VES Summit 2012: Digital Domain Execs Dominate VFX Discussions
By Rob Scott
October 15, 2012
October 15, 2012
- Media analyst Bill Desowitz says that Digital Domain was a significant presence at last week’s VES Summit in Marina del Rey.
- “Co-founder and former CEO Scott Ross implored the industry to get behind a trade association and stand up to the studios,” writes Desowitz, “while new CEO Ed Ulbrich discussed the reboot of DD 3.0, which he said was more like 1.0 so far.”
- “The business is much too warm and cuddly,” noted Ross, suggesting the studios need to get tougher with directors and VFX companies should negotiate for better compensation. He does not believe now is the time for unionization, although he is not against the idea.
- “Ulbrich said the recent bankruptcy and sale to Beijing Galloping and Horse and India’s Reliance has been a wild ride,” adds Desowitz. “They paired up like ‘Survivor’ and now DD has the capitalization to continue as a thriving VFX studio.”
- Digital Domain may eventually open a facility in China. “We need to send people over there to help close the [talent] gap,” said Ulbrich. “Going to India allows us to mature in LA by scaling up with larger projects. India is part of the future of the VFX business.”
- Desowitz explains that VES emphasized the intersection between creative and business concerns — with an additional focus on how social media is having an impact on decisions. He moderated a panel — “Is Television VFX the Future of Feature Film VFX?” — that addressed being productive with limited resources and leveraging globalization and virtual production.
- “Meanwhile, Mary Ann Hughes, VP, Film and Television Production Planning, The Walt Disney Co., suggested that there are no standalone VFX incentives in California (indeed few in the U.S.) and that the problem with convincing legislators to create them is that they insist on proof that production would stay locally even with the incentives.”
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