple hundred meters from the ranch house. The rest of the town is CG. When we went to rebuild it, we were able to take the real-world measurements of photogrammetry scan, marry those with the original concept and build from there with texture reference from the practical build.”
—Jay Hawkins, Visual Effects Supervisor
Visual Effects Supervisor Jay Hawkins thought the terrain was going to be alpine trees and big logging forests, but director Jane Campion wanted vast and open fields.
In two different scenes, the shape of a dog was incorporated into the rolling hills. “There was a lot of time spent rotting in vans and discussing things,” recalls Hawkins. “One evening. we climbed this big hill which was being considered as a possible location for the picnic scene. We were watching the sunset on the hills behind the house, and there were these really long shadows that were winding around them. One looked like the face of a witch and another resembled a tiger. Ari and I were sitting in wonder watching the nose of the witch go from being perfect to abstract. We thought, ‘What if the dog was a shadow puppet like that on a hill?’ When I got back from that recce, I worked with my concept artist on a bunch of different versions of the dog. Maybe it would be sculptural or embedded into a rock formation in the hills. However, the shadow throw was so strong and powerful that Jane loved it. We kept refining that concept. You’re trying to sculpt a ridge line that is also a shadow receiver of the ideal shape that you want when the sun is at a certain part of the day. In the end it was a fully 2D effect.”
While the car was practical, the train was a CG asset. “The carriages were based upon the passenger carriages we were able to get for the train station platform shot when they’re arriving at the station,” states Hawkins. “That was captured by the drone unit during COVID-19. We had all of these different options of plates and found that one. Extensive relighting and reworking were required on the plate to get it to work.” Rocks were digitally constructed to integrate the railroad tracks into the landscape. “Initially,” notes Hawkins, “the shot of the people next to tracks was supposed to have nothing around them. But it felt so naked with just the tracks and the cowboys standing there. We wound up putting in the stockyards, a section of town and additional elements until that shot itself felt correct.” Having the proper number of extras was not an issue. “Our bigger crowd scenes like at the railway station were shot pre-pandemic,” he adds, “and when we were on our interiors, New Zealand was in a fortunate situation where there were zero COVID-19 cases.”
“We thought, ‘What if the dog was a shadow puppet like that on a hill?’ When I got back from that recce, I worked with my concept artist on a bunch of different versions of the dog. Maybe it would be sculptural or embedded into a rock formation in the hills. However, the shadow throw was so strong and powerful that [director] Jane [Campion] loved it. We kept refining that concept. You’re trying to sculpt a ridge line that is also a shadow receiver of the ideal shape that you want when the sun is at a certain part of the day. In the end it was a fully 2D effect.”
—Jay Hawkins, Visual Effects Supervisor
Cattle were an important part of the visual storytelling. A cow library was built in Houdini of different groupable bovine behaviors.
Cattle were an important storytelling and visual element. “Before the film had even started, Ari had a cow breakdown for the different seasons and how many would logically be at the ranch,” remarks Hawkins. “For two or three days, we had real cattle with us. I did a massive texture and behavior study with as many witness cameras as I could. Then I worked with my team to construct a bunch of different groupable behaviors so that Chris Gardner, my technical director, could build them into his Houdini cow library. He had some nice anti-collision things, so if one cow stopped another it would walk around them. It took awhile but was quite good. I’m looking forward to another cow film just so we can use it again!” Not everything could be procedural, he adds. “If they were clumped together in a mass, there was always heaps of art direction because we had to integrate it with what was happening in the plate.”
“Initially, the shot of the people next to tracks was supposed to have nothing around them. But it felt so naked with just the tracks and the cowboys standing there. We wound up putting in the stockyards, a section of town and additional elements until that shot itself felt correct.”
—Jay Hawkins, Visual Effects Supervisor
Development of the ranch house, which was practically built and extended in CG.
The shape of a dog was etched into the natural landscape.
Only two shots used greenscreen. “The backgrounds were such a high contrast that I wouldn’t be able to get a nice clean roto, and as a result the shots would suffer if I didn’t use greenscreen,” states Hawkins. “Also, the lighting conditions allowed for it.” On set the wounds were done practically. “It was when we were in the edit that we realized more was needed,” Hawkins observes. “That became a fun exercise of Googling things like anthrax and wolf attacks on bears.” The dissection of the rabbit was CG because real animal parts were not allowed on set. As for atmospherics, extensive dust had to be digitally added. “That was fun too,” reveals Hawkins, “because Murray Smallwood, our Compositing Supervisor, was into experimenting with EmberGen as a kit to use inside of Nuke, and he got some wonderful results with that. We put dust into quite a lot of scenes to add life to them.” There were times that the skies had to be altered. “Everything that we did was based on things that were shot,” Hawkins says. “If I wasn’t shooting for visual effects, then I was capturing sky domes, reference out of the windows and time-lapse of clouds to build a library. In that part of New Zealand, we were blessed with so many potentially beautiful skies.”
By TREVOR HOGG
Images courtesy of Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation
A character design plate with contributions from Julien Le Rolland, Taylor Krahenbuhl, Anthony Holden, Pierre Perifel and Jorge Capote.
For Australian author Aaron Blabey, the best way to describe The Bad Guys, a series of illustrated books depicting what are viewed to be despicable creatures trying to redeem themselves, was as “Tarantino for kids.” The cinematic adaptation found a home at DreamWorks Animation, with it being overseen by producer Damon Ross and director Pierre Perifel, who was making his feature directorial debut. The vocal cast features Sam Rockwell as Mr. Wolf, Marc Maron as Mr. Snake, Craig Robinson as Mr. Shark, Anthony Ramos as Mr. Piranha and Awkwafina as Ms. Tarantula. The creative journey began for Pierre Perifel in March 2019 with the lockdown caused by the pandemic occurring halfway through preproduction.
A character experssion sheet of Mr. Wolf with the model created by Hyun Huh and designed by Jorge Capote.
“The bad guys are in the warm colors and a cooler palette when they attempt to be good guys. The police moments would be the regular color of a police car, like deep reds, white and black. When it’s more the desperate moments, it would be desaturated, almost black and white. There is strong lighting in Los Angeles, so we have white skies and warm light.”
—Pierre Perifel, Director
“There is no way you can stick for the long run with something that you don’t like or feel drawn to,” admits Perifel. “The universe of the books struck a chord with me as it could be a heist movie by Quentin Tarantino or Steven Soderbergh. I added my own influences as animator back in France. Underneath all of this is the journey of Wolf. The idea that people can change and figure out more meaning in their personal lives, was something I connected a lot with for personal reasons.” The illustrations from the books had to be altered in order to be cinematic. “The art of Aaron Blabey is simple and efficient,” observes Perifel, “but yet we had to expand upon it to make a visual experience on the big screen. There are also limitations to his characters that you want to change or rework so you can have them actually moving. A shark without legs in our world would have been difficult to do. The same for Piranha.”
Sam Rockwell voices Mr. Wolf, who attempts to pull off his biggest con job.
Perifel wanted to create a new animation style which combined influences of Hayao Miyazaki and Ernest & Celestine. “The code of anime is that the posing of the characters has a lot to do with economical animation. Over the last few years at the studio, we had tended to be video reference and realistic for our acting in animation. I didn’t want to forget that, but wanted to try something that was more stylized and illustrative.” A simple color theory was developed by production designer Luc Desmarchelier that reflected the mental state of the main characters. “The bad guys are in the warm colors and a cooler palette when they attempt to be good guys,” explains Perifel. “The police moments would be the regular color of a police car, like deep reds, white and black. When it’s more the desperate moments, it would be desaturated, almost black and white.” The location had an impact on the color palette,” Perifel adds. “There is strong lighting in Los Angeles, so we have white skies and warm light.”
Pierre Perifel wanted to create a new animation style that combined influences of Hayao Miyazaki and Ernest & Celestine.
The storyboard by director Pierre Perifel and the final frame that appeared in the movie.
Storytelling drives the technology at DreamWorks Animation. “The head of layout, Todd Jansen, wanted to give us an anamorphic lens, which is what you usually do in live-action because it has a Los Angeles film vibe to it,” states J.P. Sans, Head of Character Animation for The Bad Guys. “We wrote tools to have this lens distortion whenever we needed to. The other tool that we had was a comic-book style, so there were a lot of drawing effects. We could draw motion blur and multiple legs for when a character was spinning around, instead of using rigs and CG elements. Everything felt handmade but still had that CG aspect, so it feels like a hybrid.” Animation tests involved copying 2D films frame by frame into CG, which were then shown to Perifel. “It was a great way to find our parameters of, ‘Are we close or are we too far off?’” states Sans. “The style that we found was removing some of that motion in CG and letting the mind fill in the blanks like you do in 2D.”
“We wrote tools to have this [anamorphic] lens distortion whenever we needed to. The other tool that we had was a comic-book style, so there were a lot of drawing effects. We could draw motion blur and multiple legs for when a character was spinning around, instead of using rigs and CG elements. Everything felt handmade but still had that CG aspect, so it feels like a hybrid.”
—J.P. Sans, Head of Character Animation
A color script by Luc Desmarchelier and Pierre Perifel for a dramatic car chase.
It was important to make Ms. Tarantula appealing rather than creepy. “The fur on tarantulas looks pointy and like it could stab you,” remarks Sans. “We wanted to bring a cuteness by making the fur feel soft. Because of going anthropomorphic, we added a torso and head that separates from the body so that it gives you a humanistic feel. We wanted her to feel like a spider based on the speed and how she moves around. But we didn’t overdo the legs, because if you have every leg doing something different or you can see every leg, you’re always going to remind people that she is a spider and some people don’t like spiders! It’s about visually simplifying the characters. At times we hid legs. Sometimes when Tarantula is running around, you only see four legs and visually it’s more appealing and easier to swallow than all of these eight limbs coming out of this body.” The vocal delivery of Marc Maron was a perfect fit for Mr. Snake. “Marc brought so much personality to that character and who he was that we wanted to visually maintain that sarcastic dry humor in his expressions. The actual visual recordings give us a lot of ideas on mannerisms that we could incorporate into the character animation,” Sans notes.
Concept art by Floriane Marchix that explores the white skies and warm light of Los Angeles.
“We wanted to bring a cuteness [to Ms. Tarantula] by making the fur feel soft. Because of going anthropomorphic, we added a torso and head that separates from the body so that it gives you a humanistic feel. We wanted her to feel like a spider based on the speed and how she moves around. But we didn’t overdo the legs, because if you have every leg doing something different or you can see every leg, you’re always going to remind people that she is a spider and some people don’t like spiders! It’s about visually simplifying the characters.”
—J.P. Sans, Head of Character Animation
Central to the technical process was figuring out the workflows and tools needed to allow digital artists to solve visual problems like an illustrator. “We wanted to come up with ways that would allow us to hide detail in the rigging so you could procedurally lose some of detail on a per-shot basis depending on the angle of the light,” states Matt Baer, Visual Effects Supervisor for The Bad Guys. “We also wanted the ability to add additional linework later on to enhance the idea that the image looked handmade. If you look at Wolf, some of his linework is built into the rig. That allows the character animator to move these expression lines around. We also even painted some lines into his fur. That stuff is cooked into those renders.” Textures were strategically chosen. “Where we wanted detail to show up on each of those characters was where the highlight would transition into the mid-tones or where the mid-tones would transition into shadow,” details Baer. “Each of the characters came with their version of a base color and then a texture map. Based on where the light was sitting, we could dial in some of that texture in those transitional areas.”
A lighting key by Floriane Marchix for a scene when Ms. Tarantula hacks into a security camera system.
The Bad Guys was inspired by Australian Aaron Blabey wanting to invert archetypal evil animals and place them in a story that would be ‘Quentin Tarantino for children.’
Genders were switched when creating Ms. Tarantula, voiced by Awkwafina.
The texture of the characters was influenced by the environmental lighting.
“We wanted to come up with ways that would allow us to hide detail in the rigging so you could procedurally lose some of detail on a per-shot basis depending on the angle of the light. We also wanted the ability to add additional linework later on to enhance the idea that the image looked handmade. If you look at Wolf, some of his linework is built into the rig. That allows the character animator to move these expression lines around. We also even painted some lines into his fur. That stuff is cooked into those renders.”
—Matt Baer, Visual Effects Supervisor
A new tool called Doodle was created to help sell the illusion that the explosion was a 2D effect.
2D effects had to be created procedurally. “We built a big sprite library and created a bunch of procedural simulations techniques that could be rendered and composited in a way that you can mix and match the sprites with simulations,” remarks Baer. “The goal was to not know where one started and where one ended. The massive explosion had to avoid appearing as a fluid simulation. “We wanted to represent the cooler and hotter areas of an explosion in a much more graphic way,” Baer explains. “A new tool called Doodle was created that allowed effects artists to essentially add additional 2D animated elements on top of the base explosion, which helped to sell the illusion of the whole thing being done as 2D effect.” The same approach was adopted for environmental effects. “You’re trying to boil each of those components down to the necessary detail so that the audience can fill in the rest,” adds Baer. “For effects, we didn’t want a lot of detail inside. We needed just enough to sell the motion of what the effect was doing. We didn’t want to see every single leaf, but needed the ability to make it look that we took a dry brush and brushed it across the whole tree. When you are outside of the silhouette those textures and speckles would appear as physically geometric leaves.”
It was important to have an anamorphic lens, so tools were written to create the corresponding lens distortion.
The characters had to be modified from the books, such as giving legs to Mr. Shark, voiced by Craig Robinson.
The tight pre-production schedule was the biggest challenge. “Preparing all of the assets and characters would have been fine if it was the regular style, but I wanted something that was different from what we’re usually doing and not just relying on the PBRT rendering, which is physical lighting,” notes Perifel. “It was to be more stylized with brush textures and linework. Figuring all of this out in six months was tricky. But once the team figured it out it went smoothly; that would be the hardest part of it. Then, of course, the transition to working from home technically.” Every scene was carefully crafted narratively and emotionally. “There are two action sequences in the second half of the film that are incredibly fun to look at,” touts Perifel. “There is a lot in this movie.”
To better handle the height differences of the characters Ms. Tarantula was often placed on the shoulder of Mr. Shark.
By TREVOR HOGG
Images courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
For the greater portion of the movie Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) walks around in his human form.
“We designed Morbius’ face to have some resemblance to Jared Leto and wanted to carry through all of his idiosyncrasies into what the monster does. That was achieved through standard techniques and leaning on machine learning techniques that we employ these days. … We marked up the face to have an accurate tracking of where his head was in 3D space, knowing that we would totally own the face underneath. We kept the hair and clothes; there were times that we didn’t. It’s a performance that leans on machine learning techniques that Digital Domain has put into place over the years.”
—Matthew Butler, Visual Effects Supervisor
Highlighting the rogues’ gallery of Spider-Man villains is the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, which began with the malevolent symbiote Venom and has expanded to include Dr. Michael Morbius, a brilliant biochemist turned vampire. The origin story gets explored in Morbius, directed by Daniel Espinosa (Child 44), with Jared Leto playing the title character alongside Michael Keaton, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, and Matt Smith. Hired to handled the visual effects was Matthew Butler (Ready Player One), who collaborated with Digital Domain, One of Us, Lola VFX, Storm Studios, Sony Pictures Imageworks and NVIZ to visualize and create 1,000 shots.
Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) attempts to cure his rare blood disease with experimental vampire-bat science.
Making impossible things occur in a believable manner for audience members is tricky. “In this case, you have Jared Leto and Matt Smith playing vampires, and we see them walking around as humans for the greater portion of the movie, so we know their physical inertia,” explains Butler. “We tried to masquerade within almost gratuitous visual effects that justified where physical reality needed to be bent. The face was the most impressive work in the movie, but honoring the dynamics was much harder.” The vampire faces had to appear monstrous but still resemble the actor so to retain its appeal. Comments Butler, “We designed Morbius’ face to have some resemblance to Jared Leto and wanted to carry through all of his idiosyncrasies into what the monster does. That was achieved through standard techniques and leaning on machine learning techniques that we employ these days. We let the director Daniel Espinosa run free with his actors on the day. We marked up the face to have an accurate tracking of where his head was in 3D space, knowing that we would totally own the face underneath. We kept the hair and clothes; there were times that we didn’t. It’s a performance that leans on machine learning techniques that Digital Domain has put into place over the years.”
Aftering injecting himself with his cure, Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) gains superhuman strength but also transforms into a vampire.
“In this case, you have Jared Leto and Matt Smith playing vampires, and we see them walking around as humans for the greater portion of the movie, so we know their physical inertia. We tried to masquerade within almost gratuitous visual effects that justified where physical reality needed to be bent. The face was the most impressive work in the movie, but honoring the dynamics was much harder.”
—Matthew Butler, Visual Effects Supervisor
Prosthetic makeup was strictly used for the gaunt and sickly versions of Jared Leto and Matt Smith. “There are levels of madness,” notes Butler. “Phase seven ended up being the most dramatic and extreme. Most of time, Morbius is at phase three. There was also a phase that we referred to as a balloon, where he would elastically go into this mode and comes back again. Those shots are so subtle that they’re almost subliminal.” The first transformation happens off screen. “Morbius bursts out of the glass where he is being contained and is full monster. Now that we know what he’s going to become we can balloon into that, not go as far, and see the progression,” notes Butler. It was important to avoid the transformation appearing as a morph or dissolve. “We would have different parts of the face do various behaviors,” Butler adds. “Morbius has this pale skin, so we had to pull red blood cells out of him and accompany that with a fairly grotesque vein work and a quite translucent subsurface to the skin. When he reverts back from being a monster in the container ship, the last frame of that shot is a fully digital face of Jared. It’s quite an achievement by Digital Domain because it’s a lot easier to do a monster than a human who is your lead actor – and full frame.”
The face of Morbius was designed to have some resemblance to Jared Leto.
To receive the PG-17 rating many shots had blood removed or made to look black.
“There are levels of madness. Phase seven ended up being the most dramatic and extreme. Most of time, Morbius is at phase three. There was also a phase that we referred to as a balloon, where he would elastically go into this mode and comes back again. Those shots are so subtle that they’re almost subliminal.”
—Matthew Butler, Visual Effects Supervisor
A unique ability possessed by Morbius is echolocation, where high frequency sound pulses are emitted through the nose or mouth of a bat that listens for the resulting echo. “How does one visualize something that is not visual?” asks Bulter. “We had to show that he is seeing these surfaces by bouncing soundwaves against them. It didn’t have to be sound, but a wave-like phenomena that has a particle system response. I also wanted it to be beautiful. We see Morbius sending out these pulses and an energization of the surfaces which have inherent colors.” Not everything happens on the ground. “Flying was one of my biggest fears as it can quickly become hokey. Morbius has a certain mass and telegraphs that by the way he walks around and picks up and puts down a cup. You can’t suddenly [show] that he has shed his mass and is now a helium balloon. I love any natural phenomena because it tends to be beautiful, and if someone has seen a real thing before, they are now clued into a curtained believability. The technique that we used to hide some of the sins here was a cavitation of the volumes around them.”
“We would have different parts of the face do various behaviors. Morbius has this pale skin, so we had to pull red blood cells out of him and accompany that with a fairly grotesque vein work and a quite translucent subsurface to the skin. When he reverts back from being a monster in the container ship, the last frame of that shot is a fully digital face of Jared. It’s quite an achievement by Digital Domain because it’s a lot easier to do a monster than a human who is your lead actor – and full frame.”
—Matthew Butler, Visual Effects Supervisor
Greenscreen and bluescreen were favored over LED walls. “There was a greenscreen shoot for the cave exterior for the opening sequence in Costa Rica, which was some of the hardest in the movie because that was shot indoors,” reveals Butler. “It was difficult to get that lighting to look real. The end of the movie is all bluescreen. We built a partial set with it being 90% synthetic. We knew what it was and could pull it up on the video feed there because we had already conceived it.” The third act completely changed from being situated during the day to a nighttime setting. “We shot for months in a park in England doubling for Central Park in New York City,” notes Butler, “and the action we did with Jared Leto, Matt Smith and Adria Arjona was all gone. The entire third act was reconceived digitally. We selectively re-shot little pieces of Jared, Matt and Adria, and the rest was CG.” The theatrical rating of Morbius impacted the blood and gore. “It is hard to do a PG vampire movie,” observes Butler. “There were so many shots where we went back and took blood out or made it black.” The stunt performances were impressive, in particular by Jared Leto’s stunt double, Greg Townley, who literally ran up walls sprayed with Coca-Cola for the subway scene. States Butler, “I came at this from what can we do practically first.” A major accomplishment occurs during the container ship sequence. “It is an elegant shot,” savors Butler, “where you see him go from full monster and become Jared Leto. I love that shot and am so proud of it. It looks like Jared, but that’s all synthetic.”
In the subway scene the walls were sprayed with Coca-Cola so that the stunt double for Jared Leto could actually run up the walls.
By TREVOR HOGG
Images courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment.
