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other such movies, with companies able to study and apply the new technology to them.
Korean VFX companies usually work on several projects simultaneously — three to four
at any given time. Although there is an educational benefit for the film crew — they can
gain an intimate understanding of the overall flow of each movie or TV drama they work
on — it is born from a grueling work process.
Today, Korean VFX companies are turning their sights to overseas markets. In an
effort to promote Korea’s VFX industry, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and
the Korea Creative Content Agency jointly sponsored Korea’s seven leading VFX companies
by participating in the American Film Market (AFM) — the largest motion picture
trade show in the world — in 2009.
Before the event, few Korean companies received requests to help make foreign
movies. One notable exception was when DTI Pictures, Macrograph and Footage all took
part in the postproduction of The Forbidden Kingdom (2008). Yang Seok-il of DTI
Pictures explained it this way: “The price difference wasn’t very big. Breaking into
Hollywood doesn’t guarantee success. What you need to do is respond to business
strategically.” Mofac Studio also took part in the production of the soon-to-be released
movie, The Warrior’s Way (2010). While it won’t be easy for Korean VFX companies to
become an inseparable part of extravagant Hollywood films any time soon, they will
need to search for more long-term targets when considering overseas markets.
The expansive achievements of Korea’s CG technology will be rendered useless if not
given the chance to be properly used, but opportunities aren’t created solely through the
efforts of a single individual. So far, there have been the select few who have worked
hard to develop the industry, but now it is time to understand where the country stands,
from an industrial and international perspective. The CG industry’s ambition to re-create
the future of Korean cinema with its technology can only begin to be realized after this
understanding comes about. Looking only at the progress so far, the results are encouraging.
Based on the diverse range of experiences Korean VFX companies have had so
far, they will one day be able to create such comparable CG works as that of Avatar.
before
CG work from the movie
Hong Gil-dong (opposite),
a still from the
movie Tae Guk Gi (left),
CG works from the movie
Modern Boy (right
above) and from the
movie Private Eye (right
below).
after
before
after
KOREA
FEBRUARY
2010
11