Platt College Alumni Create Stunning 3D Effects for Blockbuster Film, The Walk

San Diego, CA, November 03, 2015 --(PR.com)-- If you’re wondering where you can go with a degree from Platt College San Diego, look no further than your local IMAX theater screen. Three graduates of Platt College’s B.S. in Media Arts – 3D Animation program had the thrilling opportunity to create 3D effects for Robert Zemeckis’s new blockbuster film, The Walk, starring acclaimed actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ben Kingsley. The film tells the true story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit (Levitt). Guided by his mentor Papa Rudy (Kingsley), on August 7, 1974 Petit and a ragtag crew of international accomplices set out to perform a daring feat: to walk in the immense void between the World Trade Center towers, 100 dizzying stories above the ground. The film is based on Petit’s book To Reach the Clouds and follows the success of James Marsh’s 2008 documentary about Petit, Man on Wire.

Platt College alumni Felix Honda, Adiel Galvan and Keith Kolod worked on the film with Legend3D, a Carlsbad-based company specializing in visual and 3D effects. Thanks to the efforts of these talented alumni, audiences of The Walk are transported onto the wire beside Petit. The electrifying 3D, all-angles experience leaves you breathless in the face of the enormity of the towers and the tense groan and sway of the wire that narrowly separates Petit from the New York City streets below. Critics and audiences alike have praised the film’s heart stopping 3D effects. The Los Angeles Times called The Walk a “truly beautiful and exhilarating bit of filmmaking,” and Cinemablend.com referred to the 3D effects as “nothing short of spectacular.”

“After working on five feature films and some commercials, I can say that this was probably the one I felt most proud of,” said stereo artist and Platt College alum, Adiel Galvan. “I had to challenge myself and find new techniques in order to adapt to this film. Yet at the same time I was producing work fairly fast, not just because of improvement of techniques but also because working on it felt more natural. In the end, I got to see this film in IMAX 3D and it was just stunning. It looked great; the 3D was amazing and just worked perfectly. I couldn't be prouder of all my friends and colleagues who worked on this film, as well as myself."

Felix Honda, who also worked as a stereo artist for the film, had this to say about his experience:

“The Walk was the first film that I had the opportunity to work on in which the entirety of the depth was converted in-house. Being able to work with the best people in the industry has inspired me to further improve my techniques so that one day I may produce work as fast and efficient as some of the leads and senior artists. I am proud to say that I got to be part of something that is both beautiful and breathtaking.”

Platt College San Diego’s 3D Animation program prepares students for careers like Keith, Adiel and Felix’s, including 3D modelers, special effects artists and web and graphic designers. Students in the three-year program acquire knowledge of character design and development, modeling, texturing, rendering, compositing, animation, dynamics and game engine implementation. These skills result in artists and designers who are able to express visual creativity through technology and the creative process—and achieve successful and exciting careers in their desired field.

Want to master the skills needed to work on blockbuster films like these talented Platt College alumni? Learn more about Platt College San Diego’s 3D Animation program today!