After establishing a relationship with director Matt Reeves on the prequel trilogy for The Planet of the Apes, Weta FX veteran Dan Lemmon was moved into the role of Production Visual Effects Supervisor for the next blockbuster helmed by the filmmaker. The Batman takes place during the early days of the Caped Crusader and stars Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro and Andy Serkis. Handling the signature car chase between Batman and Penguin, as well as the Batcave and the memorial service at City Hall, was Weta FX, with key members of the team being Visual Effects Supervisor Anders Langlands, Animation Supervisor Dennis Yoo and Compositing Supervisor Beck Veitch who collaborated on a total of 320 shots.
The workshop, gym equipment and Batmobile areas were practically constructed while the rest of the Batcave was a digital environment.
“[Cinematographer] Greig [Frasier] was putting globs of silicon sealant from a caulking gun onto a plate of glass in front of the lens to create these beautiful abstract lens flares, particularly in the vehicle shots and throughout the chase scenes. Initially, we were mystified as to what they were until Dan explained what Greig was actually doing there.”
—Anders Langlands, Visual Effects Supervisor
“It’s definitely exciting to be able to put your own spin on things,” notes Langlands. “This is a detective story that is a love letter to all of those old 1970s crime thrillers which I’m a huge fan of personally, like Chinatown, The French Connection, Taxi Driver and the paranoia trilogy [Klute, The Parallax View, All the President’s Men]. Greig Fraser [Dune] is a fantastic cinematographer, and the photography is stunning throughout. That combination of things made it an exciting journey to be part of.”
A CG cape was created to get the billowing effect that director Matt Reeves wanted for the shot.
Greig Fraser shot with two sets of ARRI Large Format Anamorphic lenses, with one being optically pristine and the other detuned so it could not focus on anything outside the center of the frame. He also had a unique approach to the lens filtration that refracted streetlights and car headlights into a spiderweb of light. Comments Langlands, “Greig was putting globs of silicon sealant from a caulking gun onto a plate of glass in front of the lens to create these beautiful abstract lens flares, particularly in the vehicle shots and throughout the chase scenes. Initially, we were mystified as to what they were until Dan explained what Greig was actually doing there. We did talk about generating some elements with effects to create procedural 2D stuff, but in the end decided to do the same thing that Greig did and shoot some elements for ourselves. Beck’s team was able to take those elements and construct a tool that emulated what Greig had achieved in the live action. I was definitely not cursing [Greig]. It was a lot of fun.”
Weta FX referred to its element library to get the necessary explosion effects that were subsequently graded and timed to be consistent with the plate photography.
“For the compositing team, our challenge was to deconstruct all of the things that happened to the detuned lenses and be able to replicate that for the set extensions and CG shots because it’s so distinctive,” notes Veitch. “We got the chase sequence turned over quite late and had to develop whole new tools and templates for Nuke to be able to implement rain interaction and wheel spray at speed. It was a mixture of simulated effects for hero cars and Eddy templates for background traffic.”
Extensive digital rain had to be created as director Reeves wanted the car chase to feel wet and dangerous the whole time.
The torrential rain was the major creative and technical task. “Matt wanted the car chase to feel wet and dangerous the whole time,” states Langlands. “We added digital rain to all of those shots, which is fairly simple, but when you’re flying through it, that’s a lot more complex. We were modeling how they osculate and deform as they fall so you get those motion blur streaks from them. Our effects team was simulating hundreds of millions of raindrops in every shot. Then we were simulating all of the wheel spray coming off of the wheels. In some shots, we had a mix of 3D, but in most shots 2D solutions for all of the raindrops hitting the road surface. Getting the look of that right, making it feel believable, and being efficient enough that we could do it across that huge number of shots was a real challenge.”
Plates were shot on several different locations including the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, England for the car chase.
Dennis Yoo figured out the timing, composition and action beats for the car chase was achieved by creating the postvis. “The great part about that was Matt Reeves shot everything,” remarks Yoo. “You add a CG car beside the practical one, then you have something to play off the motion with. It makes everything easier. What people don’t understand is that it’s a chaotic sequence, but there is also artistry in there with the composition and our motion so you understand the direction that you’re going. That was quite a challenge because it’s a mix of cars crashing into each other, but if it was all chaos no one would know what is going on. It was fun to do, and trying to keep that as realistic as possible was also a challenge.”
“For the compositing team, our challenge was to deconstruct all of the things that happened to the detuned lenses and be able to replicate that for the set extensions and CG shots because it’s so distinctive. We got the chase sequence turned over quite late and had to develop whole new tools and templates for Nuke to be able to implement rain interaction and wheel spray at speed. It was a mixture of simulated effects for hero cars and Eddy templates for background traffic.”
—Beck Veitch, Compositing Supervisor
As many as of 11 plates had to be integrated together for the memorial service scene at City Hall.
“[Director] Matt [Reeves] wanted the car chase to feel wet and dangerous the whole time. We added digital rain to all of those shots, which is fairly simple, but when you’re flying through it, that’s a lot more complex. … Our effects team was simulating hundreds of millions of raindrops in every shot. Then we were simulating all of the wheel spray coming off of the wheels. In some shots, we had a mix of 3D, but in most shots 2D solutions for all of the raindrops hitting the road surface. Getting the look of that right, making it feel believable, and being efficient enough that we could do it across that huge number of shots was a real challenge.”
—Anders Langlands, Visual Effects Supervisor
The Batmobile had to be photorealistic. “I worked on a movie that was all vehicles,” continues Yoo, “so we grabbed some of that tech, [and in doing so] the ground contacts and using the actual LiDAR from set to dynamically move the wheels for us allowed for more realism to be built into the rig. We reference for everything so we could look at the actual vehicle to understand what it was doing and then mimic that even though we’re changing the motion.” Batman had to come across as skilled driver. “The Batmobile was bouncing off the trucks, and the Batmobile looks like its causing all of this mayhem. We didn’t want it to look like that at all. Matt was adamant about Penguin starting that whole pile-up, and the Batmobile was [more] in there riding the wave than causing more havoc,” adds Langlands.
Distinct lens flares created by cinematographer Greig Fraser required customized tools by Weta FX to digitally recreate them.
A dramatic upside-down shot is taken from the perspective of Penguin as Batman walks towards Penguin’s overturned vehicle. “That was a funny one because I saw someone on Twitter saying, ‘It’s the most beautiful shot without any CG,’ not realizing that Batman is mostly CG in that shot,” reveals Langlands. “They had a rain machine going, but when you get a big piece of material like a cape wet, it just wants to bunch up and hang down. Matt wanted to have it billowing out in the wind as he’s walking up, so we had to do a digital cape with a cloth simulation. In the plate there is a huge fireball behind him, and because we’re putting a dark object in front of something that is causing a lens flare we had to take the CG Batman and track it to the live-action Batman in composting to patch bits of him.” Rain was not the only problematic natural element. “We raided our element library for every explosion that we had historically,” remarks Veitch. “That was a challenge to get their temperatures matching, because it was on a whole lot of different film stocks and digital formats. Then timing all of those so they came through and exploded at the right time, and patching when we needed to – that was a complex composite.”
“What people don’t understand is that [the car chase] is a chaotic sequence, but there is also artistry in there with the composition and our motion so you understand the direction that you’re going. That was quite a challenge because it’s a mix of cars crashing into each other, but if it was all chaos no one would know what is going on. It was fun to do, and trying to keep that as realistic as possible was also a challenge.”
—Anders Langlands, Visual Effects Supervisor
Situated in an abandoned neo-gothic subway situated underneath the Wayne Tower is the Batcave, which is a huge environment with the workshop, exercise equipment and Batmobile areas being practically built. “Initially there was suppose to be a bat colony which was suppose to be assimilated, but it kept building up more and more,” states Yoo. “It didn’t help that the environment was so big, so we had to cheat because they wanted bats in the foreground, but that foreground didn’t make any sense compared to the environment. We were having scale issues by having the bats quite close to the camera, which didn’t make sense for the bats that were further back.” Darkness prevails in the setting. “We’re adding little kicks and pings off of the superstructure in order to get texture in the background, which is fun because you’re placing little light sources around the place out of focus,” notes Langlands. “That ends up becoming like putting splashes of paint on the canvas.” The shots were simple to composite. “I enjoyed them,” states Veitch, “because we were playing around with a lot of proprietary defocus tools, and being able to compose the focus in those shots and try to make them look authentic. Those lenses are quite incredible and they gave us a lot of reference shots.”
Director Matt Reeves discusses a shot with Robert Pattinson while on the set of The Batman, which was inspired by the crime thrillers of the 1970s.
Crashing the memorial service for the mayor at City Hall is a SUV, at the behest of the Riddler, portrayed by Paul Dano. “We were combining anywhere between four to 11 plates,” remarks Veitch. “We had small crowds because of COVID, and then there was the careening car which was a safety issue. There were about eight plates for the top-down shots. The shots of the car coming towards the camera involved compositing takes of who they wanted – the Riddler at the top in the mezzanine area, the car coming forward, smoke and dust coming off it, and trying to retain all of that. Very tricky shot.” Careful research went into matching the different plates with each other. “We had to figure out what section of the plate we had to use within those shots,” adds Veitch. “There was a massive amount of paint and roto to do before our compositing team even touched it. Then it’s making sure that we can retain as much of the plate as possible, and then adding atmospherics where we needed to help us cover up edges or replace atmospherics that we had to lose. It is quite incredible how much smearing and lensing artifacts you get with the detuned lensing that we had to match up. It was a lot of work on those shots even without the CG.”
By CHRIS McGOWAN
Netflix distributed Girls from Ipanema, a Brazil-produced series about four Brazilian female friends in Rio de Janeiro’s bossa nova scene in the late 1950s. Sao Paulo-based Quanta Post contributed to the VFX. (Image courtesy of Netflix)
The growth and globalization of the visual effects industry has resulted in worldwide interconnectivity and a vast workflow spanning the planet. There is more top-notch VFX in films and series than ever before, boosted by the growth in streaming content, episodic fare becoming more cinematic in terms of quality, and a continued evolution in VFX technology. Demand for VFX artists as a whole is also growing due to the surging video game industry, amusement park visual effects and the gradual ascension of VR and AR.
All of those factors have increased the work for VFX studios and the demand for skilled artists from Vancouver to London to Mumbai. Financial incentives in certain locations have helped globalize the VFX business for some time now. And the COVID-19 crisis further accelerated home entertainment demand and remote VFX work. “The pandemic has really kicked the globalization of the VFX industry into high gear, and now even more producers know what can be achieved with VFX,” says David Lebensfeld, Founding Partner and VFX Supervisor of Ingenuity Studios, which has offices in Los Angeles, New York and Vancouver.
Local productions outside North America, such as many series funded by Netflix, are spreading work across the planet in both film production and post-production. Fiona Walkinshaw, Framestore’s Global Managing Director, Film, comments, “The streamers have made no secret about their desire for regionally-focused content and how this feeds into their business strategies.
As of late 2021, the Korea-produced dystopian survival drama Squid Game was Netflix’s most watched series. Seoul-based Gulliver Studios supplied VFX. (Image courtesy of Siren Pictures and Netflix)
There’s a tremendous desire for stories that could only come from a certain city or country – shows like Squid Game or Money Heist, for example, which, like the Scandi noir boom, captivate viewers by dint of their freshness and unique cultural or geographical perspectives. This will inevitably mean our worlds become larger, as we work with storytellers, producers and below-the-line talent from all over the world. It’s an exciting prospect, and it will help us all grow and learn.” Walkinshaw adds, “In time I’m sure we’ll also see new VFX hotspots establishing themselves – you just have to look at the way the Harry Potter franchise helped turbocharge London’s VFX industry, or what the Lord of the Rings films did for New Zealand.” Framestore itself is quite globalized, with offices in London, Mumbai, Montreal, Vancouver, Melbourne, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.
Visual Effects studios have spread widely over the last two years across North America, Europe and Australia/New Zealand, and a growing number can be found also in Asia. Many facilities built initially for wire removal and rotoscoping have evolved into full-service VFX studios. BOT VFX, founded in 2008 in India, has expanded from an outsourcing facility in Chennai for rotoscoping and other detail work into a large and complete VFX business; it now has its headquarters in Atlanta and has worked on high-profile recent projects, including The Book of Boba Fett, Dune and Black Widow.
Just as Korea has grown into a movie/series global powerhouse, so too have its VFX studios expanded over the last 10 years.
Ragnarok, a Norwegian-language fantasy series from Copenhagen-based SAM Productions, is distributed by Netflix. Ghost VFX and Oslo-based Stardust Effects contributed VFX. (Image courtesy of Sam Productions and Netflix)
The Last Forest, Luiz Bolognesi’s movie about the Yanomami Indians of the Amazon rainforest, produced in Brazil, mixes documentary and staged scenes. It was distributed globally by Netflix. (Image courtesy of Netflix)
S.O.Z.: Soldiers or Zombies, an eight-episode horror-action TV series distributed by Prime Video, is a Mexican production created by Nicolas Entel and Miguel Tejada Flores. (Image courtesy of Prime Video)
Netflix globally distributed Invisible City, a Brazil-produced fantasy series about mythological creatures in the rain forest, created by Carlos Saldanha, the Brazilian director of various successful animated films, such as the Ice Age movies and Rio. (Image courtesy of Netflix)
“The pandemic has really kicked the globalization of the VFX industry into high gear, and now even more producers know what can be achieved with VFX.”
—David Lebensfeld, Founding Partner and VFX Supervisor, Ingenuity Studios
Gulliver Studios supplied VFX for the Netflix hit series Squid Game, while Dexter Studios contributed VFX work to Bong Joon- Ho’s Parasite. Dexter and five other VFX studios worked on Space Sweepers, arguably Korea’s first high-production science fiction film. Korea’s 4th Creative Party helped with the VFX for Joon-ha’s acclaimed Snowpiercer and Okja films (along with Method Studios). And Digital Idea worked on the hit zombie film Train to Busan.
VHQ Media, founded in 1987 in Singapore, has grown into a large film studio and claims to be Asia’s largest post-production house, working on both national and international productions. It also has studios in Beijing, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. Many international VFX firms have opened offices in Asia, including DNEG (four offices in India), The Third Floor (Beijing), Scanline VFX (Seoul), Method Studios (Pune), ILM (Singapore), Digital Domain (Taiwan, Hyderabad and four locations in China) and MPC (Bangalore).
“The global growth of the VFX industry and VFX as a tool of technology is limitless and boundless, to say the least,” says Merzin Tavaria, President, Global Production and Operations at DNEG. The London-based firm is another example of a VFX studio with offices spread across the globe. It was formed in 2014 by a merger between Prime Focus (India-based) and Double Negative (U.K.-based) and has studios in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto and London along with Mumbai, Bangalore, Chandigarh, and Chennai in India.
VFX BOOM
“There are some fantastic companies doing amazing work in all corners of the globe,” says Pixomondo CEO Jonny Slow, “and at the moment, they are all working to keep up with an unprecedented level of demand. Growing demand, driven by episodic content with a higher budget and huge creative ambition, is a big factor in all the trends affecting the market [this year] and beyond.” Pixomondo has offices in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Los Angeles, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and London.
The streamers Netflix, Amazon, Hulu (majority owned by Disney) and Apple TV have added their VFX demand to that coming from traditional movie/TV companies and affiliated streaming services (HBO Max, Disney+, Peacock, Paramount+). Florian Gellinger, RISE Visual Effects Studios Co-Founder and Executive Producer, notes, “Right now, as the market is so saturated, the work is going to be globally distributed to whoever has availability and meets the required profile. So yes, clients will have to look increasingly globally for a good fit.” RISE has offices in Berlin, Cologne, Munich, Stuttgart and London.
Other VFX studios concur that the business has been activated. “We have too much work, which means we need more capacity, more artists and more supervisors. Right now, we’re ensuring that we continue to make our established clients happy while bringing in new clients,” says Tom Kendall, VFX Head of Business Development, Sales & Marketing for Ghost VFX, which has offices in Los Angeles, Copenhagen, London, Manchester, Toronto and Vancouver.
Executive Producer Måns Björklund of Stockholm-based Important Looking Pirates (ILP) notes, “There aren’t enough VFX companies in the world to do all the work. The demand for content has boomed, and the need for clients to seek new vendors around the world has increased.”
GLOBALIZED WORKFLOWS
DNEG is one of the pioneers in the globalization of VFX workflows. Tavaria comments, “With nine facilities working seamlessly together across three continents, I believe we’ve led by example, creating an ever-expanding global network that can deliver highly creative and compelling visual storytelling while introducing new norms of efficiency and flexibility.”
He adds, “The standardization of workflows, tools and capabilities across sites allows us to move work around our network to cater to the demands of our clients and to balance the load across locations to maximize utilization. We also take full advantage of time zone differences to create efficiencies in our production scheduling.”
Framestore recently opened a studio in Mumbai, which already has 130 on-site creatives. Walkinshaw comments, “Being able to set up in Mumbai and seamlessly integrate with our new colleagues there is an incredible advantage, especially given the tremendous talent pool there. Generally speaking, increased access to amazing talent is the main consequence of this worldwide connectivity.”
Another positive effect of globalization is that “exchanging work between companies has become much easier despite everyone running their own pipeline,” says Gellinger. Slow sees the globalization of VFX as a positive trend that creates stability for those companies who are prepared to evolve continuously and adapt to constant change. “It’s not the only trend in the VFX industry, but it’s a trend in response to demand for capacity and client requirements for speed and efficiency. But there is also a quality threshold. Quality output drives stability for VFX companies, wherever their artists are located.”
BEYOND BORDERS
Lebensfeld comments, “What certainly helps with this business becoming more globalized is access to talent that isn’t in your zip code, which backfills what already makes us competitive.” To open up to talent in another country, he says, “we already have the technology – the hardware, software and methodology – to work remotely. Anything else past that are just details. We look at it less like it is a global business and more as one that breaks down borders. One of the more exciting things is getting the chance to develop artists and give opportunities to people who would not have had them otherwise. They only need a computer, inherent artistic talent, and we work with them on training in a studio environment. I’m a big believer that a combination of local studio artists and international artists is the best way to go because the industry still relies on specific locations for some projects for a variety of reasons. The business still needs a large base of talent in certain production hubs.”
Teddy Roosevelt (Aidan Quinn) pulling an arrow from the arm of Brazilian explorer Cãndido Rondon (Chico Diaz) in the HBO mini-series The American Guest. The 2021 Brazilian production showcased the work of Brazilian artists, including Orbtal Studios in Sao Paulo, which supplied visual effects. (Photo courtesy of HBO Max)
The Korean zombie apocalypse and coming-of-age series All of Us Are Dead is distributed internationally by Netflix. (Image courtesy of Film Monster Co., JTBC Studios/Kimjonghak Production Co. and Netflix)
Korean sci-fi mystery series The Silent Sea, written and directed by Choi Hang-yong, is distributed by Netflix globally. (Image courtesy of Artist Company and Netflix)
“[S]ince the workforce has become so flexible in where it settles, recruiting has become a lot harder and companies have to reach out further than they used to in order to meet their talent requirements. [Globalization] has solved a couple of these problems by having access to top talent across borders, not being limited to one’s own backyard.”
—Florian Gellinger, Co-founder and Executive Producer, RISE Visual Effects Studios
Ghost VFX worked on Shadow and Bone, a fantasy series distributed by Netflix and based on books by Israeli novelist Leigh Bardugo. Shadow and Bone was shot in Budapest and Vancouver. (Image courtesy of 21 Laps Entertainment and Netflix)
How I Fell in Love with a Gangster is a Polish crime drama distributed globally by Netflix. (Image courtesy of Netflix)
Money Heist is a Spanish heist drama that had a successful run of five seasons and is one of Netflix’s biggest international hits. (Image courtesy of Atresmedia/Vancounver Media and Netflix)
Gellinger observes that it has become easier for artists to find a job in their desired ‘adventure destination’ abroad. “And since the workforce has become so flexible in where it settles, recruiting has become a lot harder and companies have to reach out further than they used to in order to meet their talent requirements.” Yet globalization also “has solved a couple of these problems by having access to top talent across borders, not being limited to one’s own backyard.”
Walkinshaw adds, “From a production perspective it means juggling more time zones, currencies and teams, so this part of the business has become more complex, and there is a need for investment in both more people and technology solutions to make it easier for production to function. The role of a producer working for a company like Framestore on a project spread globally is far more complex and demanding than it used to be.”
Producers and supervisors now must be more patient and organized because of the time differences, and they have to schedule their work around that, according to Kendall. “The projects are shot in so many diverse locations, it’s about being able to address clients’ needs in a timely manner and be flexible in terms of how we work.”
Gellinger notes that the way that business is being distributed globally is “definitely creating stability, but only as long as companies keep investing in their talent. Flying in entire teams from abroad is not a business model. Investing in education and training is more important than ever.”
Slow comments, “We have seen a lot of these consequences [of globalization] playing out for the past few years. It has allowed the formation of larger, better funded, better organized companies that are becoming attractive investment propositions. This has been very positive for the industry – for growth to happen, investment is required.”
