Computer Animation Arts

"Star Wars Concept Trailer" by The DAVE School graduating class of August & October 2017 This film trailer was made by a group of graduating students from the DAVE school in Florida. It uses live action and 3D to recreate Ralph McQuarrie's original concept art for 'The Star Wars' (based off of an early draft script written by George Lucas in the early 1970's). Watch and enjoy....and make sure to WATCH THE END CREDITS. "A long time ago in a galaxy far far away... we might have seen a version of Star Wars that featured a Han Solo with green skin and gills, Stormtroopers with lightsabers, and a female heroine named Luka Starkiller. Many of these anomalies can be seen in concept artist, Ralph McQuarrie's early illustrations of the Star Wars universe. While looking back at these early paintings we can't help but wonder what Star Wars would have been like had it remained loyal to the concept art and early drafts of the script. The DAVE School gradua...

Peter Ellenshaw - Matte Painter and VFX Pioneer (Documentary) by VFX Geek Peter Ellensaw started work at Walt Disney Studios beginning with their first completely live action feature film, Treasure Island (1950). He went on to work on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and Mary Poppins (1964), for which he won an Academy Award. He retired after his work on The Black Hole (1979), but contributed matte paintings for Dick Tracy (1990). His son Harrison is also an Academy Award-winning effects designer. After Peter Ellenshaw retired from the film business, he dedicated his life to his passion for painting. Numerous works were created, of both Disney and non-Disney themed subjects, which have been highly collected. He was named a Disney Legend in 1993.

"The Race to the Bottom: What's the Story Behind Bad CGI?" by Bessie Yuill. 2020 In the wake of a string of visual effects disasters, such as ‘Cats’, ‘The Call of the Wild’ and ‘Dolittle’, Bessie Yuill investigates the highly skilled, over-worked life of a VFX artist. - Some (very short) extracts are included below but I recommend you read the full article - link here. "Cats was one of the most talked-about disasters of 2019 – especially in terms of its visual effects. Tom Hooper’s movie musical was rushed into cinemas with dubiously attached tails, Judi Dench’s visible wedding ring, and unsettling “digital fur technology”. Critics across the globe rushed to point out the errors, which only made the film feel more like a bizarre collective hallucination." "As for what he ( Joe Pavlo, Chair of the Animation and VFX Union branch at BECTU) thinks is behind sloppy CGI and bad working conditions (see below), he says that visual effects are “kind of late ...

ACCESS:VFX "is a cross company initiative that promotes diversity and inclusion in the VFX and Creative industry. Many VFX companies, educational establishments and industry organisations have come together to create initiatives & events to help raise awareness and champion the important issue, helping to bring about change. Our partners include, The Mill, Third Floor, Framestore, DNEG, Next Gen, Blue Zoo, Escape Studios and many more." " ACCESS: VFX, UK Black Tech, The Brixton Finishing School   and Ultra Education are teaming up to host a series of 'Industry Connect' events that will promote careers and entry routes into the UK VFX, animation and games industry." "This first event, hosted on the evening of Wednesday 27th February at Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton will start the ball rolling by hosting an evening where future talent, students, parents and teachers can attend and hear from industry about the the different routes, skills req...

ACCESS:VFX "is a cross company initiative that promotes diversity and inclusion in the VFX and Creative industry. Many VFX companies, educational establishments and industry organisations have come together to create initiatives & events to help raise awareness and champion the important issue, helping to bring about change. Our partners include, The Mill, Third Floor, Framestore, DNEG, Next Gen, Blue Zoo, Escape Studios and many more." ACCESS:VFX are holding a few different events for anyone that has an interest in the creative industry in particular - VFX, 2D and 3D animation. The first being a VFX Careers Fair on the 30th October 2018 @10:00 - 12:00 at Westminster Kingsway College which includes stalls from studios, organisations and collectives such as: The Mill, Blue Zoo Animation, DNEG, Framestore, Escape Studios, Jellyfish Pictures, and The Foundry. Get your tickets for free HERE! The second being a collaboration between ACCESS:VFX and The University...

ZHU + NERO - "DREAMS" from Elliott Sellers on Vimeo .

Looks like Guardians Of The Galaxy is influencing more of the Marvel universe - which is clearly no bad thing.  This sequel looks tremendous fun!

Admit it - it's all about Baby Groot...

Enjoy! (And hang around for the credits 'wig' scene too). M.A.M.O.N. - Latinos VS. Donald Trump from Aparato on Vimeo .

It's still probably too early to be cracking out the Christmas content on the CAA blog...

"A father possum reads his kids a story that’s an alphabet of the most dangerous animal of all – HUMANS! Inspired by the Edward Gorey classic, this black-comedy for kids and parents alike is a hilarious and brutal alphabet of death and mayhem exacted upon animals by ignorant humans. 30 CGI animals were meticulously crafted and killed by a team of 44 students at Media Design School." Accidents, Blunders and Calamities from Media Design School on Vimeo .

A selection of all the latest animation and VFX blockbusters on their way to a multiplex near you...

Every Best VFX Oscar Winner since 1927 until 2014! How many have you seen?

Watch as New York is destroyed... again! Wrapped from Crave on Vimeo .

A number of our final year students are exploring the issues arising from gamers, immersion in hyperreal worlds - and alienation. This short prophetic-feeling film is a chilling 'what if?'. Welcome to the future?

Fascinating stuff... and suddenly you realise just how young the VFX industry is, begging the question 'what next!?'

George Lucas's pear and Spielberg's walkie-talkies...