Marc Weigert
Encyclopedia
Marc Weigert is a film producer
and film/TV visual effects
artist.
, Germany
. While in Christian-von-Dohm-Gymnasium, a grammar school in Goslar
, Germany, he developed an interest in filmmaking. He moved on to study directing and producing from 1991-1994 at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg. There he met Volker Engel, who would later win the Academy Award for the visual effects of Independence Day
and become Weigert's business partner in the production company Uncharted Territory, LLC
. During his studies, Weigert was visual effects producer for Volker Engel on the television film Der Letzte Kosmonaut, directed by Nico Hofmann. The film won the "Prix Futura". He also produced several commercials and award-winning short films for German TV. Weigert moved to Los Angeles in 1994, after receiving a scholarship from a German producer's association.
software to manage, schedule and track the filming of VFX elements. In conjunction with the software, Weigert also developed a design for a visual effects production board
, in conjunction with manufacturing company Hollywood Production Boards. Between 1996 and 2000, he created new software versions to include the post-production
process. Digital Assistant for Visual Effects has been used for several feature films, including Stuart Little
, Alien Resurrection, Flubber, Volcano, Godzilla
, Wing Commander
, Monkeybone
, Bless the Child
, and X-Men
, as well as on television films and series. Dreamscape Imagery Inc. sold the source code to the Internet company Creative Planet, Inc. in 2000.
As visual effects supervisor
for Dreamscape, Weigert worked on a plethora of international feature films, television films, series and commercials, most notably Disney's Flubber, Seven Days To Live, Muppets from Space
and The Drew Carey Show
. He also worked on several documentaries, earning Dreamscape the CINE
Golden Eagle award.
In 1997, Weigert held the master class "action with effects" for the European Film Academy
. He also taught digital compositing classes at the Art Institute of California - Los Angeles
, was speaker at the iHollywood Forum and the Producer's Guild of America (PGA)'s "produced by" conference in Los Angeles.
In 1999, he founded the production company Uncharted Territory LLC
with long-time friend and colleague Volker Engel. The first production, and Weigert's first film as a producer
, Coronado, was shot in 2001 in Mexico. The film was written by Weigert, Engel and director Claudio Faeh. In 2003, Weigert co-produced the flim Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King
and served as visual effects director together with Volker Engel. Dark Kingdom, aka Ring of the Nibelungs is based on the same Germanic myth as Richard Wagner
's opera series Der Ring des Nibelungen
. In-between film productions, Uncharted Territory also created the Intermedia
logo animation which premiered before Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
and provided visual effects services for Roland Emmerich
's The Day After Tomorrow
in 2004
. In 2005, Weigert wrote the screenplay Southern Skies and produced the mini-series The Triangle together with Engel and Kelly Van Horn, for executive producers Bryan Singer
and Dean Devlin
.
In 2006, Weigert won the Emmy Award for The Triangle.
In 2006, Weigert wrote the screenplay Force Majeure und co-wrote Raising Phoenix and Red Sea with writer Kurt Frey and Volker Engel. He also served as visual effects supervisor on the Canon EOS commercial "Welcome To The Playground". In 2007, he served as visual effects supervisor for Kellogg's
and Tropicana commercials, and as vfx producer for Cafe FX
, working - amongst other projects - on the Hogwarts
castle ride film for the new Harry Potter
Island of Adventure at Universal Studios Florida
.
In 2008-2009, Weigert co-supervised and co-produced Roland Emmerich's "2012
" for Sony Pictures
with his business partner Volker Engel.
Currently (2010), Weigert is executive producer and VFX supervisor for the film Anonymous, again for director Roland Emmerich.
Weigert is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
(ATAS) and the Visual Effects Society
(VES). He is part of the ASC/ADG/VES subcommittee on Previsualization.
He also writes a blog called "tracking marc" for Animation World Network (AWN) at http://www.awn.com/blogs/tracking-marc.
