On the show floor, Qube demonstrated multi-IMB synchronization, delivering 4K content from a single Qube XP-I server to two Qube Xi 4K Integrated Media Blocks (IMBs) in two Barco DP4K-32B projectors; both images were in perfect frame synchronization.

“The high bit rate and multi-IMB sync capabilities of the XP-I server and Xi 4K IMB mean that the promise of dual projector 4K 3D digital cinema has been realized,” said Eric Bergez, Qube Cinema’s director of sales and marketing for the Americas. “The system is easy to operate and flattens the learning curve for projectionists by eliminating the unnecessary redundancies and complicated hardware configurations offered by previous vendors.”

The Qube XP-I server has the throughput to play back at 1,000 Mbps – four times the DCI bit rate specification of 250 Mbps. With 2K content, the Qube Xi can deliver up to 120 fps playback. With 4K content it can provide up to 30 fps playback. Alternatively, the high data throughput can be used to drive dual 4K or dual 2K projectors for stunning 4K 3D at up to 30 fps per eye (60 fps total).

“The image quality at these frame rates is impressive,” said Bergez, “and it’s coming at the right time.  HFR films are already in production, or in development today, so high frame rate playback capability is becoming essential for exhibitors. Qube demonstrated its ability to playback content and has emerged as a technology leader for digital cinema.”

The company also demonstrated a standard Qube XP-I server paired with a single Qube Xi 4K IMB driving Barco’s new prototype laser projector (aka The Dragon) in a special presentation at the Coliseum in Caesars Palace. The brightness and high contrast came through in the projection of clips from Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, as well as others, shown at 4K and 2K HFR 3D at 48 fps.

“We’re delighted to work with Barco on another industry advance,” said Rajesh Ramachandran, CTO of Qube Cinema. “The high brightness and color saturation of the 4K laser projection improves the 3D experience immensely.”

At the Filmmakers’ Lunch, with special guests Ang Lee and Martin Scorsese, Qube highlighted its new multi-IMB sync and HFR-HBR technology. The presentations offered side-by-side comparisons of 2D and 3D content on three different screens, all driven by synchronized Qube Xi IMBs. The left and right screens featured single Barco DP2K-20C projectors with RealD single-projector stereoscopic configurations, while the center screen was illuminated by two vertically-stacked Barco DP2K-20C projectors. All three images were kept in perfect sync with Qube’s native ability to sync multiple IMBs.

In addition, attendees were treated to a triple 3D screening of Martin Scorsese’s award-winning 3D film Hugo, with the Qube XP-I driving a single DCP to Qube Xi IMBs in Barco 2K projectors and RealD 3D equipment in perfect synchronization.

“CinemaCon marked a real milestone for digital cinema,” said Senthil Kumar, co-founder of Real Image, the parent company of Qube Cinema. “HFR projection, coupled with stereoscopic 3D, delivers an immersive in-theater experience that people can’t get anywhere else, and multi-IMB sync will play a key role in delivering it.”

About Qube Cinema, Inc.
Qube Cinema is an international manufacturer of Digital Cinema technology and mastering solutions. A subsidiary of India-based Real Image Media Technologies, Qube Cinema draws on decades of experience in media, cinema and entertainment. The company is committed to creating a seamless Digital Cinema environment for exhibitors, filmmakers and postproduction companies with technologies that are innovative, flexible and cost-effective. Qube Cinema’s product lines include the Qube XP series of digital cinema servers, Qube Xi 4K Integrated Media Block, QubeMaster software solutions, and Qube Keysmith KDM generation system. Qube Cinema, Inc. is based in Burbank, California. For more information, visit www.qubecinema.com.

Las Vegas, NV: April 25, 2012… Today at CinemaCon, Qube Cinema demonstrated dual-projector 120 fps stereoscopic 3D playback during the Filmmaker’s Lunch with a panel that included Ang Lee and Martin Scorsese.

The demonstration used two stacked Barco projectors to show a combined 240 fps projection driven by a single Qube XP-I server sending 120 fps per eye to the Qube Xi IMBs in the two projectors. The demonstration featured test footage from the Fraunhofer Institute.

“Delivering two streams of 120 fps from a single source is a first in digital cinema,” said Eric Bergez, Qube Cinema’s director of sales and marketing for the Americas. “Qube is not only showing that technology for the new HFR films is ready but demonstrating the limits to which this technology can be taken with currently shipping products.”

“When you see HFR 3D at 48 and 60 fps for each eye, you can really appreciate the tremendous improvement over 3D at 24 fps,” said Rajesh Ramachandran, president of Qube Cinema, “but 120 fps 3D truly blows everything else away. Filmmakers can now be truly liberated from the barriers that technology has imposed – with no visual artifacts.”

Visitors to CinemaCon can see the new Qube technology first-hand at booth #2013 at Caesars Palace. For more information about Qube or to schedule a demo at CinemaCon, contact Eric Bergez at sales@qubecinema.com or 818-392-8155.

