ITV

Tag: MPC

  • Framestore hires former shuttered MPC senior creative talent

    Framestore hires former shuttered MPC senior creative talent

    MUMBAI: London’s award-festooned visual effects powerhouse Framestore has swooped on two high-profile creative talents following the dramatic collapse of competitor MPC. Patrick Ledda and Daniel Blacker have joined the London studio’s leadership team, bringing with them a treasure trove of experience from blockbuster franchises including The Lion King and Pirates of the Caribbean.

    The pair’s arrival comes hot on the heels of Technicolor’s shock decision to shutter MPC a few weeks ago—a move that left the VFX industry reeling and talented artists scrambling for new berths. Framestore has wasted no time in grabbing the cream of the crop.

    With a PhD in Computer Graphics, Patrick Ledda is driven by a fascination with the convergence of creativity and technology.  Starting as a generalist at Terry Gilliam’s Peerless, Patrick joined MPC 15 years ago, initially as a Lighting Lead, ascending to Head of Lookdev working on high profile productions including Prometheus, 47 Ronin and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.  His supervisory debut on Disney’s Cinderella paved the way for boundary-pushing work on Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar’s Revenge, Lady and the Tramp, Dumbo and The Little Mermaid.

    “I’ve long admired Framestore’s innovative approach and this is an incredible opportunity to collaborate with some of the industry’s most talented minds across a global network of studios,” states Ledda.  “Hugely motivating to be joining a company that continually pushes the boundaries of creativity and technology in filmmaking.”

    Blacker’s appointment represents something of a homecoming—the animation maestro began his career at Framestore some 18 years ago before defecting to MPC for a 15-year sojourn. His CV reads like a Disney shareholder’s fantasy, having guided animation teams on Maleficent, Cruella and most recently Mufasa: The Lion King.

    “Framestore has always championed handcrafted, animated performances,” Blacker noted. “Coming back to guide these teams and collaborate too with Art Department, Visdev and FPS to tell these stories for our clients is really exciting.”
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    Framestore, CEO of film & episodic Fiona Walkinshaw could barely contain her glee at the appointments. “Patrick and Daniel join us at a pivotal time, as we embark on film productions that are both creatively ambitious and technologically demanding. We know that they are more than up to the task and are really looking forward to seeing what they create.”

    Framestore’s upcoming slate includes How to Train Your Dragon, F1 and The Fantastic Four: First Steps—projects that will surely keep the new recruits busy creating impossible worlds while the very real world of VFX studios continues its dramatic consolidation.

  • Yes, it’s for real: Technicolor suspends creative operations

    Yes, it’s for real: Technicolor suspends creative operations

    Technicolor’s four creative units – Mikros, The Mill, MPC, and Technicolor Games – have suspended operations, with over 2,000 Indian employees asked not to report to work until further notice.

    Despite last-minute talks with potential partners, rescue efforts failed, as signaled by WARN notices in the US. The sudden closure of these once-exemplary VFX and animation studios has been attributed to alleged financial mismanagement, excessive spending, and negative cash flows.

    Many a panic stricken VFX artist has been reaching out to the indiantelevision.com group seeking succour to get them jobs. 

    Updated on 24 February at 2:47 pm:

    Media reports state that in the United Kingdom, Technicolor Creative Studios UK Limited will be filing for administration, today 24 February.  According to procedures, when a company goes into administration in the UK an external liquidator comes aboard to manage the company, repay creditors, and determine its future. 

     

    Updated on 24 February at 3:28 pm:

    Altogether 10,000 or so employees the world over working under the Technicolor group have been impacted by the decision to shutter operations. 

     

    Updated on 24 February 2025 at 5:37 pm.

    An earlier letter sent out to company executives by CEO Caroline Parot had the following to say: “Today (21 February 2025), the company must face reality. Due to inability to find new investors for the full group, despite extensive efforts, Technicolor group has filed for Court “recovery procedure” before the French Court of Justice to give a chance to enable to find solutions.
    In each country, the appropriate framework for orderly protection and way forward is currently being put in place to allow, when possible, to remain in business continuity.
    This decision was not taken lightly; every possible path to preserve our legacy and secure the future of our teams will be thoroughly explored to offer a chance to each of its activity to be pursued with new investors.”
     

    Updated on 25 February at 1:49 pm

    On 24 February a bunch of Indian employees visited their office only to find no one. And they were told that there was no clarity on the way forward. All employees need to stay at home until informed otherwise, is what they were told.  Net outcome: Many have started looking for jobs elsewhere. Readers of this can post their CVs and work samples on AnimationXpress.com’s  Screenhub when they click on this link. 

    https://screenhub.in/register/ 

    We intend to push your CV to studios which have not been impacted by the troubling tale of Technicolor. 

  • Football on your phone by the Manning brothers

    Football on your phone by the Manning brothers

    NEW DELHI: As NFL fans gear up for football season, they will find an off-the-field distraction in “Football on Your Phone,” a new DirecTV spoof starring quarterback brothers Eli and Peyton Manning. Production company Butter, via Grey, are behind the 3:00 promo, which has already shot past six million hits on YouTube.

     

    The video rewinds to the 1990s, where an incredulous Peyton discovers his brother Eli watching NFL games on his cell phone. Decked out in ’90s gear and sporting that decade’s over-the-top haircuts, the two launch into an old-school hip-hop duet, backed up by brass hits, bass slides, chimes, and an MPC drum beat, not to mention a trio of black-clad songstresses. The video frolics from New Orleans’ French Quarter to high-end cocktail parties, taking shots at everyone from Alexander Graham Bell to a bystander using his “phone as a phone,” according to a report by the National Association of Broadcasters.

     

    Having just worked with Butter on a funny Dairy Queen spot, Grey Group CD Steven Fogel approached them to create a jingle from his agency’s rough outline and script. Butter created several treatments of the song, ultimately settling on a “football on your phone” hook that was appropriately raunchy and catchy.

     

    One of the project’s highlights was working with the Manning brothers. “Working with Peyton and Eli was amazing,” Butter EP Ian Jeffreys notes. “They are true professionals. They drove three hours to get to an eight-hour shoot, where they had to get into costume and makeup, shoot the ad, shoot a photo spread, record 19 radio scripts, and record the actual song, which they had never heard before. I was seriously impressed by their work ethic and stamina. There was no drama, no attitude – just get it done.”

     

    Butter showed up on shoot day to find that they were sharing an enormous room with the photo crew and two dozen others, creating a racket that would make it difficult to capture high-quality vocals. Accustomed to finding solutions on the fly, Butter made some phone calls. “Our saving grace was our rental company, Studio 101 NOLA,” Jeffreys recalls. “Our contact there, DJ Boudreaux, found a friend with a collapsible vocal booth. It was pricey, but it was our only shot to do this right – without clean vocals, the whole day would be wasted. So DJ shows up with what looks like a church confessional booth. Apparently, a dentist with a songwriting hobby had his cabinetmaker build a vocal booth in his basement, then sold it when he moved. It was a wacky contraption, but it saved our asses.”