Hollywood, Calif. - Mastersfx, creators of practical character effects, has launched a digital division. André Bustanoby, formerly an FX artist with Stan Winston Studio and Digital Domain, has been named the Visual Effects Supervisor for the new division. Todd Masters, Founder, Mastersfx, made the announcements.
Mastersfx is contributing FX to a number of high-profile television and feature film projects. These include: Twilight: New Moon, "True Blood: Season Three," "The Vampire Diaries," "Fringe,"
"Big Love," "Private Practice," and "Grey’s Anatomy," among others. The company just won a 2009 Gemini Award for its contributions to the cable TV series "Stargate: Atlantis."
The new digital division of Mastersfx allows the company to integrate practical character effects with digital FX. This marriage of practical and digital allows for effects that are best for each shot design, project budget, project time constraints, and production preferences, all in the service of good storytelling, regardless of the medium.
Regarding the news, Masters says: “Our new digital group allows our company to integrate the best of both worlds within special and visual effects. There will always be room for practical, on-set effects that include makeups, prosthetics, puppets, and other character gags. By enhancing these moments with our digital expertise, our company’s contributions to film, TV, commercials, and multimedia projects lets us plan every FX design in advance, pre-visualization, so we can best determine the most dramatic—and efficient—element to deliver. We can ‘throw all the tools’ onto the table, and can then decide which to ultimately deliver to the director.”