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Saturday, December 09, 2017

MUST WATCH: First Trailer For James Cameron's ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL

While it's true James Cameron is sadly not directing ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL due to the AVATAR sequel commitments, he DID write the screenplay along with Laeta Kalogridis and Robert Rodriguez, the latter of which is also directing. Of course the whole thing is based on the graphic novel manga series GUNNM by Yukito Kishiro.

And this project has been percolating in Cameron's head for some time now as he did intend to direct this at one point. Only good things come from that. Hopefully, much of what he had dreamed up for the movie has been adopted by Rodriguez.

They have got an interesting take in the trailer, because you want to create lifelike beings, but at the same time reflect their artificial nature. I think they've succeeded. So far. Got. To. See. More.

The cast includes: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein, Jackie Earle Haley and Keean Johnson. I think Salazar looks great in this - so far so good with casting, though it's a very small sample size.

If you're interesting in staying on top of movie developments as we wait for release, here are their coordinates:
Official Site: http://AlitaBattleAngel.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/AlitaMovie
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/AlitaMovie
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/AlitaMovie

ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL opens on July 20.

Enjoy the first trailer!


Monday, November 06, 2017

THOR: RAGNAROK Is Hilariously Well Done... Except For The 3D

Well as they say, I have good news and bad news. The good news is THOR: RAGNAROK is absolutely hilarious and I love what they've done to bring in those laughs. No spoilers in this review by the way. 

There were some very imaginative jokes and gags in the movie - and I simply loved Jeff Goldblum in this!! Perfectly cast if you ask me.

HOWEVER (and it's in all caps) the bad news is the 3D conversion is quite poor at times, frankly. Mind you, the digital visual effects are all superb in 3D as they are rendered natively in 3D - but of course they don't rely upon post-conversion. But the converted optics? *Sigh* Put it to you this way, in the scene with Odin on the cliff fields, the grass is so lazily or cheaply converted that there are clumps of flat grass mixed in with the usual dimensional depth of the location. It was HORRIBLE. It was so bad that it took me out of the movie. These are errors that anybody can see and complain about, not more mundane aspects that I can pick out, or an stereographer.

Marvel, Disney and Stereo D / Legend 3D know better (they both contributed to post conversion). I don't know which conversion company looked after that one particular scene, but something is amiss here. Usually Stereo D / Legend 3D do an outstanding job with post conversion, but something happened - whether they ran out of time or budget. The grass issue was glaring, but there were other issues too, like miniaturization (Hulk in the arena from bird's eye view looked... puny). Ugh.

So, I find it hard to believe Marvel would skimp on budget for a movie they know will rack in the cash. I also find it hard to believe that Stereo D or Legend 3D would sacrifice quality either. So the only real thing left is that everyone just ran out of time. I can't explain it any other way. There mustn't have been enough time to complete all the conversion shots, and some things had to be compromised to hit the release.

If someone knows anything more on what happened, please let me know. This sort of thing doesn't belong in modern 3D movie making. Poor conversions belong with CLASH OF THE TITANS and certainly not with a new Marvel or Disney production. Clean this up.

Final verdict? GO SEE IT!! The movie itself was brilliantly done and one of the funniest Marvel movies ever made. If you can stand the glaring 3D errors (nothing headache inducing mind you!), then I still recommend a 3D screening because of the outstanding VFX shots.
 

Wednesday, October 04, 2017

Lauren Selig, Peter Martin and Roy Taylor Speaking At ON THE LOT AR/VR Conference October 13-14

Very cool upcoming conference for virtual and augmented reality in Los Angeles this month! I highly recommend attending based on the content and experts present here. Great job organizing this Jim Chabin and all involved!

Oscar Nominated Producers, Lauren Selig and Peter Martin To Give Creative Keynote At This Years “On The Lot” AR/VR Conference And AMD’s Roy Taylor To Present Opening Keynote Address

Additional Speakers Set For This Years Conference Include Aaron Luber (Google), Rick Champagne (NVIDIA), Ravi Velhal (Intel), Marcie Jastrow (Technicolor),
Wim Buyens (Barco), Bruce Vaughn (Dreamscape), Ted Schilowitz (Paramount Pictures), John Canning (PGA/NBC) and Mia Tramz (LIFE VR)

HOLLYWOOD, CA – Oscar nominated producers, Lauren Selig (American Made, Hacksaw Ridge), one of Hollywood’s most prolific creators along with producing partner Peter Martin (Waste Land) both early adopters of AR/VR media will give this years Creative Keynote: “Seeing Your Creative Become Reality” at “On The Lot.” Additionally, Selig and Martin’s joint venture V.A.L.I.S. Studios is a leader in creating immersive, experiential and holographic content. It was recently announced that Selig will be the new head of the VR Fund for IMAX. John Moon (Honda) to open “On The Lot’s” AR seminar with “Driving AR Forward.” The conference is set for Friday and Saturday, October 13-14 at The Lot studios in Hollywood.

Roy Taylor (AMD Studios) who serves as the VR Society’s Committee Chairman will present the opening keynote for the conference. Taylor is an industry-leading proponent for VR and manages VR partnerships with film, broadcast, gaming, academia, industry as well with Oculus, HTC/Vive and others. Taylor has had a multi-faceted career as a technology evangelist, content strategist and entrepreneur in both start-ups and established companies.

