Flash Film Works - History

History

In 1993, Visual Effects Supervisor William Mesa left Introvision International to direct the low budget science fiction film Galaxis. To create the effects work for the film, Mesa formed his own effects company, which he dubbed Flash Film Works.

As an independent visual effects company, they were hired by New Line Cinema to work on Wes Craven's New Nightmare. This work was well received and led to work on many other films.

John Dykstra hired Flash Film Works for work on the Warner Brothers motion picture Batman and Robin, creating a digital matte painting of an ice-laden Gotham City, as well as performing some rig and wire removal work on the film.

For Tale of the Mummy, Flash Film works created 3-D mummy wrappings which unraveled and reformed into the mummy. Flash Film works also worked on the Adam Sandler comedy The Waterboy during this time as well as the Renny Harlin killer shark flick, Deep Blue Sea.

For the science fiction film, Red Planet, Flash Film works created various monitor display screens and interactive holographic monitors along with over 150 other shots for the film, including many wire removal shots to create the illusion of the actors floating in space.

In the year 2001, Flash Film works worked on the Eddie Murphy science fiction film The Adventures of Pluto Nash, creating computer generated Moonscapes for the actors to walk through.

For the Arnold Schwarzenegger action film Collateral Damage, Flash Film works was responsible for over 200 visual effects shots including creating CG Helicopters and debris, multiple rig and wire removal shots and several other types of shots as well.

For the Andy Davis directed film, Holes, based on the book by Louis Sachar, William Mesa was the visual effects supervisor as well as the Second Unit Director. For the film Flash Film works created and animated 3D lizards, designed and composited the "God's Thumb" mountain range and added desert and holes to many shots as well as considerable additional work.

Flash Film works big project for 2003 was the Ed Zwick directed film, The Last Samurai, starring Tom Cruise. Flash Film works performed around 200 effects shots on this film, including CG arrows, matte painting, compositing armies and face replacements.

Flash Film works created a CG Storm for several sequences in The Guardian and creating backgrounds for Blood Diamond. They later worked on Clash of the Titans and The Pacific.