News Stories

Disney Starts the Engine on Techno Action Thriller ‘Hovercar 3D’

11.18.2010

Apparently Disney is still high on the fast-paced action of light cycles from the forthcoming Tron Legacy as the studio has just lined up another high-speed techno action thriller. 24 Frames reports the Mouse House have been developing Hovercar 3D, an adaptation of a young adult book series from author Matthew Reilly. Apparently the property was picked up six years ago with the creators of Smallville behind the project, but development has started all over once again. Much like Tron Legacy, a relatively unknown director is being brought onboard inFredrik Bond, who recently signed on to direct Year 12, a new sci-fi action film. Read on!

The first book in the series sounds like another Speed Racer (which still makes me think that the Wackowski siblings film was ahead of its time) meets the  video game series F-Zero, but I’ll let the official summary do the talking:

In the world of the near future, the most popular sport in the world is hover car racing. Superfast and dangerous, its heroes are the racers: part fighter pilot, part race-car driver, all superstar.

But to get to the Pro Circuit, you must first pass through the International Race School, a brutal cauldron of wild races on even wilder courses, where only the best of the best will survive.

This is the story of Jason Chaser, a talented young racer selected to attend the Race School. He’s younger than the other students. He’s smaller. His trusty car, the Argonaut, is older. But Jason Chaser is no ordinary racer. And as he races against the best drivers in the world he will learn that at Race School winning is everything, that not everyone in this world fights fair, and that you never ever have any friends on the track.

Strap on your seatbelts and hold on tight because the pace of reading just went supersonic!

That’s pretty much right up Disney’s alley, and apparently the story and challenges in the series have been compared to Harry Potter, a good snag for the studio as the popular Warner Bros. franchise comes to an end. As for director Fredrik Bond, well you can get a good look at his work by checking out this collection of his commercials thanks to SlashFilm. He’s got some unique style, and he really makes a commercial easier to watch. He’s also been attached to director Hack/Slash and a remake of The Host for awhile, so he’s been waiting for his feature film debut for a little while now. If Bond can make a big splash at Disney in the same way that Joe Kosinski has been blowing minds with Tron Legacy, then he’ll have quite a career ahead of him.

by Ethan Anderton

source: http://www.firstshowing.net/2010/11/18/disney-starts-the-engine-on-techno-action-thriller-hovercar-3d/

Fuji TV Readies 3D Content for New Year

11.18.2010

Two New Series Prepared for January Slots / Sony Fuji partnership /

Fuji TV is producing Japan’s first 3D drama series as the network ramps up its 3D content for the New Year.

To be broadcast on one of Fuji’s cable and satellite HD channels from Jan. 19,Tokyo Control is to be 10 episodes following the trials and tribulations of the capital’s air traffic controllers.

Starring Ayako Kawahara and Saburo Tokito, a regular 2D version will be broadcast on another Fuji channel.

Fuji will also launch a new midnight Sunday 3D slot on its broadcast satellite BS Fuji channel that will feature sports, documentaries and music programs. It will begin with three specials on Jan. 1, 2 and 3, and then commence regular broadcasts from Jan. 9.

The series will be titled 3D*3D – pronounced sande sande – a play on the Japanese word for three (san) and the English word Sunday.

Sony is partnering with Fuji, Japan’s biggest network, to produce the 3D for both series.

by Gavin J. Blair

source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fuji-tv-readies-3d-content-47052

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Specification for Naming VFX Image Sequences Released

ETC’s VFX Working Group has published a specification for best practices naming image sequences such as plates and comps. File naming is an essential tool for organizing the multitude of frames that are inputs and outputs from the VFX process. Prior to the publication of this specification, each organization had its own naming scheme, requiring custom processes for each partner, which often resulted in confusion and miscommunication.

The new ETC@USC specification focuses primarily on sequences of individual images. The initial use case was VFX plates, typically delivered as OpenEXR or DPX files. However, the team soon realized that the same naming conventions can apply to virtually any image sequence. Consequently, the specification was written to handle a wide array of assets and use cases.

To ensure all requirements are represented, the working group included over 2 dozen participants representing studios, VFX houses, tool creators, creatives and others.  The ETC@USC also worked closely with MovieLabs to ensure that the specification could be integrated as part of their 2030 Vision.

A key design criteria for this specification is compatibility with existing practices.  Chair of the VFX working group, Horst Sarubin of Universal Pictures, said: “Our studio is committed to being at the forefront of designing best industry practices to modernize and simplify workflows, and we believe this white paper succeeded in building a new foundation for tools to transfer files in the most efficient manner.”

This specification is compatible with other initiatives such as the Visual Effects Society (VES) Transfer Specifications. “We wanted to make it as seamless as possible for everyone to adopt this specification,” said working group co-chair and ETC@USC’s Erik Weaver. “To ensure all perspectives were represented we created a team of industry experts familiar with the handling of these materials and collaborated with a number of industry groups.”

“Collaboration between MovieLabs and important industry groups like the ETC is critical to implementing the 2030 Vision,” said Craig Seidel, SVP of MovieLabs. “This specification is a key step in defining the foundations for better software-defined workflows. We look forward to continued partnership with the ETC on implementing other critical elements of the 2030 Vision.”

The specification is available online for anyone to use.

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