PariSfx: Journey into digital creation and special effects

by Fabien Lemercier

27/11/2007 - The flagship of the French film industry, the digital creation and special effects sector has established a strong reputation across the Atlantic, with Hollywood calling on French professionals to help create sequences in Spider-Man 3 and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

These high-level skills will be in the spotlight on Wednesday and Thursday at the Palais des Congrès in Paris at the first edition of PariSfx, which will bring together the most talented French professionals and around 20 production studios presenting their work.

The event’s programme features eight case studies: Luc Jacquet’s The Fox and the Child (special effects by Mikros Image); Florent Emilio Siri’s Intimate Enemies [trailer] (Def2Shoot); Asterix at the Olympic Games [trailer] by Thomas Langmann and Frédéric Forestier (Buf Compagnie, Duran Duboi and Mikros - trailer); Luc Besson’s Arthur and the Invisibles [trailer] (Buf Compagnie); Jean-Jacques Annaud’s His Majesty Minor [trailer] (Duran Duboi); Julien Leclercq’s Chrysalis [trailer] (La Maison); Chris Nahon’s Blood: The Last Vampire (Eclair) and Jan Kounen’s 99 Francs [trailer] (Mc Guff Ligne - trailer).

Moreover, the programme includes several round tables with conferences on The Economics of Films with Special Effects, at which director Xavier Gens (Frontier(s) [trailer], Hitman) will speak; and The Inventors of Special-Effects Films in France, led by directors Kounen, Jean-Marie Poiré and Eric Bergeron, and screenwriter Gilles Adrien.

DoPs, producers and special effects supervisors will be present to share their knowledge about this high-tech field that also applies to the fields of advertising, television and video games.

(Translated from French)