Cine Gear Expo proved once again to be Hollywood’s pre-eminent gathering for members of the top motion picture, video and new media community to see the latest industry art, technology and trends. This year did not disappoint the nearly 16,000 attendees. Highlighting the 2016 Special Screenings was Vittorio Storaro being honored with Cine Gear’s Cinematography Lifetime Achievement Award.
Composer John Williams was honored with the American Film Institute's 44th Life Achievement Award last week, in an evening filled with music and memories from his treasured collaborators, including J.J. Abrams, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. This marked the first time in history that America's highest honor for a career in film was bestowed upon a composer. The televised special, AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to John Williams, will air on TNT June 15 at 10:00 p.m., followed by an encore presentation on sister network Turner Classic Movies on September 12 during a night of programming dedicated to Williams.
A cat burglar offers advice on home security while invading someone else’s house in a spot introducing the security and home automation system Sage By Hughes. Directed by A Common Thread’s Eli Green for Colorado agency Victors and Spoils, the spot lends a comedic touch to a product category often promoted through fear. While paging through the owners’ books and lounging on their bed, the glib thief explains that his Sage system includes monitoring features that he can control from his phone, “which means I have more confidence to take out of town jobs, like this one.”
Digital destruction is Bottleship VFX’s sweet spot. From fiery explosions to churning waterfalls, the Bulgarian studio excels at crafting data-heavy VFX, including particle work and fluid simulations – feats accomplished in part through Thinkbox Software tools.
New York Women in Film & Television has announced the results of the 2016 board of directors election. As a nonprofit 501c3 public charity, NYWIFT is governed by an 18-member board of directors. Board members serve on committees in the areas of Development, Membership, Communications, Programming and Special Events. The board is elected by the membership. Six spots on the board have been filled, with four new members and two returning members.
X-Men: Apocalypse, the latest entrant in Twentieth Century Fox’s popular superhero franchise, features more time-bending magic from Australia’s Rising Sun Pictures. The visual effects studio contributed to several key sequences in the film, most notably an electrifying scene where Quicksilver (Evan Peters) uses his hyper-speed ability to rescue students from an exploding mansion. Quicksilver’s Rescue builds on a notable scene from the preceding X-Men: Days of Future Past where the character races around a Pentagon cafeteria to prevent security guards from shooting a trio of X-Men. RSP’s impeccable work in making pots, pans, bullets and water drops freeze in mid-air helped the film earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects.
Seeking to provide brands with an alternative to the traditional agency model, former Ogilvy & Mather executive creative director Tommy Henvey and executive producer Patti McConnell have launched Something Different. The new creative marketing boutique will leverage a lean and flexible business structure to provide brands with the thing that agencies do well—produce great creative—while avoiding pitfalls that cause work to bog down and cost too much.
Roundabout Entertainment has extended its high dynamic range mastering services by upgrading its DaVinci Resolve systems with the latest software release from Black Magic Design, version 12.5. The new software includes improved HDR grading controls that add to the facility’s ability to finish, grade and deliver theatrical, television and home entertainment projects in HDR. It also adds new tools for editing, visual effects and noise reduction.
Panavision has introduced the Millennium DXL Camera, developed through an unprecedented combination of three companies’ contributions: large format optics and modular accessories from Panavision, a brand new 8K sensor from Red Digital Cinema, and new color science and optimized workflow from Light Iron.
Universal Pictures premiered the restored 1929 silent film classic The Last Warning June 4 at the Castro Theater as part of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Directed by Paul Leni and starring Laura La Plante, The Last Warning is a dramatic horror centered on an unsolved murder during a theatrical performance and the revival production meant to solve the mystery. This restored version is a part of Universal's silent restoration initiative announced last year.
