Mill Film has recently been awarded work on The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
Cinesite today confirmed that we have won a large contract for visual effects on the latest installment in the highly successful Chronicles of Narnia series, “The Voyage of The Dawn Treader.”
The Los Angeles Times reports that “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” has been eliminated from consideration for two Academy Awards: Best Visual Effects and Best Makeup. The visual effects finalists have been announced while as of this writing the best makeup nominees are not official.
No word yet on Best Song.
Read more at The Envelope.
In the Hollywood Reporter’s Oscar Preview series, they list The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian among the potential contenders for Best Visual Effects in a Motion Picture. This is an area that it has the potential to win, or at least get a nomination. The visual effects are seamless, and in many cases better than in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Other potential leaders in the category include The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which could be a leading contender with a CG face of Brad Pitt aging in reverse. There are also Iron Man and The Dark Knight, which combined visual effects designed for realism with compelling stories.
Oscar Nominations in January.
In its spectacular setting and storytelling, Prince Caspian proposes a unique blending of live-action and CG animation. So, Animated Views was anxious to talk with the movie’s VFX supervisors Dean Wright and Wendy Rogers about how they made the magical world of Narnia really take life right before our eyes. Both VFX wizards are no strangers to the company of Andrew Adamson, one having worked on the visual development of Shrek and the other having been part of the first chapter of the Chronicles.
But that’s not all about their respective credits!
Dean Wright’s been involved with motion picture VFX for over a decade, on such prestigious projects as Titanic, What Dreams May Come, Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, all Oscar winners for their innovative effects work. In fact, the Michigan native enrolled in the University of Arizona film school to pursue a career as a filmmaker. After completing his studies in 1986, he secured his first job on a western movie-of-the-week entitled Desperado. Relocating to Los Angeles in 1989, he soon landed work with one of the industry’s most prominent directors, James Cameron, on Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which went on to win the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. The rest is history…
And, as for Wendy Rogers, she has a background in both live-action and animation since she was involved in animated features like Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas and Flushed Away for DreamWorks and in Batman & Robin, her second Batman movie since she made her debut working at Pacific Data Images – now PDI/DreamWorks – (Batman Forever, Waterworld). A native of Melbourne, Australia, she majored in business studies as a student in Brisbane. She began her career in computer programming before segueing into graphic design and visual effects. She moved to the US in 1991 and first worked as a senior animator at PDI , where she first met another rising visual effects talent, Andrew Adamson (first working with him on Barry Levinsonʼs Toys). Her early animation and CG work includes such live-action credits as Oliver Stoneʼs Natural Born Killers and Brian de Palmaʼs Carlitoʼs Way, as CG supervisor on the epic Waterworld and as digital artist on Peter Jacksonʼs 1996 horror film, The Frighteners, before joining DreamWorks in 1997 on Shrek.
So, let’s move forward in time, 1300 years after the first chapter of the Narnia Chronicles, and discover a whole new world…of Visual Effects!
Visual effects supervisors aren’t normally what springs to mind when the word “dealmaker” comes up, but “The Chronicles of Narnia” probably wouldn’t have been the success it has been if vfx supervisor Dean Wright hadn’t struck a delicate arrangement between rival effects shops to work together on the film.
Wright and helmer Andrew Adamson reviewed test reels from a handful of vfx houses and narrowed their choice down to three finalists: Rhythm & Hues, Sony Imageworks and Industrial Light & Magic.
With CG characters so important in “Narnia,” says Wright, the choice was difficult, not just a matter of a low bid.
“We’re talking about casting the movie, because these houses were going to create characters that were going to work alongside our human cast. So it was a much more emotional question.”
Initially, they chose R&H to do the entire show. Then, even before principal photography started, it became clear the movie was too big for any one shop to handle all the CG work. Wright decided to divide the work.
He went back to Sony and ILM, but their bids were several million dollars high.
“I had to go back and talk to them and say, ‘I’m not trying to do a bidding war, but here’s the number I need you to hit.’”
Wright had to balance his own budget with the needs of the vfx houses. “If they’re not comfortable with the number and they have to stretch to reach it, it’s going to hurt you later.” He chose Sony, and when the show continued growing, ILM came on, too.
So all three finalists worked on the film, sometimes even all contributing to the same shot. It’s a rare collaboration, but the film nabbed an Oscar nom for its vfx.
The 78th Annual Academy Awards (the Oscars) Nominees were announced this morning, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was nominated in three categories.
* Achievement in Makeup
Howard Berger and Tami Lane
These are the first Academy Award nominations for Howard Berger and Tami Lane.
Up against: Cinderella Man and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
* Achievement in Sound Mixing
Terry Porter, Dean A. Zupancic and Tony Johnson
This is the fourth Academy Award nomination for Terry Porter. He was previously nominated for: Aladdin (1992), Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986). These are the first Academy Award nominations for Dean A. Zupancic and Tony Johnson.
Up against: King Kong, Memoirs of a Geisha, Walk the Line and War of the Worlds.
* Achievement in Visual Effects
Dean Wright, Bill Westenhofer, Jim Berney and Scott Farrar
These are the first Academy Award nominations for Dean Wright, Bill Westenhofer and Jim Berney. This is the fourth Academy Award nomination for Scott Farrar. He was previously nominated for: A.I. – Artificial Intelligence (2001), Backdraft (1991) and Cocoon (1985).
Up against: King Kong and War of the Worlds
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has been nominated for two Visual Effects Society Awards. One for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture and the other for Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Motion Picture, for the character of Aslan.
