Broadcast News

Bookmark and Share
25/03/2011

Amazing Spectacles Director Martyn Pick Helps bring Ultramarines To Life

Martyn Pick, director at independently-run animation studio, Amazing Spectacles, has directed his first feature-length film, Ultramarines, for UK independent producer, Codex Pictures.
The film, based on Games Workshop's iconic science-fantasy table-top war strategy game Warhammer 40,000 is the first ever interpretation of the dystopic, war-torn universe for the screen. A special edition collector's set DVD is also available to buy direct from the producers at: www.ultramarinesthemovie.com
Martyn's 24 years of experience as an animator, his studies at St Martin's School of Art and his individual visual style were key to creating the very specific look of the film. The team worked very closely with designers from Games Workshop to capture the mood and experience of the game. Martyn's distressed style with a great painterly quality was perfect for capturing this.
Martyn said: "I'm not from a gaming background, but I have a huge amount of experience in fine art and animation. This project was a great opportunity to use that experience and develop it for a different genre. I've always been a big fan of action cinema and, with such a quality script that had so strong a sense of atmosphere and imagery; I could easily fit my visual style around it. It really was a fantastic project to be involved in."
Over the last two decades, Martyn has experimented with introducing live action CGI and digital compositing into the expressionist flow of his work. Most recently, he has directed a commercial to promote the Turner exhibition at the National Gallery of Ireland and Franny Armstrong's highly acclaimed climate change documentary feature, The Age of Stupid.
He was also commissioned by Film London and the London Development agency to make London, a five minute film which premiered at the Beijing Olympics to celebrate the capital's diversity leading up to the 2012 Olympics. As a commercials director, Martyn has made numerous commercials, TV indents and promos for the BBC. He also won commissions from Filmfour and Channel 4 and has been awarded with the Gold Plaque for Animation at the Chicago Film Festival.
The film was completed in 14 months by global teams working on animation, face capture and story boards. Collaboration partners included Good Story Productions in Cardiff, Canadian co-producers Pop6 in Montreal and, in Manchester and Santa Monica, Image Metrics, whose contemporary face capture technology enabled the voice actors' faces to be filmed and their motions transplanted into the animated heads of the characters. The results are very life-like representations of the super-human space marines.
(KMcA/GK)
Solidmate Ltd Memory Card Hire London

Top Related Stories
Click here for the latest broadcast news stories.

14/04/2023
Experience the Future of Video Processing With intoPIX And ImagineCommunications
intoPIX and Imagine Communications have unveiled the latest release of Imagine's Selenio™ Network Processor (SNP) with support for TicoXS FPGA IP core
25/03/2024
Grass Valley's AMPP Revolutionises Live GLS Experience
Agile, scalable AMPP enables the Global Leadership Network (GLN) to create and deliver multiple, time-shifted live streams, each containing customised
29/09/2023
TVU Networks Elevates FISU World University Games' Live Broadcast
The FISU World University Games, recently held in Chengdu, China, brought together 6,500 college athletes from around the world for twelve days of com
04/08/2006
Skills schemes set to boost new talent in London more investment in training and development
Film London today announced the launch of two new rounds of funding schemes to develop the capital’s film, TV and animation professionals and support
20/03/2007
London Celebrates Local Film-making Talent
ITV Local London, ITV’s regional broadband TV service in the London area, is entering into a partnership with Film London, in order to raise the profi
07/12/2012
UK's Future Film Industry Boost
The BFI today announces the 24 regional partners that will help deliver its pioneering BFI Film Academy Network programme in 2012/13. The BFI Film Aca
23/10/2008
Mayor Of London Pledges His Support For Film In The Capital
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has held his first meeting with prominent figures from the film, television and production industries. The film summit h
28/10/2022
Pat Shortt's Short Film Wins At Newport Beach International Film Festival
Avenue Productions has announced that Pat Shortt's directorial debut, 'Warts and All' has won Best Short Narrative International Short, at Newport Bea
12/03/2015
Celebrating The Durability Of Film...
Cinelab London is one of the most comprehensive and accomplished film labs in the UK. Supporting clients who acquire or distribute on film, the compan
09/08/2012
£100k Games For Film Competition Launched
A major competition to use computer games to promote films launches today (Monday 6 August) created by the University of Abertay Dundee, D-Media and I
30/03/2011
Mayor Confirms Funding For Film London
Film London has announced that the Mayor of London will continue to invest in the agency. This commitment of funding ensures the UK capital has a dedi
17/11/2009
Film Council 'To Steer Film Through Recession'
The UK Film Council has launched a three-month public consultation into the most significant revision of its activities since it was created in 2000.
23/04/2004
Film London unveil blueprint to boost film-friendly Capital
London’s new film and media agency, Film London, has unveiled a variety of measures aimed at making the Capital more film-friendly. BAFTA winning acto
05/05/2006
Luminaries from children’s film & TV launch Film Street at showbiz premiere
Leading lights from children’s TV and film revealed an exciting new website on Thursday April 27 for very young filmmakers at the Film Street launch e
15/04/2013
BFI Announces New Film Training
The British Film Institute has announced that new organisation Film Nation UK will deliver a film education programme for 5-19 year-olds from Septembe