About Qube Cinema, Inc.
Qube Cinema is an international manufacturer of Digital Cinema technology and mastering solutions. A subsidiary of India-based Real Image Media Technologies, Qube Cinema draws on decades of experience in media, cinema and entertainment. The company is committed to creating a seamless Digital Cinema environment for exhibitors, filmmakers and postproduction companies with technologies that are innovative, flexible and cost-effective. Qube Cinema’s product lines include the Qube XP series of digital cinema servers, Qube Xi 4K Integrated Media Block, QubeMaster software solutions, and Qube Keysmith KDM generation system. Qube Cinema, Inc. is based in Burbank, California. For more information, visit www.qubecinema.com.

Real Image, the parent company of Qube Cinema, was the system integrator on the project, delivering a turnkey solution for KNCC, pairing Barco projectors with the Qube XP-D servers. Sixteen of the screens also include MasterImage 3D systems for playing stereoscopic content. With a number of recent installations in the Middle East, Egypt, Lebanon, East and South Africa, Qube Cinema’s presence is continuing to grow in the region.

“The choice was easy this time,” said Hisham Al Ghanim, general manager, KNCC. “We looked at several digital systems before adopting Qube, Barco and MasterImage for our first round of installs. We are very pleased with the technology and the support we received.”

The Qube XP-D server is fully DCI compliant and integrates seamlessly with all major Theater Management System software. KNCC will have around-the-clock access to Qube technicians who are able to remotely access a Qube XP-D server via its web interface, ensuring the systems stay up and running.

“We are proud to partner with Qube on this important roll-out for KNCC,” said Abel Garamhegyi, Barco vice president Growth Markets and managing director for India. “These converted theaters now have high-quality systems that allow them flexibility in a rapidly changing environment.”

The Qube digital cinema systems are easily upgradeable and can be outfitted for full 4K playback with the addition of Qube Xi 4K Integrated Media Blocks (IMBs).

“KNCC has always been a technology pioneer, and had moved to digital ahead of the market,” said Raja Enok, chief marketing officer at Qube Cinema. “They were one of our first customers in the region and we are delighted that they have now chosen Qube for their entire network.”

The Qube XP-D digital cinema server is available from Qube Cinema and its worldwide network of resellers. For more information visit www.qubecinema.com/products/XPD or see Qube during CinemaCon at booth #2013.

About Kuwait National Cinema Company (KNCC)
KNCC (Cinescape) has been the sole exhibitor in Kuwait since it was founded in 1954. Cinescape has pioneered the distribution and exhibition of Arabic, English and Indian movies in the Middle East. Cinescape’s investment in digital cinema continues to make it the leading entertainment provider in the region. In 2007, Cinescape theatres showed Taimour and Shafika, the first digital Arabic films to be released.

About Barco
Barco, a global technology company, designs and develops visualization products for a variety of selected professional markets. Barco has its own facilities for Sales & Marketing, Customer Support, R&D and Manufacturing in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Barco (NYSE Euronext Brussels: BAR) is active in more than 90 countries with more than 3,500 employees worldwide. Barco posted sales of 1.041 billion euro in 2011. For more information, please visit www.barco.com

About Qube Cinema, Inc.
Qube Cinema is an international manufacturer of Digital Cinema technology and mastering solutions. A subsidiary of India-based Real Image Media Technologies, Qube Cinema draws on decades of experience in media, cinema and entertainment. The company is committed to creating a seamless Digital Cinema environment for exhibitors, filmmakers and postproduction companies with technologies that are innovative, flexible and cost-effective. Qube Cinema’s product lines include the Qube XP series of digital cinema servers, Qube Xi 4K Integrated Media Block, QubeMaster software solutions, and Qube Keysmith KDM generation system. Qube Cinema, Inc. is based in Burbank, California. For more information, visit www.qubecinema.com.

Las Vegas, NV: April 13, 2012… Qube Cinema, a world leader in 4K digital cinema technologies, will introduce the new Quad 3G interface for digital cinema projectors at the NAB Show next week in Las Vegas. The Quad 3G interface allows for integrated postproduction and digital cinema mastering workflows. Facilities can use one projector setup for both HD-4K uncompressed color grading and 2K-4K digital cinema playback providing a comprehensive review and quality control solution from one system.

At NAB, Qube Cinema will demonstrate the new Qube Xi 4K Integrated Media Block (IMB) installed in a Barco DP4K-32B projector. The new postproduction version of the Qube IMB features a Quad 3G interface with four BNC connectors that can be connected to color grading or finishing systems in order to stream uncompressed 4K digital content directly to the projector. The Qube XP-I D-cinema server offers a data throughput of up to 1,000 Mbps, sufficient for 4K dual-projector 3D playback from a single server, and the Qube Xi can support High Frame Rate playback and DCPs up to 500Mbps. Internal synchronization of the IMB allows for multiple-projector setups, for example, for stereo 3D playback or for venue entertainment projection. With the Quad 3G interface, users can switch seamlessly between uncompressed 4K and 4K DCP playback.

“As the development of 4K cinema continues to gain traction, the industry is going to need transitional tools,” said Michael Cioni, founder of Light Iron Digital, a postproduction facility in Los Angeles. “The Qube Cinema Quad 3G is the perfect example of a small but powerful solution that will help facilities offer filmmakers a simple pathway to 4K monitoring while making use of other 4K components that are readily available.”