Satellite Award for 2012
in 2009
Nominated for two VES
awards in 2010 for "2012"
Nominated for a Saturn Award
in 2010 for "2012"
Nominated for a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award in 2010 for "2012"
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and film/TV visual effects
Visual effects
Visual effects are the various processes by which imagery is created and/or manipulated outside the context of a live action shoot. Visual effects involve the integration of live-action footage and generated imagery to create environments which look realistic, but would be dangerous, costly, or...
artist.
Early career
Weigert was born in Bad HarzburgBad Harzburg
Bad Harzburg is a town in central Germany, in the Goslar district of Lower Saxony. It lies on the northern edge of the Harz mountains and is a recognised saltwater spa and climatic health resort.- Location :...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. While in Christian-von-Dohm-Gymnasium, a grammar school in Goslar
Goslar
Goslar is a historic town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the administrative centre of the district of Goslar and located on the northwestern slopes of the Harz mountain range. The Old Town of Goslar and the Mines of Rammelsberg are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.-Geography:Goslar is situated at the...
, Germany, he developed an interest in filmmaking. He moved on to study directing and producing from 1991-1994 at the Film Academy Baden-Württemberg. There he met Volker Engel, who would later win the Academy Award for the visual effects of Independence Day
Independence Day (film)
Independence Day is a 1996 science fiction film about an alien invasion of Earth, focusing on a disparate group of individuals and families as they converge in the Nevada desert and, along with the rest of the human population, participate in a last-chance counterattack on July 4 – the same...
and become Weigert's business partner in the production company Uncharted Territory, LLC
Uncharted Territory, LLC
Uncharted Territory, LLC is a film production company based in Los Angeles, California. UT was founded in 1999 by academy award winning visual effects supervisor and producer Volker Engel and Emmy award winning VFX supervisor and producer Marc Weigert...
. During his studies, Weigert was visual effects producer for Volker Engel on the television film Der Letzte Kosmonaut, directed by Nico Hofmann. The film won the "Prix Futura". He also produced several commercials and award-winning short films for German TV. Weigert moved to Los Angeles in 1994, after receiving a scholarship from a German producer's association.
Later career
In 1995, Weigert founded the company Dreamscape Imagery Inc. with his wife Stacey. He became VFX Project Manager for the film Independence Day (1996), for which Weigert created Digital Assistant for Visual Effects, a project managementProject management
Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing, securing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals. A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end , undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value...
software to manage, schedule and track the filming of VFX elements. In conjunction with the software, Weigert also developed a design for a visual effects production board
Production board
A traditional production board or production strip board is a filmmaking term for a cardboard or wooden chart holding colour-coded strips of paper, each containing information about a scene in the script...
, in conjunction with manufacturing company Hollywood Production Boards. Between 1996 and 2000, he created new software versions to include the post-production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
process. Digital Assistant for Visual Effects has been used for several feature films, including Stuart Little
Stuart Little (film)
Stuart Little is a 1999 family film. It is loosely based on the novel of the same name by E. B. White. It combines live-action and computer animation. The screenplay was co-written by M. Night Shyamalan and Greg Brooker, with uncredited script doctoring by David O. Russell and Billy Ray...
, Alien Resurrection, Flubber, Volcano, Godzilla
Godzilla (1998 film)
Godzilla is a 1998 science fiction monster disaster film film co-written and directed by Roland Emmerich. It is a loose remake of the 1954 giant monster classic Godzilla. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Emmerich and Dean Devlin. The film relates a tale of a nuclear incident...
, Wing Commander
Wing Commander (film)
Wing Commander is a science fiction film based on the same titled video game series, released in 1999. It was directed by Chris Roberts, the creator of the game series, and stars Freddie Prinze, Jr., Matthew Lillard, Saffron Burrows, Tchéky Karyo, Jürgen Prochnow, David Suchet and David Warner...
, Monkeybone
Monkeybone
Monkeybone is a 2001 American comedy film that combines live-action with stop-motion animation. It was based on Kaja Blackley's graphic novel Dark Town...
, Bless the Child
Bless the Child
Bless the Child is a 2000 supernatural thriller film directed by Chuck Russell, starring Kim Basinger, Jimmy Smits, Angela Bettis, Rufus Sewell, Christina Ricci, and Holliston Coleman...