“Los Angeles has emerged as the worldwide home of Virtual and Augmented Reality. Hollywood has led the way in developing location-based experiences which have wowed audiences around the world,” said Roy Taylor, Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Head of Media and Entertainment, AMD Studios “So AMD Studios is delighted to once again act as a title sponsor of ‘On The Lot,’ VR’s most prestigious and important event.”

Aaron Luber (Google), Rick Champagne (NVIDIA), Ravi Velhal (Intel), Marcie Jastrow (Technicolor), Wim Buyens (Barco), Bruce Vaughn (Dreamscape), Tech Shilowitz (Paramount Pictures), John Canning (PGA/NBC) and Mia Tramz (LIFE VR) join the prestigious list of previously announced speakers Robert Stromberg (Maleficent), Jerry Zucker (Airplane!, Ghost), Tony Parisi (Unity), and Gary Radburn (Dell).

In addition to the aforementioned speakers, VR panels for this years “On The Lot” include “Creating Original Content in VR,” “VR Franchises,” “Discovering the Key to Monetization in VR, AR and Beyond,” “VR Education: Chapman University and University of Southern California,” and “Consumer Research with Magid Research.” Key panels for the AR track include “AR: Mixing Media with Reality,” “AR’s Growth Roadmap: Solving Real World Problems for Industry,” “The Studio View – Paramount Pictures Studios,” “Investing in AR: How to Power Your Growth,” “Making AR: Production, Process and Costs,” and “Monetization Models for AR.”

As part of the AR track, “On The Lot” has created “Meet The Investors,” a block of time on Saturday afternoon for guests with companies in their first year of business to prearrange one-on-one meetings with Venture Capitalists and top-level executives. This is a chance to pitch your business and get invaluable guidance.

“Our goal is to accelerate the business of AR and VR content in these incredibly exciting days,” said Advanced Imaging and AR/VR Society president Jim Chabin. “We know that financing will be as critical to success as great content, so this meeting brings both the investment and creative communities together to help activate new business relationships.”

For tickets and additional information about VR On The Lot please go to VROnTheLot.com. Discount tickets available for Oculus Connect attendees, all entertainment guild members (PGA, DGA, WGA, etc.), students (with student ID) and seniors (62+).
• Premier Pass - Professional Conference & Exhibitions: $569.
• Daily Pass $315.
• Saturday AR Program Track: $259.

About AMD
For more than 45 years AMD has driven innovation in high-performance computing, graphics, and visualization technologies ― the building blocks for entertainment, immersive platforms, and the datacenter. Hundreds of millions of consumers, leading Fortune 500 businesses, and cutting-edge scientific research facilities around the world rely on AMD technology daily to improve how they live, work, and play. AMD employees around the world are focused on building great products that push the boundaries of what is possible. For more information about how AMD is enabling today and inspiring tomorrow, visit the AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) website, blog, Facebook and Twitter pages.

About The Advanced Imaging Society and The VR Society
The Advanced Imaging Society and The VR Society were founded as a non-profit organization by major Hollywood studios and top technology companies to advance the arts and technologies of 3D, HDR, VR, AR and 360-degree content for professionals active in entertainment, media and marketing. Members include 20th Century Fox, AMD Studios, Barco, Cause Play/360 Ad Spots, Create VR, Dell, Dolby Laboratories, DreamWorks Animation, Factory 42, Fathom Events, Fraunhofer, Global 3D Media Holding, HP, Intel, Koncept VR, Legend, LIFE VR, LOOT Interactive, Lucid Dreams Productions, Lytro, MGM, Marvel Studios, Nokia Technologies, Oculus, Pixar Animation Studios, Royole Corp., Sony Entertainment, Sony Music, Stereo D, StoryTech, StreamTV Networks, Technicolor, Unity Technologies, Universal Studios, V-Nova, Virtual Reality Company, Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., and Xperi.

In addition, The Advanced Imaging Society and The VR Society have international chapters in the U.K., Belgium, China (Beijing and Hong Kong), Japan, New Zealand, and Canada.

# # #
VROnTheLot
TheVRSociety.com
Facebook: VR Society
Twitter: @TheVRSociety -- #VR
OnTheLot, #VRSociety, #VR, #AR

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

TERMINATOR's Sarah Connor Returns!

This production looks like it's firing on all cylinders! Not only is James Cameron directly involved (T2 was his last), but now Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (Terminator) are joining along with some new cast.

Says Cameron: "As meaningful as (Sarah Connor) was to gender and action stars everywhere back then, it’s going to make a huge statement to have that seasoned warrior that she’s become return. There are 50-year-old, 60-year-old guys out there killing bad guys but there isn’t an example of that for women.

We’re starting a search for an 18-something woman to be the new centerpiece of the new story. We still fold time. We will have characters from the future and the present. There will be mostly new characters, but we'll have Arnold and Linda’s characters to anchor it."

Tim Miller (DEADPOOL) is directing. Cameron is writing (along with a writing room that included David Goyer (BATMAN BEGINS, THE DARK KNIGHT) and Justin Rhodes, Charles Eglee (DARK ANGEL) and also producing.