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Dean Wright, Randy Starr, Bill Westenhofer, Jim Berney
Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire
Jim Mitchell, Theresa Corrao, Tim Alexander, Tim Webber
King Kong
Eileen Moran, Joe Letteri, Christian Rivers, Eric Saindon
Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
John Knoll, Roger Guyett, Rob Coleman, Denise Ream
Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Motion Picture
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – Aslan
Richie Baneham, Erik De Boer, Matt Logue, Joe Ksander
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire – Dragon
Steve Rawlins, Eric Wong, Robert Weaver, Steve Nichols
King Kong – Kong
Andy Serkis, Christian Rivers, Atsushi Sato, Guy Williams
From the Rules: The VES Awards are not ‘just another awards show.’
Where else can we, as a community of visual effects professionals, come together to see the most amazing, stunning and excellent work of the year as well as the most subtle and beautiful work too, learn how we all did what we did, trade experiences, say hello to old friends and, most importantly, honor select peers with an award that is truly filled with integrity and meaning?
The point of these awards is to promote excellence in our art and craft by way of recognition where it is deserved. Not just visual effects supervisors – they have many other awards – but also visual effects producers, compositors, animators, models and miniatures creators, technical directors – virtually the entire field of visual effects artisans and craftspeople are eligible in one category or another.
The process by which we select both our nominees and bestow our awards is the most fair, thorough, egalitarian, honest and forthright of any awards program we know of. And that makes the VES Award even more meaningful.
Narnia Spy Ken sent us a report that The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has been nominated for three BAFTAs.
COSTUME DESIGN
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY – Gabriella Pescucci
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE – Isis Mussenden
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA – Colleen Atwood
MRS. HENDERSON PRESENTS – Sandy Powell
PRIDE & PREJUDICE – Jacqueline Durran
ACHIEVEMENT IN SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
BATMAN BEGINS – Janek Sirrs/Dan Glass/Chris Corbould
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY – Nick Davis/Jon Thum/Chas Jarrett/Joss Williams
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE – Dean Wright/Bill Westenhofer/Jim Berney/Scott Farrar
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE – Jim Mitchell/John Richardson
KING KONG – Joe Letteri/Christian Rivers/Brian Van’t Hul/Richard Taylor
MAKE UP & HAIR
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY – Peter Owen/Ivana Primorac
THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE – Howard Berger/Gregory Nicotero/Nikki Gooley
HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE – Nick Dudman/Amanda Knight/Eithne Fennell
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA – Noriko Watanabe/Kate Biscoe/Lyndell Quiyou/Kelvin R Trahan
PRIDE & PREJUDICE – Fae Hammond
One of the principal functions of the British Academy of Film & Television Arts is to identify and reward excellence in the artforms of the moving image. It achieves this objective by bestowing awards on those practitioners who have excelled in their chosen field of expertise.
In 1947, the Academy granted three awards. Today, more than one hundred awards are bestowed annually in the fields of film, television and video games. Our five annual awards ceremonies in London are as follows:
The Orange British Academy Film Awards
The British Academy Video Games Awards
The British Academy Television Awards sponsored by Pioneer
The British Academy Television Craft Awards
The 10th British Academy Children’s Film & Television Awards in association with Time Warner
The Academy has earned its position as keeper of the gold standard because its engaged voting body is a diverse, expert membership of industry peers. Each Awards process varies, but the coveted BAFTA mask is awarded to individuals via combinations of membership votes, qualified industry chapters and specially selected juries comprising industry practitioners who have reached the pinnacle of their profession in a variety of disciplines.
The BAFTA mask is regarded as the most coveted award among industry practitioners working in all artforms of the moving image.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Diaries: Part 4 – Sony Pictures Imageworks & Mr. Tumnus & More
In the final installment of VFXWorld’s exclusive production diaries, Jim Berney of Sony Pictures Imageworks chronicles the creation of more mythical CG characters, the Bombing of London and other environmental effects for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Includes a QuickTime clip!
By Jim Berney
Mr. Tumnus
We were awarded the show on a Friday, and on Monday, when I arrived in New Zealand, at the start of the second week of principal photography, I first met with Dean Wright to discuss how we were going to create the goat legs for Mr. Tumnus. We were actually working with Giant Studios, a New Zealand effects company, to collaborate with them on a combination of motion capture and animation. We did a test with James McEvoy, the actor playing Tumnus, who wore green pants with target dots on them during filming, and we found that if he could walk on tiptoes during filming, and still say his lines, that it made his body appear more believable as a faun. The first scene we shot with him was the first day of snow work at the main Narnia forest set at Kelly Park, where Lucy comes through the wardrobe for the first time. Giant had their motion capture cameras set up on that set, and basically the way it worked was we’d get the plate from editorial, we’d do the matchmove of the camera movement, and then we’d give the digital camera plate to Giant and they’d do the motion capture integration of the legs to the body. For the leg animation, it was about 90% of the way there, and then we’d do foot interaction, and all the hair, muscle and fur details, to really complete the shot. We were able to use a lot of James’ footprints from the shot to help line up the animated hooves in the final composited shot.
David A. Smith, digital supervisor, said, “I actually thought Tumnus worked better than I expected. It’s hard to put goat legs on a man; they’ve got to fit the photography that was shot. When Andrew first saw a few shots put together, he said it was amazing how quickly you dismiss the fact that it’s a human, you just see his legs and it’s all part of his character right here. Having seen the development, I didn’t have that same jump to the final product, but if I step back for a minute, you go, wow, that is good.”
[Click here for the rest of Part 4]
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