INCENTIVES
DARK BAY Virtual Production Studio is an example of how VFX globalization has been boosted by Netflix and by government help. Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese, the creators of Netflix’s hit series Dark – a German science fiction thriller – built an LED stage in Potsdam-Babelsberg in part to shoot 1899, their next Netflix series. Odar and Friese’s production company Dark Ways holds a majority share in DARK BAY (Studio Babelsberg has a minority share). Funding from the state of Brandenburg in Germany and a long-term booking commitment from Netflix backed the venture.
Incentives continue to play a role in the globalization of VFX. Framestore’s Walkinshaw comments, “National or regional incentives have provided a huge boost for our industry and encouraged international collaboration.
They’ve been key to growth in the U.K. and Canada – to date our biggest sites for film and episodic work – and the willingness of studios to put work in these regions helps create a virtuous circle: it allows companies to invest in their talent, facilities and infrastructure, makes those places a magnet for established talent from elsewhere, and also helps schools and universities attract ambitious students. Take Montreal for example – Framestore was the first major studio to open a studio there [in 2013], and it’s now an established and hugely-respected hub for the global visual effects industry.”
THE PANDEMIC
“The pandemic forced studios like us to build a pipeline that works in remote environments,” says Lebensfeld. “We were able to leverage figuring out how to work remotely with talent that have previously been local to our studio locations. We have history and momentum with these artists, and we figured out processes that mirror what we have already been doing – just with remote capabilities.”
Already existing worldwide VFX interconnectivity helped DNEG to address the challenges of the pandemic, according to Tavaria. “The unprecedented speed with which our technology teams enabled global remote working was astounding, based on work that was already underway. It also, somewhat counter-intuitively, brought us closer together and enabled even more collaboration across our global teams,” he comments. “These advances have positioned us well to cater to the growth in demand for visual effects and animation work this year, driven by the increases in content production by TV and OTT companies, in addition to increased demand for our VFX and animation services from our studio clients.”
Walkinshaw comments, “The pandemic has definitely encouraged us to think outside the box, be this seeking workarounds for physical shoots, having colleagues working remotely from different countries or broadening our talent pool by making hires from different territories, because so much of the workforce has spent time outside the office. I imagine this will endure, especially as we continue to seek skills beyond the ‘traditional,’ particularly in areas such as technology and gaming.”
Slow says, “In our industry, technology and innovation are the fundamental drivers of changes like globalization. We are at a very interesting point – with technology driving once-in-a-lifetime changes in content distribution and production technique – and these trends have been accelerated by a major pandemic. The consequences are significant, and the impact will largely play out over the next five years.”
Lebensfeld concludes, “Pre-pandemic [film companies] went on location and brought on as many extras as needed. The scope of requests has expanded well beyond that. There’s a VFX solution for every aspect of a story. That’s a powerful thing.” He adds, “I think the VFX industry has transformed these past two years, with very positive changes overall. There’s no going back now. Our industry is global, and that’s here to stay.”
“We have seen a lot of these consequences [of globalization] playing out for the past few years. It has allowed the formation of larger, better funded, better organized companies that are becoming attractive investment propositions. This has been very positive for the industry – for growth to happen, investment is required.”
—Jonny Slow, CEO, Pixomondo
Amazon Studios produced the epic fantasy series The Wheel of Time, another international VFX effort involving Cinesite, MPC, Automatik VFX, Outpost VFX, Union Visual Effects and RISE Visual Effects Studios, among others. (Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios)
HBO series Beforeigners is a science-fiction crime drama produced in Norway by Oslo-based Rubicon TV AS. (Photo courtesy of HBO Max)
By TREVOR HOGG
A scene from A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon from Aardman Animations, which was originally founded as a stop-frame studio in 1972. (Image courtesy of Aardman Animations)
Being able to successfully manage an animation studio in 2022 and beyond requires foresight and the desire to be an industry leader. The landscape has been transformed by globalization, dominance of streaming services, growing demand for content, and the development of other media platforms such as virtual reality. Being flexible has enabled Oscar-winning Aardman Animations to remain relevant since being founded as a stop-motion studio in 1972, responsible for Creature Comforts and Wallace & Gromit, and creating CG features and AR projects. More recently there is Emmy-lauded Baobab Studios, which has specialized in interactive action animation since 2015 and is creating The Witchverse anthology series for Disney+ based on Baba Yaga. Veteran animator and lecturer Ken Fountain has found himself in the middle of all of this, having worked on Megamind for DreamWorks Animation, Pearl for Google Spotlight Stories and Baba Yaga for Baobab Studios, as well as doing tutorials on SplatFrog.com.
There is still value in using real and tactile material for characters and world-building, believes Sarah Cox, Executive Creative Director at Aardman Animations. “It’s less about creating assets digitally and more about the way that technology can enable handcrafted processes to be more efficient, beautiful and effective.” Technology is embraced by Lorna Probert, Head of Interactive Production at Aardman Animations, who last year released the Wallace & Gromit AR adventure The Big Fix Up. “There is some exciting technology, like virtual production and the way that we can use real-time engines for previs and creating more flexible and iterative processes.”
Another major trend pointed out by Cox is the push for photorealism. “The distinction between live action and animation, what is real and what’s not real, is continually going to be blurred as we use live-action information in animation.” The filmmaking process is not entirely different. “Stop-frame is effectively like a live-action asset because it’s shot in-camera, and then you’re using those assets to mix with other bits of animation,” observes Cox. “What we did with our last Christmas special was shoot all of the effects in-camera. The snow was made out of puffs of wool, but then composited together in the most technically proficient, up-to-date way.”
Baba Yaga won the Daytime Emmy for Interactive Media and resulted in Disney+ partnering with Baobab Studios to create a Witchverse series for the streaming service. (Image courtesy of Baobab Studios)
Virtual reality has yet to become mainstream, partly hampered by being perceived strictly as a marketing tool. “You are still wearing what is not a comfortable thing on your face,” states Probert. “Until your interface with the content becomes more natural and comfortable, that suspension of reality is always going to be broken.” The communal aspect is presently missing. “A lot of our content design is for family viewing, so that whole being in your own space is quite contrary to what we do,” notes Cox. “It quadruples the production time [because various viewer narrative decisions have to be accounted for], and the other challenge is most of our work is comedy. If there is user interaction, you can’t time the gags in quite the same way.” It is important to recognize that each medium cannot be treated in the same way. “It’s creating content that plays to the strength of the format, and we’re doing lots of exploration,” remarks Probert. “The fact that you can, for the first time, be in one of our sets, be able to build and move things and explore the detail in VR is exciting. It’s exciting to be in the barn with Shaun the Sheep and see him reacting to you – that’s an interesting thing for us to play with.”
Veteran animator and lecturer Ken Fountain finds it to be exciting that the demand for animation content is allowing for experimentation such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. (Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Marvel)
Netflix decided to bridge the gap between Season 1 and 2 of the live-action The Witcher by releasing an anime prequel Nightmare of the Wolf. (Image courtesy of Netflix)
The Very Small Creatures is a pre-school series produced by Aardman Animations for Sky Kids. (Image courtesy of Aardman Animations and Sky Kids)
The mandate for Baobab Studios is to make viewers feel that they are an essential part of the storytelling. (Image courtesy of Baobab Studios)
Animation is no longer just for families as illustrated by the adult-oriented anthology Love, Death + Robots. (Image courtesy of Netflix)
When co-founding Baobab Studios CEO Maureen Fan combined her video game experience with the filmmaking expertise of CCO Eric Darnell and technical leadership of CTO Larry Cutler. “The reason why something is a success isn’t because it’s stop-motion versus traditional animation. It is how good the story and characters are. The style is in support of that story. For Crow: The Legend and Baba Yaga, we created both for VR and 2D. Namoo was created within the VR tool Oculus Quill, where you are literally painting 360, but the project was meant to be a 2D output. The animation is different because the director is different. We brought in Erick Oh, and it’s more like stop-motion because in Quill there is no frame interpolation and rigging. Every single project that we’ve done has had completely different methods and tools, which is fun.” The mandate driving everything is making sure that the user feels like a protagonist. “Certain parts of Baba Yaga and Bonfire were straight animation, but our animators also built in a bunch of cycles that we fed into the AI engine. We built a character-emotive AI system similar to games, so whatever the audience did, the story would change and reorder itself, and the characters would do different things.”
“There is a real-time revolution that is going to come, but not everybody has embraced it yet,” remarks Fan. “Even when the big studios adopt real-time, unless you’re having the product completely change where it’s interactive, you would still animate the same way. I don’t think that animators need to change any time soon. But if you’re interested in doing interactive animation, your skillset needs to be embracing the real-time aspect.”
The visual language for VR is still being developed. “The fun thing about VR is no one knows what they’re doing! You don’t need a lot of previous experience. It is finding the best animator and rigger, and find one who has a flexibility to try different things and not always have to do things the way they did previously.” Globalization of the industry has not only had an impact on the workforce. “You will notice that all of our projects have specifically cast minorities and women,” adds Fan. “That’s because I’m a female minority and feel like if I don’t do it, who will? Crow: The Legend was inspired by a Native American legend, and it was one of the first indigenous-themed stories in animation. Instead of a hero’s journey, they’re much more about the community. Baba Yaga is based on a character well-known in Eastern European literature. I’m excited about the different types of stories that we can tell with globalization.”
Previously an animation supervisor at Baobab Studios and currently working as Animation Supervisor for DNEG Animation, Ken Fountain points out that VR is rooted in an artform that predates cinema, which is theatre. “If you’re talking about going into the AR/VR space, the filmmaking language is totally changing because you can’t rely on an editor anymore,” observes Fountain. “The editor is the one standing with the headset and making the choices of where to look. The way that you build a story and performance, and attract the eye and create compositions, is based around theatrical approaches rather than cinematic ones. You have to be procedural and theatrical.” As much as it is exciting for a user to be able to choose their own narrative, there is also respect for boundaries.
Netflix paid over $100 million to purchase the rights to The Mitchells vs. the Machines. (Image courtesy of Netflix)
“Ultimately, it’s up to whoever is creating the experience to decide if they’re giving the user room to do literally whatever they want. Personally, I like the engineered outcomes,” adds Fountain, as parameters have a positive impact on the creative process. “You make your best work when you have limitations, and that translates into writing stories for this open universe. Unless you give people a box, the outcome is not going to be as good.”
With the growing reliance on AI and machine learning, could there come a time where animation is literally created in real-time? “That seems so far away,” remarks Fountain. “The first wall to get over for AI is it being able to create empathy in animation.” Animators are not going to be replaced any time soon by machines, but the required skillset has changed somewhat, according to Fountain. “Because there’s so much demand for content as an artist, you have to be able to do so many more different things stylistically, which wasn’t always the case. Also, because there are so many start-up companies, your technical generalist knowledge is way more valuable now.” Streaming has provided a platform for projects that are not strictly family entertainment. “Streaming has eclipsed everything right now,” states Fountain. “The Netflix release of Arcane is another bit of proof that people are craving adult-based animation, because the production value of that series is amazing. The Disney-Pixar model has had too much of a grip for too long.”
Different animation styles and techniques are being melded together. Comments Fountain, “Even in VR, we used 2D-animated effects in our engine at Baobab Studios. It’s the same thing that Arcane is doing by combining CG animation, 2D effects and rough 2D-composited motion graphics. Something like Love, Death + Robots has so many new techniques and combinations of things that are sometimes hit and miss. I am so glad that people are shooting for those things because it’s making the artform better.”
The Big Fix Up is an augmented and mixed reality adventure starring Wallace and Gromit. (Image courtesy of Aardman Animations and Fictioneers Ltd.)
The animation style of Namoo was dictated by Korean filmmaker Erick Oh and the story he wanted to tell. (Image courtesy of Baobab Studios)
By CHRIS McGOWAN
The VR rhythm game Beat Saber involves slicing through cubes to the beat of popular hits from artists like Billie Eilish, available in DLC releases. Beat Saber has sold more than 4 million copies across all VR platforms and earned more than $100 million in total revenue. (Image courtesy of Beat Games and Oculus Studios/Meta)
VR is going mainstream next year. VR is going nowhere. AR will be bigger than VR.
There is no consensus on where virtual reality and augmented reality are headed and how soon they will get there. But although the virtual reality and augmented reality platforms are still far from mass acceptance, certain positive signs indicate that they really will become large, viable businesses, growing steadily over the next several years.
Tuong H. Nguyen, Senior Principal Analyst for Gartner, Inc., comments, “AR and VR have been hyped as being ready for widespread adoption for a long time, but the technology, use cases, content and ecosystem readiness have yet to live up to the hype.” Nguyen believes that VR in particular will go mainstream when it has three Cs – content, convenience and control. He notes, “While we’ve made progress on all these fronts, we’re still far from reaching the point where each of those aspects are sufficiently mature to make VR go mainstream. It will become mainstream, but I don’t expect it to happen until five to 10 years from now.”
Others are pessimistic that VR will ever become mainstream. “The answer is never. Sorry. Here’s why. People don’t like wearing stuff on their face and getting sick doing it, and having to pay a lot of money for the privilege,” says Jon Peddie, President of Jon Peddie Research and author of the book Augmented Reality, Where We Will All Live. “The VR market has bifurcated into industrial and scientific – where it started in the 1990s – and consumer. The consumer portion is a small group of gamers and a few – very few – people who watch 360 videos.”
On the other hand, in the opinion of Maze Theory CEO Ian Hambleton, the point has passed for people to doubt VR’s future. “With over 10 million active headsets on Oculus Quest sold now, it’s an active ecosystem. The 10 million unit number is often cited as a crucial stepping point.” Maze Theory developed the VR title Dr. Who and the Edge of Time.
You may find yourself in a digital living room using a HP Reverb G2 VR headset, which boasts a resolution of 2,160 x 2,160 pixels per eye and a 114-degree field of view. (Image courtesy of Hewlett Packard)
In November, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon announced at the company’s 2021 investor day that Meta had sold 10 million Oculus Quest 2 headsets worldwide (Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 chipset powers the Quest 2). A Qualcomm spokesperson later clarified that the number wasn’t meant to be official and came from market-size estimates from industry analysts. But as Qualcomm obviously knows how many Snapdragon XR2 chips it has sold to Meta, the cat seemed to be out of the bag.
Meta’s Oculus VR app marked another key milestone at the end of 2021, when it was the most popular download on Apple’s App Store on Christmas Day. The Oculus app beat out long-standing leaders like TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram for having the most downloads.
And the category’s size is bigger than Quest 2. There are also Sony PlayStation VR, HP Reverb G2, Valve Index VR, HTC Vive Pro 2 and HTC Vive Cosmos, among other headsets. And PlayStation’s Next Generation VR (NGVR) is also joining the mix.
Research firm Statista estimates that the total cumulative installed base of VR headsets worldwide reached 16.4 million units in 2021 and that the cumulative installed base will surpass 34 million in 2024. And Statista predicts the global VR market size will grow from $5 billion in 2021 to $12 billion by 2024. Another firm, Reportlinker.com, foresees 62 million units shipped by 2026.
Hambleton thinks the launch of the next-generation Sony PlayStation VR (sometimes called NGVR) will give a major boost to VR. “[It’s] really important. NGVR will be huge. That’s our prediction. It’s got some great new features and sorted out many of the issues of the previous headset, including inside-out tracking and much better controllers. So long as they ensure there’s a strong pipeline of content for NGVR, we think it will do really well.” The latter support is likely – the current PlayStation VR has released over 500 VR games and experiences since the format’s debut in October, 2016.
Hewlett Packard’s HP Reverb G2 VR headset, developed in collaboration with Windows and Valve. (Image courtesy of Hewlett Packard)
Peak Blinders: The King’s Ransom is a narrative-driven VR adventure developed and published by Maze Theory. (Image courtesy of Maze Theory)
Hewlett Packard’s HP Reverb G2 VR headset with handheld controllers. (Image courtesy of Hewlett Packard)
A “home environment” view inside the standalone Oculus (now Meta) Quest 2 headset. More than 10 million Quest 2s had been sold as of November, according to estimates. (Image courtesy of Oculus Studios and Facebook/Meta)
Another indication of a growing market came when Oculus announced in February 2021 that the rhythm game Beat Saber had sold over four million copies across all platforms and over 40 million songs from paid DLCs. In an October Oculus blog, it was revealed that Beat Saber had surpassed $100 million in gross lifetime revenue on the Quest platform alone.
In February 2021, Facebook announced that more than 60 VR games available for Oculus Quest and Quest 2 had garnered over $1 million since the beginning of 2020, with six topping $10 million, including Skydance Interactive’s The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, released on Oculus in January 2020. The latter title has grossed more than $50 million across all platforms, it was announced by Skydance late last year.
“VR is definitely at an inflection point. It’s starting to look like the early PC evolution, which expanded from just hardcore enthusiasts and tinkerers and hobbyists to everyday use for a whole lot of people. That’s happening with VR now — people beyond the initial core believers are buying headsets and making it a regular part of their lives,” says Johanna Peace, Manager of Technology Communications at Meta, formerly Facebook.
She continues, “A lot of that is thanks to Quest 2. Before Quest 2, there hadn’t been a high-resolution, all-in-one form factor headset at that price point yet, so when we built it, people really responded. A big part of this is because the headset is so intuitive and approachable. With a small and portable form factor, no wires or external sensors, anyone can pick it up and in seconds they’ll be immersed in a VR experience. That simplicity is incredibly powerful, and it removes big barriers to adopting VR.” She adds, “Quest 2 sales are strong and have surpassed our expectations, and we’re thrilled to see the community’s response to Quest 2.”
Peace notes that other genres growing in popularity in VR include fitness/wellness/meditation such as Supernatural and FitXR, multiplayer/social games like POPULATION: ONE and adventure games like Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge.
Vicki Dobbs Beck, ILMxLAB Vice President of Immersive Content Innovation, believes that VR has already begun its breakout and will continue to be adopted by a more mainstream audience given the headsets’ (such as Meta Quest 2) accessibility and ease of use. She comments, “In addition to a robust array of premium game titles, new content categories are further helping to drive growth.” ILMxLAB has shown its interest in the format with its production of the Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge interactive VR game titles, compatible with the Oculus Quest systems.
Beck also sees social VR sites having a positive effect on the acceptance of VR. She comments, “Against the backdrop of the pandemic and the desire to reconnect across geographies, we’ve seen a rise in engagement through social VR sites like VRChat and AltSpaceVR. Whether to experience immersive theater, remote viewing parties, engage in collaboration or just ‘be’ with friends, I expect such use will meaningfully increase in the year ahead.” Other popular social VR sites include Rec Rom, Bigscreen VR, and Meta’s Horizon Home and Horizon Worlds.
The Metaverse, a predicted global network of immersive virtual worlds, is expected to boost virtual reality, one of its key components. “VR’s greatest strengths are the power of ‘being there’ and the power of ‘connection.’ While there is neither a single definition of the Metaverse nor a universal strategy for engagement, I believe that VR will be one of the most compelling ways to explore and experience new worlds [and] emerging stories and establish relationships with characters,” says Beck.
Peace adds, “VR will be one of many entry points into the Metaverse, similar to how phones, laptops and other devices are entry points to the Internet today. The Metaverse won’t happen overnight, and it will take years to be fully realized. But VR today shows a glimpse of the immersive, social experiences that can be possible in the Metaverse, and these experiences will continue to develop as VR hardware advances and as the building blocks of the Metaverse are built.”
Augmented Reality has also not yet hit the mainstream, but it has plenty of believers, as it only requires special glasses or goggles, not headsets. Peddie comments, “AR has the biggest potential long-term. AR properly done will change our lives – for the better. When done right, it will be like wearing sunglasses or normal corrective lenses. It won’t be conspicuous or obnoxious, and it won’t take you out of the now – it expands it. AR has nothing in common with VR.”
Participating actively with the Oculus (now Meta) Quest 2 headset. The Quest 2 is credited with taking virtual reality closer to being a mainstream business. (Image courtesy of Oculus Studios and Facebook/Meta)
A Dalek from Doctor Who: The Edge of Time, a VR adventure developed by Maze Theory and published by Playstack. (Image courtesy of the BBC, Maze Theory and Playstack)
The Valve Index is a tethered high-end VR system, which comes with headset, hand controllers and base stations, and connects to your PC. (Image courtesy of Valve)
Skydance Interactive’s The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners was one of the best-selling VR game titles as of late 2021. (Image courtesy of Skydance Interactive)
“With over 10 million active headsets on Oculus Quest sold now, it’s an active ecosystem. The 10 million unit number is often cited as a crucial stepping point.”
—Ian Hambleton, CEO, Maze Theory
Nguyen comments, “AR continues to mature. Much of the maturation and adoption are driven by the enterprise frontline work of AR. Companies like Snap and Niantic, as well as use cases like virtual try-on, and Google AR dinosaurs, animals and [Google] Maps arrow [Live View], have raised the profile for consumer AR, but we’ll still far from mainstream.”
Beck notes that while there is growing interest in AR and some novel applications, the pivotal shift will come with the introduction of compelling AR glasses. She comments, “The kinds of experiences we can create when people do not have to hold a phone or tablet could be truly transformational. A key will be the seamless blend of our digital and physical realities.”
