London - Cinesite has won two nominations in the 7th Annual Visual Effects Society Awards: for Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Miniseries, Movie, or Special and Outstanding Matte Paintings in a Broadcast Program or Commercial for Generation Kill, Episode 2.
This is the fifth consecutive nomination for Cinesite in the Visual Effects Society Awards.
Managing director Antony Hunt says, "It's fantastic that we've have been recognized yet again by the VES and a tribute to the hard work and dedication of the whole team here at Cinesite."
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Cinesite created roughly 450 visual effects shots for the seven-episode HBO mini-series, based on the book by Evan Wright. Generation Kill was directed by Susanna White and Simon Cellan Jones. Visual effects supervisor for HBO was Adam McInnes and for Cinesite Dave Sewell and Stuart Partridge. Cinesite's CG supervisor was Stephane Paris.
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Cinesite's work included the creation of convoys of photorealistic CGI military vehicles, missiles, burning oil fires, CGI attack aircraft, the destruction of Iraqi cities as the Allies advance, realistically portraying the colossal resources of the American army.
Fourteen types of CGI vehicles were created in all, each requiring modelling using accurate imagery and technical data, then complex texturing and animation. Procedural systems were written to create automatic vibration and suspension for the vehicles to give a realistic impression of vehicle weight and movement when driving over hills or bumpy ground.
Another sequence, in episode two, shows the Allies advancing their Humvee towards Iraq in a massive convoy of vehicles. The Humvee travels across an overhead road bridge and we see the soldiers' view of a wide "superhighway," with a multitude of CGI Light Armoured Vehicles, tanks, Humvees, and supply trucks. This sequence of four shots was challenging: even the environment was digitally created.
On-line viewing and voting of all nominations for members runs from January 30th through February 11th and the 7th Annual VES Awards will take place on February 21, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel. Generation Kill starts on FX Channel on January 25th.