Cinesite Wins the VFX Contract for Dawn Treader
Cinesite – a special effects company based in London – has just announced that they have won the primary special effects contract for The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.
Here is the press release:
October 02 2009 – Cinesite today confirmed that we have won a large contract for visual effects on the latest installment in the highly successful Chronicles of Narnia series, The Voyage of The Dawn Treader.
This news follows other recent major announcements, including a large award of work for Fox’s Marmaduke, and winning an Emmy award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for HBO’s highly acclaimed mini-series Generation Kill two weeks ago.
More announcements about new production awards are likely to be made over the coming two weeks. Cinesite is currently undertaking a major international recruitment drive, and is refurbishing key areas of our Soho-based Sheraton Street facility to accommodate the influx of new, exciting projects.
Dawn Treader, Directed by Michael Apted, follows the continuing adventures of Lucy and Edmund Pevensie, as they return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace. They meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world.
The production is currently filming on the Gold Coast of Australia. Angus Bickerton is Visual Effects Supervisor (Angels & Demons, Inkheart, The Da Vinci Code, Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy) and Barrie Hemsley is Visual Effects Producer (Angels & Demons, 10,000 BC, 1408). Cinesite’s Matt Kasmir and Jensen Toms are supervising the 2D and 3D aspects of our work (both have recently worked on Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time).
The Voyage of The Dawn Treader is scheduled for release in late 2010.
Up until now, we haven’t heard anything official about which special effects companies were working on Dawn Treader. While we believe Framestore and Moving Picture Company (both worked on Prince Caspian) did some work on VDT at some point, it’s nice to have some official news on a special effects company.
Cinesite is also currently working on Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Part 2, Naked Beauty, Clash Of The Titans, Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time, Marmaduke, Leap Year and The Prisoner.
Cinesite’s website can be found here.
The only thing I can think of might be perhaps some sort of prophecy? Like the way Reep gets his prophecy about where the waves grow sweet at the Worlds End?
Yeah, why would it go against Narnia?
Something about having to endure until 2010, maybe.
We will see how things go though.
If Weta (NOT capital letters – it doesn't stand for anything, it's a real word) were doing some of the effects, would have heard about it by now – I'm sure.
I nearly got to the Weta premises last weekend – it's called The Weta Cave! (by the way, a Weta is a large insect found only in New Zealand)
Oops, my bad. They got the major contract. Still, they seem pretty experienced; I don't see why it would be a problem unless they put a digital scar on Caspian's forehead.
Well all i can say is I hope they do a good job!!!
Yes, but Weta Digital does special effects; it's a separate division of the same company.
3D can be cool for certain things and it doesn't go against Narnia, but it makes a movie look pretty lame when they throw in obvious meant-for-3D scenes, which is why I would be against them doing it in 3D.
"It hurts that I have to endure until 2010" is the gist of it.
I agree with you, Herohtar.
Thanks I'm really dumb.^^
"It's KING, actually. Just king, though. Peter's the High King. I know…it's confusing…"
LOL, wish these companies would get their titles right. ;D
I was just on Weta digitals website, and I found out that they are making a Tintin movie directed be Steven Speilberg….I think that will be cool.
LOL!^^
Ya Spanish!!!^^. (calm now),B=but I think hes just doing it for fun like one of us going to mundonarnia( the spanish narnia website) and writing something for fun,but dosn't know what they say and can't translate.
Ya Sanish^^!!!
That's perfect!!! I love it!!
Hmm, I have mixed feelings about this. In one way, it would be even more like an adventure if it was 3D, but then again, a lot of people hate 3D because it messes with their eyes, and I don't think as many people would see it in theatres if it was in 3D. I myself would prefer non 3D.
Herohtar, that's what I meant by cheap 3D tricks, like when something comes out of the screen out you or you feel like something's about to fall on you or something. VDT in 3D won't bother me at as long as they don't do stupid tricks like that. Cheap 3D tricks, while they may be cool in the theater, look absolutely awful on regular television.
I know right!
I didn't mean to start this. besides what is a cheap 3D trick?
Arivis your not domb. Clearly you are not a narnia fan.
Yeah it kind of ticked me off when they said PRINCE Caspian. But not everyone's obsessed with Narnia…
I've never heard of them either, so hope they do a good job
I don't likr Titan.
Cool! I hope they do a good job! Sail on Dawn Treader!
I knew somebody would say that.
I hope the movie does well
Excellent !!! and great song , by the way, when you open their website…Long Live Aslan !!!
Let's pray they choose someone who really is a Narnia fan this time so Aslan's expressions are correct. In PC he looked like he was just a nice magic uncle figure, instead of the Creator of Narnia. If Aslan is left the way Lewis describes him in the book and the rest of the movie doesn't go too much astray pastors WILL recommend the movie to their churches. That's is what they did for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, which made it so much money. There is no point trying to appeal to the atheists anyway since they will never recommend the movie, lest people read the book.
Ya I am. I'm just to lazy to read things like that. If it were smaller I would read it. Plus this dosn't interest me much.
I definitly agree with you about Aslan in Prince Caspain,
I mean, he was great with the expressions and such in the LWW, but in PC he was a bit like you said.
