Interview with Mr. Michael Fink, as he expounds on Sucker Punch

Sucker Punch is an epic action fantasy. It is the lucid imagination of a young girl who finds solace in her vivid dreams than the harsh reality and the confinements of the asylum she is put in.

Zack Snyder, the director with every movie that he has worked on, impresses every time with captivating visuals. The movie is technically sound, it is as eye-catching and as intricate as Babydoll's; the protagonist's imagination.

Prime Focus has worked on the movie and with its contribution to Sucker Punch has added to the list of great work that the studio has executed over the years. We got the opportunity to interview Mr. Michael Fiink, Senior Creative Director, VFX and View-D. Over to Mr. Fink
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Making of Luv ka the End – Freakout Video! By Nupur Bhargava & Hitesh Kewalya

There is a generation that doesn't any more dwell in the imagination of a somber Simran, singing of loooovvveee in the meadows of Switzerland or the mustard fields of Punjab.

Yash Raj Films has a new branch catering to only youth films called Y Films. It is youthvolving with the new-age of free-spirited burger munching, bike-riding-road trip travelling, i-phone living, blackberry communicating. Their latest movie: Luv Ka The End speaks for this generation. The First-look of the movie opens with the Freak-Out video. The song and the video has every element of "YOU"TH – It has been created by Nupur Bhargava, Hitesh Kewalya and their team of Invisible Rabbit, the quintessential statement-makers. Watch out for how they have Freaked Out on Luv Ka the End's Freak Out Read More...

The Gruffalo, Oscar Nominated Short film as Max Lang, the director narrates…

Gruffalo was nominated for The Oscar Awards this year under the Best Animated Short Category,
And it was nominated for the prestigious Rose d'or ,
And Gruffalo won at Curtas, Portuga
And being Big in Brasil: Triple Victory for Beast & Gruffalo
Double victory in Annecy
Nominated at Bafta...

The Popularity and the accolades that Julia Donaldson the writer of The Children's Book and Axel Scheffler, the illustrator achieved is to continue. After 10 years, the book has sold more than four million copies and has been translated into 50 languages. The hit book with children and their doting parents was recently translated into an equally charming movie. Magic Light Pictures with Studio Soi and BBC One as broadcasters have created the magic again. The animated short film an adaptation of the Children's book tells the tale of a mouse who takes a walk through the woods in search of a nut. Read More...

ARTT War 6 - Battle of the Schools

ARTTWAR is a Students Team competition that runs online on CGTantra forums. A team can have a maximum of 4 students.

To keep the learning curve higher while you work - you will have to keep posting Work-In-Progress images on CGTantra Forums in your team thread. The critics will be posted to the artworks in progress by the members as well as by our senior Forum Leaders and Mentors.

After submitting the work various stages, final results will be posted on CGTantra and for this version on Contest - It will be announced at CGTantra Community Awards Ceremony at CGTExpo Venue - Nehru Center, Worli Mumbai on 28th May. They will go for the online public voting as well as to our Forums Leaders and Jury that will consist experienced and acclaimed professionals.

So students - Its time to fight for your School & for your Art. Read More...

An Interview with BOB Last - Producer & MD of Inkdigital

Bob Last, Producer and Managing Director, Ink Digital and Producer of "The Illusionist", a movie that went the off-beaten track and was nominated for the Academy Awards this year for Best Animation explores the possibilities of a co-production with India.
Bob Last has been visiting India since his childhood. On 24th of March at FICCI Frames he was completing his third business trip to Mumbai.

Braving the Mumbai heat, he was upbeat about the Indian Animation scenario. After a long gap of six to seven years, he was coming to Mumbai and definitely the change in the animation industry was a pleasant surprise for him. He said "It is interesting to see the animation sector, in particular, is developed." Read More...

Corel Designer Technical Suite X5 - A Review

Create illustrations, diagrams and technical documentation with confidence with Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite X5, the complete solution for visual technical communications. Corel DESIGNER® Technical Suite X5 includes key tools and intuitive features for businesses and technical communicators that rely on technical illustrations and diagrams to quickly and effectively communicate the strengths of their products and services. Users will enjoy the versatility and power included in this new version, allowing them to take on a wide range of technical graphics projects including assembly instructions, user guides, maintenance manuals and floor plans that can be outputted to various media, such as print, online and interactive electronic technical manuals (IETMs). Read More...

