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Vision Crew Unlimited

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Vision Crew Unlimited
Company typePrivately held company
IndustryVisual effects, CGI
Founded1994
Defunct2002
FateClosed
HeadquartersLos Angeles, California, United States
Key people
Evan Jacobs, Jon Warren, Douglas Miller
Number of employees
20-50
WebsiteVisionCrew.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]

Credits

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Miniature Saturn V rocket for From the Earth to the Moon.

Feature films

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Episodic and long-form television

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Television commercials

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Saint Paul Insurance "Boat" Dodge "Truckville" Buick "Igor"
Ford Explorer "Geyser" Evolution Trailer Chrysler "Bridge"
Oscar Mayer "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

References

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  1. ^ Goldrich, Robert (August 1995). "Visual Effects House Wraps Its First Spot: Coke For CAA". Shoot magazine. p. 1.
  2. ^ "VIFX jumps aboard project to add convincing details". ASC.com. American Society of Cinematographers. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  3. ^ Speier, Michael (1997-07-01). "Coming to the Aid of a Sinking Ship". DigitalContentProducer.com. Penton Media. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  4. ^ "Vision Crew Unlimited artisans help Digital Domain lay scale-model keels for TITANIC". DigitalContentProducer.com. Penton Media. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  5. ^ Yanover, Neal (1997-07-01). "That Sinking Feeling" (reprint). Variety On Production.
  6. ^ Nightingale, Margot (1995-08-01). "New Effects Studio". Screen: The Chicago Production Weekly. p. 46.
  7. ^ a b Martel, William (1998-12-04). "Simon says - visual effects artist Simon Brewster" (reprint). Shoot Magazine. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  8. ^ "Vision Crew Unlimited Closes Its Doors" (Press release). VFXPro. 2002-05-07. Retrieved 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 2007-06-11.
  11. ^ "Regional Roundup". Post Magazine. 1996-02-14. p. 133.
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