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THE PAPER THAT PELHAM READS
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Vol.22 No.32
Wednesday, August 8 2018
FREE
Pelham effects artists on top
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Column Six
I image, therefore I am
Clint Green and Darren Cranford stay ahead of digital curve
I
BY JOHN SWART
VOICE Correspondent
"We founded Keystone Digital in 1997, 21 years ago, but we're still working on our 20th anniversary celebration," says Clint Green of North Pelham, co-founder and owner of Keyframe Animation Inc. and Krow-VFX Inc, with a smile. His comment speaks to how busy, and successful, this dynamic Niagara company is, and what a low public profile they keep. Within the special effects and animation community, however, they are very well known. Their clients include 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Marvel, CBCKids, Showtime, Dreamworks, History and Syfy Channels, and many more premier television and movie companies. The TV shows and movie titles they've provided animation and special effects for are highly recognizable successes: Lost Girl, X-Men, Dolphin Tale, The Expanse, Tudors, Vikings, Warehouse 13, Ollie - The Boy Who Became What He Ate...you get the idea.
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Co-founders Clint Green (right) and Darren Cranford in Green's office. "Keyframe is the 3rd or fourth largest animation company in Ontario, KrowVFX is the fifth largest special effects company," says Darren Cranford of Niagara Falls, Green's business partner and co-founder. There are some 60 such companies in the province. Cranford claims Keyframe/Krow-VFX has found the "special secret sauce.” According to Cranford, they've earned their place in the industry by bringing
artistry back to animation and special effects, and by having an exceptional love for what their artists do. "Having an audience exit a show or movie saying, 'Those were great special effects' isn't enough. We want them to say 'Whoa, I've never seen anything like that before!' Attention to detail is what audiences, and directors, remember," says Cranford. Green relates a story about their involvement in
the first X-Men movie, and working with now-famous director Bryan Singer. Both Green and Cranford were present with Singer discussing visual effects while an X-Men scene was shooting. Historically, scenes were shot on set with actors, and special effects were applied at some later stage. Green and Cranford suggested to Singer pre-visualizing (Pre-vis) the scene from the special effects point of view. Very simply,
JOHN SWART PHOTO
in skilled hands, 3D digital software can create animated sequences to illustrate what will happen on screen prior to shooting, vastly improving the planning and efficiency of shot-making during filming, generating a better final product and significantly reducing costs. "Singer sent everyone off the set, got Darren and I in a room alone with him, and asked us about our techSee KEYFRAME Page 15
BY COLIN BREZICKI
Special to the VOICE
F YOU DIDN'T INSTA the super-moon, did it even happen?” The post on Facebook by a young friend made me smile. Then I thought about it. What feeds our desire these days to record every moment of our lives as if we were chronicling history? Do we need these selfies to prove that we even happened? Imago ergo sum—I image therefore I am. An acquaintance spoke of lining up at the Louvre for over an hour to view the Mona Lisa. She said most of the people ahead of her stopped at the portrait when their turn came, just long enough to take a selfie. Then they moved off to the next thing, while sending the photo to everyone they knew. One day they might look at the photo and wish they had turned around to look at the painting. I spent super-moon day last summer at the local peach festival, an annual event. The town was closed off to traffic, and See COLUMN SIX Page 14
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