Mobile AR is already widely used with smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices. The most notable example is the Niantic game Pokémon Go, developed and published in collaboration with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for iOS and Android devices. Pokémon Go has over 150 million worldwide active users (its peak was 232 million users in 2016) and has passed one billion downloads, according to Niantic. Pokémon Go’s in-app purchases account for a large proportion of consumer mobile AR spending, according to Statista, which predicts that the number of mobile AR users will grow from 800 million in 2021 to 1.7 billion by 2024.
Zombies go boom in Skydance Interactive’s The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, which has grossed more than $50 million across all VR platforms, according to a Skydance announcement in October. (Image courtesy of Skydance Interactive)
Microsoft HoloLens 2, Magic Leap One, Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, Ray-Ban Stories and Vuzix Blade are examples of AR glasses on the market. Apple is expected to launch either AR or MR (mixed reality) glasses by early 2023. Statista forecasts AR glasses sales rising from 410,000 units in 2021 to 3.9 million units in 2024. The firm predicts that enterprise spending on AR glasses will rise from $2 billion in 2021 to almost $12 billion in 2024.
Nguyen concludes, “AR and VR will continue to see forward momentum. The pace and trajectory of AR and VR haven’t changed. The difference will be the level of hype and the mismatch between that hype and the reality. Regardless, it’ll take five to 10 years.”
Information for VES members throughout California. Please continue to check this section for resources, updates and other information.
COVID-19 BACK-TO-WORK RESOURCES:
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE & ACCESSING GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE:
LOCAL, STATE & FEDERAL RESOURCES:
HEALTH RESOURCES:
OVERVIEW OF BENEFITS IN CARES ACT:
The CARES Act is the third piece of federal emergency legislation to address the coronavirus pandemic. It was signed into law on March 27, 2020.
Emergency Increase in Unemployment Benefits (Section 2104):
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (Section 2107):
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) (Section 2102):
A temporary 39-week program to provide unemployment benefits to those whose unemployment is related to COVID-19:
Each program shall be immediately available to individuals without the normal one week waiting period.
Important caveat: States must opt-in to these programs. Since the enhanced payments are 100% federally funded, there is no reason for a state to deny these benefits to its residents, but they have option to do so. California and New York have already begun to implement the enhanced benefits.
Stimulus/Recovery Rebate Provision (Section 2201):
Small Business Provisions (Title I):
Using Retirement Funds (Section 2202):
Student Loans (Section 3513):
The summary is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute a guarantee that anyone will qualify and receive benefits.
No upcoming events
Please join us for an eye-opening presentation of new innovations in 3D display technology. From lasers to light fields, the panelists will decipher the physics of how we see and interpret objects in the third dimension.
Presenters will explain the differences between these next generation displays, plus the evolution of the technology and the future of the industry.
The group will also discuss best practices for crafting a holographic narrative, the benefits of light-field virtual sets, and the timeline for experiencing these new technologies firsthand.
Moderator: Brian Gaffney from Unity Technologies
Panel: Dr. Daniel Smalley, Associate Professor, Brigham Young University
Thaisa Yamamura, Head of Business Development, Sony Electronics
Jon Karafin, CEO of Light Field Lab.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to sign-up)
When: Saturday, May 21, 2022
When: 11am to 1pm
Where: Harmony Gold Theatre
7655 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Secured underground parking is accessible via driveway from Sunset Boulevard. An adjacent lot for overflow parking is located behind the building and can be accessed from Stanley Ave.
All VES members and guests must show photo ID and proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 for admission.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this “live event” infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and One (1) Guest are Invited On a Field Trip to PRG Virtual Production Studio
PRG rules require that all VES members must show photo ID and proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 for admission.
The film industry in 2022 has changed drastically. Everything from day-to-day operations to the very way we budget, schedule, and film productions. Virtual Production has been a big part of the continued evolution of the industry. This has been propelled further through new studies coming out of the UK showing the carbon footprint savings of shooting in a “volume” (a large LED stage). “ICVFX” (In-camera visual effects) are among the most exciting and sought-after virtual production techniques today. In light of this, we will be having various Field Trips during the summer months to new Virtual Production Studios in LA.
The first field trip will be at PRG Virtual Production Studio.
PRG has recently redesigned their Virtual Production Stage. Check out their new Mobile Modular Stage as well as their VP Production Truck that can travel to any location to set up LED Walls on an empty warehouse or stage. You’ll see demos of N-Display, xR set extensions and NCam, and tour the Brain Bar and control room inside the truck.
The PRG R&D team have further developed the Ncam offering with a unique on-set solution, seamlessly integrated with Unreal Engine and Mk2 Hardware. Ncam Reality system is integrated in the custom set cart, which all work together to blend live action and CG content in any indoor or outdoor environment.
Members and a guest will have the chance to see what an actual LED Volume looks like and be shown some of the differences between the various virtual production technologies like ICVFX, XR, AR and how they can best be used. In addition, they will be shown the difference between using playback on the LED Walls and using a tracked cinema camera linked directly with a game engine (Unreal Engine) that connects the physical world with images on the LED Wall. There will also be an open discussion on methods outside of the full ICVFX experience that are being adopted.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP)
Monday, May 16, 2022 at 11:00AM
PRG Virtual Production Studio
1245 Aviation Place, San Fernando, CA 91340
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Events are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Space is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee admission.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this “live event” infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
VES Members and Up to Three (3) Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ and Marvel Studios’ DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS.
Walt Disney Studios safety guidelines require that all VES members and guests must show photo ID that matches their names on the RSVP list and wear masks at all times indoors.
RSVPs are Closed
Sunday, May 15, 2022 at 3:00PM (It is now too late to make any changes)
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and Up to four (4) Guests are Invited to a Screening of Focus Features’ THE NORTHMAN.
Sony Pictures Imageworks guidelines require that all VES members must show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission.
RSVPs are closed
Thursday, April 28, 2022 at 7:00PM (RSVPs close on Thursday at 10:00AM)
The Ray Harryhausen Theater on the Sony Pictures Studio Lot
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
(Complimentary parking is available in the underground lot on Washington.)
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and Up to Three (3) Guests are Invited to a Screening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE.
Sony Pictures Imageworks guidelines require that all VES members must show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to sign up)
Monday, April 18, 2022 at 7:30PM (RSVPs close on Monday at 10:00AM)
The Ray Harryhausen Theater on the Sony Pictures Studio Lot
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
(Complimentary parking is available in the underground lot on Washington.)
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to an Advance Screening of Universal Pictures’ and DreamWorks Animation’s THE BAD GUYS.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to sign up)
Saturday, April 9, 2022 at 4:00PM
The London Hotel screening room
1020 N San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
(Complimentary valet parking is provided by Universal.)
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
No masks will be required. Though unlikely, Los Angeles might still require VES members and guests (depending on age) to show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission. (Final confirmation will be announced 24 hours before the screening.)
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and Up to Three (3) Guests are Invited to an Opening Night Screening of Universal Pictures’ AMBULANCE.
Sony Pictures Imageworks guidelines require that all VES members must show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission.
RSVPs are closed
Friday, April 8, 2022 at 7:30PM (RSVPs close on Friday at 10:00AM)
The Ray Harryhausen Theater on the Sony Pictures Studio Lot
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
(Complimentary parking is available in the underground lot on Washington.)
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and Up to Three (3) Guests are Invited to a Screening of Columbia Pictures’ MORBIUS.
Sony Pictures Imageworks guidelines require that all VES members must show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission.
RSVPs are now closed
Monday, April 4, 2022 at 7:30PM (RSVPs close on Monday at 10:00AM)
The Ray Harryhausen Theater on the Sony Pictures Studio Lot
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
(Complimentary parking is available in the underground lot on Washington.)
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and Up to Four (4) Named Guests are Invited to a Screening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ THE BATMAN
Warner Bros. rules require that all VES members and guests must show photo ID and upload proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 to their Passcard system for admission.
RSVPs are closed (VES members can make changes until Monday at 12:00PM via e-mail to ben@vesglobal.org)
Monday, March 14, 2022 at 7:00PM
Steven J. Ross theater on the Warner Bros. Studio Lot (Please enter through Gate 4 off Hollywood Way)
4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank CA 91502
Click here for a map.
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
If you have any questions regarding these safety protocols and Warner Bros. Studios’ policies related to COVID-19, please call the Warner Bros. COVID-19 Response Hotline at (818) 954-2019.
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members only are Invited to a Screening of Lionsgate Pictures’ MOONFALL. Sony Pictures Imageworks guidelines require that all VES members must show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission and that masks must be worn over the nose and mouth at all times indoor while on the SPI/SPA lot. Additionally, everyone must maintain a social distance of at least 6 feet while in the Ray Harryhausen Theater. (Seating is extremely limited due to social distancing.)
RSVPs are closed, as this screening is full
Friday, February 25, 2022 at 7:30PM
The Ray Harryhausen Theater on the Sony Pictures Studio Lot
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
(Complimentary parking is available in the underground lot on Washington.)
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and Up to 4 Guests are Invited to a Screening of Sony Pictures’ SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME. Los Angeles City Ordinance #187219 requires that all VES members and guests must show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission and masks must be worn at all times in indoor public settings.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP)
Thursday, December 23, 2021 at 7:00PM (RSVPs close on Thursday at 10:00AM)
The Cary Grant Theater on the Sony Pictures Studio Lot
10202 West Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
(Please enter through the Culver/Motor gate and park in that structure.)
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ ENCANTO followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.
Los Angeles City Ordinance #187219 requires that all VES members and guests must show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission and masks must be worn at all times in indoor public settings.
Panelists will include Annie Award-winning Writer-Director Jared Bush, Producer Yvett Merino, VES Award-winning Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Kersavage and Annie and VES Award-winning Head of Effects Animation Erin V. Ramos, moderated by VES Board member Camille Eden.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP)
Saturday, December 18, 2021 at 11:00AM
Harmony Gold (complimentary parking will be provided)
7655 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046
Click here for a map.
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and Up to 4 Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening of Sony Pictures’ VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE. Los Angeles City Ordinance #187219 requires that all VES members and guests must show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission and masks must be worn at all times in indoor public settings.
RSVPs are closed
Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at 7:30PM
The John Singleton Theater (formerly the Backstage) on Sony Pictures Studio Lot
10202 West Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
(Parking instructions will be included in the reminder e-mail.)
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and One (1) Guest are Invited to a Pre-Release Screening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS. followed by a Q&A with Visual Effects Supervisor Dan Glass and Sound Designer/Supervising Sound Editor Dane A. Davies, MPSE.
Warner Bros. rules and Los Angeles City Ordinance #187219 requires that all VES members and guests must show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission and masks must be worn at all times in indoor public settings.
RSVPs are closed, as this screening is overbooked.
Monday, December 13, 2021 at 7:00PM
Steven J. Ross theater on the Warner Bros. Studio Lot (Please enter through Gate 4)
4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank CA 91502
Click here for a map.
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
If you have any questions regarding these safety protocols and Warner Bros. Studios’ policies related to COVID-19, please call the Warner Bros. COVID-19 Response Hotline at (818) 954-2019.
* Please help protect the mysteries inside of the Matrix and do not reveal plot points or twists in your social posts. Do not post any teases in advance. Social: Thursday, December 16 @ 6:30PM (PST), 9:30PM (EST) – Review: Tuesday, December 21 @ 8:00AM (PST), 11:00AM (EST)
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
Join the VES Los Angeles Section for some holiday cheer!
This is our first in person event for the LA Section. Come out and socialize with your fellow VES members, exchange ideas, discuss favorite (or not so favorite) projects.
Los Angeles City Ordinance #187219 requires that all VES members and guests must show photo ID & proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 for admission and masks must be worn at all times in indoor public settings (except when eating or drinking).
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
Please login to RSVP Below.
VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ field and your guest in “Attendee 2” field.
VES Members and Up to 3 Guests are Invited to a Screening of Sony Pictures’ GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE. Los Angeles City Ordinance #187219 requires that all VES members and guests must show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission and masks must be worn at all times in indoor public settings.
This screening is overbooked and RSVPs are closed
Monday, November 22, 2021 at 7:30PM (RSVPs close on Monday at 12:00PM)
The John Singleton Theater (formerly the Backstage) on Sony Pictures Studio Lot
10202 West Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
(Parking instructions will be included in this weekend’s reminder e-mail.)
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a 25th Anniversary Screening of Paramount Pictures’ STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT Followed by a Discussion with the Filmmakers. This event is presented by MastersFX, the Visual Effects Society with a print from Paramount. Los Angeles City Ordinance #187219 requires that all VES members and guests must show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission and masks must be worn at all times in indoor public settings.
Panelists will include award-winning Director-Actor Jonathan Frakes and Emmy-winning Borg Design Supervisor Todd Masters of MastersFX as well as VES, Academy, BAFTA and Emmy Award-winning Visual Effects Supervisor John Knoll, moderated by VES and Emmy Award-winner Dan Curry, VES.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login for location and to RSVP)
Sunday, November 21, 2021 at 7:00PM
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and up to 3 Guests are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of Marvel Studios’ and Walt Disney Pictures’ ETERNALS. Los Angeles City Ordinance #187219 requires that all VES members and guests must show photo ID & proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for admission and masks must be worn at all times in indoor public settings (except while actively enjoying concessions). Click here for theater specific terms and conditions.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP)
Sunday, November 7, 2021 at 3:30PM
El Capitan Theatre (Parking at the Hollywood & Highland Center is $3 for 4 hours with theatre validation.)
6838 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Click here for a map.
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
Infinity Festival Hollywood is back live this November! For 2021, the theme of “Story Enabled by Technology” continues with a new slate of innovative programming, including industry-leading speakers, panels, exhibitions, innovation labs and a fine art gallery, each with an emerging-tech focus. Reserve your tickets now at infinityfestival.com. (VES members must login to see code for Free tickets.)
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of United Artists’ NO TIME TO DIE. Theater rules and L.A. County Public Health guidelines require that masks or face coverings must be worn over the nose and mouth at all times in indoor public settings.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP)
Saturday, October 30, 2021 at 7:00PM
Harmony Gold (complimentary parking will be provided)
7655 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046
Click here for a map.
***VES Members: Please enter your first and last name in the “Attendee 1″ fields***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
Join us for a fun Halloween Movie Night featuring the movie classic Scream!
Enjoy the movie from inside your car or enjoy lawn seating.
Concession Stand: Enjoy classic cinema concessions like candy, soda and fresh popcorn, available with contactless order and pick-up. You’re also welcome to bring your own food to enjoy with your movie!
For more details on the venue visit: https://rooftopcinemaclub.com/los-angeles/venue/the-drive-up-at-santa-monica-airport/#venue-info
This time we are going truly GLOBAL! The LA section has arranged for an opportunity to virtually meet with VES members in AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND and INDIA
You could make 5+ new international VFX industry connections in just one hour. If you have not made it to one of these fast paced sessions before, this is the one you simply can’t miss!
Members can register for FREE at the link below (Members must login to the website).
#networkingevent #vfxartist
VES Members and up to 4 Guests are Invited to a Pre-Release Screening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ DUNE, followed by a discussion with award-winning Director/Producer/Co-Writer Denis Villeneuve and VES, Academy and BAFTA Award-winning Visual Effects Supervisor Paul Lambert, moderated by Award-winning VES member Rob Legato, ASC. Theater rules and L.A. County Public Health guidelines require that face coverings must be worn at all times in indoor public settings (except while actively enjoying food and drinks).
RSVPs are closed, as this screening is overbooked (Any changes should go to ben@vesglobal.org)
Saturday, September 25, 2021 at 11:00AM
Universal Cinema AMC at CityWalk Hollywood (Parking is $5 after rebate at the theater box office. General parking price is $28 payable before the rebate.)
100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
Click here for a map.
***VES Members: Please register your name as “Attendee 1″***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and up to 4 Guests are Invited to a Screening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ THE SUICIDE SQUAD. Warner Bros. Studios rules and L.A. County Public Health guidelines require that face coverings must be worn at all times in indoor public settings.
RSVPs are Closed
Saturday, September 18, 2021 at 4:00PM (RSVPs close on Friday at 12:00PM)
Screening Room 12 on the Warner Bros. Studio Lot (Please enter through Gate 4)
4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank CA 91502
Click here for a map.
***VES Members: Please register your name as “Attendee 1″***
Please note that all guests of the WB facilities need to bring a valid photo ID and are required to complete their Self-Health Screening tool called Passcard. The self-health screening process is as follows:
Everyone’s safety is important to Warner Bros. Your access to the Studio Lot is conditioned on full compliance with the Safety Protocols. Please especially remember the three W’s:
If you have any questions regarding these safety protocols and Warner Bros. Studios’ policies related to COVID-19, please call the Warner Bros. COVID-19 Response Hotline at (818) 954-2019.
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and up to 2 Guests are Invited to a Screening of Marvel Studios’ and Walt Disney Pictures’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. Theater rules and L.A. County Public Health guidelines require that face coverings must be worn at all times in indoor public settings (except while actively enjoying concessions). Click here for theater specific terms and conditions.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP)
Saturday, September 4, 2021 at 3:30PM
El Capitan Theatre (Parking at the Hollywood & Highland Center is $3 for 4 hours with theatre validation.)
6838 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Click here for a map.
***VES Members: Please register your name as “Attendee 1″***
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a Screening of DreamWorks Animation’s and Universal Pictures’ THE BOSS BABY: FAMILY BUSINESS. Theater rules require that masks or face coverings must be worn at all times while in the building.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP)
Sunday, July 11, 2021 at 4:00PM
Harmony Gold (complimentary parking will be provided)
7655 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046
Click here for a map.
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
VES Members and a Guest are Invited to a Screening of Marvel Studios’ and Walt Disney Pictures’ BLACK WIDOW. Theater rules require that face coverings must be worn at all times (except while actively enjoying concessions). Click here for theater specific terms and conditions.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP)
Saturday, July 10, 2021 at 12:00PM
El Capitan Theatre (Parking at the Hollywood & Highland Center is $3 for 4 hours with theatre validation.)
6838 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Click here for a map.
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we ask that you or your guests do not attend VES events if you are experiencing any symptoms or if you have been exposed to the virus.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
By signing up for this on-site, in-person screening/event sponsored by VES (Visual Effects Society), you willingly accept any potential inherent risks associated with COVID-19. VES cannot be held liable from any consequences that may transpire from said risk. Therefore, signing up for this screening/event infers implied consent of yourself and your party and hereby indemnifies and holds harmless VES, its directors, its employees and any other affiliated persons from any adverse medical or financial impact that may result from our participation.
Join us for an in-depth conversation with Master Production Designer, Oscar and BAFTA nominee and Emmy Award winner, James D. Bissell.
The event will be moderated by Jeffrey A. Okun, VES and will be followed by a Q&A session.
James’ list of credits include: Good Night, and Good Luck, 300, Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and most recently, The Midnight Sky.
Join us for our first LA hosted West Coast VES section members networking event!
DATE: Wednesday 26th
TIME: 7:00 pm
This is an amazing opportunity for ‘Speed Networking’ with West Coast members of the VES hosted by the LA section. This fast paced session uses Meetaway’s digital platform with targeted matching, to ensure you can connect directly with the people you want for a 1-1 conversation. You could make 5 new industry connections in the VES in just one hour!
Please login to register below!
More about the event format:
For anyone new to the Meetaway format, Meetaways are online events that intelligently match attendees for a series of 1-on-1 video calls. After each conversation, attendees automatically rotate to the next one. You just log in to the event and Meetaway will handle the rest.
Additionally, you’ll want to join the event on a laptop or desktop with a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or new Edge. Meetaway does not support mobile devices because the screen movements are often distracting and having everyone on a laptop or desktop results in a better overall experience.
Join us for an in-depth exploration of SFX with legendary Special Effects Master and Academy Award winner, John Frazier.
John’s list of credits include: Transformers, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Amazing Spider-man to Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.
The event will be moderated by Jeffrey A. Okun, VES and will be followed by a Q&A session.
DATE: Saturday, Apr 10, 2021
TIME: 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
PLACE: Zoom of Course!
Join us for our first virtual VES LA Spring Membership Mixer!
This is an amazing opportunity for ‘Speed Networking’ with members of the VES LA Section. Meetaway’s digital platform with targeted matching ensures you can connect directly with the people you want for a 1-1 conversation.
Have a coffee on us!
VES LA Members who register by 3/9 will receive a $20 Doordash credit.
Members are encouraged to invite their industry colleagues interested in learning more about joining the VES. This is also a great opportunity for our current members, just to check in with your peers and see how everyone is doing.
The spring membership deadline is Monday, March 15th, so be sure to attend this event if you are interested in joining the Visual Effects Society Los Angels Section. The event will provide valuable information about the benefits members enjoy, as well as offering the opportunity to network with 5 or more VFX colleagues for a chance to create meaningful connections.
Join us for our first virtual VES LA Spring Membership Mixer!
This is an amazing opportunity for ‘Speed Networking’ with members of the VES LA Section. Meetaway’s digital platform with targeted matching ensures you can connect directly with the people you want for a 1-1 conversation.
Have a coffee on us!
VES LA Members who register by 3/9 will receive a $20 Doordash credit.
