Zoic Studios Aboard Joss Whedon's Serenity by mo1962

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Zoic Studios Aboard Joss Whedon's Serenity

POSTED BY: MO1962
UPDATED: Monday, May 3, 2004 09:03
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Friday, April 30, 2004 1:46 AM

MO1962

http://comingsoon.net/news.php?id=4506

Zoic Studios Aboard Joss Whedon's Serenity
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Friday, April 30, 2004

Zoic Studios has been recruited to produce the visual effects for Joss Whedon's upcoming Serenity for Universal Studios, says The Hollywood Reporter.

The Culver City-based visual effects boutique is perhaps best known for its work for Whedon on Fox's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly -- the small-screen predecessor to Serenity that Fox canceled after airing 11 episodes.

Zoic creative director Loni Peristere will serve as the visual effects supervisor for the sci-fi feature.

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Friday, April 30, 2004 3:38 AM

CALHOUN

Yay!

Zoic did a good job with Firefly. I like their kung-fu.

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Friday, April 30, 2004 3:45 AM

BROWNCOAT1

May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one.

Good news indeed, though not entirely unexpected. I figured Zoic would be tapped to do the visual effects for the movie since they did such an excellent job w/ the show.

"May have been the losing side. Still not convinced it was the wrong one."

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Friday, April 30, 2004 4:51 AM

SHINY

Hooray for Zoic! Hooray for Loni!!! Hooray for Joss' Loyalty!!!!!

Please help Haken keep this site running by occasionally clicking on some of the sponsored ad links on the side of the page!

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Friday, April 30, 2004 5:08 AM

SNIPER

This is excellent news! They do a great job with their work.

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Friday, April 30, 2004 5:09 AM

NOOCYTE

This is truly splendid news, and does indeed speak to the team loyalty which shone through every frame of the show.

Does anyone know if Zoic has done any big-screen work in the past? Not that I'm overly concerned; their work was practically film-caliber as it was, with some of the deepest renders I've seen on TV (I'm a bit of a special effects connoisseur, and I was shocked to discover that there was no miniature of Serenity!). I'm confident that they can scale up to good effect.

This is really starting to take shape (does happy dance. shoots nervous glances about to make sure he was unobserved)!

Keep Flyin'!!

Department of Redundancy Department

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Friday, April 30, 2004 5:24 AM

KASUO

Don't know about big-screen work but they did work on the Battlestar Galactica rehash last year.

________
"Let's moon 'em!"

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Friday, April 30, 2004 1:07 PM

MO1962

I took a look at their website ( http://www.zoicstudios.com/) and most of the stuff they've done is TV...Firefly, Buffy and some neat looking commericals.

Here's what CHUD has to say:

http://chud.com/news/april04/apr30serenecgi.php3

SERENE CGI

4.30.04
By Devin Faraci
Contributing sources: Carl Robertson, Hollywood Reporter

While it was on TV, Joss Whedon’s Firefly didn’t have a ton of special effects shots, but the few they did feature were pretty darn good. Part of what made the FX work was the fact that the CGI space craft would be shot realistically – using zooms, with blurry rack focuses (foci?) and shaky cam. The people who did that FX, Zoic Studios, have been brought on board for the big screen version of Firefly, Serenity.

“Loni Peristere and Zoic constantly expand my concept of what can be done with digital effects," Whedon said. "They're masters of the new technology, but not slaves to it. What they did on my TV show I had never seen in a movie. What they'll do on my movie ... I'm just really excited to be working with these lunatics."

Having Zoic onboard helps allay fears that Serenity’s low low budget (maybe as low as 40 million dollars) will affect the look of the film. They should be able to get the best quality for the lowest price possible.

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Friday, April 30, 2004 1:19 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

I have no doubt that Zoic will do an excellent job on Serenity, but I have another concern about the visual style of Firefly in general. Will the hand-held camera work (the style of which was duplicated for the FX) look good on the big screen, or will it be more disorienting than effective, as it was on tv?

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Friday, April 30, 2004 1:40 PM

HAKEN

Likes to mess with stuffs.

Well, one thing for sure, a lot of the modeling and design work have already been completed. That should at least cut down on some of the production cost.

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Saturday, May 1, 2004 6:36 AM

ORANGERFUL

I think as long as they are consistent, the camera style will not be a problem.

I was aware of it while watching my DVDs, but I didn't really take note of it until I listened to the commentaries and then it clicked. In my mind, it was how Firefly always was. Other movies that toss it in at random intervals when the rest of the film has been normal *coughAttackoftheClonescough* are the ones that draw unwanted attention to the effect.

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Saturday, May 1, 2004 7:27 AM

GHOULMAN

Quote:
Originally posted by mo1962:
I took a look at their website ( http://www.zoicstudios.com/) and most of the stuff they've done is TV...Firefly, Buffy and some neat looking commericals.

