News Stories

Campanella kicks up ‘Foosball 3D

5.15.2011

Animated pic enters market at Cannes

[By John Hopewell, Charles Newbery, Variety]

Years in the making, Juan Jose Campanella’s animated movie “Foosball 3D,” his follow-up to “The Secret of Their Eyes,” is now being brought onto the market at Cannes, with Spain’s Film Factory tying down international rights.

Budgeted around $14 million-$15 million, “Foosball” is the biggest film currently coming out of Latin America.

But it’s far more than that: It combines the talents of Campanella, who not only directs but writes, and “Despicable Me” originator Sergio Pablo, who provides 20-25 minutes of animation via his Spanish studios.

Also, it’s backed by two of Spain’s biggest film-TV heavyweights — pic production powerhouse Antena 3 Films, run by Mikel Lejarza and Mercedes Gamero, and conglom Prisa, via Plural Jempsa, headed by Jorge Estrada Mora.

Put together, the talent and backing makes “Foosball” a new flagship for a Spanish world animation movie industry.

Set against a soccer background, the most international of sports, and being an animated feature, the least local of film types, “Foosball” clearly targets an international audience. It follows a boy who, with the help of table football figures that come to life, takes on a star soccer pro to save his hometown.

“Foosball,” said Estrada, “is a coming of age film with touches of ‘The Dirty Dozen.'” It is produced by Argentina’s Jempsa, Spain’s Plural-Jempsa, a Prisa company, and Antena 3 Films. Exec producers are Campanella’s Buenos Aires-based 100 Bares, Gaston Gorali’s Catmandu and Gustavo Ferrada in Spain.

Added Estrada, “We’re attempting to create an animation industry in Latin America, a 3D animation base that could be the seed of something.”

See the original post here:  http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118037012

Hatsune Miku Mega 3D Live Concert Takes Place in L.A.

5.15.2011

[Phil Lelyveld comment: see this post to appreciate what this is.]

[Press Release]

MIKU ｰ Festival 2011 and Anime Expo 2011(U.S.A.) will bring the digital diva HATSUNE MIKU’s First Ever 3D Live Concert Outside of Japan to the Nokia Theatre on July 2 for Anime Expo 2011 (July 1-4, at the Los Angeles Convention Center), with the official support and cooperation of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. (http://www.toyota.com/corollamiku/) and ANIME EXPO 2011 (http://www.anime-expo.org/).

This concert theme will be based on the ultra popular 39’s (Thank’s’) Giving Day held in Tokyo on March 9, 2010. SEGA Corporation will produce the high tech projected image and CRYPTON FUTURE MEDIA, Inc. will coordinate and supervise the production.

Further information about this first ever live in the US concert, related events and cool products will be posted on http://mikufes.com in English and Japanese.

For Press inquiries, please contact to press@anime-expo.org

Brought to you by:
MIKU ｰ Fes 2011
CRYPTON FUTURE MEDIA Inc.
SEGA Corporation.

See the original post here:  http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2011-05-14/hatsune-miku-mega-3d-live-concert-takes-place-in-l.a

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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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