Members are encouraged to invite their industry colleagues interested in learning more about joining the VES. This is also a great opportunity for our current members, just to check in with your peers and see how everyone is doing.
The spring membership deadline is Monday, March 15th, so be sure to attend this event if you are interested in joining the Visual Effects Society Los Angels Section. The event will provide valuable information about the benefits members enjoy, as well as offering the opportunity to network with 5 or more VFX colleagues for a chance to create meaningful connections.
Please join us for special screening of the hit comedy AIRPLANE with an after show Q&A with special guest Writer-Director, Jerry Zucker!
Saturday February 13th 2021 at 4:00 PM PST.
The event will showcase a new streaming/test screening platform where all the regular items: chat room, recording faces watching the movie, and a lively discussion post the film with the director can occur.
In all cases, we record the viewer and reactions and sync them to the timeline of the movie. A link will be sent out to those who will participate with a password.
We look forward to having you attend this very special event!
The screening is open to VES LA members and is limited to 50 participants.
Registration is now closed.
Join us for a night of Trivia –
Please join us for a Night at the Drive-In to enjoy this great holiday classic!
Tickets: FREE, one car per VES member (up to 4 adults), with advance registration. Space is limited! Must register in advance to attend.
Don’t miss out – Log in to register for your VES LA Member ticket today!
Let’s get ready to rumble!!!
It’s Trivia time –
The Los Angeles Section of the Visual Effects Society presents:
PROFESSIONAL VIRTUAL PRODUCTION FROM HOME
Saturday, November 7th at 11 AM; PST
Hosted by: James Markham Hall, Jr.
Join us as we discuss state-of-the-art virtual production tools and techniques used remotely to create professional level content beyond studio specifications.
The Los Angeles Section of the Visual Effects Society presents:
Zombie Oktoberfest
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
7:00 PM Pacific Time (of course!)
“Double, double, toil and trouble; fire burn, and cauldron bubble”
The night will consist of Spooky Polls, Scary Contests and Frightening Costumes!
YES Costumes! This is a Halloween event – let’s see how creative you can be!
Hop off your broom and onto ZOOM!
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82988677862
Meeting ID: 829 8867 7862
National Geographic and Disney+ Invite VES Members and One Guest to Attend the World Premiere Drive-In Screening of THE RIGHT STUFF: THE RACE TO BE FIRST IN SPACE plus Q&A with the cast.
Monday, October 5, 2020 at 7:30PM (Doors open at 6:30PM)
Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport
3021 Airport Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404
Your guests must arrive with you in the same car.
VES Los Angeles Section & Formosa Group present
THE SOUND OF VFX PANEL
Sat. Aug 29th
10:00am – 11:00am
Featuring Emmy-nominated talent for Outstanding Sound Editing from What We Do in the Shadows “The Return”.
What does a CG bat fight sound like?
How do you create troll footsteps when you’ve never seen a troll?
Join us for an engaging discussion about how VFX & sound inform each other in on-screen storytelling, and help create a show that’s half supernatural, half documentary, and 100% hilarious.
Panelists include:
* Steffan Falesitch, Supervising Sound Editor
* Jackie Jones, SVP Broadcast Formosa Group
* Diego Gat, Re-Recording Mixer
* David Barbee, FX Editor
* Sam Ejnes, Re-Recording Mixer
* Sara McGrail, VES L.A. Board Co-Chair
Bay Area, Washington, Vancouver and Los Angeles Sections present:
West Coast Happy Hour
Wednesday, August 26th
6:00-7:00pm (PST – Of Course!)
It’s time for all of the VES’ West Coast Members to step up and mingle:
* Have a great recipe to share?
* Recommendation on new shows to binge?
* Who has the cutest cat, doggie or turtle?
Prizes too! Have a chance to WIN a copy of the newly released third edition of the VES Handbook of Visual Effects: Industry Standard VFX Practices and Procedures!
Join the Zoom as you can!
Simply click the link below on August 26th, 6-7pm:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84286449125
WHAT MOVIE WON? JOIN US TONIGHT TO FIND OUT!
Here’s your VES Netflix Party URL for tonight’s 7:00 pm screening:
https://www.netflix.com/watch/70117312?npSessionId=17c3bfa8c8238a2a&npServerId=s63
To join THIS party, use Chrome desktop browser (with the Netflix Party extension installed) and click on the party URL above, which will redirect to Netflix’s website. You must click on the “NP” button next to the address bar to automatically join the party. The Chat will start around 7:00 pm with screening to begin @ 7:10 pm.
For more instructions, go to netflix party.com
FINE PRINT: NETFLIX SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE. DON’T HAVE AN ACCOUNT? SIGN UP AT NETFLIX.COM FOR A FREE 30 DAY SUBSCRIPTION. NETFLIX PARTY CHROME EXTENSION REQUIRED TO BE INSTALLED. THIS IS AN UNMODERATED EVENT. PLEASE BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER.
Join us for your chance to WIN a copy of the newly released third edition of the VES Handbook of Visual Effects: Industry Standard VFX Practices and Procedures!
VES LA Happy Hour
Wednesday, July 29th 6:00-7:00pm
Have a great recipe to share?
Best new show to binge watch?
Hookup for comfy corona masks?
It’s time to fraternize, chat & connect!
Join the Zoom as you can!
Simply click the link below on July 29th 6-7pm:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89278854759
The LA Section of the Visual Effects Society invites you to its next panel:
LED Stage Production
Sunday, June 28th @ 11 AM (PST)
via ZOOM
The worlds of game development and film production have collided and created a brand new world for filmmakers to explore: LED Stage Production.
This panel is designed to give a general Introduction of LED Stages and their impact on Pre-Production, Production and Post. Additional focus will be on the future of content production in a COVID19 world.
This is a free educational webinar panel, followed by a Q&A.
You are invited to our first-ever, VES Netflix Party where you choose the movie – Click here to vote for the movie!
Then on Wednesday, June 17 at 7:30 PM we will watch the winning movie together and join an online chat with our fellow west coast VES colleagues from the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Washington Sections.
Look for your Netflix Party url email invitation and on this page one hour before showtime where you’ll find out the winning movie when you log in.
Fine Print: Netflix subscription required to participate. Don’t have an account? Sign up at Netflix.com for a FREE 30 day subscription. You will receive an email invite with a private URL one hour prior to the screening. Netflix Party Chrome Extension required to be installed. Instructions will be included with your invitation. This is an unmoderated event. Please be kind to one another.
Since we all can’t be together in person – let’s connect safely through the Interwebs!
Happy Hour
Wednesday, June 10th @ 6 PM
via ZOOM
It’s time to Fraternize, Chat & Connect!
Please click the link below to join the party:
National Geographic Invites VES Members to a Virtual Screening of LA92 Documentary followed by a Candid Conversation on Race in America
This online presentation will discuss and demonstrate how new advancements in virtual production and visualization can be used to help all content creators raise the bar with creative ideas and new technical approaches.
THE THIRD FLOOR is one of the world’s leading visualization studios. It is a major contributor to today’s most popular films and TV series — from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and STAR WARS Franchise to HBO’s GAME OF THRONES.
Our speakers from THE THIRD FLOOR are: Eric Carney, Founder, Global CTO/Visual FX Supervisor; Gary Marshall, R&D Innovation Director; Dane Smith, Vice President; and Lara Cawsey, Business Development Manager
Our event will be hosted by Scott Squires, VES a VES Fellow who has worked in the visual effects industry for decades as a VFX supervisor and technical developer. He has multiple VFX Academy Award nominations and worked on such films as THE MASK, DRAGONHEART, and STAR WARS: EPISODE 1- THE PHANTOM MENACE.
The VES Los Angeles Screening of Paramount Pictures’ A QUIET PLACE PART II has been cancelled because the studio has postponed the release due to concerns related to the COVID19 outbreak.
RSVPs are closed
Monday, March 23, 2020 at 8:00PM
The VES Los Angeles Screening of Sony Pictures’ BLOODSHOT has been cancelled because the studio has postponed the release due to concerns related to the COVID19 outbreak.
RSVPs are closed
Monday, March 16, 2020 at 8:00PM
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ THE WAY BACK
In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID19, we ask you or your guests who may show any symptoms or who might have been exposed to the virus do not attend VES events.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP and see venue information)
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Monday, March 9)
Monday, March 9, 2020 at 8:00PM
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to an Opening Weekend 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ and Pixar Animation Studios’ ONWARD
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP and see venue information)
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, March 6)
Sunday, March 8, 2020 at 12:00PM
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Universal Pictures’ THE INVISIBLE MAN
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP and see venue information)
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, February 28)
Friday, February 28, 2020 at 8:00PM
VES LA Spring Recruitment Mixer!
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
7:00pm – 9:00pm
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of 20th Century’s THE CALL OF THE WILD
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP and see venue information)
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, February 21)
Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 2:00PM
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Paramount Pictures’ SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
Please RSVP below Friday, February 21, 2020 at 8:00PM (VES members must login in order to see venue information and RSVP.)
MastersFX Presents a Celebration of Practical Effects with a Special Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Screening of TALES FROM THE CRYPT: DEMON KNIGHT followed by a discussion with Todd Masters and others to be announced.
Click here to RSVP (Space is limited, so please sign up soon)
Monday, January 13, 2020 at 8:00PM
Arclight (Cinerama Dome) Hollywood
6360 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Todd Masters and His Special Guests will reflect on the making of this iconic movie with “tales” of the challenges of the practical effects, and how they integrated with the live action performances. Never before seen slides from behind-the-scenes of the making of DEMON KNIGHT will also be presented!
For more information, please call Dan Harary at Asbury PR Agency at (310) 859-1831
Join us at the VES Bake-Off After-Party!
Immediately after the AMPAS Bake-Off, please join us for the VES Bake-Off Bash After-Party for fun, friends, food and libations at Via Alloro restaurant in Beverly Hills.
Saturday, January 4, 2020
VES Bake-Off After-Party 9:00PM to 11:30PM
**The Academy’s VFX Bake-Off is a separate event and handled through AMPAS.
Via Alloro (less than a mile from the Academy’s Goldwyn Theater).
301 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Complimentary Valet Parking is available at the restaurant.
Tickets are non-refundable / non-transferable. All tickets are sold individually. Space is limited and this event will sell out, please get your tickets NOW!
Member Ticket Price = $65.00
Non-Member Ticket Price = $125.00
We look forward to celebrating with our members and colleagues from around the globe and making this a festive international gathering!
For Sponsorship opportunities, please click here and contact Nancy Ward at (818) 981-7861 by Friday, December 13.
(Check with specific sections for local times)
Now that the 18th Annual VES Awards season is underway, we once again invite VES members to participate in our Nomination Panels. The Nomination Event will be held worldwide on January 4, 2020.
Any active VES member who can travel to one of the cities listed below may participate.
This is your chance to determine who will ultimately walk up to the podium on January 29, 2020, to collect a coveted VES Award. A single vote may make the difference between being nominated… or not… and that vote could be yours!
Past participants know that this is the must-attend event of the awards season. Not only will you view some of the most amazing visual imagery of 2019, you’ll get to see exclusive behind-the-scenes footage while participating in the single best networking opportunity of the year. It’s a chance to see old friends, meet the best and brightest in the visual effects field, and learn new techniques that you can apply to your own craft. All of that, plus the satisfaction of knowing that you have participated in choosing what will ultimately be the Nominations announced to the press for the 18th Annual VES Awards.
Judges who register to participate will receive information about specific times and locations from their local section representatives once their applications are received. If you are ready to make a difference, please submit your Panel Judge Application BELOW. Make sure you check the box indicating which of the Nomination Event locations you are applying for.
The Nomination Event is a full-day event held on Saturday, January 4, 2020 around the globe. Nominees will be announced on Monday, January 6, 2020. We look forward to receiving your Judge Application to make this year’s Nomination Event a success!
-The 18th Annual VES Awards Committee
(VES Members must be logged in to access the sign-up form)
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Weekend 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ and Lucasfilm’s STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER followed by a Q&A with the Filmmakers
Panelists will include Director J.J. Abrams as well as Visual Effects Supervisors Roger Guyett and Patrick Tubach, moderated by VES 1st Vice Chair Jeffrey A. Okun, VES. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP and see venue information)
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, December 20)
Saturday, December 21, 2019 at 11:00AM
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Pre-Release Screening of Universal Pictures’ 1917
(VES members must login in order to see venue information and RSVP.)
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Night 3D Screening of Sony Pictures’ JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL
(VES members must login in order to see venue information and RSVP.)
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Netflix’s THE IRISHMAN followed by a Q&A with Visual Effects Supervisor Pablo Helman, moderated by VES Fellow Paul Debevec, VES. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.) There will also be a reception off of the lobby of the theater immediately after the discussion.
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP and see venue information)
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, December 6)
Sunday, December 8, 2019 at 11:00AM
Join us for the most wonderful party of the year!
Exciting raffle prizes, great food & drinks, interactive exhibits, music, and a Sky Slide 70 floors up! (Come early! Free sky slide tickets for the first 100 guests!)
Members +1 free with RSVP (Please log-in to RSVP on this page)
RSVP & Ticket sales close Fri, Nov 29th at 12:00pm
The Visual Effects Society in collaboration with the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) invite a limited number of VES members to attend the hands-on Practical Lighting for CG Artists masterclass at the Sony Digital Media Production Center (DMPC).
Among those scheduled to appear are 6-time Oscar nominee and ASC Lifetime Achievement Award-winning Cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, ASC, and VES Founders Award recipient, Fellow and Lifetime Member Bill Taylor, VES, ASC, who’s won the Academy’s Technical Achievement Award and the Medal of Commendation as well as an Emmy. Join us for the eighth incarnation of the wildly popular and informative one-day seminar geared toward helping digital artists develop the sensibilities and sensitivities of a cinematographer.
Click here to purchase tickets ($25 tickets include Mexican buffet lunch with vegan & gluten free options)
Tuesday, December 3, 2019 from 11:00AM to 5:00PM
Registration begins at 10:30AM, Masterclass at 11:00AM
(VES members must login to see venue information below)
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Pre-Release Screening of 20th Century Fox’s and Blue Sky Studios’ SPIES IN DISGUISE followed by a Q&A with Director Nick Bruno, moderated by Pete Hammond
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP and see venue information)
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, November 29)
Saturday, November 30, 2019 at 11:00AM
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ FROZEN 2
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP and see venue information)
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, November 22)
Sunday, November 24, 2019 at 4:00PM
WET, also known as WET Design, is a water feature design firm based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1983 by former Disney Imagineers Mark Fuller, Melanie Simon, and Alan Robinson, the company has designed over two hundred fountains and water features using water, fire, ice, fog, and lights.
Please log-in to RSVP.
Strict guest list required – Space is limited to first 30 members!
Please only RSVP if you’re able to attend.
Join us for a VES-exclusive look at the latest Dreamscape VR experiences!
The Vision: Combine the emotional power of Hollywood storytelling, the visceral excitement
of great theme-park rides, and this extraordinary new technology to create stories and worlds
that push the limits of virtual reality.
Tuesday, Nov 19th
1:30pm – 3:00pm
Please plan to arrive between 1:00-1:30pm, and stay for the duration until 3:00pm.
Shows last approximately 30 minutes, so guests may be able to do more than one experience.
Space is limited! Must log-in and RSVP to attend.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Lionsgate’s MIDWAY followed by a Q&A with the Filmmakers
Panelists will include Director Roland Emmerich, Visual Effects Supervisor Peter Travers and Visual Effects Producer Tricia Mulgrew, moderated by VES Board member Jeffrey Kleiser. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP and see venue information)
Monday, November 18, 2019 at 7:30PM
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of 20th Century Fox’s FORD V FERRARI followed by a Q&A with the Filmmakers
Panelists will include Visual Effects Supervisor Olivier Dumont, Visual Effects Producer Kathy Siegel and Special Effects Supervisor Mark R. Byers. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to RSVP and see venue information)
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, November 15)
Saturday, November 16, 2019 at 11:00AM
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ DOCTOR SLEEP
(VES members must login in order to see venue information and RSVP.)
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ THE GOLDFINCH
Please RSVP below
Friday, September 13, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests in are Invited to a Pre-Release Screening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ IT CHAPTER TWO
Please RSVP below
Thursday, September 5, 2019 at 7:00PM
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Thursday, September 5)
Warner Bros. Studio screening room #5
4000 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91522
(Please enter through the Gate #4/Hollywood Way and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Millenium Films’ ANGEL HAS FALLEN
Please RSVP below
Friday, August 30, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Universal Pictures’ GOOD BOYS
Please RSVP below
Friday, August 23, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
This film is Rated R for strong crude sexual content, drug and alcohol material, and language throughout – all involving tweens.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
6:30pm – 8:00pm
Grab a friend or two. All are welcome to join for coffee, tea, and conversation!
Topic: Diversity & Inclusion in Hiring & Career Development
How diverse is your workplace?
What are best practices in recruitment & career dev you’ve seen, or would like to see?
Are you looking for talent, your next gig, or making a career move?
Bring your VFX friends, feedback, ideas, and resumes or job posts!
Priscilla’s Coffee
4150 W Riverside Dr., Burbank, CA 91505
RSVPs welcome, but not required.
Thursday, August 15, 2019
6:30pm – 8:00pm
Grab a friend or two. All are welcome to join for coffee, tea, and conversation!
Topic: Diversity & Inclusion in Hiring & Career Development
How diverse is your workplace?
What are best practices in recruitment & career dev you’ve seen, or would like to see?
Are you looking for talent, your next gig, or making a career move?
Bring your VFX friends, feedback, ideas, and resumes or job posts!
Priscilla’s Coffee
4150 W Riverside Dr., Burbank, CA 91505
RSVPs welcome, but not required.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of 20th Century Fox’s THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN
Please RSVP below
Saturday, August 10, 2019 at 7:00PM
(RSVPs will close at 12:00PM on Friday, August 9)
Blakeley Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Universal Pictures’ FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW
Please RSVP below
Friday, August 9, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
The Aero Theatre, Santa Monica
1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90403
Click here for a map.
Production Designer Stuart Wurtzel ADG created a valentine to classic Hollywood and the films of the depression era. The film’s movie-with-in-the-movie is an RKO-style screwball comedy set in a glittering Manhattan penthouse. The outer world of the film is set in New Jersey amid the dreams of a simple housewife, Mia Farrow, whose world is turned upside down when the hero of the film, Jeff Daniels, steps out of her neighborhood movie theater’s screen and into her real-life world. A beloved film by many, the expert blending of the film’s fiction and reality blur the lines between fantasy and romance in memorable ways. It’s “perfect-pitch” Production Design by a master of the New York school and a visual delight for all to behold.
Emmy winning Production Designer Stuart Wurtzel ADG will be interviewed by moderator John Iacovelli ADG, Production Designer.
** Click here to RSVP (You must complete the form and click “Register” to sign up) **
The Aero Theatre, Santa Monica
1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90403
Click here for a map.
Production Designer Stuart Wurtzel ADG created a valentine to classic Hollywood and the films of the depression era. The film’s movie-with-in-the-movie is an RKO-style screwball comedy set in a glittering Manhattan penthouse. The outer world of the film is set in New Jersey amid the dreams of a simple housewife, Mia Farrow, whose world is turned upside down when the hero of the film, Jeff Daniels, steps out of her neighborhood movie theater’s screen and into her real-life world. A beloved film by many, the expert blending of the film’s fiction and reality blur the lines between fantasy and romance in memorable ways. It’s “perfect-pitch” Production Design by a master of the New York school and a visual delight for all to behold.
Emmy winning Production Designer Stuart Wurtzel ADG will be interviewed by moderator John Iacovelli ADG, Production Designer.
** Click here to RSVP (You must complete the form and click “Register” to sign up) **
Eat, drink, relax, and network with top industry professionals locally and abroad who come to LA to attend SIGGRAPH!
Join your colleagues for craft beers, wine, cocktails, appetizers, and arcade game fun.
The VES SIGGRAPH Party is significantly overbooked and is now closed to additional signups. No additional guests will be allowed.
Eat, drink, relax, and network with top industry professionals locally and abroad who come to LA to attend SIGGRAPH!
Join your colleagues for craft beers, wine, cocktails, appetizers, and arcade game fun.
The VES SIGGRAPH Party is significantly overbooked and is now closed to additional signups. No additional guests will be allowed.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ THE LION KING followed by a Q&A with the Filmmakers
Panelists will include Director Jon Favreau, Visual Effects Supervisor Rob Legato, and Cinematographer Caleb Deschanel, ASC, moderated by Michael Fink, VES. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, July 26)
Saturday, July 27, 2019 at 11:00AM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Night Screening of 20th Century Fox’s STUBER
Please RSVP below
Friday, July 12, 2018 at 8:00PM
(RSVPs will close at 12:00PM on Friday, July 12)
Little Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening of Columbia Pictures’ and Marvel Studios’ SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME followed by a Q&A with the Visual Effects Team
Panelists will include Visual Effects Producer Cyndi Ochs, Luma Pictures Visual Effects Supervisor Kevin Souls, Imageworks Visual Effects Supervisor Theo Bialek, Imageworks CG Supervisor Joe Pepper and Scanline’s Sequence Supervisor Curtis Carlson, moderated by VES Board member Andrew Bly. (Panelists’ participation is based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
Monday, July 8, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
The Visual Effects Society has Secured a Very Limited Number of Tickets for VES Members and a Guest to Attend a Double Feature of ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (2016) and a 70mm film print of the Original STAR WARS: EPISODE IV – A NEW HOPE (1977).
