SWAY studio, one of North America leading visual effects studios, marked its theatrical film debut with the June 1st release of Mr. Brooks, starring Academy Award Winner® Kevin Costner. SWAY team of talented visual effects artists created realistic bullet wounds, exploding plaster, wood debris and blood spray, adding a precise element of photorealism to over 85 shots within the film.

‘It been the goal from the beginning to have SWAY involved in long form projects,’ said Mark Glaser, owner and creative director of SWAY studio. ‘For the past five years we’sve been developing ground breaking techniques and sharpening our talents in the world of fast paced commercial production. This has uniquely prepared us to attack big screen visual effects with a compelling fusion of production efficiency and unimpeachable quality.’

The film, which follows the life of Earl Brooks (Costner) a thriving business owner and community figurehead living a separate life as a notorious serial killer, called for intricate visual effects detailing. A violent murder scene featuring Costner and an unsuspecting couple required the CG creation of realistic bullet wounds and blood spray. By using multiple layers of texture to create the look of removed skin and offset blood loss, SWAY artists used Autodesk Flame to create an authentic looking bullet entry wound on the foreheads of the actors. SWAY additionally painted a blood spray element from scratch and composted it onto the curtains and walls in the background using Nuke.

SWAY work is also evident during a fast paced shoot-out scene that required the creation of exploding plaster and wood debris to portray the fa?ßade of bullet damage. LightWave was used to create CG destruction of wood door moldings and hallway plaster pieces flying throughout the sequence. Nuke artists then tracked, rotoscoped, and composited the final CG elements to create a seamless effect that provided the same continuity as the effects shot on set.

In addition to general wire removal and lighting assistance throughout the film, SWAY created a set extension, adding new buildings to a shot in 3D with the help of Luxology modo. Precise color correction was done with the new Linux-based Autodesk Flame system.

‘It was a pleasure to work with the talented team at SWAY,’ said the film editor, Miklos Wright. ‘Their professionalism and high attention to detail created the realism and believability that was needed in the film.’

About Mr. Brooks
Presented by Element Films and Relativity Media in association with Eden Rock Media, Mr. Brooks is a Tig Production distributed by MGM Distribution Co. The film stars Academy Award Winner Kevin Costner as the charming, widely admired Mr. Brooks, whose shocking private life is about to unravel. Demi Moore, Dane Cook, Academy Award Winner William Hurt, Marg Helgenberger, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, and Danielle Panabaker also star.

About SWAY studio
SWAY studio is one of the top visual effects shops in North America whose aim is to eliminate traditional views of how images are seen and enable exciting new creative ideas. The goal is to create unforgettable imagery and to confuse the viewer into believing that everything is real with no thought about effects.

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world largest library of modern films, comprising around 4,000 titles. Operating units include Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., Ventanazul, MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Distribution Co., MGM International Television Distribution Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Worldwide Digital Media, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching nearly 110 countries.

Mr. Brooks Production Credits:
Director: Bruce A. Evans
Writers: Bruce A. Evans & Raynold Gideon
Producers: Jim Wilson, Kevin Costner, Raynold Gideon
Executive Producers: Thomas Augsberger, Sam Nazarian, Adam Rosenfelt, Marc Shaberg
Editor: Miklos Wright
Starring: Kevin Costner, Demi Moore, Dane Cook, William Hurt, Marg Helgenberger, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Danielle Panabaker

Visual Effects: SWAY studio

Creative Supervisor: Mark Glaser
Executive Producer: Shira Boardman, Mike Pardee
Producer: Cassandra Khavari
Production Coordinators: Joyce Pan, Daughn Ward
Production Assistant: Christine Felman
Flame Artist: Ben Looram, Sean Devereaux
Compositing: Chris Bankoff, Maciek Sokalski, Lauren Mayer-Beug, Feliciano DiGiorgio
Roto: Edgar Diaz
3D Artists: Richard Wardlow, Rob Glazer, Derek Smith
IT/Systems: Nick Swartz, Dennis Diaz, Kevin Beier

RELATED LINKS
www.mgm.com
www.swaystudio.com