News: Industry

DIVE VFX and "Safety Not Guaranteed": A Shining Pair at Sundance

DIVE (www.divevisual.com), the visual effects and film finishing division of ShootersINC, (shootersinc.com) completed visual effects, including the thrilling final sequence, for Colin Trevorrow's "Safety Not Guaranteed" which premiered to rave reviews at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival on January 22.

Variety's Justin Chang's review of "Safety Not Guaranteed" summed up the work, "Without divulging too much about the pic's unexpectedly exhilarating finale, it's clear where most of the probably shoestring budget went, and it was worth every penny."

The film, written by Derek Connolly, won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and was recently picked up by FilmDistrict for distribution.

"DIVE delivered beyond our expectations, all the while staying true to the director's intentions. It was a very organic process with them from start to finish," says Big Beach Films Executive Producer John Hodges. "Because of the DIY ethos that dominated both the narrative and the production of 'Safety Not Guaranteed' it was important for us to find a VFX partner who embraced the specific look we were going for."

DIVE's Ed Mendez, VFX Supervisor on the film, and CG Lead Jeremy Fernsler immersed themselves into the crucial final sequence.

"DIVE's work is often deliberately invisible to the audience, but on 'Safety Not Guaranteed', our VFX had the opportunity to take center stage and our crew had a blast," says Mendez. "It's great to work with a director and producer who are as passionate about visual effects as they are about the whole of the film."

"Safety Not Guaranteed", starring Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass, tells the story of three magazine employees who find a classified ad seeking a partner for time travel. As they investigate this bizarre quest, one researcher develops feelings for the potential traveler and a desire to know him more deeply.

"We loved their concept immediately and knew it was something we wanted to contribute to," says Mark O. Forker, DIVE VFX Supervisor. "Colin and John had an open and inclusive style that truly inspired and complemented our whole team."

About DIVE:
Based in Philadelphia, PA, DIVE (www.divevisual.com), is the visual effects, DI and film finishing division of ShootersINC (www.shootersinc.com), led by veteran Visual Effects Supervisor Mark O. Forker. As one of the east coast's premier postproduction facilities for film finishing services, DIVE offers filmmakers the opportunity to complete Visual Effects, Digital Intermediates and Titles by coupling creative continuity with an integrated workflow.

Credits:

Safety Not Guaranteed:
DIRECTOR Colin Trevorrow
SCREENWRITER Derek Connolly
PRODUCERS Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf, Stephanie Langhoff, Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass, John Hodges, Michael B. Clark

DIVE:
SUPERVISOR Mark O. Forker
VFX EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Bob Lowery
VFX PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Andy Williams
VFX PRODUCER Tom Quinn
VFX CONSULTANT Mark O. Forker
VFX SUPERVISOR Edwardo Mendez
3D SUPERVISOR Jeremy Fernsler
MATTE PAINTER Shannan Burkley
DIGITAL ARTISTS Matthew Burres, Kevin Fanning, Mark Longchamps, Colton Miller
VFX EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Ben Updegrove

Equipment:

Nuke
Autodesk Maya
Adobe After Effects
Autodesk Inferno
Imagineer Mocha
Cinesync
Final Cut Pro