The Briefing Room

VENICE, Calif February 19, 2009 – Shinebox Digital contributed to the success of the short film Charlie Thistle from filmmaker Bragi Schut, Jr. by creating the visual effects that were an integral part of the storyline.

The 15-minute film was shot on film and then color corrected to black and white while holding out specific areas of color. The script called for the gradual introduction of specific items (neckties, rubber stamp impressions, blue sky) to be colorized as the story progressed. “Movable windows� were introduced and in the final scene, the characters step out of the dull grey world and into one of full color.

In the scene a window in the center of the wall can be picked up and placed in any new location. The only color in the shot is the blue sky on the other side of the glass. The window was shot using blue screen and then a matte painting of the building was tracked in allowing the background to move as the window did.

“The “movable window� scene was a really wonderful idea,� said Mesher. “None of the shots were overwhelmingly complex but they were key in telling the story.�

“The visual effects really bring the story to life,â€? said Schut. “The visuals needed to be impressive in order to fulfill the function of the story, which is about bringing a touch of magic to a mundane world…I couldn’t think of anyone better that Todd Mesher and Shinebox to make that happen.â€?

The short-film, Charlie Thistle was the culmination of years of work for Schut. He had won a Nichols fellowship in 2005, which gave him the seed money to make Charlie Thistle. Schut has seen it continue on to win awards at independent film festivals. Most recently, Schut won $20,000 from the Doorpost Film Project. He has been invited to participate in the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, the Sedona International Film Festival and also the Cleveland International Film Festival.

Shinebox Digital’s creative director Todd Mesher and filmmaker Bragi Schut, Jr. have known each other from their early days in the entertainment industry. So when Schut approached Mesher about working on the film, he was understandably thrilled.

“Bragi is extremely talented, and I love his stories� said Mesher. “I have been working with him for years and am so glad we could work together again on the Charlie Thistle project. The story is quite fantastical and the effects make it come alive.“

About Charlie Thistle:
Charlie Thistle, a frustrated and disillusioned government bureaucrat, decides one day to approve one of the many memos crossing his desk. With a simple stamp of his form, Charlie brings change to his black and white world. And nothing will ever be the same again… Charlie Thistle is a simple story, a tale of one’s man struggle to break out of a thankless and dull existence and bring something brighter into the world. It’s a message of hope, and of the costs that sometimes are paid for bringing change to the world. Visit to view the film please visit http://www.thedoorpost.com/hope/Charlie Thistle/

About Shinebox Digital
Shinebox Digital is a visual effects and production boutique in Venice Beach that brings years of experience and creativity to the entertainment, gaming, architecture, music and commercial industries. They offer their clients myriad resources that ensure that their projects turn out exactly as they envision. Shinebox is a full-service boutique offering a comprehensive set of services enabling us to see a project through from inception to delivery. These offerings include Final Cut Pro editorial, FLAME visual effects compositing, Maya 3-D animation, 2D animation and graphics, direction, visual effects supervision and project management. For additional information, visit www.shineboxdigital.com

CONTACT: Matthew Loranger of Shinebox Digital
310.990.1756 mloranger@shineboxdigital.com