Latest in Rhythm & Hues

A year ago yesterday, an estimated 400-plus supporters of the visual effects industry gathered at Hollywood and Vine as the glitterati walked the Oscar red carpet just blocks away. Get ready for Round 2. The Association of Digital Arts and Technicians has announced a VFX rally for the same corner from 1-3 PM Sunday as…

LA-based VFX house Rhythm & Hues Studios filed for bankruptcy last year and laid off hundreds just before the film it was most associated with, Ang Lee’s Life Of Pi, won four Oscars — including for Visual Effects. Employee lawsuits and a bankruptcy auction ensued. The VFX community, meanwhile, rallied to the cause…

The bankrupt effects house has reached a million-dollar settlement to end lawsuits filed against it by a pair of pink-slipped employees. Today’s LA Bankruptcy Court filing includes a proposed settlement of potential class action claims in which Anthony Barcelo and Thomas Capizzi each would get $10,000 as the class…

Prime Focus already has a global footprint with offices in the LA, NY, Canada, the UK and India. That makes it more immune to the problems American-based VXF firms like Rhythm & Hues have had sustaining a viable business model (Prime Focus was one of four companies in the running in the R&H bankruptcy auction eventuall…

Ray Richmond contributes to Deadline’s conference coverage. In the wake of the mass layoffs and bankruptcy filing of the VFX house Rhythm & Hues at the same time it was winning the Oscar for the film Life of Pi, the entire future of the visual effects industry has come under scrutiny — even as Rhythm & Hues recovers un…

Chello Zone Bringing 'Hardcore Pawn' To Several Territories International TV provider Chello Zone has acquired all nine series of the US reality TV show Hardcore Pawn for its CBS Reality network in Poland and one of its EMEA feeds. CBS Reality will air the shows in primetime across Poland, Cyprus, Hungary, Romania…

JS Communications has finally settled for a reduced break-up fee in the drawn-out Rhythm & Hues bankruptcy saga. It’s been two months since troubled VFX house R&H sold out of bankruptcy to Prana Studios-led Holdings, LLC following a roller-coaster closed-door auction. At issue was the court-approved $425K fee promised…

Thom Burkhart, who headed digital postproduction at Rhythm & Hues for 14 years, has joined postprod company Steele Studios as Senior Producer. He had been at the VFX house until it closed its post unit late last year, before the company filed for bankruptcy protection in February and ultimately was sold to Prana Studi…

It’s been a tense month-and-a-half for troubled VFX studio Rhythm & Hues. After filing for Chapter 11 in February, bringing global scrutiny to the tough economics of the US VFX industry, a federal bankruptcy judge today approved the company’s sale to an affiliate of India-based Prana Studios, 34×118 Holdings Inc. The…

2ND UPDATE, 10:30 PM: The 3D animation and effects studio based in Los Angeles and Mumbai emerged victorious tonight after an auction that stretched across two days. Its past high profile clients include Disney (TRON: Legacy, Planes), Paramount (Transformers: Dark Of The Moon), and The Weinstein Co. (Hoodwinked!)…

UPDATED: It’s coming down to the wire for bankrupt VFX house Rhythm & Hues. Today at 5 PM is the deadline Federal Court Judge Neil Bason set for interested buyers to submit qualified bids for the company ahead of a March 27 auction. I’m told at least four bidders will be entering the fray, including Prime Focus, Prana…

UPDATE, 8:28 PM: Rhythm & Hues just confirmed Deadline’s report in a press release. The VFX studio says it expects a “competitive auction” on March 27, which will be decided in court on March 28. But don’t count JS Communications out yet: I’m told they’re still exploring their options and may still throw their hat…