REALVIZ, a leader in image processing software development, is pleased to confirm that their tracking software, MatchMover Pro, played a pivotal role in Framestore CFC’s production pipeline for the film, ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’. ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ is Harry Potter’s fifth cinematic outing. The film is a Warner Brothers Pictures production, directed by David Yates, and opened in cinemas worldwide on July 13th 2007.

REALVIZ MatchMover Pro is the professional way to track 3D camera data and motion from videos and film sequences, providing the ease of automatic tracking, with the precision control matchmoving professionals demand. Long considered by many post-production professionals as a key tool in their armory, MatchMover Pro has been selected by hundreds of leading production and effects houses worldwide.

As with the previous films in the Harry Potter series, Framestore CFC was once again a leading contributor to the jaw-dropping effects, which have become increasingly spectacular with each new film released. For ‘Order of the Phoenix’, the company’s CG contributions included a herd of centaurs, a sinister house-elf named Kreacher and, for the first time, the film’s title sequence.

Heading the team for Framestore CFC was veteran VFX Supervisor, Craig Lyn. “We have made a name for ourselves producing creatures with real character for the Potter films, creatures such as the Cornish Pixies and Buckbeak the Hippogriff,” he says, “The centaurs and Kreacher gave us a chance to build on this reputation, both technically and artistically.”

“With tracking on Harry Potter as well as re-creating the camera and its movement in a 3d computer environment - which is the general requirement for motion tracking, we also needed to re-construct a basic model of the set to create shadow effects for Kreacher who would be incorporated onto the film with the actors,” explains Lee Dexter tracking team member at Framestore CFC. “The re-constructed set was needed as a surface to project these shadows on to.”

“We re-constructed the set by using the corresponding 3d points calculated from manual tracks created in REALVIZ MatchMover Pro - which offer a higher accuracy than 3d points calculated from automatic tracking. MatchMover Pro is the first choice for any manual tracking tasks, because it offers an easy to use interface with good control over the sequence being tracked and pattern tracking features that are fast and consistent.”

“With the above capabilities offered by REALVIZ MatchMover Pro we were able to layout a number of very accurate manual tracks over a short space of time - which in turn helped MatchMover create with more accuracy their corresponding 3d positions and the camera and its movement needed to produce the effects for the film.”

REALVIZ MatchMover tracking technology has been used to create stunning visual effects in many other recent major movies, including: ‘Blades of Glory’, ‘Goal!2: Living the Dream’, ‘The Host’, ‘Children of Men’, ‘Superman Returns’, ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’, ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ and ‘Sin City’.

REALVIZ at SIGGRAPH 2007 (Booth 1629) REALVIZ will be showcasing their latest technological advancements at this year’s SIGGRAPH show, which takes place in San Diego, USA from 7.- 9. August
2007. At the show, the REALVIZ team will be demonstrating the REALVIZ HDR Imaging Studio, unveiled in June of this year, REALVIZ Movimento, and MatchMover Pro 4.