International visual effects company Pixomondo has announced the opening of a new studio in Detroit, bringing its global network total to 13 facilities spanning three continents. Formed through the acquisition of boutique VFX company With A Twist, the new studio, now dubbed Pixomondo DTW, will focus on feature film, television and commercial work, handling both local and international projects.
With A Twist has a long-standing relationship with Pixomondo, as a sub-vendor on several feature film projects including The Amazing Spider-Man, Fast Five, Sucker Punch and Hugo, for which Pixomondo supervisors won the Academy Award® for Best Visual Effects. The updated Detroit facility will be fully integrated into Pixomondo’s global workflow. Pixomondo founder/CEO Thilo Kuther noted that talent is a key factor when considering new facility locations and in collaborating with With A Twist, their talent tuned out impressive work. This favorable experience laid the groundwork for their coming together on the launch of a Detroit studio.
“We were fortunate to have been so successful thus far and had reached the point where we needed to grow to remain competitive,” said David Burton, co-founder of With A Twist. “Pixomondo has already accomplished much of what we aspired to do, and done it well, so it was a natural progression to join into their team. Our cultures mesh well and the timing was right.”
With A Twist co-founder Pam Hammarlund added that linking with Pixomondo provides wherewithal to deal with a VFX industry that has become “a worldwide marketplace. It is a tremendous asset to have access to global resources.”
With extensive experience in the automotive industry creating visual effects for such companies as Audi, VW and MINI, Pixomondo is aptly suited for work in the Motor City. The Detroit location will enable the company to service clients locally while simultaneously working on other diverse projects for its other studios around the globe, including Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Berlin, L.A., Shanghai, Beijing, London, Munich, Burbank, Toronto, Hamburg and Baton Rouge.
Oscar Nominees Delve Into The Art Of Editing At ACE Session
You couldn’t miss Sean Baker at this past Sunday’s Oscar ceremony where he won for Best Picture, Directing, Original Screenplay and Editing on the strength of Anora. However, earlier that weekend he was in transit from the Cesar Awards in Paris and thus couldn’t attend the American Cinema Editors (ACE) 25th annual panel of Academy Award-nominated film editors held at the Regal LA Live Auditorium on Saturday (3/1) in Los Angeles. While the eventual Oscar winner in the editing category was missed by those who turned out for the ACE “Invisible Art, Visible Artists” session, three of Baker’s fellow nominees were on hand--Dávid Jancsó, HSE for The Brutalist; Nick Emerson for Conclave; and Myron Kerstein, ACE for Wicked. Additionally, Juliette Welfling, who couldn’t appear in person due to the Cesar Awards, was present via an earlier recorded video interview to discuss her work on Emilia Pérez. The interview was conducted by ACE president and editor Sabrina Plisco, ACE who also moderated the live panel discussion. Kerstein said that he was the beneficiary of brilliant and generous collaborators, citing, among others, director Jon M. Chu, cinematographer Alice Brooks, and visual effects supervisor Pablo Helman. The editor added it always helps to have stellar acting performances, noting that hearing Cynthia Erivo, for example, sing live was a revelation. Kerstein recalled meeting Chu some eight years ago on a “blind Skype date” and it was an instant “bromance”--which began on Crazy Rich Asians, and then continued on such projects as the streaming series Home Before Dark and the feature In The Heights. Kerstein observed that Chu is expert in providing collaborators with... Read More