Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/102700
Bits & Pieces RoushgradesTo the Wall B URBANK — Roush Media (www.roush-media. com) completed color grading on the feature film To the Wall, which tells the story of two men setting off on a journey to learn more about their fathers. The films stars Stephen Baldwin (pictured). To the Wall was shot on a Red One camera and graded using Digital Vision's Nucoda Film Master system. Senior colorist Keith Roush has extensive experience color grading features, short films and spots over the past 10 years. The facility chose to conform and grade the original R3D files in the Nucoda from a Final Cut Pro 7 edit. For the film's visual effects shots, Roush provided the artist with a LUT and LOG pre-graded DPX visual effects plates. Setting the look for To the Wall was a collaborative process for both Roush and producer Kevin Downes. The film takes place during two different time periods — the Vietnam War and the present day. "Having two different time periods created a fun and interesting time in the DI theater for Kevin and me," says Roush. "We wanted the film to feel organic in nature and decipher the difference between time periods. That's why we created a cold, gritty, reversal film look with the Vietnam War scenes and kept the present day naturally colorful and warm. One of the most dynamic looks we had to tackle was the film look for the Vietnam War flashback scenes. We took footage shot with the digital Red One camera and created an organic look that gave the footage the color and texture of an older film stock without making the footage look over-processed." Roush developed a look with less sharpness, natural color and image detail to take the edge off the digital characteristics of the footage. "The idea behind this process was to make the footage look identical to what you would get with an older film stock," he says. Using the Nucoda DI system's blend modes, Roush added film grain to give the footage the right texture. He wanted the look to add grittiness and emotional impact to the Vietnam War scenes. Another challenge was mixing day-for-night footage with true night in some of the war scenes. Says Downes, "The DI color work increased the production value." Picrowwinsforhealthcarevideo H OLLYWOOD — Picrow (www.picrow.com) collaborated with the Intellectual Property & Science business of Thomson Reuters to create the video The Innovative Lifecycle. The two-minute piece was honored at The Global Awards for the "World's Best Healthcare Advertising" and also won a Clio Healthcare Award. The Innovative Lifecycle is a brand film that features pros who guiding viewers through the process of transforming a scientific discovery into a life-saving drug using Thomson Reuters products and services. The video combines live action of the scientist with animation of the work they are detailing. Working closely with Thomson Reuters IP & Science's Mike Thompson and Kevin Mercer, Picrow founder/director Peter Lang and associate producer Sarah Tucker honed in on the project's storytelling approach. "The challenge was to take this really-complicated process and make it personal," explains Tucker. " The team came up with the idea of doing a 3D track in a tunnel and placing the emblems of the products in the space in the style of a gallery. The video was shot in a single day using an Arri Alexa camera mounted on a Steadicam. Picrow used Final Cut for the edit, along with the Adobe Creative Suite, including After Effects. Lisa Rucker and Adam Sakellarides handled editorial, graphics and compositing. Gregory Nussbaum was VFX supervisor. Zachary Nussbaum was graphics and compositing artist. 8 Post•January2013 Post0113_004,6,8-BitsRAV5FINALREADwithFIX.indd 8 International News Axissupports Halo 4series G LASGOW, SCOTLAND — CG studio Axis Animation (www.axisanimation.com) has created a series of short films featuring supporting content for Halo 4: Spartan Ops. The studio worked with Halo 4 developers 343 Industries to create the episodes that blends immersive storytelling, high-quality cinematics and action-filled gameplay. The weekly series of cinematic episodes tells the continuing story of the UNSC Infinity, following the events of Halo 4. The series began in November with the launch of Halo 4.The episodes provide the backdrop for the weekly Spartan Ops gameplay missions. In total, there are 10 animated episodes representing 45 minutes of content and featuring more than 30 characters, 23 sets and 1,200 CGI animated shots. Axis co-founder Stuart Aitken directed the project, working with Axis producer Debbie Ross and 343 Industries to develop the content, including casting, script development, art direction and sound design. Axis built a layout and editorial team that shot and edited episodes in a fashion similar to a live-action production. After the motion capture was complete, Axis would create a performance edit from the reference cameras at the shoot. The layout team then shot the CG cameras, providing coverage for all scenes, allowing editorial to have as much flexibility as possible. Luxology Modo and Pixologic Zbrush were used for modeling, while Autodesk Maya was used for rigging and animation. Eyeon's Fusion handled compositing. The Axis team developed an in-house facial mocap solution in conjunction with Giant Studios and Cubic Motion. Their shading team developed procedural approaches in Side Effects Houdini, which enabled them make the world feel alive and lived in. The lighting team created set-ups that matched the look of Halo 4, but also developed a tone and approach that gave it a signature look. www.postmagazine.com 12/21/12 2:24 PM