With this latest news, I think the pedigree being presented for this production is perfect. It'll be interesting to see if Cameron and Miller shoot this in native 3D. I'll wager they will. Can't wait for this! I wonder if Michael Biehn is in line to join... :-)

Source: THR

Tuesday, August 01, 2017

Award Winning Weta Digital Ramps Up For AVATAR Sequels

6 Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects. 10 Academy Science and Technology Awards. 6 BAFTA Awards for Best Special Visual Effects. 6 VES Awards for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature.

Yep. Weta Digital knows what they are doing. Peter Jackson's sandbox builds amazing things and now they are ramping up for James Cameron's AVATAR sequels. With over ~$1 billion in production budget for AVATAR and the immense success that Cameron's films enjoy, obviously, his 4 sequels will command the best in the world at what they do. Enter Weta Digital.

Says Cameron: "What Joe Letteri and Weta Digital bring to these stories is impossible to quantify. Since we made Avatar, Weta continued to prove themselves as doing the best CG animation, the most human, the most alive, the most photo-realistic effects in the world. And of course, that now means I can push them to take it even further."

Can you imagine what surprises Cameron and Weta Digital have in store for us in these movies? A lot of time has passed. A LOT. Technology has improved by leaps and bounds. I can't wait to see what these guys have built and are building.

Source: Deadline

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Need A Reason To See TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT? It's Shot In Native 3D

Glorious native 3D. I can't wait to see TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT. To see this cutting edge technology in play once again. Yes, 3D conversion has come a VERY long way and I'm impressed with today's efforts from companies like Stereo D, Legend and Prime Focus to name a few, but native 3D holds a very dear place in my heart and mind.

Says Bay: "If I'm going to do 3D, I'm going to do it the right way. Believe it or not, I think we are the only 3D movie being shot native this year. All the rig people who own the rigs, they're like, 'Our business is done.'"

I hear the same thing, though to me native 3D is just absolutely breathtaking if done correctly. James Cameron knows it. Ang Lee knows it. Martin Scorsese knows it. Michael Bay knows it.

If you will recall, I called on Michael on whether he was going to shoot Transformers 3 in 3D back in the day - before he was involved with the format. I like to think I pushed him a bit toward ultimately becoming one of native 3D's strongest voices... ahhh, but clearly he makes his own mind up :-)

I smile to hear him say, "It's like a curve, it gets more intense, then it comes back down. A little higher, a little lower, where your brain gets a rest. But all that's got to be sculpted. It's about intensity and energy and intimacy and then composition and movement."

I smile because that is so bang-on. That he obviously gets it. That he's come a long way to be at the point he is now.

So yes, TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT is shot in native 3D, mixing Arri Alexa 65's and Red Dragon's with anamorphic and Hawk lenses. Still, up to 20% of the movie may be post-converted to 3D due to the intimate nature of the shots. We all know what the TRANSFORMERS franchise is all about - epic, visual grandeur. It always has been. And I for one, can't wait to see this native 3D epic in all its glory.

The sad reality seems to be that theatrical native 3D has had its glory days. But, it's now moving more into virtual reality. So too will MarketSaw evolve into the VR space, with some very cool announcements coming up. I'm working on a very special project that is in stealth right now, but I'll have more soon for you. The good news is, stereoscopic 3D is still very much alive and evolving into cool new technologies.

Quotes Source: FilmJournal


Wednesday, May 24, 2017

MUST WATCH: Final Trailer For Luc Besson's VALERIAN

Wow, this is looking spectacular! We all know what Luc Besson is capable of and so expectations are high for VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS - the kicker is, it looks like the expectations are solid with this final trailer.

I just hope the movie delivers an amazing story to justify all the sights and sounds. Seriously, it looks amazing. Valerian stars Cara Delevingne, Dane DeHaan, Clive Owen, Ethan Hawke, Rihanna and Mathieu Kassovits.

See it in RealD 3D.

Here's the movie's storyline:
VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS is the visually spectacular new adventure film from Luc Besson, the legendary director of Leon, The Fifth Element and Lucy, based on the ground-breaking comic book series which inspired a generation of artists, writers and filmmakers.

In the 28th century, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are a team of special operatives charged with maintaining order throughout the human territories. Under assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two embark on a mission to the astonishing city of Alpha—an ever-expanding metropolis where species from all over the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence and cultures with each other. There is a mystery at the center of Alpha, a dark force which threatens the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets, and Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the marauding menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe.

VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS opens on July 21 in North America.

Tuesday, May 02, 2017

Both GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Movies Shown Back To Back in 3D!!

Guys - here's some news sent to me that you might want to take advantage of - AND - get some cool collectibles. Enjoy GOTG2 - I know I'll be first in line!

REALD CREATES EXCLUSIVE 3D DOUBLE FEATURE FAN EVENT ALLOWING MOVIEGOERS A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME CHANCE TO SEE MARVEL STUDIOS’ GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 ALONG WITH THE ORIGINAL GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY AT SELECT THEATERS ON THURSDAY, MAY 4 NATIONWIDE

Los Angeles, CA – May 2, 2017- RealD, the world’s biggest 3D company has joined forces with some of the nation’s largest theater chains to offer a once-in-a-lifetime 3D double feature of Marvel Studios’ original Guardians of the Galaxy as well as the brand-new Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, exclusively at RealD 3D-equipped theaters. The special double feature screenings will be offered on Thursday afternoon May 4 nationwide at more than 550 locations only in RealD, it was announced today by Travis Reid, President of Worldwide Cinema and Chief Operating Officer for RealD.

