CAMBRIDGE, MA--(Marketwire - February 28, 2011) - GenArts, Inc., the premier provider of specialized visual effects software for the film, television and video industries, marks yet another year having been used to create visually rich effects in Oscar-nominated films. Visual effects (VFX) artists who worked on nominees "Alice in Wonderland" and "Iron Man 2" created many of the blockbusters' effects using GenArts Sapphire, the industry-standard VFX toolkit. With these nominations, GenArts celebrates 14 consecutive years of having been integral to creating effects for a nominee in the Best Visual Effects category.
The visual impact of these films underscores the critical role VFX play in the overall storytelling process. For years, VFX were used exclusively to create imaginary creatures or spaceships; now, VFX are relied upon to help tell the story and enhance the emotional impact the audience experiences. Developing this "visual vocabulary" helps define not only characters, but also audiences' collective memory of how the "real" world and "real" events might look.
This year GenArts again helps two more nominees tell more impactful stories with spectacular VFX. But it's important to note that part of creating compelling VFX has to do with including subtle details too that, if left out, would affect the overall feel of the film. For example, the Hatter's eyes in this year's nominee "Alice in Wonderland" varied along with his mood, with the lopsided pupils changing size to reflect roller-coaster emotions. By using GenArts Sapphire to manipulate the Hatter's changing pupil sizes in hundreds of shots, the film's VFX team was able to bring a very human touch to the Hatter. "Iron Man 2" presented its own opportunities for realism. With directions to create something spectacular, artists working on the film experimented with Sapphire to create Iron Man's "repulsors" and to add all-important sparks of electricity to Whiplash's whips. The results were indeed exciting, realistic and unique.
By all accounts, using GenArts Sapphire ensured spectacular and subtle effects for both films -- enough to gain the appreciation of the Academy.
"This year's nominees for best visual effects showcase truly amazing artistry," stated Katherine Hays, CEO of GenArts. "It's truly an honor to know that our visual effects tools helped these artists achieve their creative vision, captivate the audience and garner the Academy's attention. Congratulations are in order to the talented men and women who helped bring such vibrant images to the films' audiences."
To read more about how GenArts Sapphire was used "Alice in Wonderland," "Iron Man 2" and others, visit http://www.genarts.com/aboutus/customer-stories. A complete overview of the GenArts family of products can be found at www.genarts.com.
About GenArts
GenArts, Inc. is the premier provider of specialized digital visual effects software for the film, broadcast and video industries. As visual effects have become essential to the art of storytelling, GenArts' tools have emerged as the standard for creating breathtaking visual effects in thousands of feature films and television shows, and more than 5,000 commercials and music videos. The explosion of online and corporate video creation has led to the widespread adoption of GenArts software by a range of S&P 500 companies, leading museums, and educational institutions for communications, marketing and learning applications. GenArts' software enjoys the unique distinction of having been a key component of an Oscar-nominated film for the past 14 consecutive years.
The GenArts Sapphire™, Monsters™, Raptors™, Tinder™ and particleIllusion™ portfolio equips digital artists with a collection of state-of-the-art visual effects such as glows, light rays, lens flares, film, fire, fluid and particles to create the continually innovative looks that bring the entertainment industry's dazzling stories and broadcasts to life. GenArts' tools seamlessly integrate as software plug-ins into all leading editing and compositing systems. GenArts was founded in 1996 in Cambridge, Mass. www.genarts.com
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Contact Information:
For Further Information Please Contact:
Meredith Hanrahan
GenArts
T: 617.492.2888
E: meredith@genarts.com