It has been twenty-two years since the Special Editions of the original STAR WARS trilogy were released, effectively preventing anyone from being able to watch the 1977 theatrical version of that seminal film as it was originally shown. Join us for chronological screenings of ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, relating how the Rebel Alliance took possession of the plans for the dreaded Death Star, followed by the original STAR WARS: EPISODE IV – A NEW HOPE, in which you’ll be among the first in more than two decades to watch Han Solo shoot first!
This is a 5 hour event with no food available.
Please RSVP below
(Sign up ASAP, as tickets are already SOLD OUT.)
Saturday, June 29 at 10:00AM to 3:00PM
(Be in your seat by 9:45AM or it may be forfeited, and be sure to eat a hearty breakfast!) There will be a 30 minute break between films and the Academy does not allow any food or drinks in the theater. (Security will search all bags.)
Samuel Goldwyn Theater
8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Click here for FREE parking information and the Academy’s food & beverage policy.
Click here for a map.
*You must attend the first screening in order to attend the second, and nobody will be re-admitted once they leave.
The Visual Effects Society has Secured a Very Limited Number of Tickets for VES Members and a Guest to Attend a Double Feature of ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (2016) and a 70mm film print of the Original STAR WARS: EPISODE IV – A NEW HOPE (1977).
It has been twenty-two years since the Special Editions of the original STAR WARS trilogy were released, effectively preventing anyone from being able to watch the 1977 theatrical version of that seminal film as it was originally shown. Join us for chronological screenings of ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, relating how the Rebel Alliance took possession of the plans for the dreaded Death Star, followed by the original STAR WARS: EPISODE IV – A NEW HOPE, in which you’ll be among the first in more than two decades to watch Han Solo shoot first!
This is a 5 hour event with no food available.
Please RSVP below
(Sign up ASAP, as tickets are already SOLD OUT.)
Saturday, June 29 at 10:00AM to 3:00PM
(Be in your seat by 9:45AM or it may be forfeited, and be sure to eat a hearty breakfast!) There will be a 30 minute break between films and the Academy does not allow any food or drinks in the theater. (Security will search all bags.)
Samuel Goldwyn Theater
8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Click here for FREE parking information and the Academy’s food & beverage policy.
Click here for a map.
*You must attend the first screening in order to attend the second, and nobody will be re-admitted once they leave.
AMPAS Invites VES members and a Guest to Attend Galactic Innovations: STAR WARS and ROGUE ONE
Click here to Livestream this sold out event!
(You will be able to stream this event for up to 48 hours afterward.)
Over the last 40 years, technology has advanced by leaps and bounds. But the impetus to create and inspire remains the same. This event will contrast the analog technologies developed for the first STAR WARS released in 1977 with the all-digital toolsets used to create ROGUE ONE released in 2016.
Key contributors from both STAR WARS and ROGUE ONE will share the journey of creating the impossible with their breakthrough visual effects. Our list of stellar participants includes John Dykstra, Dennis Muren, VES, John Knoll, Ben Burtt, Marcia Lucas, Bill George, Harrison Ellenshaw, Bruce Nicholson, Richard Edlund, VES and Rachel Rose. Hosted by Kiri Hart, co-producer of ROGUE ONE, this event promises to be both inspiring and insightful.
Please RSVP below
Thursday, June 27, 2019 at 7:30PM
(There are very few seats allotted for VES members, and tickets for the public are already sold out.)
Samuel Goldwyn Theater
8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Click here for FREE parking information.
*Due to limited ticket availability, please be sure to RSVP as soon as possible.
AMPAS Invites VES members and a Guest to Attend Galactic Innovations: STAR WARS and ROGUE ONE
Click here to Livestream this sold out event!
(You will be able to stream this event for up to 48 hours afterward.)
Over the last 40 years, technology has advanced by leaps and bounds. But the impetus to create and inspire remains the same. This event will contrast the analog technologies developed for the first STAR WARS released in 1977 with the all-digital toolsets used to create ROGUE ONE released in 2016.
Key contributors from both STAR WARS and ROGUE ONE will share the journey of creating the impossible with their breakthrough visual effects. Our list of stellar participants includes John Dykstra, Dennis Muren, VES, John Knoll, Ben Burtt, Marcia Lucas, Bill George, Harrison Ellenshaw, Bruce Nicholson, Richard Edlund, VES and Rachel Rose. Hosted by Kiri Hart, co-producer of ROGUE ONE, this event promises to be both inspiring and insightful.
Please RSVP below
Thursday, June 27, 2019 at 7:30PM
(There are very few seats allotted for VES members, and tickets for the public are already sold out.)
Samuel Goldwyn Theater
8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Click here for FREE parking information.
*Due to limited ticket availability, please be sure to RSVP as soon as possible.
The Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood
6712 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028
Click here for a map.
Ray Bradbury declared CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND as the greatest science fiction film ever made. Joe Alves, ADG the film’s Production Designer, began his career as an animator on the 1956 MGM classic, FORBIDDEN PLANET. A master Close Encounters, Mr. Alves will be in attendance to share highlights from his long career as a motion picture Designer and Illustrator. Close Encounters was written and directed by Steven Spielberg, and stars Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, Bob Balaban, Cary Guffey, and François Truffaut. It tells the story of Roy Neary, an everyday blue-collar worker in Indiana, whose life changes after an encounter with an unidentified flying object (UFO). Director Jean Renoir compared Spielberg’s storytelling to that of Jules Verne and Georges Méliès. Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Spielberg’s landmark film, a special Digitally Remastered 4K version of the Director’s Cut will be shown.
Production Designer Joe Alves ADG, will be interviewed by moderator Thomas A. Walsh ADG, Production Designer and Film Series Co-chair.
** Click here to RSVP (You must complete the form and click “Register” to sign up) **
The Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood
6712 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028
Click here for a map.
Ray Bradbury declared CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND as the greatest science fiction film ever made. Joe Alves, ADG the film’s Production Designer, began his career as an animator on the 1956 MGM classic, FORBIDDEN PLANET. A master Close Encounters, Mr. Alves will be in attendance to share highlights from his long career as a motion picture Designer and Illustrator. Close Encounters was written and directed by Steven Spielberg, and stars Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, Bob Balaban, Cary Guffey, and François Truffaut. It tells the story of Roy Neary, an everyday blue-collar worker in Indiana, whose life changes after an encounter with an unidentified flying object (UFO). Director Jean Renoir compared Spielberg’s storytelling to that of Jules Verne and Georges Méliès. Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Spielberg’s landmark film, a special Digitally Remastered 4K version of the Director’s Cut will be shown.
Production Designer Joe Alves ADG, will be interviewed by moderator Thomas A. Walsh ADG, Production Designer and Film Series Co-chair.
** Click here to RSVP (You must complete the form and click “Register” to sign up) **
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Join us for a Summer Luau!
Always one of the most fun, exciting, and spectacular events of the year.
RSVP today, because you DO NOT want to miss this one!
Free with RSVP for VES Members and a Guest.
Member children 17 & under are free!
Join us for a Summer Luau!
Always one of the most fun, exciting, and spectacular events of the year.
RSVP today, because you DO NOT want to miss this one!
Free with RSVP for VES Members and a Guest.
Member children 17 & under are free!
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening of Columbia Pictures’ MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL
Please RSVP below
Friday, June 21, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
Don’t miss the Ultimate VR/AR/360 Production training event in Los Angeles this June!
Mark your calendars and join us on June 18-20 for the DelliVR Conference, a hands-on 360/VR/AR training event. The conference will feature technical training, business management classes, and social activities. VES members receive 20% off passes. (VES member must login to see the discount code below.)
Don’t miss the Ultimate VR/AR/360 Production training event in Los Angeles this June!
Mark your calendars and join us on June 18-20 for the DelliVR Conference, a hands-on 360/VR/AR training event. The conference will feature technical training, business management classes, and social activities. VES members receive 20% off passes. (VES member must login to see the discount code below.)
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a Pre-Release 3D Screening of Disney•Pixar’s TOY STORY 4
Please RSVP below
Saturday, June 15, 2019 at 5:00PM
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, June 14)
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Night Screening of Focus Features’ THE DEAD DON’T DIE
Please RSVP below
Friday, June 14, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
The VES Germany proudly present
VES MEGABRAIN Masterclass Vol.3
June 12th – 8:00PM CEST
REGISTER HERE TO RECEIVE A ZOOM LINK (at 7:30PM)
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The VES Germany proudly presents
VES MEGABRAIN Masterclass Vol.3
June 12th – doors open 7:00PM (CEST)
and there will be beer and pizza!
ZOOM stream starts at 7:30PM (CEST)
Masterclass starts at 8:00PM (CEST)
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VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Weekend 3D Screening of 20th Century Fox’s and Marvel Studios’ DARK PHOENIX
Please RSVP below
Sunday, June 9, 2019 at 7:00PM
(RSVPs will close at 12:00PM on Friday, June 7)
Zanuck Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a 3D Screening of Universal Pictures’ and Illumination Entertainment’s THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to sign up.)
Sunday, June 9, 2019 at 2:00PM (Enter from Gate 1 on Lankershim Blvd.)
(RSVPs will close at 12:00PM on Friday, June 7)
Universal Studios Theater #2
4050 Lankershim Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Entertainment’s GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS followed by a Q&A with the Filmmakers
Panelists will include Visual Effects Supervisor Guillaume Rocheron, MPC Senior Animation Supervisor Spencer Cook, Method Studios Visual Effects Supervisor Daryl Sawchuk and Double Negative Visual Effects Supervisor Brian Connor, moderated by VES Board member Richard Winn Taylor II, VES. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
Sunday, June 2, 2019 at 11:00AM
Harmony Gold (complimentary parking will be provided)
7655 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
Date: Saturday, June 1st, 2019
Time: 7:00pm – 10:00pm
(Karaoke starts at 8:00pm)
Venue: Boardwalk 11 Karaoke Bar & Grill
10433 National Blvd, #5, Los Angeles, CA 90034
(Free valet parking, street parking)
Join us for a night of networking, VFX camaraderie, and rockin’ it on the main stage!
We’ll have a corner section, drink tickets & appetizers to share while they last, so come early to get a good spot!
Guests are welcome. Log in to RSVP by 5/31 for drink tickets at check-in!
Date: Saturday, June 1st, 2019
Time: 7:00pm – 10:00pm
(Karaoke starts at 8:00pm)
Venue: Boardwalk 11 Karaoke Bar & Grill
10433 National Blvd, #5, Los Angeles, CA 90034
(Free valet parking, street parking)
Join us for a night of networking, VFX camaraderie, and rockin’ it on the main stage!
We’ll have a corner section, drink tickets & appetizers to share while they last, so come early to get a good spot!
Guests are welcome. Log in to RSVP by 5/31 for drink tickets at check-in!
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Night Screening of Paramount Pictures’ ROCKETMAN
Please RSVP below
Friday, May 31, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Screen Gems’ and Sony Pictures Entertainment’s BRIGHTBURN
Please RSVP below
Thursday, May 30, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members Receive FREE Exhibit Passes to Cine Gear Expo L.A. 2019 Through May 25!
Cine Gear Expo 2019 is the premier annual event for professionals engaged in the film and entertainment technology industry. Taking place May 30th – June 2nd at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California, Cine Gear features 300 exhibits, new product and service introductions, 30+ complimentary seminars led by industry leaders, master classes, film competition, awards ceremony, special screenings in state of the art theaters, and ample opportunity to network with peers within a studio environment.
Badge registration is now open for Cine Gear 2019. All attendees must complete this FREE registration process to obtain their credentials. Registration is free until 11:59PM (PDT), May 25, 2019.
Location: Paramount Studios, Hollywood, CA
Friday, May 31 Hours: 12:00PM – 8:00PM
Saturday, June 1 Hours: 10:00AM – 5:00PM
Thursday, May 30 Finalist Screenings 12:00PM – 5:30PM
Friday, May 31 Awards Party & Reception
Sunday, June 2 Lighting Workshop 1:45PM – 4:45PM
Event Map – Exhibits
Full Schedule at a Glance
Special Events
Check back regularly for show updates. www.cinegearexpo.com
Questions? Please contact the Cine Gear Office at (310) 472-0809 or info@cinegearexpo.com
VES Members Receive FREE Exhibit Passes to Cine Gear Expo L.A. 2019 Through May 25!
Cine Gear Expo 2019 is the premier annual event for professionals engaged in the film and entertainment technology industry. Taking place May 30th – June 2nd at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, California, Cine Gear features 300 exhibits, new product and service introductions, 30+ complimentary seminars led by industry leaders, master classes, film competition, awards ceremony, special screenings in state of the art theaters, and ample opportunity to network with peers within a studio environment.
Badge registration is now open for Cine Gear 2019. All attendees must complete this FREE registration process to obtain their credentials. Registration is free until 11:59PM (PDT), May 25, 2019.
Location: Paramount Studios, Hollywood, CA
Friday, May 31 Hours: 12:00PM – 8:00PM
Saturday, June 1 Hours: 10:00AM – 5:00PM
Thursday, May 30 Finalist Screenings 12:00PM – 5:30PM
Friday, May 31 Awards Party & Reception
Sunday, June 2 Lighting Workshop 1:45PM – 4:45PM
Event Map – Exhibits
Full Schedule at a Glance
Special Events
Check back regularly for show updates. www.cinegearexpo.com
Questions? Please contact the Cine Gear Office at (310) 472-0809 or info@cinegearexpo.com
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to an Opening Weekend 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ ALADDIN
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, May 24)
Saturday, May 25, 2019 at 4:00PM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Summit Entertainment’s JOHN WICK 3: PARABELLUM
Please RSVP below
Friday, May 24, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
The Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood
6712 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028
Click here for a map.
THE 10th VICTIM is a futuristic Italian socio-political sex-and-murder action comedy starring the impossibly glamorous Ursula Andress and Italian megastar, Marcello Mastroianni. Anticipating the rise of out-of-control reality TV by 50 years, the film matches the pair by computer as hunter and victim in The Big Hunt, a deadly game designed to stifle human aggression by offering individuals the opportunity to kill or be killed, earning status, fame, and money on live TV. Directed by Elio Petri (INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION), the film is written by Tonino Guerra (BLOW UP) and designed by Piero Poletto (RED DESERT). THE 10th VICTIM takes place in a future Rome, mixing classical architecture with ultramodern Op Art design, retro-glamorous haute-couture, and pulsating electro pop jazz by Piero Piccioni.
Panel discussion will include host of KCRW’s DnA: Design and Architecture Frances Anderton, USC’s Annenberg School Professor and Author of PROJECTING TOMORROW Nicholas J. Cull and two time Oscar nominated Production Designer Guy Hendrix Dyas ADG, (PASSENGERS and INCEPTION), moderated by Production Designer John Muto ADG, Film Society Founder and Co-chair.
** Click here to RSVP (You must complete the form and click “Register” to sign up) **
The Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood
6712 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028
Click here for a map.
THE 10th VICTIM is a futuristic Italian socio-political sex-and-murder action comedy starring the impossibly glamorous Ursula Andress and Italian megastar, Marcello Mastroianni. Anticipating the rise of out-of-control reality TV by 50 years, the film matches the pair by computer as hunter and victim in The Big Hunt, a deadly game designed to stifle human aggression by offering individuals the opportunity to kill or be killed, earning status, fame, and money on live TV. Directed by Elio Petri (INVESTIGATION OF A CITIZEN ABOVE SUSPICION), the film is written by Tonino Guerra (BLOW UP) and designed by Piero Poletto (RED DESERT). THE 10th VICTIM takes place in a future Rome, mixing classical architecture with ultramodern Op Art design, retro-glamorous haute-couture, and pulsating electro pop jazz by Piero Piccioni.
Panel discussion will include host of KCRW’s DnA: Design and Architecture Frances Anderton, USC’s Annenberg School Professor and Author of PROJECTING TOMORROW Nicholas J. Cull and two time Oscar nominated Production Designer Guy Hendrix Dyas ADG, (PASSENGERS and INCEPTION), moderated by Production Designer John Muto ADG, Film Society Founder and Co-chair.
** Click here to RSVP (You must complete the form and click “Register” to sign up) **
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Entertainment’s POKEMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU
Please RSVP below
Friday, May 17, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ and Marvel Studios’ AVENGERS: ENDGAME followed by a Q&A with the Filmmakers
Panelists will include Visual Effects Producer Jen Underdahl, ILM Visual Effects Supervisor Russell Earl, Digital Domain Visual Effects Supervisor Kelly Port, and Associate Visual Effects Supervisor Mårten Larsson, moderated by VES Board member Jeff Kleiser. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, May 3)
Saturday, May 4, 2019 at 3:00PM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
This is the third annual VES Germany Members Meeting
at
Haus der Wirtschaft
Willi-Bleicher-Straße 19
70174 Stuttgart
The restaurant is located on the ground floor of the FMX venue “Haus der Wirtschaft” when entering to your left.
Drinks and food and friends are waiting for you!
Date: 1st May 2019
Time: 17:00
See you there!
This is the third annual VES Germany Members Meeting
at
Haus der Wirtschaft
Willi-Bleicher-Straße 19
70174 Stuttgart
The restaurant is located on the ground floor of the FMX venue “Haus der Wirtschaft” when entering to your left.
Drinks and food and friends are waiting for you!
Date: 1st May 2019
Time: 17:00
See you there!
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a Pre-Release Screening of STX Entertainment’s UGLYDOLLS
Please RSVP below
Monday, April 29, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
The Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood
6712 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028
Click here for a map.
Besides being an enduring motion picture classic, Mary Poppins was a masterfully creative and technical milestone for the Walt Disney Studio. We will be celebrating the visual magicians behind the scenes by sharing untold stories and a unique perspective of the film, its artisans, and their creative legacy. Joining our panel will be Tony Walton the film’s Costume and Design Consultant, Harrison Ellenshaw, son of Peter Ellenshaw, the film’s special effects and master matte artist, and Theodore Thomas, son of Frank Thomas, one of Disney’s revered nine-old men, and the animator behind the dancing penguins. For this special event we will be screening the 50th Anniversary Remastered Edition of the film.
** Click here to RSVP (You must complete the form and click “Register” to sign up) **
Join us for a VES LA Pub Night
Saturday, April 27th!
7:00-9:00pm
Arrive early & play the night away!
2 free drink tickets per guest (full bar on premesis)
Appetizers for the group & unlimited game play cards!
Dave and Busters Hollywood
Come out and socialize with your fellow VES members, exchange ideas, discuss favorite
(or not so favorite) projects, and maybe even challenge each other to a friendly game.
Dave & Busters is up on the third floor of the mall.
Look for us along the back, left tables
Parking is available in the Hollywood & Highland underground structure.
D&B validates parking for up to 2 hours at $3, then $6/hr.
We encourage ride sharing, and remind all guests to drink responsibly.
Join us for a VES LA Pub Night
Saturday, April 27th!
7:00-9:00pm
Arrive early & play the night away!
2 free drink tickets per guest (full bar on premesis)
Appetizers for the group & unlimited game play cards!
Dave and Busters Hollywood
Come out and socialize with your fellow VES members, exchange ideas, discuss favorite
(or not so favorite) projects, and maybe even challenge each other to a friendly game.
Dave & Busters is up on the third floor of the mall.
Look for us along the back, left tables
Parking is available in the Hollywood & Highland underground structure.
D&B validates parking for up to 2 hours at $3, then $6/hr.
We encourage ride sharing, and remind all guests to drink responsibly.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Annapurna Pictures’ MISSING LINK
Please RSVP below
Saturday, April 20, 2019 at 11:00AM
Linwood Dunn Theater at the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study
1313 Vine Street, Los Angeles, CA 90028,
(Free parking off Homewood Avenue, one block North of Fountain) Enter parking lot from Homewood Avenue, which is a one-way street heading east. Recommended to approach from south, via Cahuenga Avenue. Parking lot opens one hour prior to event, and will be closed and locked 30 minutes after the conclusion of the event.
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
Digital Collaboration with On-Set Prosthetics and Animatronics:
A VES Los Angeles Educational Event in collaboration with
Amalgamated Dynamics (ADI)
Wednesday, April 17th, 2019
6:30pm: Check-in & Refreshments
7:00pm – 9:00pm: Presentation and Panel Discussion
An enlightening presentation and panel discussion on the value of live, on-set prosthetics and animatronics work in the digital age, and how digital artists can work in collaboration with these cinematic artforms for even more effective creative storytelling; set in the midst of a fascinating museum exhibit showcasing the work of the artists of Amalgamated Dynamics.
Panelists: Tom Woodruff, Jr., and key members of his creative team at ADI
Moderator: Van Ling, VES LA Board of Managers
Venue:
The Hollywood Museum
1660 N. Highland Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90028
Limited Seating! RSVP today!
