Miles Crist
January 23, 2024
Tag: Video
Rare Humans Podcast: Jason Hill on Working with David Fincher, Trusting Ideas, Playing Music
Evan Roberts
February 21, 2024
Rare Humans
Jason Hill is a multi-instrumentalist known for inventing, building, and mastering his own unusual instruments which help create his unique scores and productions. Hill is the lead singer, guitarist, and producer for the band LOUIS XIV. He has produced, written records or otherwise worked with such artists as The Killers, David Bowie, Ariel Pink, The White Stripes, and more.
Jason Hill now spends most of his time as a film composer working with acclaimed director David Fincher on the psychological thriller film Gone Girl and has since worked on many projects with Fincher such as the Emmy-winning series MINDHUNTER.
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Frame & Reference Podcast: “Ferrari” and “The Killer” DP Erik Messerschmidt, ASC
Kenny McMillan
February 22, 2024
Frame & Reference
Frame & Reference is a conversation between Cinematographers hosted by Kenny McMillan. Each episode dives into the respective DP’s current and past work, as well as what influences and inspires them. These discussions are an entertaining and informative look into the world of making films through the lens of the people who shoot them.
Our third ever returning guest and a crowd favorite, Erik Messerschmidt, ASC is here! In this episode we talk about his work on Michael Mann‘s “Ferrari” as well as David Fincher‘s “The Killer“. Enjoy!
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Ollin VFX: The Killer VFX Breakdown
January 19, 2024
Ollin VFX
Visual Effects By: Ollin VFX
Executive Producer: Alejandro Diego
Visual Effects Supervisor: Yabin Morales
Visual Effects Executive Producer: Álvaro González Kuhn
Visual Effects Producer: Denisse Garcés
Visual Effects Sequence Supervisor: Isaac Camacho
Visual Effects Project Manager: Edgar Ortiz
Visual Effects Production Coordinators: Andrea Manzano, Luis González, Ursula Salas
CG Lead: Oscar Paz
CG Artists: Aislinn Alcaraz, Tlacaellael Cedillo, Alberto Gaona, Jerónimo Martínez
Lead Artist: Argenis Dionisio
Associate Visual Effects Supervisor: Xany Méndez
Compositors: Ramón Monsanto, Francisco Contreras, Eduardo Grandizo, Gabriel Zamora, Alberto Carmona, Alejandro Saavedra, Ariel Picone, Elena Amador, Martin Villareal, Dereek Alcubilla, Edwin Leger, Jonathan Silverio, Paula Andrada, Nikita Guliaev
Matte Painting Artist: Wellinthon Simeón
Visual Effects Editors: Daniela Ramírez, David Malvaez, Héctor Ramírez
Head of IT: Alejandro Gutierrez
Pipeline Developer: Eric Campos
Systems Administrator: Manuel Macedo
Systems Assistant: Luis Urrutia
Accounting Manager: Claudia Domínguez
Talent Acquisition Manager: Alicia Álvarez
Wylie Co.: The Killer VFX Breakdowns
January 9, 2024
Wylie Co.
The Killer digi-double visual effects sequence & breakdown. This is our first of many breakdown reels we’re going to post on X for our VFX work on The Killer.
For this particular sequence in The Killer, Eric Barba, Peter Mavromates and David Fincher approached us with an extremely difficult task, to create close-up, photoreal digi-double shots of Michael Fassbender riding a scooter.
The quality of the work had to seamlessly cut back to back between live-action shots of The Killer on set. Extra complexity was added because the original plan to shoot these shots on a virtual stage didn’t live up to what Fincher had envisioned.
Because of this, there were no HDRI’s or usable array footage and sparse reference photos. The lighting and lookdev had to be dialed in by eye. We began with the Killer asset, adding fine facial detail and cloth simulations.
We then used photogrammetry to assist with cascading streetlight timing and travel speed. The final result was high res meticulously crafted nearly full CG shots cut into the live-action sequence with the ultimate goal of nobody noticing.
