I had the pleasure of speaking recently with Jenny Fulle, Visual Effects Producer on GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE and Founder of The Creative Cartel. We have spoken in the past (PRIEST) and I thoroughly enjoy the info she has to offer in these interviews!
For some background, Jenny started her own visual effects company called The Creative-Cartel that I think has found an ideal niche in Hollywood - an outsourced visual effects department. Here is what makes her company stand out: They will contract with a production to work with the director and examine each shot in the movie to determine the best possible visual effects shop to tackle it. Each shop has their own areas of expertise. Sometimes a shot may require an ILM or WETA, but other times it can be a small boutique shop. The Creative-Cartel then manages it all. They have their own infrastructure in place that is carried through from project to project.
But here's the rub: The Creative-Cartel (TCC) also does this for S3D conversion needs! They will shop around for the best conversion companies to do particular shots and then will oversee the piecing together of these components into one cohesive movie that is seamless to the viewer. Brilliant.
The Creative-Cartel not only oversaw all of the 800 visual effects shots that were completed by five different visual effects houses and the Stereo conversion of the entire film, but also developed a groundbreaking hybrid pipeline that allowed the primary visual effects company (Iloura) and the 3D Conversion Companies (Gener8 and Legend3D) to share shots in a way that optimized quality and maximized the budget. This groundbreaking pipeline initiated by The Creative-Cartel enabled shots to go back and forth between the companies, allowing the sharing of elements (and eliminating the need for duplicative work) and for the VFX to be rendered in native stereo. All of this resulted in SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE having the same richness and dimensionality as he would have if the film had be shot using with 3D cameras.
So how will her expertise add pop to GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE? Have a listen!
0:40 -On directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor 1:20 -On what Jenny and The Creative Cartel offers for visual effects services 3:20 -On the suspension of disbelief efforts for SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE 3:45 -On the challenge of CG fire being converted to 3D 4:18 -On the "Hybrid Pipeline": About 500 shots are actually native 3D CG mixed with converted 3D 5:25 -On Gener8 and Legend3D work converting to 3D 5:39 -On doing 800+ visual effects shots using 5 different visual effects vendors 7:55 -On new proprietary technology for 3D conversion lowering the cost of work 8:26 - On one scene that she is particularly proud of in the movie 9:50 -On how Mark and Brian are making an authentic version of the original comic book vs. the first movie 11:37 -On whether the 3D in SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE rivals native 3D 12:55 -On the need for hybrid (native + conversion) 3D solutions in most cases 13:15 -On singling out one person / company that deserves extra credit for their work on the movie 14:03 -On whether Nicholas Cage has a sign off on visual effects for the movie 14:28 - On Jenny's current project M. Night Shyamalan's AFTER EARTH (not 3D btw) 15:00 - On wrapping up TED (Seth MacFarlane's feature debut), a 'R' rated comedy with a degenerate CG teddy bear
Thank you Columbia Pictures and Rachel Falikoff for setting this thing up! I think Jenny is one of the most forward thinking creative persons in Hollywood today.
GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE burns out into theaters TODAY! Check it out!! I will let you know what I think about the movie and how well a fast edited movie will convert to 3D as soon as I see it myself!
Wow. My mouth was literally wide open when I saw the first wired action scene in this clip from GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE and I'm pretty sure yours will be too! I have NEVER heard of a director personally going to these lengths before to get the perfect shot, let alone two of them.
You see Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (CRANK, GAMER) are co-directors who like to man the camera, much like James Cameron does in most of his movies. But the way they tackle these extreme shots is pretty amazing.
Even their handheld work looks completely action oriented and very animated. It will be interesting to see how this all converts to 3D as a general rule of thumb is that handheld shots have to be gentle as we don't want a headache inducing experience at the theater. I am hoping they have conquered this hurtle in post because it doesn't look like they are holding back in these clips! I am amazed at some of these shots...
Have a look for yourself!