“Rather than having to switch input boards, which can take hours to complete, facilities can now use one system for review and playback of all their 4K content,” said Rajesh Ramachandran, CTO of Qube Cinema. “This is a key piece of the new 4K pipelines that post houses are now hurrying to implement.”

Rather than requiring eight separate HD-SDI links to get 4K uncompressed playback, the Qube 3G interface uses four 3G-SDI cables, further simplifying 4K setups for post houses.

“As an industry leader in DCP mastering, Qube understands the importance of ensuring that digital cinema is brought to the screen in a way that reflects the vision of the director and the hard work of the cinematographer and colorist,” explained Ramachandran. “It’s about making sure everything looks the way it was intended to look. The Quad 3G makes that much easier to achieve.”
Visitors to NAB can see the new Qube technology first-hand at booth SL7708 in the Lower South Hall.

For more information about Qube’s Quad 3G or to schedule a demo at NAB, contact Eric Bergez at sales@qubecinema.com or 818-392-8155.

About Qube Cinema, Inc.
Qube Cinema is an international manufacturer of Digital Cinema technology and mastering solutions. A subsidiary of India-based Real Image Media Technologies, Qube Cinema draws on decades of experience in media, cinema and entertainment. The company is committed to creating a seamless Digital Cinema environment for exhibitors, filmmakers and postproduction companies with technologies that are innovative, flexible and cost-effective. Qube Cinema’s product lines include the Qube XP series of digital cinema servers, Qube Xi 4K Integrated Media Block, QubeMaster software solutions, and Qube Keysmith KDM generation system. Qube Cinema, Inc. is based in Burbank, California. For more information, visit www.qubecinema.com.

Shot on a sound stage in Montreal, sets for the winter scenes used artificial snow and trees, and painted backdrops. However, once production had begun it became clear that additional work would be needed in order for these scenes to look authentic on the big screen. Modus FX was called in to deliver CG refinements, a daunting task given the tight production schedule.

In total, the team had eight weeks to complete 194 shots. “We needed to enhance and extend the backgrounds in every direction,” said Martin Pelletier, CG supervisor at Modus FX. “The challenge was to produce a large number of shots in a short time, and make sure the results were believable for the audience.”

“We knew that a shot-specific approach would be too time-consuming,” Pelletier explained, “so we broke down the 194 shots into 12 groups, divided according to depth-positioning of the cameras. Then we created new 2D background cards for each set of shots.”

The solution included photos of birch trees captured in the nearby Laurentian mountains. These were applied to the 2D polygons and seamlessly composited into the 3D environment, creating a “2.5D” effect. Modus then added rocks and other landscape elements, along with falling CG snowflakes to enhance the verisimilitude of the shots. The final results were a combination of live-action, 2D backgrounds and 3D elements blending flawlessly to create believable outdoor winter scenes.

“It was essential for the story that it looks like the actors were in a real forest,” Pelletier said. “Our team delivered that.”

“We received calls from the other facilities, who were also working on the film, asking for our set up for the falling snow,” said Wayne Brinton, VFX supervisor at Modus. “They had been asked to match our look.”

“The VFX community in Montreal works well together,” added Brinton, “and that allows us to manage large projects, handing off shots and CG elements between studios. The process is as seamless as the results on the screen.”

“It is rewarding to work on a number of shots, plus the limited time we had to do them, and have that turn into something we’re proud of,” Brinton said.

This is the second project for Modus with director Tarsem Singh, having previously created a surreal combat sequence for his film Immortals.

Produced by Relativity Media, Citizen Snow Film Productions and Rat Entertainment, Mirror Mirror stars Julia Roberts as the Queen and Lily Collins, as Snow White. The film was directed by Tarsem Singh and saw theatrical release on March 30, 2012.

The digital cinema playback system at the museum’s Wortham Giant Screen Theater features a Qube XP-I server paired with two Qube Xi 4K IMBs installed in two Barco DP4K-32B projectors. Using a single DCP, the system is capable of streaming up to 1,000 Mbps of data through a dual Gigabit Ethernet interface, sufficient throughput to support dual 4K projectors at up to 30 fps, an industry first.

“Giant screen theaters have been anticipating 4K 3D for years. We’re very pleased to have partnered with Qube to finally make it happen,” said Derek Threinen, vice president, business development at D3D Cinema, which designed and integrated the new theater system. “The Houston Museum of Natural Science is one of the most prestigious giant screen venues in the world. To see full 4K content on the giant screen at HMNS is an important milestone for the industry.”

Moving from Film to Digital

“We decided a while back that we wanted to upgrade from 70 mm film to digital 3D,” said Charlotte Brohi, VP giant screen operations and film production at the museum. “When we saw a demonstration of the Qube technology in January, we knew we had found the way to do it. We showed our first 4K 3D digital movie on Feb. 19.”

“We wanted to give our audience the image quality they were used to with 70 mm film,” explained Brohi. “With the Qube Cinema 4K 3D system, not only are the images picture-perfect, but they’re steadier. And the artifacts we used to get from the wear and tear on film are gone. The quality exceeds that of 70 mm film.”

“Our projectionists love it because it’s so much easier to operate,” added Brohi. “Our techs used to have to haul 200-lb film reels up several flights of stairs to get them to the projection room – and then they had to load them onto the platters in our tight booth! We only had enough space for three 3D films at a time. It was a logistical challenge if we wanted to bring in a new film for a special event.”

