Gravity
Extra-Vehicular Activity
Article by Joe Fordham

For his masterful space drama about an astronaut who finds herself stranded outside her orbiting space shuttle when a perfect storm of debris destroys her ship, director Alfonso Cuarón, visual effects supervisor Tim Webber and artists at Framestore used innovative techniques to bring space-bound scenes to life with frightening realism. The production also enjoyed contributions from special effects supervisor Neil Corbould, who provided motion control rigs for zero-G effects, and from an array of supporting vendors that included Rising Sun Pictures, Peanut FX, Prime Focus and The Third Floor.

Thor: The Dark World
Valhalla Rising
Article by Joe Fordham

In this sequel to the 2011 hit film based on Marvel Comics' hammer-wielding god, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) returns to Earth when beings from the dark realm of Svartalfheim menace astrophysicist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman). Visual effects supervisor Jake Morrison and visual effects producer Diana Giorgiutti oversaw creation of far-flung cosmic realms and mythological beings in collaboration with special effects supervisor Paul Corbould and makeup effects supervisor David White. Leading the visual effects effort was Double Negative, with additional digital work provided by The Third Floor, Luma Pictures, Method Studios and Blur Studio.

Rush
Formula for Fire
Article by Graham Edwards

Director Ron Howard and his team from Imagine Entertainment bring all the glamour and danger of Formula 1 Grand Prix racing to the big screen in Rush, which chronicles the real-world rivalry between 1970-era race car drivers Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) and James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth). Spectacular and seamlessly integrated visual effects by Double Negative ran the gamut from restoration of existing archival footage to the creation of photorealistic Formula 1 cars, raceway environments and fiery crash effects. Prosthetic makeup designer Mark Coulier contributed a multi-stage burn makeup for a gravely injured Lauda, while Pixomondo ably aided in the postproduction effort.

Carrie
Dreaming in a Different Language
Article by Jody Duncan

Brian De Palma's 1976 horror classic, based on the breakout novel by Stephen King about a shy, bullied teenage girl with telekinetic powers, is given a modern spin by director Kimberly Pierce, who relied on extensive digital tools in lieu of the original film's practical effects to depict the mayhem and destruction unleashed when Carrie takes vengeance on her tormentors. Visual effects supervisor Dennis Berardi and his team at Mr. X blended state-of-the-art digital tools with classic on-set physical effects to set a new standard for the horror genre.