Guests who participate in the special fan event will receive an exclusive mini poster and a set of souvenir collectible buttons while supplies last. Participating exhibitors include some of the nation’s largest theater circuits, among them AMC Theatres, Cinemark, Cineplex, National Amusements, and Regal Cinemas. For a list of theaters playing the 3D double feature, visit http://reald.com/#/movies/gotgdoublefeature

“The visuals in the Guardians of the Galaxy universe are stunning and the movies are even more spectacular in RealD 3D. We wanted to create a fan experience as epic as the movies and we can’t think of a better way to get fans excited for the new film than to offer an exclusive double feature event and a chance to experience both Guardians of the Galaxy films back-to-back in 3D,” said Reid.

As the world’s leading 3D cinema system, no company has been more instrumental in perfecting, promoting or providing premium quality 3D experiences to audiences worldwide than RealD.


ABOUT REALD INC.
Globally recognized as the world’s visual technology leader, RealD pioneered digital 3D cinema and today has the world's largest 3D cinema platform. RealD’s dominant market share is comprised of a network of theatres that include more than 29,000 installed screens with a backlog of 3,000 additional contracted installations in 72 countries with over 1,200 exhibition partners. RealD is the world’s preeminent 3D brand, with well over 2 billion people having experienced a movie in RealD 3D.

ABOUT MARVEL STUDIOS’ GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2
Set to the all-new sonic backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is written and directed by James Gunn and stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, featuring Vin Diesel as Baby Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Tommy Flanagan, Laura Haddock, with Sylvester Stallone, and Kurt Russell. Kevin Feige is producing, and Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Jonathan Schwartz, Nikolas Korda and Stan Lee are the executive producers. Marvel Studios’

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” blasts into theaters on May 5, 2017.



Thursday, March 30, 2017

Joss Whedon Jumps Ship To DC With BATGIRL

Well, this is an interesting development and it may delineate a somewhat troubled Warner Bros past with DC, and a new dawn of justice for the DC universe (you see what I did there?).

Joss Whedon is jumping from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to DC with the first ever BATGIRL tentpole. Whedon will write, produce and direct the movie which bodes extremely well for its likely success.

I'm at Cinemacon where DC showed off clips from WONDER WOMAN, AQUAMAN (concept art) and JUSTICE LEAGUE and I can't help but think that BATGIRL could be a carnivorous property, diluting the BATMAN brand. Personally, I've never enjoyed these spinoffs in the comics either - Marvel or DC. It just seems to be uncreative.

Enter Whedon. If anyone can change my mind it's him. He obviously has got some sort of concept in mind that will blow our socks off, so I am officially intrigued.

No other word on others being attached. More when I get it!

Source: Variety

Saturday, March 25, 2017

First JUSTICE LEAGUE Trailer Drops!

I'm in Vegas in advance of Cinemacon next week and I'm excited about what's happening here on other fronts. I should be in a position to talk about something soon. Cryptic I know!

Meanwhile, the first trailer for JUSTICE LEAGUE is finally here and while the action and visuals look amazing, and seeing all those characters on the screen together is fascinating, I'm left with worry that there is no story and character development, including the villain.

I'm most intrigued with Wonder Woman and Aquaman, and the fun they can have with The Flash. Also thinking about when Superman makes his appearance in the movie.

However, my instincts tell me that JUSTICE LEAGUE may not deliver that ensemble movie we've been waiting for since Marvel's THE AVENGERS. Whedon pulled off an amazing feat of weaving characters, plot, development and at the same time feeding a franchise toward the Infinity War. While I don't want a photocopy, I hope they can deliver here with these beloved characters.

Here's the movie's storyline:
Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

JUSTICE LEAGUE is slated for a November release.



Friday, March 10, 2017

First AVATAR Sequel Not Happening In 2018 - No Firm Date Set

Want the good news or the bad news? Bad news? Ok. The first sequel to the record-breaking James Cameron opus AVATAR will not be released in 2018.

James Cameron: "Well, 2018 is not happening. We haven’t announced a firm release date. What people have to understand is that this is a cadence of releases. So we’re not making Avatar 2. We’re making Avatar 2, 3, 4 and 5. It’s an epic undertaking. It’s not unlike building the Three Gorges dam. (Laughs) So I know where I’m going to be for the next eight years of my life. It’s not an unreasonable time frame if you think about it. It took us four-and-a-half years to make one movie and now we’re making four. We’re full tilt boogie right now. This is my day job and pretty soon we’ll be 24-7. We’re pretty well designed on all our creatures and sets. It’s pretty exciting stuff. I wish I could share with the world. But we have to preserve a certain amount of showmanship and we’re going to draw that curtain when the time is right."

The good news is Cameron and his team are going full bore now. It takes a tremendous amount of work to get even one movie of this scope made, let alone four of them concurrently. Cameron is now keyed in. Once they hit 24-7 as he says, we'll see some amazing progress.