The 55 Dragon Marathon, Tutorial by Damir G Martin

His Pet Australian Bearded Dragon as inspiration, add to that innumerable likes and comments from fellow artists and viewers of his work, add to that him challenging his own creativity and our persuation to bring accross to you, the best of creative work of an artist: Damir G Martin.

A character design artist, he needs no introduction on CGTantra, his amazing work makes him a perennial artist featured here. We always have fun featuring his work and we are sure you get loads to learn from his tuorials...without further ado...over to Damir and his work.

Note: we would like to credit certain people for their most encouraging words for his work. Read More...

CGTantra Community Awards 2011 - Call for Entries

CGTantra has been a platform where Artists of different mediums have been showcasing their talents and learning from the critics shared by others as well as staying inspired by watching the works of their seniors.

CGTantra Community Awards is an initiative towards recognizing and honoring the best of the artists. CCA unlike other awards of the industry aims towards recognizing the excellence in diferent aspects of artforms of Animation, VFX and Gaming Industry.

The award for the best of its category will be chosen not only by a panel of experts, but the judging power will also be given to the community itself by putting up the nominated artworks for online voting. Thus letting the artists themselves choose the best among them and inspire them to learn from the winners and keep updating their skills. Know More...

FICCI FRAMES 2011…The Convergence of Business & Entertainment

The Indian Media and Entertainment industry stood at INR 652 billion in 2010, according to a joint report by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and KPMG.

It is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14 per cent per annum over the period between 2010-15 and touch INR 1275 billion by 2015.

The year was full of interesting developments with an influx of new content distribution platforms, growing regional markets, surge in DTH subscriber base, and the eventual 3G auction and rollouts… States a Foreword from The FICCI Frames 2011 Entertainment Law Book and FICCI-KPMG Indian Media and Entertainment Industry Report 2011. Read More...

FICCI FRAMES 2011 : BAF Awards

FICCI Frames is a three day convention covering the entire gamut of Media & Entertainment like Films, Broadcast (TV & Radio), Digital Entertainment, Animation Gaming, Visual Effects, etc. with nearly 2000 Indian and 800 foreign delegates encompassing the entire universe of media and entertainment.

When the best of the companies, stalwarts and dignitaries from the world of the Media and Entertainment industry come to applaud your work it is a moment that humble many. It is appreciation coming from the fraternity, the creators themselves. This year FICCI BAF saw its outreach world over, the many international entries for the students and professional category alike. With stiff competition the evening saw great creations coming forth. Read More..

An Introspect on the Decade of the Indian CG Industry

10 years have gone by and the relationship between India and the AVGC sector has been bittersweet. Much achieved and at phases much lost. It has been a whirlwind journey through the passage of time. The achievements act as the escalator to hopes and the disappointments are considered as the lessons. While we document the aspirations we might just learn few facts with this little introspective.

We can say that we are yet in the preliminary stage, but how many reality checks would be needed? Ten years is a long period of gestation. India thrives on entertainment, why audiences aren't yet ready to digest that an animated movie is telling a story. Is the story good enough? When the story is good enough producers shy away asking where is the audience. Is there a way to break the Catch 22? Read More...

ShapeShifter – A Charlex Film, A Master Piece of Visual Excellence

A chance and a dream sparked Charlex's creation of ShapeShifter. ShapeShifter resonates every line of Fitzgerald Scott's lyrically designed prose poem. Never did we think that design could simultaneously speak words as well as compliment them. The calm music composition by Peter Lauridsen at Stimmung, the sound design by Andres Velasquez and the narration by none other than Gabriel Byrne, puts you in a trance but doesn't let your focus slip. Mostly, it challenges your imagination. Alex Weil's direction coupled with Diana Park's design has made ShapeShifter an allegory for a dream world. Read More...

