Dec 3 Mr. Christmas

Bruce Mertz debuts an enormous array of Christmas lights on Thanksgiving night every year at his home in Concord, CA, complete with a recording of "God Bless America" and some banjo Christmas tunes. "Mr. Christmas" is his story. Nick Palmer directed and edited; Amanda Treyz was the cinema…

Dec 2 The Kraken Rum: Black Ink

Director Tim Miller at Blur Studio created a glossy black sea monster to create a big impression for rum brand The Kraken. (The Bobby Darin music takes a bit of the edge off.) If the black-on-black style seems a bit familiar, you may be flashing back on Blur's similarly striking animated …

Nov 27 Thor: The Dark World Previs Effects

This video on production for Thor: The Dark World from Wired and fxguide.com showcases the state of the art in previs (courtesy The Third Floor), but also depicts the filmmakers' efforts to avoid CG and opt for practical effects whenever they're feasible.