, and X-Men
X-Men (film)
X-Men is a 2000 superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics characters of the same name. Directed by Bryan Singer, the film stars Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Anna Paquin, Famke Janssen, Bruce Davison, James Marsden, Halle Berry, Rebecca Romijn, Ray Park and Tyler Mane...
, as well as on television films and series. Dreamscape Imagery Inc. sold the source code to the Internet company Creative Planet, Inc. in 2000.
As visual effects supervisor
Visual effects supervisor
In the context of film and television production, a visual effects supervisor is responsible for achieving the creative aims of the director and/or producers through the use of visual effects...
for Dreamscape, Weigert worked on a plethora of international feature films, television films, series and commercials, most notably Disney's Flubber, Seven Days To Live, Muppets from Space
Muppets from Space
Muppets from Space is a 1999 science fiction comedy film and the sixth feature film to star The Muppets, and the first since the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson to have an original Muppet-focused plot. The film was directed by Tim Hill, produced by Jim Henson Pictures, and released to theaters...
and The Drew Carey Show
The Drew Carey Show
The Drew Carey Show is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from 1995 to 2004. The show was set in Cleveland, Ohio, and revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman" Drew Carey, a fictionalized version of the actor....
. He also worked on several documentaries, earning Dreamscape the CINE
CINE
CINE is a consortium formulated to depict American life and thought realistically for a global audience. CINE recognizes and fosters the highest quality of non-theatrical film and video production through its semi-annual film competitions....
Golden Eagle award.
In 1997, Weigert held the master class "action with effects" for the European Film Academy
European Film Academy
The European Film Academy is an initiative of a group of European filmmakers who came together in Berlin on the occasion of the first presentation of the European Film Awards in November 1988.- European Film Academy :...
. He also taught digital compositing classes at the Art Institute of California - Los Angeles
The Art Institutes
-Fraud lawsuit:In August 2011 Education Management Corporation was investigated and sued by the United States Department of Justice and four states for illegal recruitment practices and fraudulent receipt of $11 billion in federal and state financial aid money....
, was speaker at the iHollywood Forum and the Producer's Guild of America (PGA)'s "produced by" conference in Los Angeles.
In 1999, he founded the production company Uncharted Territory LLC
Uncharted Territory, LLC
Uncharted Territory, LLC is a film production company based in Los Angeles, California. UT was founded in 1999 by academy award winning visual effects supervisor and producer Volker Engel and Emmy award winning VFX supervisor and producer Marc Weigert...
with long-time friend and colleague Volker Engel. The first production, and Weigert's first film as a producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, Coronado, was shot in 2001 in Mexico. The film was written by Weigert, Engel and director Claudio Faeh. In 2003, Weigert co-produced the flim Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King
Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King
Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King is a fantasy film and mini-series based on the Norse mythology story Völsungasaga and the German epic poem Nibelungenlied, which tells the mythological story of Siegfried the Dragon-Slayer...
and served as visual effects director together with Volker Engel. Dark Kingdom, aka Ring of the Nibelungs is based on the same Germanic myth as Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
's opera series Der Ring des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen
Der Ring des Nibelungen is a cycle of four epic operas by the German composer Richard Wagner . The works are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied...
. In-between film productions, Uncharted Territory also created the Intermedia
Intermedia (production company)
Intermedia is a film production company, wholly owned by IM Internationalmedia AG.The company mostly acts as a co-producer, funding films through the IMF funds.-History:...
logo animation which premiered before Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, commonly abbreviated as T3, is a 2003 science fiction action film directed by Jonathan Mostow and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nick Stahl, Claire Danes and Kristanna Loken...
and provided visual effects services for Roland Emmerich
Roland Emmerich
Roland Emmerich is a German film director, screenwriter, and producer.His films, most of which are Hollywood productions filmed in English, have grossed more than $3 billion worldwide, more than those of any other European director...
