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London VFX Festival showcases visual effects wizards
Other | Friday 12th October 2012 | David
With the London Film Festival, Raindance, and all the other smaller festivals going on in London at this time of year for film, it’s hard to find somewhere that is celebrating film anywhere close to this much. Even specialist interests are catered for in the capital, with the London’s VFX Festival.
This festival, organised by Escape Studios to focus on the special effects side of film that has become so important in recent cinema, gives those lucky enough to get a ticket the chance to hear from the industry’s best and brightest. One such event was a presentation by Christoph Malessa, head of Pixomondo in London, the principle supplier of the Oscar-winning special effects for Hugo, which I was lucky enough to attend.
If you’ve not seen it (which you really should), Hugo is the story of an orphan boy living in the walls of a train station in 1930s Paris. He spends his time fixing the station’s clocks in place of his deceased father, whom he is only connected to via a lifeless mechanical automaton. To get it working, Hugo must find a special key, which leads him on various adventures round the station. However, the real pleasure of the film comes from its special effects, which are responsible for creating the fairy-tale type world that Hugo lives in.
To listen to how these shots were made, and the sheer work that went into their production, is surprisingly enjoyable for someone like me (having studied film I tend to take far too much of an interest in stuff like this). The lecture was accompanied by show reels of all the special effects being put together to make each shot and, on a film like Hugo, it’s amazing to see just how many locations, sets, and entire scenes that were constructed solely by effects. You would not be able to notice all of Pixomondo’s work if not for it being pointed out, it’s that convincing.
Of course, there is a point to be made that people who will get the most enjoyment out of this festival are those with an active interest in special effects. Yes that’s right: nerds. Now before anyone throws their thick-lensed glasses in the air in outrage, I would point out that I proudly count myself among this group. My point is that on top of all the mainstream and independent festivals going on in London at the moment, its nice to see that everyone is catered for (yes, even the nerds). Who by the way also have a chance to gain employment, as the festival also runs a recruitment panel, to answer any burning questions by hopeful special effects wizards.
However, if you’ve seen pretty much any film in the last decade, the importance of special effects should be clear to you. This festival offers a rare look at exactly how these are made for top blockbusters as well as award-winners, and may prove more interesting than you’d think. Plus I got a goody bag. I love a good goody bag.
By David Pratt