The delay doesn't surprise me, but now that the wheels are in motion and barring any technological problems we should see their next date stick. Sure it's disappointing to hear of further delays but we all want amazing movies. I'm sure we'll get that. Stay tuned.

Source: Toronto Star

Monday, February 27, 2017

MUST WATCH: Final Trailer For KONG: SKULL ISLAND

I have a soft spot for this magnificent creature ever since seeing KING KONG as my first theatrical movie experience in 1976 (I did see WESTWORLD at the drive-in at a younger age). I was thoroughly thrilled and I truly hope there are some out there that are making KONG: SKULL ISLAND their first cinema experience too. I was hooked on movies ever since. Kong makes an impression, let me tell you.

And the tradition continues. Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures is going all out with this production and their final trailer for KONG: SKULL ISLAND is no exception. Honestly, I didn't want to visually spoil more of the movie for myself but what it did really, was amplify my need to see this on the biggest 3D screen possible! You've got to see this in all its glory. Prime Focus is the 3D conversion company of record.

Here's the movie's storyline:
When a scientific expedition to an uncharted island awakens titanic forces of nature, a mission of discovery becomes an explosive war between monster and man. Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, John Goodman and John C. Reilly star in a thrilling and original new adventure that reveals the untold story of how Kong became King.

Interact:
http://kongskullislandmovie.com
https://www.facebook.com/KongSkullIsland
https://twitter.com/KongSkullIsland
http://instagram.com/KongSkullIslandMovie

KONG: SKULL ISLAND opens on March 10. My ticket is already acquired :-)


Monday, February 20, 2017

Fantastic Week At The Advanced Imaging Society and VR Society Lumiere Awards!

Dignitaries on the red carpet, including Jim Chabin, Ed Bedley Jr., Ivan Reitman, Jon Favreau and Roy Taylor
The Advanced Imaging Society and VR Society held their 8th annual Lumiere awards last week and year after year they always seem to one up the previous! This year was no exception at the completely filled venue at the Stephen J. Ross Theater on the Warner Bros. Studios' backlot.

I was blown away by the VR (virtual reality) demonstrations that were set up for attendees to try. Simply amazing content and we've only just begun in the space! Trust me, if you haven't seen some of these cinematic VR experiences - do it. And the Google Tilt Brush was the icing on the cake. Again - you have to experience VR to appreciate it. No amount of hype or traditional media will probably prepare you for it. You just have to try it!

Native 3D Wizards Ben Gervais and Demetri Portelli
On the Advanced Imaging Side of things, I have to make special mention of Ang Lee's BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK. The native 3D team of Demetri Portelli and Ben Gervais continues to lead the world by example with their superlative work in native 3D (shot optically - not converted in post). It is a technological first for cinema with its first ever use of combined 3D, 4K, 120fps framerate, but more importantly - it works. Another masterpiece for Ang Lee. A Lumiere well earned for Demetri and Ben!

Further, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the stellar 3D conversion and visual effects in Marvel's DOCTOR STRANGE. You know what I mean don't you? That astral plane projection scene - or the folding city scenes? Jaw dropping! Congratulations to Marvel Studios on your Lumiere.

I'm proud to be a recipient of Lumiere for last year's 40 BELOW AND FALLING (with an amazing crew and team) and honored to vote for this year's group of hopefuls. Let's take a look at the category nominees and winners:

3D Feature – Live Action
Assassin’s Creed – 20th Century Fox
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Warner Bros.
WINNER: Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – Sony Pictures Entertainment
Captain America: Civil War – Marvel Studios
Doctor Strange – Marvel Studios
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Warner Bros.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – 20th Century Fox
Rogue One – Walt Disney Studios
Star Trek Beyond – Paramount Pictures
Suicide Squad – Warner Bros.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – Paramount Pictures
The BFG – Walt Disney Studios
The Legend of Tarzan – Warner Bros.

Stereography – Live Action
Assassin’s Creed – 20th Century Fox
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Warner Bros.
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – Sony Pictures Entertainment
Captain America: Civil War – Marvel Studios
WINNER: Doctor Strange – Marvel Studios
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Warner Bros.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – 20th Century Fox
Rogue One – Walt Disney Studios
Star Trek Beyond – Paramount Pictures
Suicide Squad – Warner Bros.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – Paramount Pictures
The BFG – Walt Disney Studios
The Legend of Tarzan – Warner Bros.

Packed house at the 2017 Lumieres - Jon Favreau seated at left; Ed Begley Jr. seated at right (Photo credit unknown)
3D Feature – Animated
Finding Dory – Pixar
Ice Age: Collision Course – 20th Century Fox
Kubo and the Two Strings – Focus Features
Kung Fu Panda 3 – DreamWorks Animation
Moana – Walt Disney Studios
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter – Sony Pictures
Sing – Universal Pictures
Storks – Warner Bros.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – Paramount
The Angry Birds Movie – Sony Pictures
The Great Wall – Universal Pictures
The Legend of Tarzan – Warner Bros.
The Secret Life of Pets – Universal Pictures
Trolls – DreamWorks Animation
WINNER: Zootopia – Walt Disney Studios

