The onscreen universe of Marvel Studios' August 1st release Guardians of the Galaxy appeared more expansive, immersive and complex, thanks in part to the collaborative efforts of Sony Pictures Imageworks-the Academy Award winning visual effects and digital character animation company-which completed 88 shots for the film while working in tandem with lead VFX facility MPC. From the Dark Aster Ship Sequence, Avid reference. MARVEL
The VFX shots-which included creating and extending CG environments, both interiors (the engine room of the Dark Aster spaceship) and exteriors (deep space and encountering atmosphere during entry)-were worked on by Imageworks teams in both Culver City and Vancouver, B.C., all under the leadership of Pete Travers, Sony Pictures Imageworks VFX Supervisor on the project.
Travers says, Our work on Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy was probably the quickest we've ever turned anything around for any of our clients-it was also some of the most artistically satisfying, because of our continuing collaboration with both Marvel and MPC, which deepens with every project. I also think this is one of Marvel's boldest projects, and it was really fun to work on.
Imageworks' shots are concentrated in the final reel of the film, and were all completed inside of eight weeks, during May and June of 2014. Travers comments, With such tight time constraints, there was no room for 2D experimentation. Anything that really needed a full 3D build, got one. Our experience with Marvel was great, because they perfectly prepped our files, and their notes were always on point and easy to implement. The whole time, we were in sync with MPC, because we worked on everything together.
Victoria Alonso, EVP of VFX & Post Production at Marvel, says, We continue to come to Imageworks for not only the artistic expertise and talent, but also because we've developed a professional rapport with their VFX teams, which comes in very useful during those last weeks of post-production. We know that they will deliver quality on-time.
ABOUT SONY PICTURES IMAGEWORKS
Sony Pictures Imageworks is the Academy Award -winning visual effects and animation unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions known for live-action visual effects, dynamic creature and character animation and all-CG animation. The company, headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., recently completed work on Marvel Studios' GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, the Warner Bros. feature EDGE OF TOMORROW and 22 JUMP STREET and THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 for Columbia Pictures. Sony Pictures Imageworks is currently in production on Columbia Pictures' THE INTERVIEW and PIXELS, the ANGRY BIRDS movie for Rovio and Disney's ALICE IN WONDERLAND: THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS. The company is also working on the animated features HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 and the UNTITLED SMURFS MOVIE (working title) for Sony Pictures Animation. Other recent credits include Disney's OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, MEN IN BLACK 3, Sony Pictures Animation's CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2, and HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA as well as Disney's ALICE IN WONDERLAND.
Website: http://www.imageworks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SonyPicturesImageworks
Twitter: http://twitter.com/imageworksvfx
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/imageworksvfx
About Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy :
From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team-the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvels Guardians of the Galaxy expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits-Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand-with the galaxys fate in the balance.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, which first appeared in comic books in Marvel Super-Heroes, Issue #18 , stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, featuring Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, with John C. Reilly, Glenn Close as Nova Prime and Benicio Del Toro as The Collector.
James Gunn is the director of the film with Kevin Feige, p.g.a., producing. Louis D'Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Jeremy Latcham, Nik Korda and Stan Lee serve as executive producers. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is written by James Gunn and Nicole Perlman and released in U.S. theaters on August 1, 2014.
About Marvel Entertainment:
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the worlds most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit: marvel.com. MARVEL
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