^^^ Thanx for the link!

These fellows did that fantstic Battlestar Galactica remake as well ... truly the best SPFX seen onscreen since 2001 A Space Odyssey.

Sure, you might think that recent FX in movies are terrific - glossy and slick. Often I hear the word 'cool' as if that's a descriptive adjective. But that's all these FX are really; toys floating about in space shooting disco lights at one another. It always looks like another Star Trek/B5/SG-1 episode. Yuck.

Zoic has has given us the most artistically challenging and exciting FX seen in a good decade. Frellin' shiny stuff Zoic. I am a big, big fan.

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Saturday, May 1, 2004 8:47 PM

QUICKSAND

Chapter the First:

- Excellent news. It's consisent with Joss's quirk of pulling people from relative obscurity and making them famous, or at least, an integral part of his Dominion... like actors Sarah Michelle Gellar, or David Boreanaz... or even David Boyd, the Cinematographer for the TV show and now the movie, too. Heck, any of the actors who did all three of his TV shows.

I did not, until it was posted above, realize Zoic also did "BattleStar Galactica." I should have guessed, though, as it was a little too (Read: Exact) similar to the "Firefly" FX shots. I was hella cynical going in... but "BG" was INCREDIBLE, from the acting on down to the special FX shots... and yes, it was quite cinematic all by itself, so I don't think we need to worry about guessing if Zoic can hang. Word.

Chapter the Second:

- Dude, did someone just say these are the best since "2001: A Space Odyssey?" Bite your tongue. It's been 36 years, I'm pretty sure something has had As Good, or Better special FX since then. Star Wars, Empire, Alien, Aliens and any Matrix movie just being a few that come to mind.

Also, is anyone with me that models can be as cool as, if not cooler than, CGI? Compare Star Wars IV-VI vs. The Phantom Menace. I mean, seriously.

___\_o_/___
--------------- (Qs)

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Saturday, May 1, 2004 9:56 PM

LIVIDLIQUID

"Also, is anyone with me that models can be as cool as, if not cooler than, CGI? Compare Star Wars IV-VI vs. The Phantom Menace. I mean, seriously."

Are you friggin' KIDDING me? It looked like a cartoon! It had no weight!

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 7:22 AM

GHOULMAN

^^^ I'm right there with you. It's interesting to me that OLD special effects were just that... special! Now, CGI has given lots of artistically untalented boobs the chance to make fools of themselves. Remember the Trek movie Nemesis? Yeeeucko!

Which is why I love Zoic... they seem to be the only CGI people around who use CGI as it was ment to be used. And I think they have trancended even that! Trash is such a fantastic FX ep of Firefly for Zoic. It really looked sexy, not to mention the entire Reaver chase in Serenity. The battles in Battlestar Galactica were ... just... breathtaking.

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 7:32 AM

GHOULMAN

Quote:
Originally posted by Quicksand:
SNIP!...

Chapter the Second:

- Dude, did someone just say these are the best since "2001: A Space Odyssey?" Bite your tongue. It's been 36 years, I'm pretty sure something has had As Good, or Better special FX since then. Star Wars, Empire, Alien, Aliens and any Matrix movie just being a few that come to mind.

Also, is anyone with me that models can be as cool as, if not cooler than, CGI? Compare Star Wars IV-VI vs. The Phantom Menace. I mean, seriously.

___\_o_/___
--------------- (Qs)

And I'm talking specifically about 'ships in space' as opposed to makeup or production design. I'm zeroing in on the FX application of depicting objects in space (*chuckle*) in an artistically successful way.

Well, certainly I'm making a blanket statement and you could punch holes into it... but basically all FX since 2001 are variations. Now, you can get into ILM and thier 'continuing' of these artistic FX crafts and techniquies, etc. and you certainly can pin me down with exceptions and all that. But exceptions are just that. What I'm on about is a fundemental shift in artistic quality. I believe Zoic is setting a standard not seen SINCE 2001.

Now, I see Firefly as a major artistic mile-stone in CGI space FX film. Nothing has been this exciting, jazzy, and realistic onscreen... ever. I'm of the opinion that Zoic has accomplished something truly special. Certainly, they deserve an Emmy. Someone get on that!!!

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 8:39 AM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

Quote:
Originally posted by Ghoulman:
I'm of the opinion that Zoic has accomplished something truly special. Certainly, they deserve an Emmy. Someone get on that!!!

They already did win an Emmy, last year for Firefly of course.

I agree with you totally about 2001 being the benchmark in SFX. Even the tremendous work in the original Star Wars Trilogy was just an adaptation of it, mainly in the use of computer controlled cameras to capture the "actions" of the models.