The WormWorld Saga - The Story of an Online Graphic Novel by illustrator Daniel Lieske

The zeal to tell a story made Daniel Lieske who works for a Gaming studio create the most visually attractive and engaging online graphic novel called Worm World Saga. Worm World Saga will be something really fresh and interesting for all our readers. The idea of a graphic novel that uses brilliance of art definitely blurs the lines between mediums of story-telling. Daniel apart from working at work has put his personal creativity into telling a story to the most number of people. He has succeeded in telling the first phase of the story, and it has clicked with end number of audiences around the globe. And now he shares it with us. Be ready to be completely bowled over by the visual art… Read More...

FMX 2011 - The 16th Conference on Animation, Effects, Games & Interactive Media

On May 3-6, FMX 2011 will take place in Stuttgart, Germany; again in the wonderful ambience of the Haus der Wirtschaft. FMX has been an integral part in building and shaping the industry. Over the years digital imagery has seen tremendous growth, and FMX has complemented and supported the growth. Throughout the past fifteen years of its existence, FMX kept up with the developments and trends and has grown to become an important networking platform for those working with digital imagery. We asked the organisers about the history of FMX and what they are planning for 2011. Read More...

VFX Insights with Michael Fink Senior Creative Director, Prime Focus

Michael has been involved with visual effects since he was a young boy, when he created his first miniature shot - a still of a rocket to the moon - in the hallway of his parents' home. He continued experimenting with photography and effects of all sorts until his college years - building projectors, remote camera systems, and experimenting with pyrotechnics (until his ability was outstripped by the explosive power of his concoctions and he wisely left further research to others).

Michael received a Bachelor's degree in Business from California State University, Northridge, in 1966, and was promptly drafted into the Army. Following the Army, he worked as an investment manager in San Francisco. Michael then took a leave of absence to attend the Art Institute of San Francisco, receiving a B.A. in 1973. In 1975, after moving to Los Angeles, he received an M.F.A. from the California Institute of the Arts. Read More...

Making of Moment before "Extinction" by Damir G Martin

It has been long since we covered a good tutorial. After the popularity of Damir's work on the Giant Octopus and him sharing how he worked it out on CGTantra, we have him tell us about the "Moment Before Extinction"

We asked Damir, what was absorbing up his time currently, and here is what he had to say; there are a lot many challenges he has set for him. Read More...

An Interview with Sean Andrew Murray, Principal Concept Artist

CGTantra got the chance to interview a very creative mind, which belongs to none other than Sean Andrew Murray. Sean's work at first glance awe you and the second expression coming from you would be definitely "wow and how". He is the Creator of "The Party" illustration that he shared with us as the artwork for The Monster's Tea Party in Artt War 5. Sean is currently working as "Principal Concept Artist at Big Huge Games, a division of 38 Studios". It was fun to interview and know about his work and how he works and creates the glorious illustrations; it keeps you thinking. Here you get to see work never seen before, believe us it is work never seen before. You can absorb and learn from the information Sean shares... get inspired people. And over to Sean... Read More..

NSM THE NATIONAL SUDENTS MEET about and for MAAC Students

Even to be a part of this radical animation industry has been a task for many and to remain and rationalize and evolve with this radical animation industry is even more irksome. There are veterans who have sustained and NSM brought their practicality, experience and sense to the beautiful Imperial Palace Classrooms. Animation, VFX and Gaming are one side of a valuable coin, which would be just useless without implementing, trying and practicing, and will still remain unless the knowledge circulates. Read More...

Aditya Infotech & Autodesk: Exclusive look into the “exclusive” software AUTODESK SOFTIMAGE 2011

Autodesk and Aditya Infotech in the 1st very week of 2011 took the "artigeeks" on an exploration cruise of Softimage 2011.

Referring to our first opening statement of a package; Autodesk's Softimage Software is a bundle of joy for any freelancer, to a boutique studio to also the bigger-biggest studios…their life(pipe)lines being pumped by Softimage. Read More...

Making of CGTantra Digital Matte Painting Challenge 3rd Winner by Jan Šarbort

I am a 23 years old graphic designer and digital artist from Czech Republic. Around the end of 2009, I discovered the field of matte painting, and gradually I began to study it and learn it. Third place win in this competition is like a confirmation for me that I took the right direction. I am grateful for it. I think that this competition was very interesting. Read More...