Frantic Films Heists Effects for "The Italian Job!"

Acclaimed Effects Company Provides Pre-vis and Post Effects for Paramount's Hit Action Caper

WINNIPEG (PRWEB) June 20, 2003 - Award-winning animation and visual effects facility, Frantic Films, steals the gold in the Paramount Pictures action-packed feature The Italian Job, now in theatres nationwide.

A contemporary remake of the classic 1969 crime caper (also from Paramount), The Italian Job tells the tale of a gang of thieves who create the largest traffic jam in L.A. history, to steal a treasure in gold bullion. Directed by F. Gary Gray (The Negotiator, Set It Off), the film stars Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton, Charlize Theron, Seth Green, and many more. The film's action includes breathtaking chase scenes on sidewalks and through subways, as well as state-of-the-art action sequences enhanced through the use of visual effects.

Plotting the Heist - Previsualization ("Pre-vis")
Frantic Films provided key pre-vis for the film's exciting "Hollywood Highland," "Metro Rail Platform," "Safe Falling," "Stella Lock Shot," "Dam Double Cross," and "Venice Alps Hookup" sequences, all of which include incredible car chases and gunplay. Frantic also did pre-vis for the film's climactic helicopter-Mini (BMW) sequence. "The filmmakers approached us in search of a company with a strong pre-vis team - one that would be able to turn around an extensive number of shots in a short period of time," comments Ken Zorniak, Frantic's VFX Producer. "For some of the shots, a number of different approaches and visualizations were required, so the producers would have several options to choose from.

Frantic was able to provide a variety of options for several key sequences wherever needed, and to do so on a tight deadline. The pre-vis design stage offered the Frantic team some terrific opportunities for creativity. Working only from a storyboard and script, Frantic was able to offer several potential visual solutions, allowing the filmmakers to play around with different camera angles, movements, and motions in order to create animatics that would look dynamic and exhilarating, and which would satisfy the requirements of the script.

The Heist - Post Visual Effects (VFX)
After achieving worldwide notice for its effects contributions to films like Swordfish, The Core, and X2: X-Men United (and especially after completing the pre-vis work), Frantic was the natural choice when it came time for the VFX to shift into post-production.

"The visual effects in the movie are transparent. Nobody's meant to see them," Zorniak says. "The biggest challenge lay in creating stylistic transitions through various floor, ground and roof layers."

About Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures is part of the entertainment operations of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA - news), one of the world's largest entertainment and media companies and a leader in the production, promotion and distribution of entertainment news, sports and music.

About Frantic Films
Consistently on the cutting edge of film and television production, Frantic Films has firmly established a reputation as one of North America's most dynamic and successful creative resources.

With services including visual effects, animation, film and video production, and post-production, Frantic offers a state-of-the-art facility with a reputation for innovation, quality, and creativity on the cutting edge. Frantic's clients across North America include Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and Alliance Atlantis to name but a few.

Note to Reporters and Editors: For your convenience, a complete credits list and photo page follows - for high-resolution versions, please feel free to e-mail your request to Angela Mitchell at Paramitch@aol.com, or call (954) 983-5877.

For further information, please contact:

Angela Mitchell
Public Relations
Frantic Films
(954) 983-5877
Paramitch@aol.com

Chris Bond
President and Creative Director
Frantic Films
(204) 975-5116
cbond@franticfilms.com