Jurassic Park 3D preview & Life of Pi: Academy focuses on ‘breakthroughs in visual effects’
Jurassic Park 3D, the 3D-converted version of Steven Spielberg’s 1993 (sort of) classic horror / sci-fier Jurassic Park, will have a “special advance screening” sponsored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on April 2 at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. (Image: Tyrannosaurus Rex in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park 3D.)
The Jurassic Park 3D preview is part of a series of events “focused on the breakthroughs in visual effects” in Hollywood movies. The series will come to a close with a screening of another 3D entry, Ang Lee’s global blockbuster Life of Pi, on May 6, also at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park 3D preview
According to the Academy’s press release, the April 2 screening of Jurassic Park 3D will feature a post-screening chat with the film’s crew, including art director Rick Carter, visual effects artists Dennis Muren and Phil Tippett, and Stereo D president William Sherak. The Jurassic Park 3D discussion will be moderated by Variety‘s David S. Cohen.
Note: Admission for Jurassic Park 3D is free, but tickets are required. Those will become available online here from March 26 at 9 a.m. The Jurassic Park 3D cast includes Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Richard Attenborough, Jeff Goldblum, Joseph Mazzello, Ariana Richards, Bob Peck, Martin Ferrero, BD Wong, Wayne Knight, and Samuel L. Jackson the year before he was featured in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction.
Jurassic Park 3D release date in North America: April 5. The original Jurassic Park opened two decades ago.
“VFX Convergence” panel
A “VFX Convergence” panel will be held Mondays, April 15, 22, and 29 at the Academy’s Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. As per the Academy’s release, VFX Convergence “will highlight the constantly evolving art of visual effects.”
Panelists include the following: Academy Award-winning make-up artists Rick Baker (John Landis’ An American Werewolf in London, Tim Burton’s Ed Wood, Joe Johnston’s The Wolfman) and Greg Cannom (David Fincher’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Chris Columbus’ Mrs. Doubtfire), Oscar-winning visual effects artist Rob Legato (Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, James Cameron’s Titanic), and visual effects artist and Oscar-winning art director Robert Stromberg (James Cameron’s Avatar, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland).
The themes are the following:
- Pre- and Post-visualization – Today’s Storyboarding (April 15)
- Blending Make-Up with Digital Arts in Film (April 22)
- From Matte Paintings to Full Environments and Set Extensions (April 29)
Each evening will feature film clips and a Q&A session. Tickets and passes will be available on April 1. For more information, click here.
Ang Lee’s Life of Pi
The Life of Pi screening on May 6 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater will be moderated by Academy governor Bill Kroyer. The Life of Pi panel will feature two-time Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Bill Westenhofer (Life of Pi, Chris Weitz’s The Golden Compass) and members of the Life of Pi creative teams.
The Academy’s press release adds that the Life of Pi program “will spotlight the ‘making-of,’ design and breakthrough 3D and visual effects work that went into crafting the movie.” Tickets will be available on April 1. For more information, click here.
Life of Pi stars Suraj Sharma. The film’s supporting cast includes Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Gérard Depardieu, and Rafe Spall. David Magee wrote the screen adaptation based on Yann Martel’s novel.
Tyrannosaurus Rex in Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park 3D photo: Universal Pictures.