With the new system, the Houston Museum of Natural Science is currently showing four different digital 3D movies: Space Junk 3D, Tornado Alley 3D, Flying Monsters 3D, and Ultimate Wave 3D.

Established over a century ago, the Houston Museum of Natural Science is one of the premiere institutions in the U.S., hosting over two million visitors per year. HMNS opened its movie theatre in 1989. The theater was converted to 3D in 2006, and has been one of the museum’s key attractions. The transition to 4K 3D digital technology allows the Wortham Giant Screen Theater to enhance its offerings while cutting costs and streamlining operations.

“Screening movies on the giant screen has always been a good revenue generator,” Brohi explained, “and that will continue. But we needed to find a way to reduce our expenses while maintaining, or in this case improving, the quality of the experience for our audience. We estimate we will save at least $200,000 in operating costs each year with the move to digital.”

HMNS is one of a very few museums which distributes and executive produces large-format films in addition to screening them. According to Brohi, they will soon make the move to an all-digital pipeline. “Sticking with digital prints saves money while keeping production quality really high,” she noted. “Other theaters will be looking to us as a leader using this technology. Very soon there will only be digital film in the giant screen theaters.”

“3D movies allow museums to extend their visitor experience, giving their audiences an immersive experience with documentaries which augment exhibitions and promote lifelong learning,” explained Threinen. “Visitors love them, and the simplicity and quality of the new Qube 4K 3D system makes this a win-win for the public and the exhibitor.”

The Qube XP-I server and Qube Xi 4K IMB are available now from Qube Cinema and its worldwide network of resellers and system integrators, including D3D Cinema. For more information visit  www.qubecinema.com/products.

About D3D Cinema

D3D Cinema (D3D) offers complete digital 3D cinema solutions and services to museum and attraction industry clients worldwide, providing a unique partnership approach to cinema design and 3D content production built around four core capabilities – theater design and installation; touring exhibition theaters; an award-winning library of 3D film content, and custom signature film production. Visit http://www.d3dcinema.com.

About Qube Cinema, Inc.

Qube Cinema, based in Burbank, CA, is an international manufacturer of digital cinema technology and mastering solutions. A subsidiary of Real Image Media Technologies, Qube Cinema draws on decades of experience in cinema and holds a leadership position in the transition from analog to digital technology. The company is committed to creating a seamless digital cinema environment for exhibitors, filmmakers and postproduction companies with DCI-compliant products that are flexible, reliable and highly cost effective. Qube Cinema’s product lines include the Qube XP series of servers, QubeMaster software solutions, Qube Keysmith KDM generation and the Qube Xi 4K Integrated Media Block. For more information, visit Qube Cinema at www.qubecinema.com.

Louis Morin

Montreal: Jan. 27, 2012… When visual effects supervisor Louis Morin and VFX producer Annie Godin were nominated for a VES Award for their work on Duncan Jones’ Source Code, the Montreal-based facilities involved in the film had reason to celebrate as well. Under the guidance of Morin, the VFX facilities each took on different parts of the project, sharing assets and coordinating deliveries on the film. The result was both a visually stunning film and proof that the Montreal film industry can compete with the best on the world stage.

“Louis Morin is a very effective and creative VFX supervisor,” said director Duncan Jones. “He found really excellent boutique facilities that were able to craft individual, and very different kinds of effects that we needed in the movie.”

The four Montreal-area studios included Modus FX, who handled complex digital crowd shots, CG trains, environments and dramatic pyrotechnics; Rodeo FX, who crafted the crucial greenscreen windows for the train interiors; FLY Studio, who created the futuristic CG pod sequences and key transitions; and Oblique FX, who created the CG bomb, a virtual stuntman and a poetic slow-motion explosion sequence. Toronto-based Mr. X contributed to the greenscreen train window backgrounds and MPC Vancouver handled the exterior shots of explosions and a train crash sequence.

“In the grand scheme of things, this was not a big-budget film,” said Jones. “That meant we had to be fairly specific about the FX we wanted. We couldn’t play around with too many ideas. We really couldn’t afford to make mistakes.”

“We had 850 shots to manage and a budget of $3.5 million dollars,” said Morin, “and for most of the film you would have no idea that visual effects were even used. The train, the cabin interiors and the station all look like real. The goal was seamless visual effects where the audience is simply immersed in the story.”

The Source Code Story
Released in theaters on April 1, 2011, Source Code is a psychological sci-fi thriller that tells the story of a U.S. soldier, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who wakes up in the body of another man on a Chicago commuter train. Shortly after that, the train blows up. As part of an experimental military mission, Gyllenhaal’s character is forced to repeat those final eight minutes on the train, working out how it was blown up, and, ultimately, how to prevent the tragedy. In the process, he forms a bond with a fellow passenger [Michelle Monaghan], and begins to solve the larger mystery of how he got there in the first place. While the film makes extensive use of visual effects, the digital achievements never overwhelm the essentially human story of Source Code.

