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Curó Cloud-Based VFX Budgeting Tool to Debut at SIGGRAPH 2018

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New Software Delivers Time-Saving Shortcuts from Script to VFX Shot Breakdowns Based on Production Proven Data and Methodology

Los Angeles, CA (July 24, 2018) – Designed to simplify visual effects budgeting from script to screen, new secure, web-based application, Curó, will be showcased at SIGGRAPH 2018 in Vancouver. Having undergone rigorous development and beta testing, Curó creates a unified system for creation, planning and management of VFX budgets for projects of any scale, from the Hollywood blockbuster to independent film or television, and everything in between. Developed by veteran VFX Producer Joyce Cox (“The Jungle Book,” “Men in Black III,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Avatar,” “Titanic”), Curó was inspired by Cox’s strategic and proven approach to flexibly and accurately managing VFX budgets for studios, including some of the most ambitious effects films of the last two decades. Curó replaces the need for unwieldy spreadsheets to track costs and instead provides a straightforward, accessible solution.

Dave Taritero, Sr VP VFX, Production, Disney, commented, “The rapid growth in VFX has outpaced the industry’s ability to implement a uniform system to manage the complex and ever-changing finances of a VFX project. Joyce Cox is the perfect person to design an application to close that gap.”

“We have been waiting so long for an effective VFX budgeting tool and thank goodness we have a master like Joyce at the helm of this application!” noted VFX Bidding Producer Jacquie Barnbrook (“The Jungle Book,” “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey,” “Hunger Games”).

Once a script is uploaded, Curó generates a breakdown of scenes, action and dialogue. From there, users can identify shots and organize sequences, build the list of assets and FX elements, and create assumptions – items that inform the work required to execute shot production. A plethora of metadata including assets, FX and assumptions are attached to each shot, which can then be advanced to budget projection. Tools within budget production allow for adjusted shot complexity as well as tax incentive forecasting and accounting for fringe costs, providing dynamic VFX cost projections and tracking. The system is also completely secure with the option to build in two-factor authentication. At any time, Curó can create and export reports in various formats.

“Even the smallest projects now rely on VFX to help tell their stories and the cost to create these VFX can be significant, if not in the tens of millions for high-profile features. Despite the major technology advancements we’ve seen in the entertainment industry, tracking VFX costs has remained difficult and complex, with potentially major financial consequences for even minor missteps. Curó fills a gaping hole in content creation, saving users time and money, and providing peace of mind,” said Cox.

Curó is currently tailored for studios, and future modules will accommodate budgeting for VFX vendors as well, a highly-anticipated development. Said MPC VFX Executive Producer Philip Greenlow, “The most successful VFX projects benefit from finances which are transparent and cleanly exchanged between the VFX house and the producer, facilitating timely decision making. A robust, standardized financial toolset for producers to manage VFX costs would be advantageous; Joyce’s knowledge and experience provide an invaluable resource for the development of such tools.”

SIGGRAPH 2018 is being held August 12-16 at the Vancouver Convention Center; attendees can demo Curó in booth 948. To sign up for a 30-day free trial of Curó, visit: www.Curóvfx.com

While in development, the working title of Curó was Vero.

How Curó Shortens the Path from Script to VFX Shot Breakdowns

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VFX are on the rise across film and TV production, whether it’s an action blockbuster with photoreal CG characters and explosions or an indie film that needs beauty work; a network TV hit or a niche streaming series. Getting a VFX budget set up quickly and accurately can go a long way to reduce headaches and more effectively allocate resources throughout pre-production, production, and post.

Curó meets those goals by providing a unified web-based system for creation, planning, and management of visual effects budgets for any project. Take a look at some of the advantages of Curó and how it addresses common bottlenecks:

  • Access Anywhere: As a secure web-based application, Curó can be accessed from your computer or tablet anywhere you are. From home to the office to the set, know that the latest version of your budget is readily accessible.
  • Easy Setup: To get started simply upload your script, and in minutes Curó generates a breakdown of scenes, action, and dialogue. Organize your project into sequences, create shots, new assets and FX elements, and apply tags. Curó clearly establishes each shot’s connection to the script.
  • Streamline Revisions: Curó easily merges new versions of the script and isolates changes, eliminating the time (and potential errors) of running line-by-line comparisons.
  • Leverage Tax Incentives: The CURÓ Incentives tool lets users establish relevant incentive info and apply to any cost item to automatically calculate gross and net totals.
  • Accurate Forecasting: Gross and net totals are dynamic and can be broken down by scene, sequence, and overall project. Export your budget as an Excel workbook containing a summary, shot list budget, asset budget, FX budget, facility overhead budget, VFX overhead budget, and 3D budget, with net and gross calculations reflecting incentives and fringe information.

Learn more about Curó firsthand with a free 30-day trial here. www.curovfx.com/try-curo/

Why Tracking VFX Costs is So Challenging

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In film and TV production, VFX costs are notoriously difficult to track. A director’s vision for a CG character can change, on-set conditions can impact VFX and lighting, stunts and costumes can need more augmenting than initially expected – and as technology becomes more powerful, the mantra of “fix it in post” can become more of a crutch. Changing tax incentives, labor requirements, scheduling, and a director’s level of familiarity with VFX can all contribute to the VFX budgeting headaches as well.

As a longtime visual effects producer for some of cinema’s most VFX-heavy projects – from Avatar to The Jungle Book, along with a background in finance– I’m intimately familiar with the challenges of building an accurate VFX budget. CURÓ was born out of a desire to address some of the common bottlenecks and build a truly accurate forecast as early in the process as possible.

CURÓ tackles the biggest challenges head on, building a united system for creating and managing your VFX budget. From the beginning, CURÓ clearly establishes each shot’s connection to the script, and provides automation of key tasks for greater organization and time savings. Users can easily insert and track relevant incentives and fringes, see a dynamic overview as well as breakdowns by shot list budget, asset budget, FX budget, and so on. The web-based interface ensures that your budget is secure, always up to date and accessible even if you’re on the road or (God forbid) your computer crashes.

For my fellow VFX producers, EPs, post supervisors, and beyond, I pushed to develop CURÓ for you, check it out and let me know what you think!