Stereography – Animated
Finding Dory – Pixar
Ice Age: Collision Course – 20th Century Fox
WINNER: Kubo and the Two Strings – Focus Features
Kung Fu Panda 3 – DreamWorks Animation
Moana – Walt Disney Studios
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter – Sony Pictures
Sing – Universal Pictures
Storks – Warner Bros.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – Paramount Pictures
The Angry Birds Movie – Sony Pictures
The Great Wall – Universal Pictures
The Legend of Tarzan – Warner Bros.
The Secret Life of Pets – Universal Pictures
Trolls – DreamWorks Animation
Zootopia – Walt Disney Studios

Outstanding Use of 2D to 3D Conversion
Assassin’s Creed – 20th Century Fox
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice – Warner Bros.
Captain America: Civil War – Marvel Studios
Doctor Strange – Marvel Studios
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Warner Bros.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – 20th Century Fox
WINNER: Rogue One – Walt Disney Studios
Star Trek Beyond – Paramount Pictures
Suicide Squad – Warner Bros.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows – Paramount Pictures
The BFG – Walt Disney Studios
The Legend of Tarzan – Warner Bros.

3D Short
Panda Paws – DreamWorks Animation
Piper – Pixar
The Early Hatchling Gets the Worm – Rovio Entertainment
WINNER: Inner Workings – Walt Disney Animation Studios

High Dynamic Range – Live Action
10 Cloverfield Lane – Paramount Pictures
13 Hours – The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi – Paramount Pictures
Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass – Walt Disney Pictures
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice – Warner Bros.
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – Sony Pictures Entertainment
Captain America: Civil War – Marvel Studios & Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Deadpool – 20th Century Fox
Deepwater Horizon – Lionsgate
Doctor Strange – Walt Disney Studios
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Warner Bros.
For A Few Bullets – Wanda Pictures
Force 2 – Viacom 18
Hardcore Henry – STX
Independence Day: Resurgence – 20th Century Fox
Inferno – Sony Pictures Entertainment
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back – Paramount
L.O.R.D (Legend of Ravaging Dynasties) – LeVision
La La Land – Lionsgate
WINNER: Live By Night – Warner Bros.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – 20th Century Fox
Now You see Me 2 – Lionsgate
Pete’s Dragon – Walt Disney Studios
Star Trek 3: Beyond – Paramount
Suicide Squad – Warner Bros.
The BFG – Walt Disney Studios
The Divergent Series: Allegiant PT.1 – Lionsgate
The Jungle Book – Walt Disney Pictures
The Legend of Tarzan – Warner Bros.
Warcraft – Legendary Pictures & Universal Pictures
X-Men Apocalypse – 20th Century Fox

High Dynamic Range – Animated
WINNER: Finding Dory – Walt Disney Studios
Ice Age Collision Course – 20th Century Fox
Kubo and the Two Strings – Universal Studios
Moana – Walt Disney Studios
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of The Shadows – Paramount
Zootopia – Walt Disney Studios

Virtual Reality Categories

VR – Gaming
A Chair in the Room: Greenwater – Wolf & Wood
Accounting – Squanchtendo with Crows Crows Crows
Batman: Arkham VR – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Battlezone – Rebellion Developments
Chronos – Gunfire Games
Eve: Valkyrie – CCP Games
WINNER: Job Simulator – Owlchemy Labs
Raw Data – Survios
Space Pirate Trainer – I-Illusions
Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One X-Wing VR Mission – DICE & Criterion Games
The Gallery – Episode 1 Call of the Starseed – Cloudhead Games
The Lab – Valve Corporation

VR – Film Experience
Fantastic Beasts – Warner Bros., Google, Framestore VR Studio
WINNER: Ghostbusters VR Experience – Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Void
Star Wars: Trial on Tatooine – ILMxLAB
Suicide Squad: Special Ops VR – Warner Bros., Mob Scene & Atlas Entertainment, MPC VR & Legend 3D
The Jungle Book – Through Mowgli’s Eyes Part 1: Trust in Me – Walt Disney Studios & Tangerine Apps
The Martian VR Experience – 20th Century Fox, Fox Innovation Lab, RSA Films, The Virtual Reality Company

VR – Animation & CGI
Allumette – Penrose Studios
Apollo 11 VR Experience – Immersive VR Education
WINNER: Dear Angelica – Oculus Story Studio
Gnomes and Goblins – Jon Favreau, Wevr, Reality One
Grace – MacInnes Scott
Home: A VR Spacewalk – BBC & REWIND
Pearl – Google Spotlight Series
The Night Cafe: A VR Tribute to Vincent Van Gogh – Borrowed Light Studios
The Starry Night – Shanghai Media Group
theBlu – Wevr
Volt: Chain City – Vive Studios
Wide Awake President Trump VR Experience – MacInnes Scott

VR – Live Action
A Challenge – Brigantine Films
Cirque du Soleil, KÀ – Felix & Paul Studios
Knives – Adam Cosco
My Brother’s Keeper – PBS Digital Studios
WINNER: Nomads: Sea Gypsies – Felix & Paul Studios
Perspective Ch. 2: The Misdemeanor – Specular Theory & Rose Troche
The Harvest – Chapman University & AMD
The Mule – Dark Corner Studios
Through the Ages: President Obama Celebrates Americas National Parks – Felix & Paul Studios
VR Noir: A Day Before the Night – StartVR

