At the 2002 London Effects and Animation Festival (LEAF), visual effects house The Mill will give a detailed presentation on the visual effects it created for Ridley Scott's Oscar-winning film BLACK HAWK DOWN. Further supporting the festival, The Mill has created animated IDs for the LEAF Awards to be held on October 10, 2002 at London's Olympia exhibition center. "We are very excited to be involved with this year's LEAF," says The Mill's 3D operations manager Stephen Venning. "The festival continues to successfully bring some of the most talented individuals within the effects and animation community together." For the BLACK HAWK DOWN presentation, Mill Film 3D operator Gabriel White will reveal the skills and techniques used in creating the extensive visual effects required for the film, including the creation of a major crash using entirely CG helicopters. White worked on modeling, lighting and texturing for BLACK HAWK DOWN and his previous credits include HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, CATS AND DOGS and BAND OF BROTHERS. For the IDs, animation director Paul Donnellon created a "rough and ready" animation effect in 2D for the look of this year's LEAF awards. "The narrative follows the life cycle of a geeky animator so it needed an injection of fun," he explained. "That's why I have made it look like a group of kindergarten kids have constructed it." Donnellon worked with The Mill's John Sunter to create the piece. LEAF is part of Digital Arts World taking place at the Olympia center in London, England, October 9-11, 2002. The event is a joint venture between Advanstar Communications and Future Publishing. For more information visit www.digitalartsworld.co.uk.