But Zoic has taken the next step I think, in making CGI look like models, something no one else has been able to do in my opinion. It is very hard to believe there was not one miniature model of Serenity used in the entire production, and the Reaver chase in "Serenity" made me think they had built these ships for real and actually flew them.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 10:07 AM

PEACE

What impressed me when I looked at ZOIC's site was that these seem to be people who understand industrial design-- both form and function combining into something that is esthetic and functional. Serenity as a ship damn well looks like it would work, as well as being something that fits into it's environment, not like some of the stuff you see stuffed into, oh, say, The Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones.

Which brings up the point I think someone else has mentioned-- ZOIC also seems to understand that CGI is a tool, not an end in itself. A lot of filmmakers seem to be tacking on CGI shots just as decoration. ZOIC's stuff is aimed at bring a world to life. The only other special effect group that seems to understand this is the group (forget the name at the moment) that worked with Peter Jackson on LOTR.

I'd forgotten ZOIC had done a lot of stuff on Buffy and Angel; and superior stuff it was.

I feel very good with them doing the effects for the movie.

Oh, bugger! Now I have to wait for someone to wake up!

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 11:21 AM

GHOULMAN

^^^ the Lord of The Rings SPFX shop in New Zealand is called WETA ( www.wetadigital.com ... but it's down!). They developed the software for those huge battle scenes and created Golem.

I still watch the Golem scenes in amazement. Glad it got the Oscar! And thanks ecgordon for the Emmy info! You are on the ball brother.

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 1:05 PM

QUICKSAND

I'd like to respond to the chap above who thinks models look like a "cartoon."

NOT EVEN. And this corresponds to other responses, too-- I'll take the Original Star Wars trilogy over the new films, ANY DAY of the WEEK. CGI isn't tangible, I'm watching Attack of the Clones, and I KNOW it's all fake, because... well, look at it! Star Wars sold a billion dollars worth of merchandise because the toys were copies of the models... not approximations of a special effect.

Maybe the problem with the 2001/FX arguement is that while *I* think strides have been made since 1968, you think those strides are actually variations on the same theme. We're both right.

What bugs me about SW Episodes I&II is that, while Eps 4-6 were groundbreaking, 1&2 are just one more Special-FX clogged movie, where the CGI is the star of the show, and the actors are just set dressing. There's nothing to differentiate "Attack of the Clones" from something like "I, Robot," or "Titanic" or "Armageddon." Except I'm vaguely aware one of those had to do with water.

We're in agreement, though, that with Joss Whedon's universe, it's the STORY, the CHARACTERS that are the show, and the CGI is just a tool for telling the story. In "2001," the FX were so incredible, they became the story, themselves... so it's either a blessing or a curse.

You decide.

\ o /
------------ (Qs)

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 1:08 PM

QUICKSAND

I posted that, then thought of something else-- even now, I can look at the FX in "Empire Strikes Back," and marvel, "How'd they do that?"

When I watch "Attack of the Clones," I think, "Wow, a bunch of computer nerds worked on this for a 2 years. Pretty. What else is on?"

When I watch "Firefly," I either marvel at "How'd they DO that??" or just don't even think about it... because they're so realistic, I don't CARE.

Now that's good filmmaking.

\ o /
------------ (Qs)

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 1:15 PM

LIVIDLIQUID

Oh, no no!

You misunderstood me. I was saying that all the new star wars films look like cartoons and had no weight. Not the models. Zoic and Weta are the only people I've seen to do CGI properly, and even then, Weta's is still questionable at times.

Zoic, on the other hand, I can never tell when they're involved or not. Did you know the cows at the end of shindig were CGI? I didn't until last night. Ditto for the train in Train Job. There's a scene where the train drives by the camera in the desert. Now EVERY ELEMENT of that scene was CGI. The sky, the trees, everything. Best CGI I've ever seen. In Star Wars, episodes 1, 2, and the Special editions of 4, 5, and 6, the computer elements of special effects don't quite mesh with the real world. They look cartoony and animated.

Just my opinion, though there are many who agree with me.

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Sunday, May 2, 2004 1:47 PM

QUICKSAND

Oh, I agree with you-- it all looks like crap to me, but as long as people keep spending beaucoup $$$ on movies with bad CGI... then bad CGI will still make the cut.

Go, Joss, Go! >:)

___\_o_/___
--------------- (Qs)

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Monday, May 3, 2004 9:03 AM

LISSA

yay loni! zoic is amazing, and i'm so happy their working on serenity:) not just because the cgi will be amazing, but because loni is the man lol.

and i agree: the cgi in phantom menace/attack of the clones looks rediculously cartoony. IV-VI look much better.

~lissa, spwhore

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