VR – Episodic Content
Gone – Wevr & Skybound
Halcyon – Syfy (produced by Secret Location)
WINNER: Invisible – Doug Liman, 30 Ninjas, Condé Nast Entertainment (CNÉ), Jaunt VR, Samsung

Winner, VR - Documentary: THE CLICK EFFECT
VR – Documentary
A History of Cuban Dance – Lucy Walker
David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef – Atlantic Productions & Alchemy VR
Defying the Nazis VR – LIFE VR
Rhinos on the Move – Discovery VR
WINNER: The Click Effect – Annapurna Pictures & Here Be Dragons
The Edge of Space – KonceptVR

VR – Journalism
Calais: The Jungle – Sky News
Chernobyl 30 Years Later – ABC News VR
Defying the Beast – World Vision & Koncept VR
Great Performers: L.A. Noir – New York Times VR
Out of Exile: Daniel’s Story – Nonny de la Peńa & Emblematic Group
Remembering Pearl Harbor – LIFE VR
Struggle for Survival in the Devastated City of Aleppo – CNN
WINNER: Take Flight – New York Times 
“Toxic Tour” 360 – Oil Exploitation in the Ecuadorian Amazon – Huffington Post RYOT
Valen’s Reef – Vice

VR – Sports
360 Rio 2016 Olympics VR – BBC Sport
Closer (featuring David Beckham) – Sky VR & Sky Sports
Experience the Rio Olympics in Virtual Reality – NBC Olympics & Samsung
WINNER: Follow My Lead: The Story of the 2016 NBA Finals – Oculus & m ss ng p eces
NFL Immersed – Episode 1: Eagles Defensive Line – NFL Immersed & Two Bit Circus
NFL Immersed – Episode 4: Melvin Gordon & the Chargers Game Day Prep – NFL Immersed & Two Bit Circus

VR – Music
WINNER: Joshua Bell VR Experience – Sony PlayStation
Kygo: “Carry Me – The VR Experience” – Sony Music
OneRepublic: “Kids” – MPC Creative
Pentatonix: “Up on the Housetop” – Sony Music
TheWave – TheWaveVR
Waves – Wevr (with Reggie Watts)

VR – Branded
WINNER: 360 VR Tour of the Shinola Factory with Luke Wilson – Reel FX
Absolut Deadmau5 – Absolut
Audi’s VR Car Showroom Experience – Zero Light
Formula E “Leap of Faith” – REWIND
Jack Daniel’s 360 VR Distillery Experience – Jack Daniel’s & The Mill
Jaguar: I-PACE – REWIND (for Imagination & Jaguar Land Rover)
Reimagine, VR Film by Etihad Airways with Nicole Kidman – The Barbarian Group
Stan Lee’s Cosmic Crusaders – The Hollywood Reporter, GBI, POW, Legend VR
The Field Trip to Mars – McCann (for Lockheed Martin) & Framestore
The Nature Conservancy: This is Our Future – MPC Creative

Yours Truly and the amazing Jon Favreau
The 2017 recipient of the annual Harold Lloyd Award for Filmmaking goes to Jon Favreau! And deservedly so. His artful storytelling married to eye opening filmmaking technology has thrilled audiences time and time again. My favorite Favreau film (FavFavFilm?) is definitely CHEF although the original IRON MAN comes very, very close. It was wonderful chatting with him for the first time at the Lumieres!

I want to deeply thank Jim Chabin and his AIS team for their tireless work in pulling off these shows every year. It is an absolute pleasure to attend and cover them! Thank you Jim!!

Looking forward to what 2017 has in store for us in Advanced Imaging and VR! Stay tuned. As MarketSaw enters our 11th year of life, we're going to be making some awesome changes!

I'll leave you now with some poster shots of the cinematic VR content we were able to experience!










Sunday, January 29, 2017

Director Jon Favreau To Receive Harold Lloyd Award For Filmmaking From Advanced Imaging Society