All of the interiors were shot on a set in Montreal. Equipped with greenscreen windows, the whole set was placed on a gimbal that replicated the rocking movements of a train in motion. Exteriors used second-unit photography shot in Chicago. Commuter trains were digitally resurfaced, and a fictional train station was created using extensive digital set extensions.

“Some of the most subtle VFX work they had to do, like the insets for the greenscreen windows in the train, could make or break a movie like this,” explained Jones. “Even a small mistake with the simplest detail, like defining where the line of the landscape is, would have made a scene immediately and noticeably unrealistic. The guys did a beautiful job matching the moving patterns of Don Burgess’s ingenious lighting schemes, so it doesn’t pull the audience out of the movie.”

Rodeo FX – Light and Windows
Along with delivering a variety of explosions, Rodeo FX took the lead on greenscreen windows, cleverly compositing in the moving backgrounds outside the train. In total the facility contributed over 360 shots to Source Code.

Sébastien Moreau, president and VFX supervisor at Rodeo FX, put particular focus on the use of interactive light. “Greenscreen windows are usually detectable,” Moreau said, “but we were able to create a seamless look using interactive light.”

According to Moreau, the most interesting part of the project was dealing with continuity between shots, both in terms of the quality of the VFX work, and with the illusion of the train’s speed. “Even though we had all the necessary footage from a real train, shot with a three-camera rig to cover a very wide view of the background, we worked hard to maintain the illusion of constant speed and the position of the horizon line from shot to shot.”

“Imagine yourself in the train next to the window and you go past trees and buildings and there’s light occlusion,” added Morin. “There are highlights, lowlights, and, with the movement, there is constant variation. The ‘imperfection’ of reality is really subtle, but it’s critical to capture that imperfection for the CG to be invisible. Rodeo achieved this by applying the difference in positive and negative highlights to blend the plates of the exterior shots with the interior lighting. This was painstaking postproduction work.”

Oblique FX – Explosion and Stunt Double
Oblique FX contributed 46 shots to the film including a complex CG bomb, a dramatic interior explosion shot in slow motion, and a digital stunt double of Jake Gyllenhaal’s character as he jumps off a moving train and rolls to a stop on the platform.

For the explosion sequences, the studio created two replicas of the train interior. A full-scale model with dummies matching the actors’ positions was used for interior train explosions. A second version was positioned vertically so that Morin and his team could capture explosions at 1000 fps moving upwards through the interior towards the camera. Oblique FX then artfully combined the live-action plates with CG to create a realistic look with a poetic feel.

“The digital double was an artistic challenge because we had to animate Jake rolling along the platform and bring everything together so it’s believable,” said Alexandre Lafortune, visual effects supervisor, Oblique FX. “The movement is violent and jarring. We’ve done crowds before and wider shots of CG people, but a single figure that needed to blend seamlessly with live-action shots of the actor at the beginning and end of the shot was a new challenge.”

The studio used Natural Motion’s Endorphin software. “It’s a mix of simulation and keyframe animations,” Lafortune explained. “Duncan wanted us to try simulating it and Endorphin lets you rig the character and throw him against a surface to see what happens. We started with that to get the physics for the motion and the speed of the train worked out.”

“Source Code was a special project for us and we really enjoyed the teamwork with our partners,” said Pierre-Simon Lebrun-Chaput, visual effects supervisor, Oblique FX. “It was a great example of how facilities can collaborate on a film, each bringing their individual strengths to the project.”

Fly Studio – Pod and Transitions
Fly Studio specializes in creative motion graphics as well as visual effects. For Source Code, the company was called on to create the transitional shots between the pod and the train, as well as more than 100 monitor replacements. The pod is the surreal space from which Gyllenhaal’s character interacts with his military controller, played by Vera Farmiga. Fly Studio created the transitions for those shots.

“The transitional shots from the pod to the train and back were pretty much open to our ideas,” explained FLY Studio’s VFX supervisor on the project Jean-Pierre Boies. “We tested lots of different ways of transitioning – different layering of graphics, 3D meshes and a lot of effects added on top of it to create the final result.”

FLY Studio also added condensation to the actor’s breath inside the pod – an example of a subtle effect that greatly enhances the verisimilitude of some scenes. “Lots of movies are doing it by creating particles and compositing them in, but we decided to shoot our own live elements for this,” explained Boies. “We brought a Canon 5D camera to shoot some tests inside in a meat freezer at -15 or -20 Celsius. The test shots worked out so well, we ended up using them.”

“We’ve worked with Louis a few times now and we really liked the dynamic of working with him and the other companies,” he added. “Louis knows we have a strong motion graphics team and he knew we would be able to contribute creatively on a project like Source Code.”

Modus FX – Train and Station

“Source Code is the most ambitious and the most challenging project that we’ve tackled so far,” said Yanick Wilisky, VP of production and VFX supervisor at Modus FX. The company was brought on board in pre-production. “We started doing the pre-vis for the main action scenes – how the train would explode, and where this would take place,” said Wilisky.

In total, Modus handled 150 shots for the film including creating the train in CG, involving thousands of individual elements. The train was often used in close-up shots, requiring extensive camera tracking work, especially for scenes where the train has pulled into the station and crowds of commuters enter and exit the train. “The train was seamless,” said Louis Morin. “It doesn’t look CG. It looks just like a real commuter train in Chicago.”

