32TEN Studios, a San Rafael (Marin, CA)-based company that provides production facilities and practical and visual effects services to entertainment, advertising, and corporate clientele, presented several special effects displays in concert with the Make-A-Wish Foundation for its hugely successful event held across the city of San Francisco on Nov. 15th. 32TEN Studios was retained by John Crane Films to participate in this special event.
Geoff Heron, 32TEN’s Special Effects Supervisor, and Sean House, 32TEN’s Fabrication Supervisor, created these effects to help “make a wish come true” for Miles Scott, a five year old child afflicted with leukemia. Thanks to the Bay Area’s Make-A-Wish Foundation, Miles got his chance to fulfill his dream of being Batman – he was transformed into “BatKid.” The Make-A-Wish Foundation transformed a number of San Francisco neighborhoods into Gotham City for a day, with over 12,000 volunteers playing along.
Heron and House produced three special effects moments using various forms of pyro and smoke effects during the event. These moments included: a smoke haze from which two Batmobiles appeared; an explosion, as BatKid thwarts the Riddler during a bank heist, and a smoke bomb going off as arch enemy the Penguin unsuccessfully tried to escape capture by BatKid. “It’s not everyday one gets a chance to help a 5 year old boy literally fulfill his wish of becoming Batman,” Heron said. “It was a pleasure to play a role in this wonderful event.”
The Bay Area Make-A-Wish Bay Foundation was able to help Miles’ dream of becoming Batman for a day come to fruition. On the morning of the event, Miles, along with a grownup Batman sidekick, got a phone call from the police chief and jumped into his own Batmobile to defend the city against some of his fiercest foes – including the Riddler and the Penguin. After rescuing a damsel in distress from the cable car tracks in Nob Hill, and capturing the Riddler in the act of robbing a downtown vault, Batman ate his lunch at the Burger Bar in San Francisco – directly above Union Square. He then went on to rescue San Francisco Giants mascot Lou Seal from the Penguin, and was ultimately given the keys to the city by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee.
The event drew major media coverage across the U.S., became a Social Media phenomenon, and even elicited responses from President and Mrs. Obama. Among the stories generated:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/17/ben-affleck-christian-bale-batkid_n_4291634.html
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/15/batkid-san-francisco/3588173/
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-1116-sf-batkid-20131116,0,21527.story#axzz2l15j1eJI
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Batkid-saves-the-day-in-San-Francisco-4985651.php
About 32TEN STUDIOS
Launched in early 2012 by longtime entertainment industry leaders Tim Partridge and Greg Maloney, 32TEN Studios is a production facility and VFX services provider located in San Rafael. The company provides its services to producers of major motion pictures, independent films, TV programs, commercials, industrials, web content and multi-media projects. 32TEN Studios is located at 3210 Kerner Blvd., San Rafael, CA, 94901. The phone is 800 717 3210, and the website is: www.32ten.com