Advancements in software, hardware, and artist skill enabled us to create The Killer digi-double with a team of 7 artists using Lenovo workstations, AMD processors, NVidia GPUs, Nuke, Maya, Houdini & Redshift software. And months of time!
All of our work in David Fincher’s The Killer involved digi-doubles. Here are 3 breakdowns of digi-double gore that we provided for the film. Full CG shots, cut between live-action shots. They include particle fx, fluid dynamics, various hair, cloth, and bone simulations, and good old-fashioned animation by hand.
Visual Effects By: Wylie Co. Culver City, California
Visual Effects Supervisor: Jake Maymudes
Visual Effects Executive Producer: Kris Drenzek
Digital Effects Supervisor: Josh Hatton
Visual Effects Animation Supervisor: TJ Burke
Lighting & FX Artist: Liam Jurkowich
Animation Lead: Sashdy Arvelo
Animators: Li Li, Taylor Cooke
Compositor: Nick Kaye
Lookdev Artists: Bora Jurisic, Richard Bridge
3D Tracking Artists: Tommy Ibanez, Nallely Gomez
Pipeline TD: Roberto Cadena Vega
Coordinator: Sofia Beroud
EnergaCAMERIMAGE Festival 2023: Erik Messerschmidt Interview
January 9, 2024
EnergaCAMERIMAGE Festival
Watch our interview with Erik Messerschmidt – famous cinematographer, who presented the film Ferrari directed by Michael Mann during this year’s edition of EnergaCAMERIMAGE Festival. We also discuss his collaborations with David Fincher in Mindhunter and The Killer.
David Fincher and Sound Designer Ren Klyce at The Egyptian Theater: “The Killer” Screening and Q&A
Froilan Fuentes
Jim Hemphill
November 9, 2023
West Coast POPCast (YouTube)
The Egyptian Theatre re-opened in Hollywood with a special screening of The Killer, followed by a Q&A with Director David Fincher and Sound Designer Ren Klyce hosted by Jim Hemphill.
David Fincher at The Cinémathèque Française: “Zodiac” Screening and Q&A
Audrey Odori
Frédéric Bonnaud, Director of the Cinémathèque française
Anaïs Duchet, Interpreter
October 14, 2023
Cinémathèque Française
The Cinémathèque Française (French Cinematheque) hosted a David Fincher Retrospective from October 13 to 22, 2023, in Paris (France).
Supported by Netflix, Patron of the Cinémathèque, it opened with a preview screening of The Killer followed by a Q&A with Director David Fincher, and Director of Photography Erik Messerschmidt, ASC.
The next day, a screening of Zodiac was followed by a discussion with the director about the film and his career, “David Fincher par David Fincher, une leçon de cinéma” (“David Fincher by David Fincher, a lesson in cinema”).
David Fincher at The Cinémathèque Française: “The Killer” Screening and Q&A
Frédéric Bonnaud, Director of the Cinémathèque française
Anaïs Duchet, Interpreter
October 13, 2023
Cinémathèque Française
The Cinémathèque Française (French Cinematheque) hosted a David Fincher Retrospective from October 13 to 22, 2023, in Paris (France).
Supported by Netflix, Patron of the Cinémathèque, it opened with a preview screening of The Killer followed by a Q&A with Director David Fincher, and Director of Photography Erik Messerschmidt, ASC.
The next day, a screening of Zodiac was followed by a discussion with the director about the film and his career.
Savage VFX: The Killer VFX Breakdown
December 18, 2023
Savage VFX
Visual Effects By: Savage Visual Effects
Visual Effects Supervisor: James Pastorius
Visual Effects Producer: Brice Liesveld
2D Animation: Kevin Konitsch, Henry Borrasso, H Haden Hammond
3D Animation: Tim Turner, Rusty Ippolito, Andrew Romatz, Luke A. Ewing, Joseph Chiechi, Alvaro Segura, Mike Bettinardi, Mike DuPree
The Fincher Analyst 