Vision Crew Unlimited

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Vision Crew Unlimited
Type Privately held company
Founded 1994
Dissolved 2002
Headquarters Los Angeles, California, USA
Key people Evan Jacobs, Jon Warren, Douglas Miller
Industry Visual Effects, CGI
Employees 20-50
Website VisionCrew.com

Vision Crew Unlimited (VCU) was a motion picture and TV commercial visual effects company founded in 1994 by visual effects artists Evan Jacobs, Jon Warren and Douglas Miller.[1] The company later expanded into a full service visual effects firm.

In 1996, VCU contributed miniature effects to James Cameron's film Titanic. While they were initially hired as a subcontractor to lead effects house Digital Domain, VCU was ultimately hired directly by 20th Century Fox to build miniatures for the engine room sequence as well.[2][3][4] In an interesting coincidence later that same year, the company was contracted to work on a CBS TV miniseries with the same name.[5]

While the company worked on many feature films, they were much more prolific in the television commercial market, and worked on over forty spots in eight years.[6] Their work was featured in ads for the majority of car brands[7] as well as Coca-Cola, Pizza Hut, and Geico.

In 1998, Jacobs and John Hoffman were nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries representing VCU's work on HBO's "From the Earth to the Moon".

Vision Crew closed in April 2002. The company attributed its shutdown to a difficult business climate and the founders' interest in pursuing other projects and opportunities.[8]

Contents

[edit] Credits

[edit] Feature films

[edit] Episodic and long-form television

[edit] Television commercials

Saint Paul Insurance "Boat" Dodge "Truckville" Buick "Igor"
Ford Explorer "Geyser" Evolution Trailer Chrysler "Bridge"
Oscar Meyer "Kid Kong" UUNet "Tower" & "Train" Motomaster
Dodge "Diesel" Anti-Smoking "Stereo Kid" PSA Sony PlayStation "Access Granted"
Hyundai "Expand" Mercedes print ad Jeep "Hand"[9]
Toyota "Tundra" Lexus "Fly" Dodge "Saw"
Land Rover print ad Zyrtec "Apartment" & "Attic" Garlic Tabasco "Vampire"
Mercedes "Performance" Anti-Smoking PSA "50 Ways"[10] Lexus "High Bank" & "Hanger"[7]
Mazda "Transmission" Zyrtec "Power" Mighty Mighty Bosstones "Royal Oil"
Diet Dr. Pepper "Shuttle" Nissan "Toys II" Geico "Lake"
Geico "Alternate Transportation" Hi-C "Blast" Pizza Hut "Bread Subs"
Jeep "Recognize It" Duracell "Fishing" Plymouth "Shakers"
New York-New York Hotel & Casino Jeep "Ice Fishing" Plymouth "Mighty Mouse"[11]
Coca-Cola "Things We Know" Broken Arrow teaser trailer Acclaim NFL Quarterback Club

[edit] References

  1. ^ Goldrich, Robert (August 1995), “Visual Effects House Wraps Its First Spot: Coke For CAA”, Shoot magazine: 1, <http://www.visioncrew.com/Press/shootformation.htm> 
  2. ^ VIFX jumps aboard project to add convincing details.. ASC.com. American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved on 2007-06-11.
  3. ^ Speier, Michael (1997-07-01). Coming to the Aid of a Sinking Ship. DigitalContentProducer.com. Penton Media. Retrieved on 2007-06-11.
  4. ^ Vision Crew Unlimited artisans help Digital Domain lay scale-model keels for TITANIC. DigitalContentProducer.com. Penton Media. Retrieved on 2007-06-11.
  5. ^ Yanover, Neal (1997-07-01). That Sinking Feeling (reprint). Variety On Production.
  6. ^ Nightingale, Margot. "New Effects Studio", Screen: The Chicago Production Weekly, 1995-08-01, p. 46. 
  7. ^ a b Martel, William. "Simon says - visual effects artist Simon Brewster" (reprint), Shoot Magazine, 1998-12-04. Retrieved on 2007-06-11. 
  8. ^ VFXPro (2002-05-07). "Vision Crew Unlimited Closes Its Doors". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-06-11.
  9. ^ DeSalvo, Kathy (1999-10-08). Divine "Hand" Of Guidance Steers Jeep Wrangler (reprint). Shoot magazine.
  10. ^ Takaki, Millie (1998-06-12). Calif. ups the anti-smoking ante, unveils 11 spots. Shoot magazine. Retrieved on 2007-06-11.
  11. ^ “Regional Roundup”, Post Magazine: 133, 1996-02-14 

[edit] External links

Official Site