Artists at Modus FX also created the fictional “Glenbrook Station” in Chicago and its surroundings. The CG set extension included everything from the station itself, to digital trees, large crowds of people, and commuter traffic on a busy Chicago street.

Crowd shots were created using Massive Software’s 3D crowd behavioral simulation system. Massive was also used for aerial shots of cars. “We needed to craft some pretty big highway traffic scenes with about 6,000 cars. That’s a lot to render, when you count the number of polygons per car,” Wilisky explained.

Montreal Delivering Excellence in Visual Effects

Annie Godin

“All the vendors pushed really hard to make it the best show possible,” said Annie Godin, VFX producer on Source Code. “Duncan and the producers had a lot of trust in us and that was very motivating for everyone. Louis guided the work so well that the vendors got shots approved quickly and could move along to the next tasks very efficiently.”

“I was delighted by how effective those facilities were at dividing up the work like that. They were very professional, and I think they really enjoyed the process themselves,” said Jones.

Source Code was produced by the Mark Gordon Company and Vendome Pictures, and is a Summit Entertainment release. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga, and was directed by Duncan Jones.

The film has been nominated for a VES Award for Outstanding Supporting Visual Effects in a Feature Motion Picture. This is Louis Morin’s second VES Award nomination. His first nomination was for the visual effects on Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The VES Awards will be announced Feb. 7 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles and will air on ReelzChannel.

About The Facilities

FLY Studio
Known for its resourcefulness and creativity, Fly Studio attracts clients in film, TV, and advertising who value creative input. Since 1996, it has made a name for itself as a creative and versatile postproduction facility. It specializes in show projections (e.g., many Cirque du Soleil shows), concerts (e.g., Justin Timberlake, Lenny Kravitz, Katy Perry, Pink, and Shakira), music videos (e.g., Beck) and advertising. Working mostly in advertising, its clients include Air Canada, Motorola, Pepsi, Budweiser, Molson, Chrysler, Ford, Walmart and General Electric. The four partners of Fly Studio, with backgrounds in fine arts, traditional animation, and design, complement each other and bring creativity to their many different projects. The partners remain “hands on” in productions, working alongside the 30 employees with diverse talents, to mix many different looks, styles, and genres. VFX projects for major motion pictures include Mr. Nobody, Source Code, Dark Horse and Towelhead. VFX for local films, including les 7 jours du talion (Seven Days), Un capitalisme sentimental, La Peur de l’eau and 1981. For more information, visit www.flystudio.com.

Modus FX
Since launching in 2007, Modus FX has become an industry leader in high-end feature film visual effects and animation, boasting an international clientele and a talented team of hand-picked artists from around the globe. Led by co-founders Marc Bourbonnais and Yanick Wilisky, Modus has developed a unique approach to creating digital content, combining a cutting-edge production pipeline with personalized on-going project coordination. The studio collaborates with each director through the artistic process, from editorial script and on-set supervision to final delivery. Based just outside Montreal, Modus offers a full scope of services in its modern 12,000-square-foot studio. For more information, visit www.modusfx.com.

Oblique FX
Oblique FX was founded in February 2008 when Benoît Brière, former 3D Director of Buzz Image Group, and partners purchased the Film Division of Buzz. Oblique offers high-end digital visual effects services for the film, television and commercial industries. It specializes in photoreal visual effects that integrate seamlessly into live-action plates and environments, including character and crowd animation, matte paintings and virtual environments, special effects and natural phenomena, CG integration and compositing. Projects completed by the team at Oblique FX include 300, Brokeback Mountain, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, The Aviator and The Fountain. For more information, visit www.obliquefx.com.

Rodeo FX
Sébastien Moreau founded Rodeo FX in 2006. Since then the company has had a meteoric rise, responsible for seamless visual effects in some of the highest grossing blockbusters in the industry. Using all of the latest technology, while discovering new ones, this Montreal-based team of international artists, numbering 65 and growing, share a passion for and deliver only a high level of quality work that the major film studios expect, as seen in Source Code, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Red Tails, Underworld Awakening, Immortals, Gulliver’s Travels, Twilight Eclipse, Resident Evil 4, The Three Musketeers, Terminator Salvation, Repo Men, Amelia, The Day the Earth Stood Still and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. For more information, visit: www.rodeofx.com

At the Digital Cinema Symposium, the Qube Cinema system played back an 800 Mbps DCP, more than three times the maximum DCI bit rate specification of 250. The data speeds of the Qube XP-I server make it possible, for the first time, for a single server with one DCP to drive two projectors, each with their own IMB.

“Seeing the film in 4K 3D was a startling experience,” said director Melissa Butts, speaking about her latest movie, Space Junk 3D, narrated by Academy Award® Nominee, Tom Wilkinson, which was shown at the Symposium on the Moody Garden’s Giant Screen. “All the hard work we put into shading, lighting and textures was that much more brilliant and remarkable. What Qube is offering is very exciting for filmmakers and audiences. With all the detail, everything just looks and feels more real.”

“With 4K 3D, and the high frame rate capabilities of the Qube XP-I server, the promise of digital cinema is now being realized,” said Rajesh Ramachandran, president and CTO of Qube Cinema. “Exhibitors can now offer a truly stunning theater experience for their patrons.”

