Special effects legend coming to Australia

By Sam Dallas

The man responsible for the special effects in 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner and Close Encounters Of The Third Kind is coming to Australia.

Douglas Trumbull, who also worked on Universal’s Back To The Future ride, will be a special guest at next year’s BigPond Adelaide Film Festival.

“If Douglas Trumbull had done nothing else after the stargate sequence of 2001: A Space Odyssey, he would still be one of the key figures of special effects filmmaking”, festival director Katrina Sedgwick said in a statement.

“To follow this up with a career which encompassed works such as Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Silent Running and Blade Runner marks him as a legend in the evolution of special effects.

“We are absolutely delighted to have him as our very special guest.”

BAFF and visual effects company Rising Sun Pictures are offering aspiring filmmakers a chance to get up close and personal with the “special effects guru” by offering a three-hour masterclass.

During the session, Trumbull will detail his working methods, set out what he sees as the important directions and methods for new workers in the industry and give some tips on how to achieve your goals in this specialised but increasingly important field.

Entry to the masterclass is by application only; apply by email to programming@adelaidefilmfestival.org and attach a brief resume and short statement (max 100 words) as to why you'd like to attend. A fee of $50/$30 conc. applies for successful applicants.

Applications close January 15, 2011.

The 11-day festival – established in 2002 – will be held between February 24 and March 6, 2011, and the full program will be launched in January.
 


A shot from 2001: A Space Odyssey


David Bowman (played by actor Keir Dullea) in 2001: A Space Odyssey