The Secret Garden
The wait is over: StudioCanal’s mesmerising The Secret Garden is out today in the UK on Sky Cinema. Framestore created subtle VFX to breathe life into the spellbinding garden, crafted a full-CG robin as well as a stunningly realistic full-CG Misselthwaite Manor for the film. Watch out for the reel we’ll be sharing in the next few weeks showcasing the team’s beautiful invisible effects.
A message from Producer Rosie Alison:
“We wanted to find collaborators who could help us with something elusive: we wanted to enhance nature, with a subtle organic poetry. We already knew from previous collaborations on Harry Potter and Paddington how exceptional Framestore are, and we were lucky to work with the brilliant Glen Pratt and Andy Kind (and their team) to pull off a seamlessly organic vision of the garden. As always, working with Framestore was a fantastically rewarding experience.”
Press
Time Out
Phil de Semlyen gives our little CG robin a shoutout and comments on the intricate beauty of the movie in this review.
“Foliage has never been so magical“
Evening Standard
And this article from Evening Standard explains how The Secret Garden is the ‘perfect movie for 2020’.
GMC Hummer EV
Some serious horsepower from our CHI, LA & NY offices delivered state of the art CG for GMC’s epic film introducing its new Hummer EV, the world’s first all-electric supertruck. The teams worked across the adrenaline-inducing space, nebula, earth and car shots.
HPA Award Nominations
Not one, not two but THREE Outstanding Visual Effects nominations. Congratulations to the talented teams behind Mulan, The Aeronauts and His Dark Materials which have all been nominated at this year’s HPA Awards! Check out other (*cough* not as important) nominations here.
Press
Suicide Squad
Check out this interview with Sean Gunn talking about his performance as Weasel (VFX courtesy of Framestore) for the upcoming Suicide Squad movie.
VFX Voice
The latest VFX Voice has a couple of Framestore appearances. First up is an article on remote working feat. Global MD of Film Fiona Walkinshaw (LDN), Creative Director Jonathan Fawkner (LDN) and MD of FPS Alex Webster (LDN) here
Meanwhile the new technology round-up features our dynamics solver Fibre, with Lead R&D Technical Director Alex Rothwell (LDN) here
Den of Geek
Den of Geek have got a real thing about Framestore and their good old nightmare-inducing monsters this week.
Firstly Grant Walker (LDN) discussed the creation of the grotesque human-spider hybrid and a shrieking flayed-faced zombie for Black Mirror’s ‘Playtest’ episode from series three. Have a read here.
Next up, Den of Geek chat to Grant delving into the creation of Lovecraft Country‘s sinister Shoggoths, from real life inspiration to the creatures movements and anatomy.
“Almost every element about the creature is supposed to be there to terrify you”
Den of Geek also caught up with the Art Department’s Martin Macrae (LDN) about the design for Lovecraft Country‘s most frightening creatures. Read the article here.
Our Shoggoth even got itself a meme:
What we’ve been up to
VIEW conference
Global MD, Film, Fiona Walkinshaw (LDN) joined a panel on working remotely in the time of Covid while CCO Tim Webber (LDN) presented a talk on The Future of Filmmaking.
Adobe MAX Conference
CG Supervisor, Chris Eckardt and Creative Director, Anthony Gibbs (LA) spoke about their experience directing Z by HP’s new global campaign, ‘Power Your Breakthrough’. Register for free to watch their session along with all of this year’s Adobe MAX content.
Foundry
Over in MTL, Lead Texture Artist Adam Goldstein took part in a Foundry virtual panel on The Art of Texture where his lizard creation, JackJack, gained loads of attention.
Black History Month
We’re continuing to share content throughout October which marks Black History Month in the UK (celebrated in February for the US and Canada). If you want to continue learning, have a look at some of the content below.
If you’d like to contribute something to celebrate Black History Month drop an email on marketing-ldn@framestore.com – we’d love to hear from you!
Documentaries and Docuseries
What Happened, Miss Simone? – Liz Garbus
Fruitvale Station – Ryan Coogler
John Lewis: Good Trouble – Dawn Porter
When They See Us (2019) – Mini series based on real events in New York (Netflix)
Books
The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide – Zerlina Maxwell
Grand Union Hardcover – Zadie Smith
A Promised Land – Barack Obama
The Girl with the Louding Voice: A Novel – Abi Daré
Audible suggested listening: https://adbl.co/36HujFC
Michelle Obama podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/71mvGXupfKcmO6jlmOJQTP
Movies
12 Years A Slave – Steve McQueen
Selma – Ava DuVernay
Dolemite Is My Name – Craig Brewer
People
- Lena Waithe | Screenwriter, producer, activist – was the first black woman to win a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series
- Ari Melenciano | Artist, designer, researcher, and DJ
Founder of Afrotectopia, which focuses on interdisciplinary innovation in art, design, technology and blackness. - Ava DuVernay | Writer, producer, director and distributor
Her film “Selma” made her the first black woman to be nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Director and an Academy Award for Best Picture - Alicia Garza | Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter movement along with Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi.
Alicia Garza wrote “Black lives matter” in a Facebook post nearly seven years ago. These words would come to define a global movement. Garza also heads up the politics and policy organisation Black Futures Lab. - James Somerset
The slave who began the end of slavery in the UK - Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander | Writer
The first black woman to receive a Ph.D. in economics in the United States, graduate with a law degree from Penn Law School, and to practice law in Pennsylvania. - Octavius V. Catto | Civil Rights Activist
Known as one of the most influential civil rights’ activists in Philadelphia during the 19th century, Catto fought for the abolition of slavery and the implementation of civil rights for all.
Halloween Contests
It’s time to show off those costumes, pumpkins or artwork people. You’ve got just under a week to submit your marvellous masterpieces.
Deadline: Thursday 29th October
Framed
This week we meet Creature FX Technical Director, Indranil Nandy. He’s fuelled by cups of tea and loyalty is one of his strongest qualities. Read more about Indranil here.
InColour
Finishing up this week’s Round Up with two grades. Beau Leon (LA) grades the new Miranda Lambert music video for ‘Settling Down’.
and Simon Bourne (LDN) graded this new uber-stylish collaboration between Zalando and G-Star RAW – ‘Denim Never Stops’.
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