MJ Simpson revealed yesterday that Cinesite has anounced contract for visual effects on the hitchhiker’s movie. Indeed the company has released earlier the same day an official press release anouncing that they will make 300 plus effects which will be shot in late sumer 2004. Sue Rowe will oversee the visual effects for the movie. Sue and Cinesite already worked on many productions like Tomb Raider, the Harry Potters movies, Mission Impossible,…
Here is the press release :
“LONDON (Feb. 11, 2004) — Cinesite (Europe) Ltd has been awarded all of the digital effects for The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy (Hammer and Tongs, Walt Disney), which starts shooting at Elstree Studios in April 2004.
Cinesite will begin full postproduction on the extensive 300-plus effects shots in late summer 2004. Cinesite will also be providing all on set visual effects supervision for the production, which will be overseen by Sue Rowe. The film will be directed by Garth Jennings.
Co-Producer Todd Arnow says, “We are delighted to be working with Cinesite (Europe) Ltd as our key visual effects provider. Cinesite’s excellent work on the Harry Potter films and the upcoming Troy and King Arthur were a determining factor in our decision. Their creative approach and production experience will be a real asset to our film.”
Cinesite CEO Colin Brown says, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy is a highly original and quintessentially British comedy/science fiction piece of its era, with a script by Douglas Adams; it seems right that it should be made in the UK. Personally I am a great fan, so I am really excited that Cinesite will be working on it.”
The Hitchhiker&Mac226;s Guide to The Galaxy revolves around central character Arthur Dent, who is rescued from the Earth by alien Ford Prefect when the world as we know it is destroyed to make way for a new hyperspace bypass.
Cinesite&Mac226;s work will have a highly creative 3D content, including computer generated spaceships, virtual environments, talking computer generated animals and composites with models to create fantasy planet environments.
Since moving buildings in summer 2003, Cinesite has grown its capacity and work force by around 40 percent. They are currently creating large quantities of digital effects for films including Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros.), King Arthur (Disney/Bruckheimer), Sahara (Paramount), Alien vs. Predator (Twentieth Century Fox) and Troy (Warner Bros.). They are also currently producing and photographing miniatures for The Phantom of The Opera at their Shepperton facility.
Cinesite is also in discussion with other studios regarding major visual effects projects for 2004/2005.”