Delivering High Frame Rate Content

At Moody Gardens, Qube Cinema also demonstrated the high frame rate (HFR) capabilities of the Qube XP-I server with 2K stereoscopic content on the Giant Screen. This demonstration compared 3D material at 24, 48 and 60 fps. At 60 fps, motion blur disappears and rich detail is clearly visible in the moving images. Accustomed to 24 fps playback, many people are not aware of the image compromises associated with this standard, especially for stereo 3D. The difference was immediately apparent during the Qube presentation, including side-by-side split-screen comparisons at the Digital Cinema Symposium.

“I was most impressed with the Qube XP-I’s ability to play back all our high bit rate 4K and high frame rate 2K content from a single server,” said Andy Wood, senior vice president, Business Development at D3D Cinema and Giant Screen Films.  “Before Qube’s innovation, at standard DCI specs, we could only achieve dual projector 4K 3D playback with a complicated double server configuration which included ancillary sync generators and a very restrictive setup.  Qube Cinema has made 4K 3D and high frame rate 2K a reality.”

“The ability to power multiple projectors through a single interface is both elegant and easy to operate for projectionists,” added Ramachandran.

As currently configured, the Qube XP-I server with the Qube Xi 4K IMB is capable of data rates of up to 1,000 Mbps – or 500 Mbps per projector, allowing for pristine 4K stereo 3D. The system can support frame rates of 30 fps for 4K projection, and frame rates of up to 120 fps for 2K content.

The Qube XP-I digital cinema server and the Qube Xi 4K IMB are available from Qube Cinema and its worldwide reseller network. For more information, visit www.qubecinema.com.

About Qube Cinema, Inc.

Qube Cinema, based in North Hollywood, CA, is an international manufacturer of digital cinema technology and mastering solutions. A subsidiary of Real Image Media Technologies, Qube Cinema draws on decades of experience in cinema and holds a leadership position in the transition from analog to digital technology. The company is committed to creating a seamless digital cinema environment for exhibitors, filmmakers and postproduction companies with DCI-compliant products that are flexible, reliable and highly cost-effective. Qube Cinema’s product lines include the Qube XP-D and Qube XP-E servers, QubeMaster software solutions, Qube Keysmith KDM generation, the Qube Xi Integrated Media Block, and the new QubeShare centralized cinema storage. For more information, visit Qube Cinema at www.qubecinema.com.

“There is nothing else in Toronto like Christmas by Lamplight,” said Chris Bagley, general manager of Black Creek Pioneer Village. “With the Village bathed in the warmth of natural light with treats and music everywhere, this is an opportunity for people to experience the charm and the simple joys of the holidays. ”

Visitors can start the evening off with a delicious Christmas dinner, or join the fun later, wandering through the Village at their own pace, enjoying homemade traditional treats, such as roasted chestnuts, mulled apple cider, mincemeat tarts and real sugarplums. Visitors can join in the dancing in the ballroom, place a wish on a 20’ Christmas tree in front of the Town Hall, and even meet Father Christmas.

Music has always been a big part of Christmas by Lamplight, and this year the event will feature two choirs, including the Ambiance Singers, a women’s chorus under the direction of Danny McErlain. “We love singing at Black Creek Pioneer Village. The acoustics in that little church are just fantastic,” said Valerie Gajda, who is vice president of the Ambiance Singers and sings second soprano with the group. ” Christmas by Lamplight is a lovely event and the sound in that space is really magical.”

Included in a repertoire of seasonal and gospel music, the Ambiance Singers will perform an original arrangement of “Christmastime is Here,” which many people will recognize from the famous Charlie Brown’s Christmas special. “It’s a beautiful song,” said Gajda. “We will also have lyric sheets for more familiar songs, like Silent Night, and Joy to the World, so that the audience can join in the music-making if they wish.”

Traditional music will also be showcased. Nollaig, meaning “Christmas” in Gaelic, is the name of a quartet of Toronto musicians whose instruments include flutes, whistles and fiddles, “I look forward to this event every year. The experience of trudging with my instruments across the snow seems quintessentially Canadian to me,” said British-born October Browne, who plays guitar and mandolin in the group. “People are just delighted by the experience. It’s so lovely to come out of the cold into one of the snug little homes and enjoy a warm fire and real music.”

The York Highlands Chorus, another of the region’s top choirs, directed by Martha DeClerq will kick-off Christmas by Lamplight on December 10. The Ambiance Singers are appearing on December 17 and 18. Nollaig is performing on all three evenings.

“December is the darkest month of the year, so lamps and candlelight were a very special part of Christmas in early Ontario,” explained Bagley. “We experience this same magic at the Village during Christmas by Lamplight. It’s like stepping into another world.”

Christmas by Lamplight runs from 6:00 to 9:30 pm on December 10, 17, and 18. Tickets are available each evening for $29.95 for adults or $24.95 for children under 12 with reduced prices available for members. Tickets for the Christmas by Lamplight dinners (including full access to the event) are $75.95 for adults and$50.25 for children under 12. Dinner reservations are required, by phone at 416-667-628, or online at http://www.christmasbylamplight.ca/price.shtml

Directions:
Black Creek Pioneer Village is one block east of Jane St., south off Steeles Avenue, right next to York University. The Village is south-east of Hwy 7 and Hwy 400. Parking is available on site.

