The phrase ‘put your money where your mouth is’, is rarely put into practice. However, over the last few years, website kickstarter.com has bucked the trend by allowing generous and creative types to come together and put their money into projects that they genuinely believe in.
Flying Sorcery
You may remember this fake UFO clip made famous last year - naturally everyone quickly branded it a fake which it clearly was/is.
Break out of the Box with VFX!
I really like how Michael Rigley has used 3D in a very creative, non-conventional visual effects project for his thesis.
Photoshop goes (even more) 3D
Fans of 3D and users of Photoshop will be delighted this week, with the announcement that 'Photoshop CS6 Extended' is on the market, it allows you to create 3D shape text using extrusions as a 3D layer... "similar to CS4 Extended" I hear you say! But alas, according to this write up, we are told that this works far more 'natively', with 'the usability you’d expect from an integrated Adobe toolset'.
Animation Ireland
And how has this happened? Well a decade of tax breaks and investment basically. Tax breaks to aid production costs and funding for development prior to production from various sources. Very interesting given the impending tax breaks around the corner in the UK. Could this be a new dawn in film and broadcast for us here?
I was amazed by how many companies are turning out real quality work in Ireland. The tax breaks have not affected the passion for excellence. In fact I would say it has merely fuelled it - the companies are competing against eachother to produce the best work. And as the industry steadily grows there are now whispers of full length animated movies being made there.
If you are curious about what has been happening in Ireland check out the Animation Ireland showreel on their website...
Here's something you may not know. Ireland has a booming animation industry. No I didn't know that either until I went to the Cartoon Finance conference in Dublin last year. In fact the animation industry is doing so well, that in the face of the downturn, it has become one of their major exports. At the conference, it was quipped that the animators are now the ones with the proper jobs.
It's paper, but not as you know it...
Blown Away by Disney short 'the Paperman'?
Walt Disney shorts are always a treat for viewers. In fact I’d go as far to say that when going to the cinema to see a new Disney Pixar film, part of the excitement is the opportunity to see the preluding short that comes with the main feature
Too much Apple for Ashton Kutcher?
Ashton Kutcher has unveiled that he got himself into a a real pickle, taking on a method actors approach when preparing for his latest role in a film set to hit screens in April 2013, which will follow the life and times of Steve Jobs.
MPC bring the second series of 'Black Mirror' to life
Those who watched Charlie Brooker’s ‘Black Mirror’, were no doubt transfixed by the futuristic realism of the plots, and the creation of worlds that are uncomfortably similar to our own. You will have no doubt been impressed by the VFX (well, those that you noticed) that created the settings on which the plots to unfolded, and of course a considerable amount of the action!
A giant robot, loud music, and plenty of explosions, what's not to like?
The office here at Escape is usually bustling with an array of different musical sounds, and it’s rare we fully agree on what radio station to keep on for more than an hour and a half.
It's Superman, but not as you know it...
This project has amazed and dumbfounded us this morning, as a) We've had to deal with the whole concept of a Superman movie – directed by Tim Burton and starring Nicolas Cage, that never was, and b) We discovered that a documentary is set to be created, about this semi-mythical piece of film history.
3D Printing on a HUGE Scale!
Here at Escape Studios we are naturally, fans of most things 3D, and personally I find myself intrigued by the growing phenomenon that is 3D printing.
"remember, the Death Star’s power to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the force"
We’re well aware that this is rather old news, but what kind of film loving bloggers would we be, if we didn’t share a story about the United States receiving a petition to build an Empire Inspired Death Star?
Homemade Iron Man Laser Gauntlet!
So we’re all looking forward to the arrival of Iron Man 3 this year right?
2013, the year of the special effects film?
It’s no secret, here at Escape, we love special effects. For that reason, we are especially pleased that someone (Cinefex) has taken the time to find out what VFX clad films we’re set to expect in 2013/14, and compiled them into a succinct, chronological list for our (and your) perusal.
Home-made CG Speed bump!
Joy riders are a worry in many communities, and at a time of year when the icy roads have us all thinking twice about our speed, here’s a little bit of CG that lowers the speed limit.
VES Cinematic Color White Paper!
Cinematic Color: From Your Monitor to the Big Screen, documents current state-of-the-art practices for accurately working with color throughout the visual effects and animation process.
Jurassic Park 4!
Students who have entered the doors at Escape (and left as artists) draw their inspiration from a number of VFX pioneering films, many cite movies such as Blade Runner, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings, as the reason they wanted to master the art of VFX.
London's VFX Artists become Superheroes!
VFX fans and readers of WIRED magazine will have noticed a special feature in this month’s edition, as Soho’s VFX teams are made into super heroes by, well, themselves.
The Ultimate Metal Band
Being in a band can be testing, creative differences can get in the way, varying levels musicianship can stunt progression, and of course there are some nights where it just doesn’t come together on stage.