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Lionsgate’s HELLBOY
Please RSVP below
Monday, April 15, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Paramount Pictures’ PET SEMATARY
Please RSVP below
Friday, April 12, 2019 at 8:00PM
The Sherry Lansing Theater on the Paramount studio lot
5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038
(Please enter through the Melrose gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
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Drinks & Light refreshments provided.
Free with RSVP!
Please sign-up on this page, and bring a friend/colleague/student, or two!
Moderated by Alison Mann, VP Talent Illumination
Panelists:
Kaitlyn Yang, Co-Chair VES LA Section & Founder Alpha Studios VFX
Tanissa Schoen, Director of VFX Marvel Studios
Beverly Abbott, VFX Production Supervisor
Mariana Acuna Acosta, CPO & Co-Founder Glassbox Technologies
Heather MacArthur, Author Low Man on the Totem
Evelyn Cover, Global R&D Manager, The Third Floor
Shannon Justison, Sr Visualization Supervisor
Heather Flynn, Visualization Supervisor
Venue: The Third Floor
Sponsored by: VES Los Angeles, Women in Animation, The Third Floor
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ DUMBO
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, April 5)
Sunday, April 7, 2019 at 6:00PM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a 3D Screening of Paramount Pictures’ WONDER PARK
Please RSVP below
Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 3:00PM
The Sherry Lansing Theater on the Paramount studio lot
5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038
(Please enter through the Melrose gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to an Opening Weekend 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ and Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN MARVEL followed by a Q&A with the Filmmakers. Panelists will include Directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck as well as Additional Visual Effects Supervisor Janelle Croshaw Ralla, moderated by Bill Taylor, VES, ASC. (Panelists will be announced as they are confirmed.)
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, March 8)
Sunday, March 10, 2019 at 11:00AM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Weekend 3D Screening of DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures’ HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD followed by a Q&A with Director Dean DeBlois, Producer Brad Lewis, Visual Effects Supervisor Dave Walvood, Head of Character Animation Simon Otto and Head of Effects Li-Ming ‘Lawrence’ Lee moderated by Director Bill Kroyer. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
Saturday, February 23, 2019 at 11:00AM
DreamWorks Animation Studios’ Campanile theater
1000 Flower St, Glendale, CA 91201
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of 20th Century Fox’s ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL
Please RSVP below
Sunday, February 17, 2018 at 7:00PM
(RSVPs will close at 12:00PM on Friday, February 15)
Zanuck Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening of Warner Bros. Pictures’ THE LEGO MOVIE 2: THE SECOND PART
Please RSVP below
Monday, February 11, 2019 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
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Where: Google HQ, 5865 Campus Center Drive, Playa Vista, CA (Click here for parking information)
Ready to Step Into the Future?
Presenters:
Paul Debevec, Senior Staff Engineer at GoogleVR
Welcome to Light Fields
Paul will present Google’s latest breakthroughs with light field technology and discuss the making of Google VR’s award-winning VR experience, Welcome to Light Fields.
Ivan Neulander, Lead Rendering Engineer at Google
Rendering Google’s Playground
Ivan will present an overview of lighting and rendering techniques deployed in Playground, Google’s creative AR app for Android phones.
Moderator:
Scott Squires, Technical Academy Award-winning VFX Supervisor, CTO/Creative Director of Pixvana, a company dedicated to bringing VR experiences to life.
The event includes refreshments and VR demos after the presentations.
LA ACM SIGGRAPH & VES Los Angeles Section Present:
STEVE WRIGHT: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF COMPOSITING VISUAL EFFECTS
Steve Wright gives an in-person overview of VFX compositing techniques to those artists who RSVP to deepen their understanding of its critical role in visual effects.
Tuesday, January 8th, 2019
6:30 – 7:30 PM Social Hour
7:30 – 9:15 PM Program Presentation
Description
Join the members of the VES Los Angeles Section & LA ACM SIGGRAPH as we engage in a tour of the tools, techniques, and artistic requirements for compositing visual effects.
Demonstrations of how compositing is used for camera tracking, set extension, camera projection, blue/green screen keying, color correcting, tracking, clean plate construction, and multi-pass CGI compositing. Advance your knowledge of what compositors do and how they do it.
A rare look into the math and science behind the incredible technology used in Nuke, the de facto industry standard visual effects compositing software by the Foundry, coupled with demonstrations of its applications to movie magic in today’s blockbuster films. We peer behind the black curtain at how hi-tech visual effects shots are executed and what it takes to set one up with advanced concepts like Deep Compositing, Alembic Geometry, Camera Projection and CGI AOV’s.
Compositing now holds a high position in the artistic expression of visual effects as compositors are now required to not only make shots compiled from multiple disparate sources merge together photo realistically, but to also make them look “cool”. Compositors are now providing the final “look” to the shot with their blending of multiple cgi lighting passes and artistically driven color correction.
Presenter: Steve Wright
LA ACM SIGGRAPH & VES Los Angeles Section Present:
STEVE WRIGHT: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF COMPOSITING VISUAL EFFECTS
Steve Wright gives an in-person overview of VFX compositing techniques to those artists who RSVP to deepen their understanding of its critical role in visual effects.
Tuesday, January 8th, 2019
6:30 – 7:30 PM Social Hour
7:30 – 9:15 PM Program Presentation
Description
Join the members of the VES Los Angeles Section & LA ACM SIGGRAPH as we engage in a tour of the tools, techniques, and artistic requirements for compositing visual effects.
Demonstrations of how compositing is used for camera tracking, set extension, camera projection, blue/green screen keying, color correcting, tracking, clean plate construction, and multi-pass CGI compositing. Advance your knowledge of what compositors do and how they do it.
A rare look into the math and science behind the incredible technology used in Nuke, the de facto industry standard visual effects compositing software by the Foundry, coupled with demonstrations of its applications to movie magic in today’s blockbuster films. We peer behind the black curtain at how hi-tech visual effects shots are executed and what it takes to set one up with advanced concepts like Deep Compositing, Alembic Geometry, Camera Projection and CGI AOV’s.
Compositing now holds a high position in the artistic expression of visual effects as compositors are now required to not only make shots compiled from multiple disparate sources merge together photo realistically, but to also make them look “cool”. Compositors are now providing the final “look” to the shot with their blending of multiple cgi lighting passes and artistically driven color correction.
Presenter: Steve Wright
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Night 3D Screening of Paramount Pictures’ BUMBLEBEE
Please RSVP below
Thursday, December 20, 2018 at 8:00PM
The Sherry Lansing Theater on the Paramount studio lot
5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038
(Please enter through the Melrose gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Night 3D Screening of Sony Pictures Animation’s SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
Please RSVP below
Monday, December 17, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Pre-Release Screening Of Universal Pictures’ WELCOME TO MARWEN followed by a Q&A with Visual Effects Supervisor Kevin Baillie, Miniature Effects Supervisor Dave Asling and Production Designer Stefan Dechant moderated by VES Founders Award recipient Gene Kozicki. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
Sunday, December 16, 2018 at 6:00PM
RealD Screening Room
100 N. Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a Pre-Release Screening of Walt Disney Studios’ MARY POPPINS RETURNS
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 4:00PM on Friday, December 14)
Saturday, December 15, 2018 at 4:00PM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening of Columbia Pictures’ ALPHA followed by a Q&A with Director Albert Hughes and Visual Effects Supervisor Jeffrey A. Okun, VES moderated by VES Chair Mike Chambers. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
Monday, December 10, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a Pre-Release Screening of Universal Pictures’ MORTAL ENGINES followed by a Q&A with Visual Effects Supervisor Ken McGaugh, Animation Supervisor Dennis Yoo, Visual Effects Supervisor Luke Millar and Visual Effects Supervisor Kevin Smith moderated by VES Board member Jeff Kleiser. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
Sunday, December 2, 2018 at 11:00AM
(RSVPs close at 5:00PM on Friday, November 30)
AMC Century City
10250 Santa Monica Blvd #2000, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a 3D Screening of Netflix’s MOWGLI followed by a Q&A with Director Andy Serkis, Animation Supervisor Max Solomon and Members of the Visual Effects Team T.B.A. moderated by VES Board member Richard Winn Taylor II, VES. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
Saturday, December 1, 2018 at 11:00AM
(RSVPs close at 5:00PM on Friday, November 30)
Pacific Design Center’s Silver Screen Theater
(Complimentary parking in the PDC structure. Enter on Melrose.)
8687 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and a Guest are Invited to a Screening of Netflix’s THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WIND followed by a live Q&A that will originate from San Francisco. Panelists will include Visual Effects Supervisor John Knoll and Whiskytree Visual Effects Supervisor Jonathan Harb moderated by VES Board member Rose Duignan. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
Friday, November 30, 2018 at 8:00PM
Netflix’s Upside Down screening room
(This is a very small room, so please sign up only if you can attend.)
5808 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
(Please enter through the Van Ness gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Please tweet your questions after the screening in order to participate in the Q&A panel (which will take place in San Francisco) immediately following the screening. (be sure to include the hashtag, #VESWELLES, in your tweet.)
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a 3D Screening of Universal Pictures’ and Illumination Entertainment’s DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH
Please RSVP below (VES members must login to sign up.)
Sunday, November 18, 2017 at 4:00PM (Enter from Gate 1 on Lankershim Blvd.)
(RSVPs will close at 12:00PM on Friday, November 16)
Universal Studios Theater #1
4050 Lankershim Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a Pre-Release Screening of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET followed by a Q&A with Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Kersavage, Character Look Development Supervisor Michelle Robinson and Head of Effects Animation Cesar Velazquez moderated by VES Board member Charlie Iturriaga. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, November 16)
Saturday, November 17, 2018 at 11:00AM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Paramount Pictures’ OVERLORD
Click here to RSVP
Monday, November 12, 2018 at 8:00PM
The Sherry Lansing Theater on the Paramount studio lot
5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038
(Please enter through the Melrose gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Night Screening of Columbia Pictures’ THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER’S WEB
Please RSVP below
Friday, November 9, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of 20th Century Fox’s BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY
Please RSVP below
Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 7:00PM
(RSVPs will close at 12:00PM on Friday, November 2)
Blakely Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to an Opening Weekend 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS
Please RSVP below
Sunday, November 4, 2018 at 3:00PM
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, November 2)
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES members are invited to Infinity Film Festival™ (IFF) in Beverly Hills, November 1 – 4, 2018, with Title Sponsor RYOT and presented by Epic Games, Unreal Engine, and co-presented by D-BOX. Celebrating story advanced by technology, the festival’s 80+ advisors from the leading studios, talent agencies and technology companies invite you to experience unique moments in time through more than 75 hours of screenings, 30 technology exhibitions and over 100 industry-leading speakers from Hollywood, Silicon Valley and Silicon Beach. Networking opportunities and gala evening events include an Opening Night VIP Reception, in partnership with CTA, to feature the “CES 2019 Preview,” hosted at United Talent Agency.
• Screenings, Speakers and Exhibitions to be featured at The Paley Center for Media, the Writers Guild Theater and more
• November 1 – 4, 2018
• World Premiere Feature: The Restoration of “War of the Worlds” by Paramount Pictures Studios
• Blockchain programming by Greenfence
• Art + Museums programming by Sotheby’s
• Shorts programming in partnership with Audience Awards
• Animation programming by GLAS Animation Festival and Creative Capers
• IFF Tech Lab™ Presented By Epic Games and Unreal Engine (Makers of “Fortnite”)
• IFF Student Lab™ Presented by Presented by Chapman University and UT Austin
• Luxury Real Estate Partner: Hilton & Hyland
• Media Partners: Los Angeles Times, Variety, Fast Company, OUTFRONT Media, Regan Arts, TAG – The Awareness Group, Mashable, IGN, TechCrunch
• Cutting-Edge Technology Exhibitions to include: Sotheby’s, D-Box, Walt Disney Studios, Intel, Positron, Hologate, The Third Floor and more
• IFF Festival Headquarters: Phase Two
50% DISCOUNT FOR VES MEMBERS: InfinityFilmFestival.com
(VES members must login in order to see the discount code below.)
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Universal Pictures’ HALLOWEEN
Please RSVP below
Friday, October 26, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ and Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER followed by a live interactive Q&A with Writer/Director Ryan Coogler, Visual Effects Supervisor Geoffrey Baumann, ILM Visual Effects Supervisor Craig Hammack, Additional Visual Effects Supervisor Jesse James Chisholm and Special Effects Supervisor Dan Sudick moderated by VES Board member David Tanaka. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
Saturday, October 20, 2018 at 12:00PM
Frank G. Wells Theater on the Walt Disney Studios lot
(Please enter through the Alameda Gate East of Buena Vista)
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91451
Click here for a map
Please tweet your questions after the screening in order to participate in the Q&A panel (which will take place in San Francisco) immediately following the screening. (be sure to include the hashtag, #VESWAKANDA4EVER, in your tweet.)
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
Get your tickets now for the 2nd annual ANIMATION IS FILM Festival on October 19-21, 2018 at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood for one weekend of the year’s best in animation. The films in this year’s program include world premieres and retrospectives, studio previews and international indies, Oscar favorites and dark horses.
The Festival will present a highly selective showcase of the best animated films from around the world, plus red carpet, filmmaker Q&As, special events, receptions, and both juried and audience awards.
(VES members must login in order to see the discount code below.)
Get your tickets now for the 2nd annual ANIMATION IS FILM Festival on October 19-21, 2018 at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood for one weekend of the year’s best in animation. The films in this year’s program include world premieres and retrospectives, studio previews and international indies, Oscar favorites and dark horses.
The Festival will present a highly selective showcase of the best animated films from around the world, plus red carpet, filmmaker Q&As, special events, receptions, and both juried and audience awards.
(VES members must login in order to see the discount code below.)
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of 20th Century Fox’s BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE
Please RSVP below
Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening of Columbia Pictures’ VENOM
Please RSVP below
Monday, October 8, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Pre-Release IMAX Screening of Universal Pictures’ FIRST MAN followed by a Presentation and Q&A with Visual Effects Supervisor Paul Lambert, Miniature Effects Supervisor Ian Hunter and Special Effects Supervisor J.D. Schwalm moderated by VES 1st Vice Chair Jeffrey A. Okun, VES. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, October 5)
Saturday, October 6, 2018 at 12:00PM
IMAX Playa Vista
12582 Millennium Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90094
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
Let’s End This Scorching LA Summer with Some Fun!
Free with RSVP for VES Members and a Guest.
Member children 17 & under are free!
$25 in advance (through 9/28 at 5:00 PM), $30 at-the-door
Join DGA members and other industry professionals for learning and networking around the creative, technical and business issues emerging from new technologies. With panels, presentations, exhibits, hands-on demos and MORE.
Click here for more information and to register
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Universal Pictures’ THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS
Please RSVP below
Friday, September 28, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Annapurna Pictures’ THE SISTERS BROTHERS
Please RSVP below
Wednesday, September 26, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES receive FREE Passes to the 5th Annual UCFTI Expo
Connect and collaborate at the 5th Annual U.S. China Film and Television Industry Expo, Sept. 26-27 at the LA Convention Center. Hear industry experts discuss how to capture an international audience and hear how the latest technologies are transforming the global movie industry from VES members. Click here for more informatation about the program.
(VES members must login to see the code for free passes below.)
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of 20th Century Fox’s THE PREDATOR
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, September 14)
Saturday, September 15, 2018 at 7:00PM
(RSVPs close on Friday, September 14 at 2:00PM)
Zanuck Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Night Screening of Sony Pictures’ WHITE BOY RICK
Please RSVP below
Friday, September 14, 2018 at 8:00PM
(RSVPs close on Friday, September 14 at 2:00PM)
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of STX Entertainment’s PEPPERMINT
Please RSVP below
Monday, September 10, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Night Screening of STX Entertainment’s THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS followed by a Q&A with Director Brian Henson, Actors and Puppeteers Bill Barretta and Drew Massey, Visual Effects Producer Melissa Brockman, Compositing Supervisor Caleb Knueven and CG Supervisor Efram Potelle moderated by VES Chair Mike Chambers. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
This film is Rated R, and is not intended for children. Click here to watch the trailer.
Please RSVP below
Friday, August 24, 2018 at 7:00PM
Harmony Gold (complimentary parking will be provided)
7655 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening of Columbia Pictures’ ALPHA
Please RSVP below
Thursday, August 23, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Focus Features’ BLACKkKLANSMAN
Please RSVP below
Thursday, August 16, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
The Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood
6712 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028
Click here for a map.
In the wake of the STAR WARS phenomenon of the 70s, the 80s brought us the low-budget apocalyptic space opera — often in 3D — and generally from Roger Corman or Albert Band; such pictures as STARCRASH, GALAXINA, METALSTORM, and ICE PIRATES. The August screening of SPACEHUNTER: ADVENTURES IN THE FORBIDDEN ZONE is something very different.
Though featuring a galactic bounty hunter menaced by a mechanical madman (on a ruined world (of course), it is well written and directed, very well cast and acted (Molly Ringwald, Peter Strauss, Ernie Hudson) and boasts particularly imaginative sets by Jackson DeGovia, costumes by Julie Weiss, and visual effects by Gene Warren Jr. The Film Society will be presenting SPACEHUNTER in 3D on a silver screen specially installed for the occasion.
SPACEHUNTER‘s Emmy winning Production Designer Jackson de Govia, has had a remarkably eclectic career. He has designed such disparate films as DIE HARD, BOWFINGER, SPEED, FORGETING SARAH MARSHALL, THE 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN, and SISTER ACT among many others.
He is delighted to have the opportunity to discuss his early career adventure bringing SPACEHUNTER to the 3D screen. Joining Jack to discuss their work on SPACEHUNTER will be Costume Designer Julie Weiss (FRIDA, 12 MONKEYS, BLADES OF GLORY, AMERICAN BEAUTY), and visual effects legend Gene Warren Jr. (TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY, THE EXPENDABLES, MOONRISE KINGDOM, UNDERWORLD).
…more on IMDB ›
Moderating the discussion will be Production Designer and Film Society founder, John Muto ADG, Production Designer
Representing the ADG are Film Society Co-Chairs Thomas A. Walsh, John Muto, and John Iacovelli; and Debbie Patton, ADG Awards and Events Director.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening of Paramount Pictures’ MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT
Click here to RSVP
Sunday, August 5, 2018 at 12:00PM
The Sherry Lansing Theater on the Paramount studio lot
5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90038
(Please enter through the Melrose gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ CHRISTOPHER ROBIN
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, August 3)
Saturday, August 4, 2018 at 6:30PM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of 20th Century Fox’s THE DARKEST MINDS
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, August 3)
Saturday, August 4, 2018 at 3:00PM
Zanuck Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
Presented by the Academy Sound Branch and Academy Education Department:
Masters of Sound
Wed., July 25th, 2018 at 7:30PM
Sound is crucial to the telling of a visual story. In this clip program, a panel of sound experts will explore
the basics of sound design, editing, mixing and the preparation of sound for immersive premium
theatrical environments and formats.
Panelists include:
Teri Dorman, supervising dialogue editor
John Paul Fasal, sound effects recording mixer
Ai-Ling Lee, sound designer
Scott Millan, re-recording mixer
Dan O’Connell, foley artist
Lee Orloff, production sound mixer
Brian Slack, senior manager
Professional Audio, Xperi
Mark Stoeckinger, supervising sound editor
Karol Urban, recording mixer and co-editor of the Cinema Audio Society Quarterly, will moderate the discussion.
Tickets are $3-$5, available here
Samuel Goldwyn Theater
8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Click here for FREE parking information.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Sony Pictures’ THE EQUALIZER 2
Please RSVP below
Monday, July 23, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
DO… YOU… WANT… TO… PLAY… A… GAME? (or two!)
Join us for our VES LA Pub Night July 21st!
Dave and Busters Hollywood
6801 Hollywood Blvd #343
Los Angeles, CA 90028
Saturday, July 21st
7:00pm till…
Come out and socialize with your fellow VES members, exchange ideas, discuss favorite
(or not so favorite) projects, and maybe even challenge each other to a friendly game.
The first 25 VES members to arrive get a free game card!
Guests are welcome to join in the fun. This is no-host event.
Parking is available in the Hollywood & Highland underground structure.
Will your favorite movie or TV show be available to your children or grandchildren?
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Preservation and restoration are complicated and challenging issues. What should be saved? How should it be preserved? Who pays? How will future generations access media content from today and the past 100 years?
It would be impossible to cover every aspect of this topic in one evening. However, we have invited some of Hollywood’s best and brightest preservation specialists to describe what they and their companies are doing to protect valuable content…and what we can do to help.
This special event is a co-production of the Visual Effects Society Los Angeles Section and The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers Hollywood Section. Dick May, Anthony Magliocco of Entertainment and Media Technology and Linda Rosner of Artisans PR invite you to join us on July 17th at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Theater in Hollywood.
