Suits you, sir.
Endgame’s CG suits went viral this weekend!
It all started with VFX Supervisor Stuart Penn talking about how Framestore created those ‘seamless’ digital suits in Beforeandafters.com. The journalist couldn’t believe that the suits were CG!
Press
Soon the news started spreading, with Digital Spy rightly calling our CGI Artists ‘Wizards’ and Yahoo covering how the suits were made.
We’ve got ILM’s Todd Vaziri talking about us…
and Concept Artist, Wesley Burt..
AND we’ve even got Netflix’s Girish Balakrishnan admiring our suits, (assuming he means ‘epitomy’ not ‘epidemy’ and suggesting we’re some sort of epidemic disease)…
& then we have some fresh press for you:
Show me the Pokémoney
He might just be a lil yella fella in a deerstalker, but Detective Pikachu has been going great guns at the box office. He and his Poké pals have topped the box office for two consecutive weekends, getting their furry paws on a whopping $290m…
Downton Abbey
Time to polish the silverware and clip the bootboy round the ear because the Crawleys have got guests coming and it promises to be a right royal affair. Yep, Downton will shortly be making its cinematic debut, and a trailer has dropped to give us all a taste of that Edwardian high life. Feast your eyes on all that poshness – ably assisted by Framestore’s film team, who provided some special gleam and sparkle.
Glad we’re not Vlad
You might’ve seen that the BBC is piloting satirical chat show Tonight With Vladimir Putin, but did you know we had a hand in it? Never ones to shy away from causing a diplomatic incident, Framestore co-produced the show, which was co-created by our very own Simon Whalley [Executive Producer, LDN].
A TV first, the show uses our character puppeteering system to render a real-time animated Putin who interviews guests like former press supremo Alastair Campbell. The show will be broadcast on BBC Two in mid-June.
Press
The announcement was met with a deluge of media coverage in national newspapers, trade press and social media as well as a statement from the President’s and the Kremlin’s official spokesperson.
Latest Samsung spot
Subtle effects and colour grade were provided by the team in CHI for this new spot titled ‘Eclipse’, promoting the ‘intelligent picture and sound’ in Samsung’s new 4K QLED televisions. Because who doesn’t want a telly that changes while you watch it.
In Colour
Cool and captivating, the latest grade from Beau Leon (LA) hits the right note for the new documentary Echo In The Canyon in this week’s #InColour. Premiering this week in LA, the documentary tells the story of the history of American popular music.
Press
How To Direct Your Dragon
Just as GoT finishes, Chris Waitt was profiled in Little Black Book, talking about directing Jon Snow himself, Kit Harington and everyone’s favourite frivolous dragon… Toothless, taking you from script to screen.
Read the full Q&A here.
Black mirror
Trailers galore this week; with the first trailer for Black Mirror series five last week, Netflix has also released a trailer for ‘Smithereens’, the episode which our TV team worked on.
D&AD
Projects that Framestore has been a part of won five pencils at this year’s D&AD Awards, with The New Normal for MedMen taking home three, while Politics. Tamed. received an award in the Film advertising category.
Framestore was awarded a wooden pencil in CG Animation for our work on Ubisoft’s Starlink: Battle for Atlas trailer, AND a huge congratulations to Christian Baker (LDN) who was selected as a Next VFX Artist for The Times & The Sunday Times spot Politics. Tamed.
Also at this year’s D&AD festival, CCO Mike McGee (LDN) took part in the ‘Shape Your Future’ panel to inspire the next generation of creative leaders.
Out and About
VR/AR Innovators panel
Exec Producer, Immersive, Stephanie Perea (LA) took part in a VR/AR Innovators panel in LA this week with speakers from VNTANA, PopBase, Noctvrnal, Super Toy Box and more. Among other topics, the panel discussed cutting edge VR/AR innovations, building your brand, engaging fans and how to increase women, LGBTQ, and POC representation in VR/AR.
BRIC
In LA, the Framestore office teamed up with The Bric Foundation, transforming into a Creative Academy for one weekend. We invited industry coaches to teach students from three local high schools about working in the art and technology space.
The students split up into eight groups focusing on either VFX in commercials or VR experiences, and with the mentorship of the coaches, concepted, developed and pitched their original ideas.
Matane College
In Montreal, Lee-Anne and Jules (Recruitment, MTL) were at the college to celebrate the students’ grad show.
Elsewhere in Montreal, Head of Recruitment Benoit (MTL) went to the Gala Basa grad show at the University of Laval in Quebec.
Extracurricular Quests
Dragon Duathlon
Motion Capture Technical Director, Mike Long (LDN) and his brother, Andy, will be challenging themselves to an incredibly difficult 180 mile duathlon (the length of Wales!) in aid of Cancer Research UK.
In just 24 hours they will climb 3 mountains and run 20 miles before completing a 160-mile cycle ride. We’re knackered just thinking about it, but we have absolute faith that they’ll smash it!
To keep up with Mike & Andy’s training and to donate to the cause head here.
Hackney Half Marathon
A team of half-crazy, half-brave Framestore repping employees took on the Hackney Half last weekend and somehow look remarkably upbeat and fresh after a casual 13.1 mile run.
So much room for activities
We’re an active bunch here at Framestore. We’ve also been busy in Montreal and London whoopin the oppositions behinds. Here’s what each team had to say about their games…
Montreal
London
Words by Adam Smith:
“Looking to continue our undefeated run and continue our best start to a season yet the Flamestorm took on Verizon in a beautifully sunny Regents Park:
RIP Judith Kerr
It was announced this week that Judith Kerr, creator of the Mog the Cat series of books passed away at the age of 95.
The commercials team loved working with Judith on Sainsbury’s Mog-themed Christmas campaign in 2016. Quite the storyteller, Judith leaves behind an incredible body of work.
Bright sparks 
Lighting TD Amaury Rospars (MTL) writes monthly articles about Lighting, often interviewing industry types and students. This month, his Lighting Club article features an interview with our Visual Development Artist, Frederic Dupere (MTL). To see the full Q&A head here.
Long weekend
Now whatever you’re doing this bank holiday weekend, do it with style. Enjoy.