ADVANCED IMAGING SOCIETY AND THE VR SOCIETY ANNOUNCES 2017 HONOREES
DIRECTOR JON FAVREAU TO RECEIVE HAROLD LLOYD AWARD
HTC CEO AND CHAIRWOMAN CHER WANG AND “HTC VIVE” RECOGNIZED WITH SIR CHARLES WHEATSTONE AWARD
GOOGLE EARTH VR HONORED WITH CENTURY AWARD VR
CATEGORIES EXPANDED
HOLLYWOOD—The Advanced Imaging Society and The VR Society will continue to influence the 2017 awards season when it presents the 8th Annual Lumiere™ Awards this year honoring creative work in movies, TV and expanded Virtual Reality categories at Warner Bros. Studios, February 13, 2017, in Hollywood. The black-tie gathering will begin at 6:30PM with a sit down dinner, followed by the awards ceremony at the Steven J. Ross Theater.
Director, writer and producer Jon Favreau, director of Disney’s blockbuster “The Jungle Book” movie and creator of the “Gnomes and Goblins” VR experience with Wevr and Reality One, will be presented with the Society’s 2017 Harold Lloyd Award for Filmmaking. Favreau directed Marvel’s “Iron Man” and “Iron Man 2” movies, and he also directed “Chef”, “Cowboys and Aliens” and “Elf”. His films have grossed over 2.5 billion dollars at the worldwide box office. Previous honorees have included Martin Scorsese, Ang Lee, Jean-Pierre Juenet, Victoria Alonso and Jeffrey Katzenberg.
“Harold Lloyd was a passionate advocate for using new technology to thrill audiences,” said Suzanne Lloyd, Chairman of Harold Lloyd Entertainment. “He would be delighted that we are honoring Jon for exciting so many movie and VR fans worldwide,” Lloyd added.
The Society’s annually recognizes “Distinguished Creative Achievement” for the use of advanced imaging technologies including 3D, HDR and VR. Awards will be presented for distinguished achievement in storytelling for 3D and HDR Live Action and Animated Movie categories, among others. The Virtual Reality categories have expanded this year to include Best VR Experience, Best VR Film Experience, Best VR Animation and CGI, Best Episodic Content (360-degree), Best Live Action (360-degree), Best VR Documentary, Best VR Journalism, Best VR Sports, Best VR Music, Best VR Advertising/Branded Content, and Best VR Gaming, The Awards Ceremony and dinner is presented by AMD. A complete list of nominees can be seen here:
http://www.advancedimagingsociety.com/awards/2017-nominees/.
Also new this year is an opportunity for the media to visit curated and the award nominated VR content in all categories. The Advanced Imaging Society and The VR Society will offer a VIP media preview from 10AM-12PM on February 13 at the Steven J. Ross Theater at Warner Bros.
Cher Wang, Chairwoman and CEO of HTC Corp., creator of the HTC VIVE virtual reality system, will be presented with the organization’s Sir Charles Wheatstone Award. Society Awards Chair Buzz Hays stated “With the HTC VIVE, Cher Wang and her team have created a groundbreaking room- scale VR platform that has enabled the production of a dazzling number of immersive VR experiences which have pushed the boundaries of entertainment. The result has surprised and delighted the industry and consumers,” Hays added. Previous Wheatstone winners include John Lasseter and Pixar, Sky TV, The BBC, and Sir David Attenborough.
The Society1s Century Award will be presented to Google Earth VR. This application allows you to travel the world, fly over cities, stand at the highest mountain peaks, and even soar upwards into space using the HTC Vive. “The Google VR Experience empowers every citizen of the world to explore and learn about our world with VR,” said Society President Jim Chabin. “This achievement will enrich countless lives and expand our understanding of our planet in the coming years, and we are thrilled to honor Google's virtual reality team,” Chabin added. The Century Award is presented rarely and is reserved for people and achievements the Society deems to have “created a milestone” technology or piece of content. Director James Cameron was previously honored with the Century Award for “Avatar.”
In addition to the honorees, confirmed special guests to attend include Doug Liman and Ivan Reitman.
The Society’s Gold Lumiere™ statuettes are made by the R.S. Owens Company of Chicago, who also manufactures the Oscars for the Academy Awards. They depict the Roman Goddess of Dawn, “Aurora”.
About The Advanced Imaging Society and The VR Society
The Advanced Imaging Society and The VR Society were founded as a non-profit organization by major Hollywood studios and top technology companies to advance the arts and technologies of 3D, HDR, VR, AR and 360-degree content for professionals active in entertainment, media and marketing. Members include AMD, Barco, Canon Street, Cause Play/360 Ad Sports, Cosgrove Media, Create Advertising Group, Deluxe Entertainment, Discovery Communications, Dolby Laboratories, DreamWorks Animation, DTS, Facebook (Oculus), Fathom Events, Fraunhofer, HTC Vive, Intel, KDX, Ketchum, Koncept VR, Legend, LIFE VR, LOOT Interactive, Lucid Dreams Productions, Marvel Studios, Nokia Technologies, Pixar, Prime Focus World, Sony Entertainment, Sony Music, Starbreeze Studios, Stereo D, StoryTech, StreamTV, Technicolor, 3doo, True Image Company, Universal Pictures, V-Nova, Verve, Virtual Reality Company, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, and Warner Bros.
In addition, the Advanced Imaging Society and the VR Society has international chapters in the U.K., Belgium, China (Beijing and Hong Kong), Japan, New Zealand, and Canada.
For more information please visit:

Really looking forward to this gala event! I'll have more updates soon.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Clip: Josh Gad's Interrogation Fail With Daisy Ridley For STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI

LOL! Josh Gad is growing on me and this clip he posted to his Instagram account is another feather in his cap.

We are all looking for as much detail as possible for the upcoming STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI and sometimes a few of us might take it a bit too far. Enter Josh Gad.

No, Gad is not involved with the STAR WARS mega movie - he is filming Kenneth Branagh's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS with a certain Daisy Ridley though.

Gad invites Ridley into his trailer for some (I assume playful) interrogation to obtain some details for the movie. He wants to know (and rightly so) if the title is speaking of Rey's character being a Jedi, or if it is solely just Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker, or both. A great question.

Ridley deals with the confrontation with suitable poise. Will she respond? Have a look:

A video posted by Josh Gad (@joshgad) on


STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI is slated for release on December 15. Needless to say, it can't come soon enough!


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