Need to remove some gore or nudity from your movie trailer? Six-year-old 3D animation company S4 Studios has your fix with the launch of S4 VFX, a new division dedicated to MPAA fixes such as object removal and replacement, as well as 2D and 3D feature vfx work. The new unit is run by S4 Studios partner Geoffrey Kater, who will be supported by partners Larry Le Francis and Dale Hendrickson.
Kater says S4 VFX was born from a boom in the movie trailer business, increasingly driven by the direct-to-video market. ‘Along with a lot of design and animation for trailers, we found that we were being asked to do 15 to 20 shots a month of removal and replacement work.’ He notes. ‘We saw a market for this kind of image processing that would enable us to easily handle many times that amount and bring in clients who might ordinarily take these shots to a post house or large effects studio at a far greater cost. We can provide clients with a quick, economical turnaround, sometimes the same day, which is something that others will do, but at rush costs.’
S4 VFX has completed shots on theatrical trailers for Assault on Precinct 13,
Saw II, Dodgeball, Unleashed, Underworld and Big Momma’s House 2. Other credits include creative graphics work for the home video releases of The Day After Tomorrow, Robots, the Batman Anthology and Fantastic Four.
‘The dilemma facing a trailer house is that they naturally want to select scenes that are really dynamic and action packed, and these are the scenes that usually contain the highest level of violence or sexual content,’ Kater adds. ‘Our job is to address the story and offer creative solutions using vfx techniques that directly address our clients’ need for removal and replacement work. Additionally, as a creative animation studio, we offer a creative fix that far outshines the typical blur or dark spot associated with most MPAA fixes.’
S4 Studios is based in Hollywood, Calif. and can be found on the web at www.S4studios.com.
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