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VFX•Animation n n n n effects were used for new storytelling reasons and showed us something we’ve never seen be- fore conceptually,” he says. “Visual effects, at its best uses, should be able to cost- effectively tell a story in a new way, and this support- ed innovative storytelling.” Click for in-depth feature story on this film. Iron Man 2 Release date: May 7 Production companies: Paramount Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Studios, Fairview Entertainment “Entertaining” and “clever” is how Break- spear characterizes this movie and its effects. “I liked the movie, and the work was good,” he says. “So many people worked so hard.” Passionino notes that, although some of the effects were done in the first Iron Man, the se- quel had some fantastic moments. “Te speed- racing scene in which Whiplash severs the car in half and Iron Man flies through the air and dons a portable Iron Man suit was incredibly clever,” he says. “Te effect was gorgeous.” Powell, who loves building costumes for Halloween, appreciates the CGI work that went into creating Iron Man’s suit. “It’s so intricate and was tracked really well,” he says. “It’s so cool to see all the other designs of the suits and the integration. ILM always does an amazing job of integrating CGI into the en- vironments. Te robots looked believable be- cause they are scratched up, have battle dam- age, and aren’t pristine.” Iron Man 2’s flying sequences were “excel- lent,” says Dozoretz, who also enjoyed all the machinations of the suit. Clark comments that the work is all of a very high standard. “I love to see the detailed mechanical fitting of the suits, and the seam- less integration of that into live action,” he adds. Click for in-depth feature story on this film. The Last Airbender Release date: July 1 Production companies: Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, Blinding Edge Pictures, The Kennedy/Marshall Company Although not everyone liked the story, VFX supervisors liked its effects, which were done by ILM. “Te VFX were effective to tell the story,” says Ivins. “Tey did a good job of showing how he controls the air and fights with it. It was well done.” Te ability to do water and fire effects— both of which are complicated—was notable in this movie, says Passionino. “It had some cool effects.” Dozoretz comments that al- though fire has been done well, all the effects around the wind felt fresh, “like a new aes- thetic.” “And that’s the harder thing to do,” he says. “Showing us something we’ve never seen before is tough. Even if they aesthetical- ly change a bit about the wind, say the way it curves or integrates with the live- action plate, it helps a lot. And they did that with the wind effect.” Click for in-depth feature story on this film. effects, as well as the reversing of time effect. “Once they showed it to you, you bought into it,” he says. “Te scene reverses around him, like a ghost image, and it’s a neat effect, and an interesting way to approach it.” Te effects may have been over the top, but they were very well executed, says Ivins. “For me it was less about the execution than the design, which was a little heavy-handed. Te execu- tion was fine.” Dozoretz likes what the movie did with sand. “It was all good work,” he says. Click for in-depth feature story on this film. Robin Hood Release date: May 14 Production companies: Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, Relativity Media, Scott Free Productions Robin Hood a visual effects movie? “It’s one of those movies that there are so many visual effects we don’t see,” says Breakspear. “I really enjoyed it and thought it was a good movie.” Breakspear particularly appreciated the battle scenes that were not overdone or overstaged, as well as the simple bow and arrow work … and the gore. As a child, Breakspear va- cationed in the area in Wales Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief Release date: February 12 Production companies: Fox 2000 Pictures, 1492 Pictures, Imprint Entertainment, Sunswept Entertainment, TCF Vancouver Productions Dozoretz, whose company, Persistence of Vision, worked on this film, recounts that the previsualization was done in a storyboard look rather than a CG look. “It was interesting, like an animated black-and-white comic book,” he says. “I thought the VFX were all excellent. Water ef- fects used to be incredibly complicated to do, and I think water has absolutely been nailed now.” Click for in-depth feature story on this film. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Release date: May 28 Production companies: Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films Powell characterizes the effects in this film as “beautiful.” He particularly liked all the dust where the movie was shot. “Knowing the loca- tion and knowing how many houses they had to erase, I was impressed with the amount of work they did,” he adds. “I felt immersed in medieval England.” Breakspear additionally liked how they lit the effects as well as the matte paintings: “Te visual effects didn’t jump out, but I liked how it all worked.” Larranaga also loved the matte paintings of the castles. “Tey did their homework,” he says, referring to the level of detail con- tained in the work. “Tis is another movie that used effects well. Rhythm & Hues’ work was seamless.” Powell agrees that the visual effects were “integrated well to the point where you don’t notice what’s a visual effect.” “Te Armada coming across the channel has so many boats that you know they didn’t build them,” he points out. “But it’s still convincing. If it was 50 years ago, they would have built that many ships and hired that many extras. With the visual effects in this movie, they’re integrated so well you never felt it was an effect.” December 2010 23