Visual effects are images that are created and manipulated for film or videos that would be too dangerous, costly, or physically impossible to capture on a set. For our August issue, ICG will profile some of the most exciting F/X sequences of 2008. We interview some of the top VFX supervisors in the industry and detail how they created mind blowing sequences for such summer blockbusters as Iron Man, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Incredible Hulk and more. We’ll also profile several companies that are doing some “out-of-the-box” work in visual effects.

TROPIC THUNDER
Shot by cinematographer John Toll, ASC and directed and starring Ben Stiller, Tropic Thunder tells a comedic story of a group of actors shooting a big-budget war movie, who are forced to become the soldiers they are portraying.

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
In Pineapple Express, a stoner and his dealer are forced to go on the run from police after the pothead witnesses a cop commit a

murder. Indie film pioneers director David Gordon Green and DP Tim Orr (Snow Angels, All the Real Girls) take on their first studio comedy, which is produced by Judd Apatow.

CROSSING OVER
Crossing Over is a multi-character canvas about immigrants of different nationalities struggling to achieve legal status in Los Angeles. Collaborators Wayne Kramer and DP Jim Whitaker (Running Scared, The Cooler) re-team to explore the hot button issue of immigration.

For our regular departments, we profile VFX supervisor and director of photography Rob Legato and also examine the collaboration between VFX and camera on Final Destination 4. We also visit Cine Gear Expo 2008, one of the premiere film, video and digital media expos. We’ll report on new products and attend the many seminars and master classes.