Here's the storyline: Nicolas Cage returns as Johnny Blaze in Columbia Pictures’ and Hyde Park Entertainment’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. In the successor to the worldwide hit Ghost Rider, Johnny – still struggling with his curse as the devil’s bounty hunter – is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy (Fergus Riordan) from the devil (Ciaran Hinds). At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy – and possibly rid himself of his curse forever. Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. Screenplay by Scott M. Gimple & Seth Hoffman and David S. Goyer. Story by David S. Goyer. Based on the Marvel Comic. Produced by Steven Paul, Ashok Amritraj, Michael De Luca, Avi Arad, and Ari Arad.
Stay tuned! I am actually interviewing Jenny Fulle who is the Visual Effects Producer on SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE tomorrow! I'm really looking forward to this movie and hopefully it sets this franchise back on track after the first go around. It certainly deserves top line treatment!
There will be an embargo on the interview for awhile, but it will be something to look forward to before the movie opens February 17. Hang on! Looks like a heckuva ride comin'!
Ghost Rider rides again in GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE and this trailer kicks some serious butt. I have to say the first movie in this franchise flamed out for me, but this one looks much, much darker.
You won't see as much humor in this trailer as the first one we saw in August (so no Cage pissing fire). But you WILL see a heckuva lot more carnage.
Here's the official storyline: Nicolas Cage returns as Johnny Blaze in Columbia Pictures’ and Hyde Park Entertainment’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. In the successor to the worldwide hit Ghost Rider, Johnny – still struggling with his curse as the devil’s bounty hunter – is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy (Fergus Riordan) from the devil (Ciaran Hinds). At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy – and possibly rid himself of his curse forever. Directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. Screenplay by Scott M. Gimple & Seth Hoffman and David S. Goyer. Story by David S. Goyer. Based on the Marvel Comic. Produced by Steven Paul, Ashok Amritraj, Michael De Luca, Avi Arad, and Ari Arad.
So mark February 17 on your calendars - it looks like it will knock the chill clean off of you!
I want you to set aside your thoughts about the first GHOST RIDER movie and start afresh. This one is looking like it's going to be different. This one looks GOOD.
It still appears to be a 3D movie even though I have not seen marketing yet to indicate that it is.
Certainly the directors were outspoken about S3D...
Says co-director David Taylor: "We’ve always wanted to make a 3D movie – we wanted to make ['Crank: High Voltage'] in 3D; the way that we move the camera and the sort of manic pace of our action… we always thought it would be sort of amazing and nauseating and fantastic in 3D."
"I’ve never shot a movie with directors like this before," star Nicholas Cage added. "[Neveldine] would hold onto motorcycles on rollerblades with the camera, literally risking his life to get the shot."
To which Taylor replied: "Let’s see Scorsese do that!"
(Watch the full interview here - can't embed as it is lamely restricted to certain geographies)
Here's the storyline: Nicolas Cage returns as Johnny Blaze in Columbia Pictures' and Hyde Park Entertainment's Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. In the successor to the worldwide hit Ghost Rider, Johnny - still struggling with his curse as the devil's bounty hunter - is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy (Fergus Riordan) from the devil (Ciaran Hinds). At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy - and possibly rid himself of his curse forever. The devil is trying to assume human form...
Directors: Mark Neveldine, David Taylor
Writers: Scott M. Gimple, David S. Goyer, Seth Hoffman
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Cast: Nicolas Cage (Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider), Ciaran Hinds (The Devil), Idris Elba (Moreau), Violante Placido (Nadya) and Johnny Whitworth (Blackout)
Release: February 17, 2012
Basically I am a Nic Cage fan from way, way back. Yes he can choose some stinkers, but there is no arguing that he is a beloved Hollywood icon. This time I think he has another winner!
Besides, if the directors are pointing fingers at Scorsese and saying cross this line then there must be something to see! Stay tuned for more info as I get it.
I had the pleasure of speaking recently with Jenny Fulle, Visual Effects Producer on GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE and Founder of The Creative Cartel. We have spoken in the past (PRIEST) and I thoroughly enjoy the info she has to offer in these interviews!