's The Day After Tomorrow
The Day After Tomorrow
The Day After Tomorrow is a 2004 American science-fiction disaster film that depicts the catastrophic effects of global warming in a series of extreme weather events that usher in global cooling which leads to a new ice age. The film did well at the box office, grossing $542,771,772 internationally...
in 2004
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
. In 2005, Weigert wrote the screenplay Southern Skies and produced the mini-series The Triangle together with Engel and Kelly Van Horn, for executive producers Bryan Singer
Bryan Singer
Bryan Singer is an American film director and film producer. Singer won critical acclaim for his work on The Usual Suspects, and is especially well-known among fans of the science fiction and superhero genres for his work on the X-Men films and Superman Returns.-Early life:Singer was born in New...
and Dean Devlin
Dean Devlin
Dean Devlin is an American screenwriter, producer, television director and former actor. He is the founder of the production company Electric Entertainment.-Personal life:...
.
In 2006, Weigert won the Emmy Award for The Triangle.
In 2006, Weigert wrote the screenplay Force Majeure und co-wrote Raising Phoenix and Red Sea with writer Kurt Frey and Volker Engel. He also served as visual effects supervisor on the Canon EOS commercial "Welcome To The Playground". In 2007, he served as visual effects supervisor for Kellogg's
Kellogg Company
Kellogg Company , is a producer of cereal and convenience foods, including cookies, crackers, toaster pastries, cereal bars, fruit-flavored snacks, frozen waffles, and vegetarian foods...
and Tropicana commercials, and as vfx producer for Cafe FX
Cafe FX
CafeFX was an award-winning feature film visual effects facility offering visual effects production and supervision, CG character creation, and 3D animation. Founded in 1993 by Jeff Barnes and David Ebner, CafeFX was located in a studio on an eight-acre campus in Santa Maria, the heart of Santa...
, working - amongst other projects - on the Hogwarts
Hogwarts
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry or simply Hogwarts is the primary setting for the first six books of the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, with each book lasting the equivalent of one school year. It is a fictional boarding school of magic for witches and wizards between the ages of...
castle ride film for the new Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
Island of Adventure at Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios Florida is an American theme park located in Orlando, Florida. Opened on June 7, 1990, the park's theme is the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. Universal Studios Florida inspires its guests to "ride the movies," and it features numerous attractions and...
.
In 2008-2009, Weigert co-supervised and co-produced Roland Emmerich's "2012
2012 (film)
2012 is a 2009 American disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich. It stars John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, and Woody Harrelson. It was produced by Emmerich's production company, Centropolis Entertainment and was distributed by Columbia Pictures...
" for Sony Pictures
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
with his business partner Volker Engel.
Currently (2010), Weigert is executive producer and VFX supervisor for the film Anonymous, again for director Roland Emmerich.
Weigert is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences was founded in 1946, just one month after network television was born. It is a nonprofit organization devoted to the advancement of telecommunications arts and sciences and to fostering creative leadership in the telecommunications industry...
(ATAS) and the Visual Effects Society
Visual Effects Society
The Visual Effects Society is the entertainment industry's only organization representing the full breadth of visual effects practitioners including artists, animators, technologists, model makers, educators, studio leaders, supervisors, PR/marketing specialists and producers in all areas of...
(VES). He is part of the ASC/ADG/VES subcommittee on Previsualization.
He also writes a blog called "tracking marc" for Animation World Network (AWN) at http://www.awn.com/blogs/tracking-marc.
Awards
Emmy Award for The Triangle in 2006Satellite Award for 2012
2012 (film)
2012 is a 2009 American disaster film directed by Roland Emmerich. It stars John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover, and Woody Harrelson. It was produced by Emmerich's production company, Centropolis Entertainment and was distributed by Columbia Pictures...
in 2009
Nominated for two VES
Visual Effects Society
The Visual Effects Society is the entertainment industry's only organization representing the full breadth of visual effects practitioners including artists, animators, technologists, model makers, educators, studio leaders, supervisors, PR/marketing specialists and producers in all areas of...
awards in 2010 for "2012"
Nominated for a Saturn Award
Saturn Award
The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. The Saturn Awards were devised by Dr. Donald A. Reed in 1972, who felt that films within...
in 2010 for "2012"
Nominated for a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award in 2010 for "2012"