Groot expectations
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has arrived in cinemas! Before its release, director James Gunn revealed an adorable series of VFX test clips, showcasing some of our exceptional work (and melting some hearts in the process).
Alongside epic environments and eye-popping FX, the film saw our global team working on an array of lovingly-crafted, emotionally-nuanced characters capable of splitting sides and reducing audiences to floods of tears.
Completing Vol. 3 AND the Holiday Special was a truly monumental task, and one that drew from an incredible team of artists, producers and technologists across MTL, LDN, VAN, MUM and MEL. Given audience reactions so far (not to mention James Gunn’s!) it’s fair to say that all you brilliant people have completely and utterly knocked it out of the park!
IGN described the VFX as “vivid and spectacular’ while praising the rendering of young Rocket and his animal friends as “top notch–a perfect blend of cartoonishness and realism”. GameRant also praised Rocket’s friends, who “straddle the line between ugly and cute, are lovingly rendered and serve as a surrogate family for the future guardian”. Both, The Independent and Vox gave Guardians of Galaxy Vol. 3 rave reviews, calling it the ‘best Marvel movie in years”.
Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times
Ariel, making a star-studded splash
While the world eagerly awaits the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid, director Rob Marshall and his producer hubby John DeLuca treated a handful of very select friends to a private viewing, who reportedly applauded after each musical number. Read more about the glitzy event here – we’re assuming our invite got lost in the mail, right, guys?
Jeff Rocks Out
Celebrating the power of Three’s Home Broadband and rocking out to Joan Jett’s ‘I Love Rock n’ Roll’, Jeff, Three Ireland’s award-winning bearded dragon, is back!
Directed by Tomas Jonsgården and Ponder, with VFX by our LDN team, the campaign shines a light on Framestore’s exceptional creature and animation work, and builds on ‘Jeff’s World’ which took home a British Arrows Bronze, for Animation- CGI.
One Piece
Hype for the live-action adaptation of One Piece – the best-selling manga series of all time – continues to build, and we’re psyched to see what our IA team have been up to on the show. In the meantime, Netflix have put together this handy primer for anyone not familiar with Luffy and crew.
Press
Corey Brown recently spoke to Little Black Book about his career highlights, creative inspiration, and his new role at Framestore for their series, ‘The Work That Made Me.’
In other news
FMX redux
The team at FMX recently posted a neat lil highlights film, to remind attendees what a blast they had and make the rest of us suffer FOMO all over again. See if you can spot some familiar faces, and thank you once again to our teams from LDN, MTL and MEL who made the event such a success!
MTL Studio Tour
The MTL HR team recently team hosted a studio tour as part of the Framestore Connect program, welcoming 200+ guests that included employees, their families and friends. Attendees had the opportunity to see the different stages of the pipeline and learn what it takes to create blockbuster films and TV shows. A huge thank you to everyone who participated, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon at future Framestore Connect events. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to the staff and to our colleagues who made this event possible, including our guides, the HR, Facilities, Editorial, and Systems teams!
VAN Lighting/Lookdev
The VAN Lighting/Lookdev team recently enjoyed a social event, bonding over a fun-filled game of mini golf!
MEL Wellness Month
As part of May’s Wellness Month, the MEL studio emphasised the importance of taking care of oneself – both physically and mentally. This week, the team encouraged everyone to grab a stress ball and incorporate it into their wellness routine to promote a sense of calm and relaxation.
LA reaches double digits
Next week our colleagues in LA will be marking ten whole years of VFX excellence – how time flies! We hope you have a blast, and look forward to seeing some pics from the celebrations!
Hot Ones challenge for MTL Layout
The MTL Layout team recently braved their very own Hot Ones Challenge, with eight daring participants facing off against 10 fiery sauces (not to mention a trivia quiz). The intense final round resulted in a three-way tie between artists Maude, Marwan, and Justine after enduring the hottest sauce for three more rounds. We assume these pics were taken before you sampled Da Bomb, since you all look so calm and collected…
The VAN Rooftop Patio is Now Open!
The Vancouver rooftop patio is now open for the season! It’s the perfect place to soak up the sunshine, unwind, and enjoy some fresh air. Whether you’re looking for a new spot to have your lunch with friends, read a book in the sun, or simply take a break, our rooftop patio is the perfect oasis. Enjoy!
Putting the VAN in Van Gogh
Another week and more masterpieces in the making from our VAN colleagues. We can’t wait to see your finished work!
Career Fair
Engy and Annabel took part in a career fair at Bromley College, engaging with young students with special needs and introducing them to the exciting world of VFX.
You’re all caught up for this week! Please remember that our studios in LDN will be closed on Monday for the coronation of King Charles III.