Visual effects experts gather in Montreal for 'talent showcasing' conference
Visual effects experts gathered at the Montreal Science Centre last week, coming together under one roof to discuss their craft.
It's a field that accounts for 6,000 Quebec jobs -- but like many industries, it's dealing with a post-pandemic drought as it competes with London and Los Angeles.
"It was key to us, as a big player worldwide, to make sure we can showcase the great talent and innovation that the VFX community has," said Christine Maestracci, CEO of the Quebec Film and Television Council (QFTC), which hosted the conference.
The event saw the likes of Brian Connor, the Oscar-winning effects artist for Dune, as well as representatives from effects company Rodeo FX, founded in Montreal.
"You always have great talent working [in Quebec] that have transformed the industry," said Connor.
GETTING CREATIVE
Jordan Soles, Rodeo FX's vice-president of technology and animation, said the company is constantly looking for those with "creative flair."
Creativity that comes in handy when trying to, say, recreate a casino city in China... at a time when shooting in China isn't allowed.
"Shang Chi was great. We did a hugely choreographed sequence on top of a scaffolding that was meant to be shot in Macau. But then COVID hit, and we managed to recreate a fully digital version of that city," said Soles.
Nowadays, most special effects are digital. But some artists, like Rodeo Fx's Olivier Barbes-Morin, make use of old-fashioned techniques.
For instance, to make poison bubbling wine for the Fantastic Beasts, Barbes-Morin simply poured nail polish remover onto a piece of styrofoam.
It's an old-school approach the studio blends with digital wizardry.
"If someone was at his computer trying to make a random bubble generator, it would work, it would like something," said Barbes-Morin. "But would it look like the real thing? Your guess is as good as mine."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion, 1 person seriously injured: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
How to overcome 'savings guilt' when you're living paycheque to paycheque
As the higher cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets, many Canadians find they have even less left over at the end of every month to squirrel away for the future.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.