Public Transportation:
Black Creek Pioneer Village can be reached from the Finch subway station using the Steeles 60 West route, or from the Jane Station using the Jane 35 route. Visit www.ttc.ca. York Region Transit has several options available. For more information visit www.yorkregiontransit.com

For more information about Black Creek Pioneer Village, visit http://www.blackcreek.ca, or call
416-736-1733.

About Black Creek Pioneer Village
Black Creek Pioneer Village is unique in Toronto: a place where visitors can step into another time and experience life as it was in early Ontario. Spanning more than 30 acres of pristine country landscapes, the Village is a living history experience. Here heritage buildings from communities across south-central Ontario have been faithfully outfitted with original furniture and artifacts to re-create a rural 1860s Ontario community. Historical interpreters in period dress bring the experience to life, answering visitors’ questions, and demonstrating how people lived, worked and played. The Village is located in north Toronto, close to the intersection of Highway 400 and Highway 7. Black Creek Pioneer Village is owned and operated by Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA). Funding for the Village comes from the TRCA’s provincial and municipal partners, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the City of Toronto, admissions and sales, and through donations to The Living City Foundation (formerly The Conservation Foundation of Greater Toronto). For more information, visit www.blackcreek.ca.

“It’s a very artistic piece which aims to capture the iconic imagery of Greek mythology,” explained Martin Pelletier, CG supervisor at Modus. “Developing the sequence was a collaboration between our artists and director Tarsem Singh. For us it was an in-depth process of visualizing and clarifying the director’s imagination.”

The Sequence

The scene begins when the film’s hero Theseus touches Phaedra – a psychic oracle played by Freida Pinto. In that instant, the camera swoops into Phaedra’s mind for the vision sequence.

Red CG petals fall from the sky and we see King Hyperion and Theseus spinning around in combat on the boat. The scene cuts to a wider shot and various fighting poses are discernable in the whirling mass. The audience sees that the boat is sitting on a mass of warriors’ shields, like a Greek phalanx, with the water in the background.

For a moment, Hyperion and Theseus freeze and the camera pans down to show a mummy lying on the ground with the petals falling onto it: beauty, transience and death in a single image. As they begin to fight and spin again, the view pulls back to a wider shot. In the background the sea, created by Scanline VFX, swells up into a giant tsunami approaching the shore.

Capturing the Imagination as Moving Imagery

The imagery is ambitious. At the start of the project in September 2010, Modus FX had several meetings with director Tarsem Singh to map out the shots and the look of the scene. Singh wanted what he referred to as a “clay effect,” with the figures becoming malleable organic forms, blending together as they spin in combat.

After the initial meetings, the team at Modus spent four months developing the ideas in a process of exploration and refinement, gradually shaping the final look of the scene. Test shots were sent back to the director for review on a weekly basis.

Early on the team had decided the scene would be done in three shots: close up, wide and very wide. Then they began working on the spinning figures – how fast they should rotate and how many poses should appear. Testing was done with Softimage XSI combining textures, including skin, glossy black helmets, a gold mask, blue cloth and brown leather. The textures were tried at different speeds with different motion blurs and shutter speeds.

“It took a lot of experimentation, but as we progressed, we started to develop some really interesting ideas,” said Pelletier. “We liked the clay effect, but it still needed something more to look believable.”

He explained that the team at Modus then developed a “force field” effect to augment the scene, which had to fit in seamlessly with the overall aesthetic and the other surreal effects of the film. “It worked very well,” said Pelletier. “It shows how important it can be to keep the creative process going right to the end. The effort paid off.”

The Sea and the Sky

“We wanted the lighting to look magical or even supernatural,” said Pelletier. “We played around with sky colors until we had the right tones and then redid the lighting on the live plates to match the CG lighting. This was an interesting challenge because usually we do the opposite – match the CG to the lighting in the live shots.”

Remarkably, the sea was realized much more quickly. “We hit bull’s-eye on the first try with the CG ocean,” recalled Pelletier.

A Company That Solves Problems

“Relativity Media saw us as a company that solves problems,” said Yanick Wilisky, visual effects supervisor and co-founder of Modus FX. “It was a very complex sequence, artistically and technically, but we found the way. We solved it for them.”

Immortals is a 3D fantasy adventure film directed by Tarsem Singh and starring Henry Cavill, Freida Pinto and Mickey Rourke. It was released in 2D and 3D on Nov. 11 by Universal Pictures and Relativity Media.

About Modus FX
Since launching in 2007, Modus FX has become an industry leader in high-end feature film visual effects and animation, boasting an international clientele and a talented team of hand-picked artists from around the globe. Led by co-founders Marc Bourbonnais and Yanick Wilisky, Modus has developed a unique approach to creating digital content, combining a cutting-edge production pipeline with personalized on-going project coordination. The studio collaborates with each director through the artistic process, from editorial script and on-set supervision to final delivery. Based just outside Montreal, Modus offers a full scope of services in its modern 12,000-square-foot studio. For more information, visit www.modusfx.com.