Framestore has named Grant Walker and Ahmed Gharraph to serve as joint heads of CG in London. The two will sit alongside Ross Burgess, head of animation, in the leadership of the creative studio’s advertising, television and immersive entertainment work.
The appointment marks the return of Gharraph to Framestore after a two-year stint at ILM, where he was lead FX artist on Star Wars: The Last Jedi, receiving a VES nomination in Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature. His credits advertising-side as CG supervisor include “Mog’s Christmas Calamity,” Sainsbury’s highly successful and award-winning 2015 festive campaign; and Shell V-Power’s “Shapeshifter,” directed by Carl Erik Rinsch.
Grant has been promoted to his new capacity. He joined Framestore in 2009, and in his time at the company has worked across film, advertising and television, building a noteworthy portfolio as a CG artist with campaigns including the VES-nominated Freesat’s “Sheldon”; he was also instrumental in Framestore’s digital recreation of Audrey Hepburn in Galaxy’s 2013 campaign “Chauffeur” for AMV BBDO. Most recently, he was BAFTA-nominated for his creature work in the Black Mirror episode, “Playtest.”
Drawing on their shared extensive experience the duo will lead a fast-growing team, upholding the highest quality standards in visual effects across multiple media platforms. Working closely with Burgess, they will push to create more award-winning work for Framestore, in a period of increasing project diversity and range.
Helen Stanley, managing director, integrated advertising worldwide, said, “It’s a pleasure to welcome Ahmed back to Framestore and to have such a strong joint leadership in place for our rapidly growing VFX team working across Advertising, Television and Immersive Entertainment. The breadth and depth of projects we are currently working across is not only exciting, but continually pushes us to raise our creative game in brilliant ways. With Grant, Ahmed and Ross at the fore, I’m confident that the quality of our output will go from strength to strength.”
Review: Writer-Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood’s “Heretic”
"Heretic" opens with an unusual table setter: Two young missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are discussing condoms and why some are labeled as large even though they're all pretty much a standard size. "What else do we believe because of marketing?" one asks the other.
That line will echo through the movie, a stimulating discussion of religion that emerges from a horror movie wrapper. Despite a second-half slide and feeling unbalanced, this is the rare movie that combines lots of squirting blood and elevated discussion of the ancient Egyptian god Horus.
Our two church members — played fiercely by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East — are wandering around trying to covert souls when they knock on the door of a sweet-looking cottage. Its owner, Mr. Reed, offers a hearty "Good afternoon!" He welcomes them in, brings them drinks and promises a blueberry pie. He's also interested in learning more about the church. So far, so good.
Mr. Reed is, of course, if you've seen the poster, the baddie and he's played by Hugh Grant, who doesn't go the snarling, dead-eyed Hannibal Lecter route in "Heretic." Grant is the slightly bumbling, bashful and self-mocking character we fell in love with in "Four Weddings and a Funeral," but with a smear of menace. He gradually reveals that he actually knows quite a bit about the Mormon religion — and all religions.
"It's good to be religious," he says jauntily and promises his wife will join them soon, a requirement for the church. Homey touches in his home include a framed "Bless This Mess" needlepoint on a wall, but there are also oddities, like his lights are on a timer and there's metal in the walls and ceilings.
Writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Wood — who also... Read More