Rhythm & Hues Populates Universal’s “Snow White and the Huntsman” With Wondrous CG Characters and Effects
R&H-produced work includes Enchanted Forest Creatures, Bridge Troll, Dwarves
LOS ANGELES, June 6, 2012– The work of Rhythm & Hues Studios, the Oscar-winning visual effects and animation studio, is prominently featured in Universal Pictures’ Snow White and the Huntsman, which led the U.S. box office this past weekend with a strong $56.3 million take, the fourth largest opening of 2012 according to Box Office Mojo.
Rhythm & Hues produced several key computer-generated characters and visual effects sequences for the epic action adventure story, including the fairies and assorted flora and fauna of an Enchanted Forest; a gigantic bridge troll; and swirling flocks of inky black magpies and ravens. In addition, the studio used an innovative, cost-effective 2D warping and compositing process to transform eight English actors into Snow White’s dwarves.
Working closely with the film’s director Rupert Sanders and the overall visual effects supervisor Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, the Rhythm & Hues team was led by vfx supervisor Todd Shifflett, vfx producer Tim Cunningham and senior animation supervisor Andrew Arnett.  Rhythm & Hues created the majority of the visual effects and animation for the film, with work distributed among a crew of over 300 digital artists in its numerous international facilities.
The company’s CG wizardry has impressed numerous movie reviewers, including Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times: “The dwarves lead them to my favorite realm in the film, an enchanting fairyland, which is a triumph of art direction and CGI. Mushrooms open their eyes and regard the visitors. Cute forest animals scamper and gambol in tribute to a forest scene in Disney’s 1937 animated film. The fairies themselves are[…] pale-skinned sprites with old, wise faces. The spirit of this forest is embodied by a great white stag with expressive eyes and horns that spread in awesome complexity. This is a wonderful scene,” Ebert concludes.