At least Liam Neeson does a good job with his voice.
Have you seen Journey to the Center of the Earth? They throw in a lot of stuff like a measuring tape pointed at the camera so it comes out at you, or the shot angled so it looks like you're about to get spit all over your face, or a yo-yo shooting straight for your face. Pretty much, cheap 3D tricks are all the shots made especially for 3D, to "remind" you that you're in a 3D movie. They're great in the theater, but once you watch the DVD in 2D on your home television, the "obviously-meant-for-3D" shots look fuzzy and badly done.
No kidding…Liam Neeson is perfect for Aslan!
And I can see what both of you are saying about how Aslan didn't come across as a Godly figure in PC at all. He felt more like a fairytale come to life or something like that. He kind of lost his God-like awe-inspiring presence that he had in LWW.
Awesome! I hope they do a good job! I am looking forward to seeing this movie when is comes out in theaters.
lol, yeah, if they did that, I would be like, "Huh? What's I miss?!?!"
What? Hey, I am a Narnia fan, but I had no idea the VFX stands for visual effects either!
I don't watch movies that much.
Yeah, I also agree. I just hope that they fix the line about "knowing what would have happened" and making sure that Aslan is God who knows what would have happened only doesn't want to tell Lucy. I think that line comes up again in the chapter when Lucy is looking through the book of spells and then makes Aslan visible…. You know the one. I think it is chapter 10 [the Magician's Book].
I was wondering. If it comes out in 3D in theaters does that mean that I won't come out on DVD? if that is true that is the one draw back that I have with 3D movies.
Well apparently it does.
i would say the same, definately… THIS IS LIKE TOTAL CRAZY SAUCE!!!!!
Calm down mate. I don't understand how anyone would consider that as swearing (unless it's different in American to Australia).
@FireFairy, *you* need to chill. ass isnt a bad word. its a body part. "kickass" when used in a highly competitive industry isnt swearing, its a compliment.
its that way in the US, in Asia, in Europe, heck i have yet to find a nation where kickass is a bad word.
gotta double check with the sources, but i believe Framestore is still gonna do the Aslan animation, which is what they've been doing since LWW. i'm hoping they've realized the slip-up with their work in PC and double their efforts in VDT.
@ Caspian, LOL good one! 😀
it'd be funny if Caspian actually says that in the movie, it'd be like "I've got a bad feeling about this" line from the Star Wars movies :p
I didn't notice
i think they did a dood job with Aslan in pc. He was like God , always testing peoples faith and protecting them. He suppose to act a little different in every movie, cause in every movie we get to see alittle more of his character
Now, "ass" may not be a "swear word" but it is really crude. So, I'm with you Fire Fairy. 😀
no, I agree, liam does a great job with Aslan's voice, I just ment that I don't notice the special effects job that often
haha jadistarkiller i love that line from those movies! everytime they said in each one it made me laugh! they should make a big Star Wars poster, and have that quote on it. that would be cool!
ok wow, that was an interesting conversation right there. you know "ass" was originally a word for "donkey". c.s. lewis even used it in the narnia books for a donkey! but now people have corrupted the word to mean, ya know, the bottom, and made it into a swear word. really, for me, i dont like the term that jadistarkiller used, and i find it offensive. i dont see how it could compliment something. if someone said that about me, i would be offended and REALLY will kick they're bottom! but thats just me, and we all have our beliefs and opinions.
ya know i told my older brother (who knows these things) about they're 3D idea, and he said, "they only do that for movies that will need the extra stuff just to get the audiance, because it wont be good enough normal". now that scared me! personally, i dont like it, and i agree with fire fairy.
Well, hope they do a good job… I didn't really care for the speacial effects in PC but whatever, I can't do it . 🙂 Fellow Narnia webbers… I am bored 😛 hehe!
here here! 🙂 Keep fighting for the Truth . Narnia has a highly Christian message, and lets keep it that way!
I kinda worry to hear about all the changes. Cinesite instead of (did Weta do it before? Sorry I didn't pay attention), a new director, a new composer. . . . it gives me the feeling this movie is going to have an entirely different feel from the preceding ones, you know, and lose a sense of continuity or whatever. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad because VODT is the first one not set in Narnia, so it could have a different flavor. I don't know…
well, the way I see it, is that I have been secretly hoping that they don't change the narnia I have grown used to too much, if at all, but I think that I've come to realize that things have to be changed, at least a little bit, to give the movie it's own expression and flavor, or otherwise it would eventually become uninteresting and expressionless.
So, I am looking forward to this new movie, and I am exited about the upcoming installments- after all, it's all one big adventure!
Interesting….:D
you got to be kidding me?!
Sorry, but where I come from (Western US), even though it's used a lot, it's still considered swearing.
I'm okay with it used in the bible and in CoN, but that's because of how it's used in context.
I feel the same way. At least Walden Media is still doing it, and they're very good about keeping the spirit of the book alive. Let's hope that Fox does better than Disney! And I hope the new composer does as well as or better than Harry Gregson-Williams did. He was an amazing composer!