DATE: July 17, 2018
Time: 6:30 PM Reception, program starts at 7:15 PM
Location: Linwood Dunn Theater of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 1313 Vine Street Hollywood, CA
Planned Presenters include:
Jan-Christopher Horak – Director at the UCLA Film and Television Archive
Grover Crisp – EVP Asset Management, Film Restoration & Digital Mastering at Sony Pictures Entertainment
Andrew Oran – VP Large Format Restoration – Fotokem
Larry Chernoff – CEO – MTI Film
Theo Gluck – Dir: Library Restoration and Preservation at The Walt Disney Studios
Sheri Eisenberg – Senior Colorist Roundabout Entertainment, Inc.
All industry members are invited to attend.
The Cinema Audio Society Invites VES Members and a Guest are Invited to Attend a 4K Screening of THE MATRIX (1999) with the Newly Completed and Unscreened Dolby Atmos Mix followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.
The screening will be preceded by a reception with appetizers and a no-host bar at 5:30PM at The Federal, located at 5303 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601.
Click here to RSVP
Saturday, July 14, 2018 Screening begins at 7:00PM
(Reception at The Federal begins at 5:30PM)
Television Academy
5220 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601
(Click here for a map.)
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of Sony Pictures Animation’s HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION
Please RSVP below
Saturday, July 14, 2018 at 10:30AM
The TCL Chinese 6 Theaters at the Hollywood & Highland Center
6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
Click here for a map.
Complimentary parking vouchers will be provided in the Hollywood & Highland Center’s underground lot.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Night 3D Screening of Universal Pictures’ SKYSCRAPER
Please RSVP below
Friday, July 13, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Universal Pictures’ and Blumhouse Pictures’ THE FIRST PURGE
Please RSVP below
Monday, July 9, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ and Marvel Studios’ ANT-MAN AND THE WASP followed by a Q&A with Director Peyton Reed as well as Visual Effects Supervisor Stephane Ceretti moderated by VES Archives Committee Chair Gene Kozicki. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, July 6)
Saturday, July 7, 2018 at 5:00PM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
The Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood
6712 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028
Click here for a map.
Production Designer William Creber, nominated for three Oscars, is virtually the last of the Golden Age Production Designers. He is best known for his designs for PLANET OF THE APES as well as THE POSEIDEN ADVENTURE and THE TOWERING INFERNO, among many others.
Celebrating its 50th Anniversary as a science-fiction classic, PLANET OF THE APES garnered two Oscar-nominations and combines sensational high adventure, “thinking man’s” science fiction, and social commentary.
The film became a critical and commercial hit, and has spawned three sequels, a television show, a 90s remake, three acclaimed re-imaginings and a myriad of product tie-ins. William Creber’s sets for the original film, principally Ape City, set a high bar and have not aged a day in fifty years.
PLANET OF THE APES was scripted by Rod Serling, famed creator of THE TWILIGHT ZONE, and directed by Oscar-winner Franklin J. Schaffner (LIONHEART, PAPILLON and PATTON).
PLANET OF THE APES maroons three astronauts on a desolate wasteland planet. Finding their way to a lush valley they encounter a tribe of mute, backward humans just as they are suddenly attacked by fierce, rifle-carrying gorillas on horseback — a human hunting expedition.
Taylor (Charlton Heston), the lead astronaut, is injured in the attack; now rendered mute, he is taken to a nightmarish Ape City and thrown into a human zoo. Surrounded by apes walking upright and speaking English, Taylor is befriended by a sympathetic chimpanzee scientist — whom he hopes might help him escape.
…more on IMDB ›
A Conversation follows with Bill Creber (ADG) Production Designer and John Muto (ADG) Moderator / Production Designer
Representing the ADG are Film Society Co-Chairs Thomas A. Walsh, John Muto, and John Iacovelli; and Debbie Patton, ADG Awards and Events Director.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a Special Fathers’ Day 3D Screening of Universal Pictures’ and Amblin Entertainment’s JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM followed by a Live Interactive Q&A with Director J.A. Bayona, ILM Visual Effects Supervisor David Vickery, ILM Animation Director Jance Rubinchik and ILM Visual Effects Supervisor Alex Wuttke with moderation by VES London Section Secretary Gavin Graham (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
Sunday, June 17, 2018 at 11:00AM
(RSVPs close at 5:00PM on Friday, June 15)
Pacific Design Center’s Silver Screen Theater
(Complimentary parking in the PDC structure. Enter on Melrose.)
8687 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Click here for a map.
Please tweet your questions after the screening in order to participate in the Q&A panel (which will take place in London) immediately following the screening. (be sure to include the hashtag, #VESJURASSIC, in your tweet.)
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ and Pixar Animation Studios’ INCREDIBLES 2
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, June 15)
Saturday, June 16, 2018 at 6:00PM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Global Road Entertainment’s HOTEL ARTEMIS
Please RSVP below
Friday, June 15, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
The Academy Science and Technology Council Invites VES Los Angeles Section Members to attend
“Acting and Performance Capture: a Revolution in Technology and Collaboration”
Co-hosted by actress CCH Pounder (AVATAR) and Oscar-winning Visual Effects Supervisor John Nelson (GLADIATOR and BLADE RUNNER 2049), this special program offers an eye-opening, behind-the-scenes tour through the collaborative and rapidly evolving world of performance capture.
Click here to RSVP
Thursday, June 14, 2018 at 7:30PM
(RSVPs close on Monday, June 11 at close of business.)
Samuel Goldwyn Theater
8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Click here for FREE parking information.
To purchase tickets for non-VES member guests and for more information, click here..
*Due to limited ticket availability, please be sure to RSVP as soon as possible.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a 3D Opening Weekend Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ and Lucasfilm Ltd’s SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY followed by a live interactive Q&A with Overall Visual Effects Supervisor Rob Bredow, ILM Visual Effects Supervisor Pat Tubach, ILM Roto/Paint Supervisor Beth D’Amato and Hybride Visual Effects Supervisor Joseph Kasparian with moderation by VES Board member David Tanaka. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, May 25)
Sunday, May 27, 2018 at 12:00PM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Please tweet your questions after the screening in order to participate in the Q&A panel (which will take place in San Francisco) immediately following the screening. (be sure to include the hashtag, #VESSOLO, in your tweet.)
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
The Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood
6712 Hollywood Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028
Click here for a map.
As we look up toward the designers that inspire us as filmmakers and designers, we ask them what inspired them. This year, Production Designer Hannah Beachler (BLACK PANTHER, MOONLIGHT, CREED, LEMONADE) is in the spotlight and chose THE CONFORMIST as one of the films that inspired her to become a designer.
The film was directed by Oscar-winning Writer/Director/Producer Bernardo Bertolucci, and designed by Oscar-winning Production Designer Ferdinando Scarfiotti, best known for THE LAST EMPEROR, TOYS and LAST TANGO IN PARIS.
In THE CONFORMIST, Marcello Clerici (Jean-Louis Trintignant) is a member of the secret police in Mussolini’s Fascist Italy. He and his new bride, Giulia (Stefania Sandrelli), travel to Paris for their honeymoon, where Marcello also plans to assassinate his former college professor Luca Quadri (Enzo Tarascio), an outspoken anti-Fascist living in exile. But when Marcello meets the professor’s young wife, Anna (Dominique Sanda), both his romantic and his political loyalties are tested. Moderating the discussion with Production Designer Hannah Beachler will be Art Director Michael Allen Glover.
…more on IMDB ›
Representing the ADG are Film Society Co-Chairs Thomas A. Walsh, John Muto, and John Iacovelli; and Debbie Patton, ADG Awards and Events Director.
VES Members and a Guest are Invited to a Special Event Celebrating the Crafts of Netflix
For your consideration event
TIME WARP – Craft Panel Series
Netflix Talent Including:
A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS
Cynthia Summers – Costume Designer
Bo Welch – Director & Production Designer
ALTERED CARBON
Everett Burrell – VFX Supervisor
Ann Foley – Costume Designer
Neville Kidd – Director of Photography
Carey Meyer – Production Designer
GLOW
Todd Fjelsted – Production Designer
Beth Morgan – Costume Designer
GODLESS
Tarra Day – Makeup Department Head
Betsy Heimann – Costume Designer
Steven Miezler – Director of Photography
Carlos Rafael Rivera – Composer
Michelle Tesoro – Editor
LOST IN SPACE
Sam McCurdy, BSC – Director of Photography
Terron Pratt – VFX Producer
Jabbar Raisani – VFX Supervisor
Marion Spates – Digital Effects Supervisor
Angus Strathie – Costume Designer
Click here to RSVP
Sunday, May 20, 2018 at 5:00PM
(Doors open at 4:00PM, panel begins at 5:00PM)
Reception to follow
NETFLIX FYSEE
Raleigh Studios
5300 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038
(Click here for a map.)
Complimentary parking available at the parking garage at
662 N. Van Ness, Los Angeles, CA 90004
Check-in will take place at the Bronson Entrance,
guides will be onsite to provide walking directions
We recommend arriving early. The event is first come, first served and RSVPs do not guarantee seating as screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows.
~Paid for by Netflix~
This screening and moderated Q&A will be monitored for unauthorized recording. By attending, you agree not to bring any recording devices into the theatre and you consent to physical search of your belongings and person for recording devices. If you attempt to enter with a recording device, including camera phones, you will be denied admission. If you attempt to use a recording device, you consent to your immediate removal from the theatre and forfeiture of the device. Unauthorized recording will be reported to law enforcement and may subject you to criminal and civil liability.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of 20th Century Fox’s DEADPOOL 2
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, May 18)
Saturday, May 19, 2018 at 7:00PM
Zanuck Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ and Marvel Studios’ AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR followed by a Q&A with Visual Effects Producers Jen Underdahl and Lisa Marra, Weta Digital Visual Effects Supervisor Matt Aitken, Industrial Light + Magic Visual Effects Supervisor Russell Earl and Digital Domain Visual Effects Supervisor Kelly Port with moderation by VES Board member Jeff Kleiser. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, May 4)
Sunday, May 6, 2018 at 12:00PM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Night Screening Of Focus Features’ TULLY
Please RSVP below
Friday, May 4, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
Aero Theatre, Santa Monica
1328 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90403
GRAND HOTEL (1932) will launch the Art Directors Guild Film Society’s 2018 screening series with a spotlight on Cedric Gibbons, whose record 11 Academy Awards and 39 nominations include honors for SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952), AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951), GASLIGHT (1944), THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1940), PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (1940), THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939) and THE GREAT ZIEGFELD (1935).
Regarded by those that knew him best as the “Mercury of Hollywood,” Gibbons was the design trendsetter most responsible for bringing glamour and sophistication with a touch of surrealism to Depression-era audiences.
As one of Hollywood’s most influential executives, his four-decade tenure as Supervising Art Director at MGM from 1924-1956 (almost as long as the life of the studio) saw his stamp of approval on a record 1500 films. Dark and handsome, and always elegantly dressed, he was seen as an arbiter of taste and fashion and his career was closely followed in the 1930s by gossip columnists — particularly when he was married to actress Delores Del Rio. Gibbons was clearly the most influential Supervising Art Director of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
GRAND HOTEL takes place at a luxurious Berlin hotel between the wars where the once-wealthy Baron Felix von Gaigern (John Barrymore) supports himself as a thief and gambler. In this lavish adaptation of the successful Broadway play, the baron romances one of his marks, the aging ballerina Grusinskaya (Greta Garbo), and teams with dying accountant Otto Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore) against his former boss, crooked industrialist Preysing (Wallace Beery), and his ambitious stenographer, Flaemmchen (Joan Crawford).
Production Designer and Film Society co-chair Thomas Walsh ADG will moderate a discussion with Maria Cooper Janis, daughter of Gary Cooper and great niece of Cedric Gibbons. They will explore the legacy of Gibbon’s work and spotlight in the Golden Age of Hollywood socialites.
Director: Edmund Goulding
Stars: Greta Garbo, John Barrymore and Joan Crawford
Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons
…more on IMDB ›
Representing the ADG are Film Society Co-Chairs Thomas A. Walsh, John Muto, and John Iacovelli; and Debbie Patton, ADG Awards and Events Director.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening Of Paramount Pictures’ A QUIET PLACE
Please RSVP below
Monday, April 9, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening Of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Amblin Entertainment’s READY PLAYER ONE followed by a Q&A with Co-Producer and Visual Effects Producer Jennifer Meislohn, ILM Visual Effects Supervisor Grady Cofer, Digital Domain Visual Effects Supervisor Matthew Butler and Digital Domain Previsualization Supervisor Scott Meadows as well as Digital Domain Virtual Production Supervisor Gary Roberts, moderated by VES Board member Charlie Iturriaga. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
Saturday, April 7, 2018 at 12:00PM
Harmony Gold (complimentary parking will be provided)
7655 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of Fox Searchlight’s ISLE OF DOGS
Please RSVP below
Thursday, March 29, 2018 at 7:00PM
(RSVPs will close at 12:00PM on Thursday, March 29)
Blakely Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
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VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to an Opening Night 3D Screening Of Universal Pictures’ PACIFIC RIM UPRISING
Please RSVP below
Friday, March 23, 2018 at 8:00PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
Where:
Upload VR
4505 Glencoe Ave.
Marina del Rey, CA
(Free parking in the lot on Glencoe)
Thinking about working in VR?
The Augmented/Virtual Reality revenue forecast has been revised to hit $120 billion by 2020. Our panelists have made the transition to VR and want to share what they have learned about the process with their fellow artists.
Panelists:
Craig Barron, Creative Director of Magnopus
Mariana Acuna Acosta, Co-Founder of Opaque Studios, Founder of JoltVR
Richard Kidd, Founder of Perilous Orbit
Moderator:
Jeff Barnes, EVP, Light Field Lab
The event includes refreshments and VR Demos before and after the panel.
Registration
Free event
Registration is on a first come, first served basis.
All attendees must RSVP below
Events are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ A WRINKLE IN TIME followed by a Live Interactive Q&A with Visual Effects Supervisor Rich McBride and Previs Supervisor Chris Batty with moderation by VES Board member Lisa Cooke.
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, March 16)
Saturday, March 17, 2018 at 12:00PM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Please tweet your questions after the screening in order to participate in the Q&A panel (which will take place in San Francisco) immediately following the screening. (be sure to include the hashtag, #VESWRINKLE, in your tweet.)
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of 20th Century Fox’s RED SPARROW
Please RSVP below
Saturday, March 10, 2018 at 8:00PM
(RSVPs will close at 12:00PM on Friday, March 9)
Blakely Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a 3D Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ and Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, February 23)
Sunday, February 25, 2018 at 4:00PM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521
(Please enter through the Riverside gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and a Guest are Invited to a Screening of Lionsgate Pictures’ and Aardman Animation’s EARLY MAN followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers
Panelists will include Director Nick Park and Animation Directors Will Becher and Merlin Crossingham. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Click here to RSVP
Friday, February 9, 2018 at 7:30PM
(RSVPs close on February 7)
Harmony Gold (complimentary parking will be provided)
7655 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
Join Us FREE for the VES Showcase of Epic Games’ Unreal Engine for VFX: Building & Optimizing Worlds for Real-Time
Click here to RSVP for this FREE event
Saturday, January 20, 2018 from 11:00AM to 8:00PM
Gnomon — School of Visual Effects, Games, + Animation
1015 N Cahuenga Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Learn directly from the experts at Epic Games at Gnomon School of VFX on Saturday, January 20. Discover the fundamental concepts and workflows that drive real-time performance with two free masterclasses.
Covering how to build a better pipeline for Unreal Engine 4, the first masterclass will offer a comprehensive overview of the content pipeline; you will learn everything from working with larger teams, managing meshes, textures and working with materials, to essential skills for performance and optimization. In part two, the masterclasses continue with a look at the rendering pipeline in Unreal Engine, its terminology, and best practices for rendering scenes in real-time. Attendees will also see the all-important guidelines and profiling techniques that improve the debugging process for both CPU and GPU performance improvements.
Join Epic Games at the Gnomon Stage on Saturday, January 20, 2018, from 11:00AM. Complimentary brunch, mid-afternoon buffet, and closing drinks will be served. For those that can’t attend in person, please join us live from 12:00PM (PST) on Gnomon’s Livestream channel or via the official Gnomon Facebook page.
Event brought to you by 
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Schedule
11:00AM – 12:00PM: Registration & Networking with Complimentary Brunch & Coffee
12:00PM – 3:00PM: Masterclass Part One: Building Better Pipelines for Unreal Engine 4
3:00PM – 4:00PM: Intermission with Complimentary Buffet & Networking
4:00PM – 7:00PM: Masterclass Part Two: Rendering with Unreal Engine
7:00 PM – 8:00PM: Closing Reception with Complimentary Drinks
Guest Speakers
Martin Sevigny – Support Manager, Epic Games
As Support Manager of the Enterprise division at Epic Games, Martin Sevigny oversees a team of talented technical artists who assist licensees in reaching the highest quality results in their projects. Prior to joining Epic Games, Martin was the Director of Technology at WB Games Montréal. In addition to playing a key role in the creation of the studio, he contributed to three titles in the Batman Arkham series, in collaboration with Rocksteady Studios. Martin also worked for Autodesk in the creation of the games group, and at Ubisoft Montreal as part of the revival of the Prince of Persia franchise.
Homam Bahnassi – Technical Artist, Epic Games
A veteran technical artist and engineer in the games industry, Homam Bahnassi has more than 15 years of experience developing AAA games across a variety of platforms. He’s worked for several studios including EA and Warner Bros., and has had multiple publications and contributions in real-time rendering and art workflows published in ShaderX and GPU Pro books. His impressive engineering background in AI allows him to develop and implement novel techniques for generating real-time effects and procedural content in Unreal Engine.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening Of Columbia Pictures’ JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
Please RSVP below
Thursay, December 21, 2017 at 7:30PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a Screening of TriStar Pictures’ ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD
Please RSVP below
Tuesday, December 19, 2017 at 7:30PM
Sony Pictures Imageworks – Ray Harryhausen Theater
9050 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Los Angeles Section Holiday Reception 
Date: December 17, 2017
Location: Bayview Ballroom of the Marina del Rey Marriott, CA
Address: 4100 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, California 90292
Time: 4:30 to 8:00pm
Wine, soft drinks, and hors-d’oeuvres will be served. A cash bar will also be available.
Parking: Valet $15.00. Hourly parking across the street at “Mother’s Beach”
Dress: Cocktail Attire
Join the members of the Los Angeles Section and their guests as we celebrate the holiday season!
Enjoy music, food and drinks as well as one of the most spectacular views in the Los Angeles area on the rooftop ballroom with a spectacular 360-degree view of the ocean and Los Angeles. The event is centered on what should be a beautiful sunset. (weather permitting).
Here is a chance to have some great food, and wine and celebrate the season with your VES friends. Be there and you may win an amazing door prize.
About the Four Star Marriott Marina Del Rey: ranked #6 out of the hotels in Marina Del Rey on TripAdvisor!
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to an Opening Weekend Screening of Walt Disney Pictures’ and Lucasfilm Ltd.’s STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI plus a Q&A.
Panelists will include Writer/Director Rian Johnson, ILM San Francisco Visual Effects Supervisor Eddie Pasquarello, ILM Vancouver Visual Effects Supervisor Dan Seddon, Cinematographer Steve Yedlin, ASC and Editor Bob Ducsay with moderation by VES Chair Mike Chambers. (All panelists’ participation based on availability.)
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, December 15)
Sunday, December 17, 2017 at 12:00PM
Walt Disney Studios Main Theater
500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91451
(Please enter through the Alameda gate and park as directed.)
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Families are Invited to a Pre-Release Screening of 20th Century Fox’s THE POST
Please RSVP below
(RSVPs close at 12:00PM on Friday, December 15)
Saturday, December 16, 2017 at 7:00PM
Zanuck Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map.
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening of 20th Century Fox’s and Blue Sky Studios’ FERDINAND
Please RSVP below
Saturday, December 16, 2017 at 1:30PM
(RSVPs will close at 12:00PM on Friday, December 15)
Blakely Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
VES Members and Their Guests are Invited to a 3D Screening of 20th Century Fox’s and Blue Sky Studios’ FERDINAND
Please RSVP below
Saturday, December 16, 2017 at 10:30AM
(RSVPs will close at 12:00PM on Friday, December 15)
Blakely Theater on the 20th Century Fox Studio lot
10201 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064-2606
Click here for a map
Screenings are overbooked to compensate for no-shows. Seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. An RSVP does not guarantee seating.
WARNER BROS. PICTURES INVITES VES MEMBERS AND A GUEST TO
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10 AT 6:30 P.M.
SCREENING AND Q&A IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING WITH:
Screenwriter Michael Green
Editor Joe Walker
Visual Effects Supervisor John Nelson
Supervising Sound Editor Mark Mangini
Composer Benjamin Wallfisch
Composer Hans Zimmer
LINWOOD DUNN THEATER (1313 VINE STREET).
THEATER PARKING OFF HOMEWOOD. CORNER OF FOUNTAIN and VINE.
RSVP AT:
https://www.warnerbros2017.com/msmr/screenings/
Password: BR2049LADEC10
From director Denis Villeneuve comes “Blade Runner 2049.” Blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential
