Topic: Filipina leads Superman Returns Special FX team

[Prince Barry]

                       


Up in the sky! It?s a bird! It?s a plane! It?s Superman? No it?s Maricel Lopez Pagulayan!

I?m sure the name does not ring a bill! But did you know, she is the woman responsible for making Brandon Routh, the new Superman on Superman Returns! Fly up in the sky!

When I watched the movie I was amazed at the smoothness and the natural flight of Superman across the silver screen.

And Maricel, a Filipina-American based in Hollywood is ?the? visual effects production supervisor who made all the flight sequences so realistic. It was really unbelievable. And she is the only Filipina in the special visual effects team.

I got to know Superman Brandon Routh so well because as the fx supervisor, I had to know every inch of his body because we had to scan it to be able to digitally make him fly. And I can tell you right now that his ?package? was not digitally reduced. He is a man?s Man. revealed Maricel.

 Maricel is not a newcomer in the industry. She?s been involved in radio journalism, television, commercials, theater and later films for years in the United States ever since she graduated from Political Science at UC Berkeley and a masters degree at the American Film Institute. Maricel is a true blue Pinay, whose mother hails from Laguna and whose father is from Cagayan de Oro.

Maricel is indeed a very experienced post and digital production supervisor. Her resume lists some of the biggest Hollywood films, and many independent film projects. In 2002, Maricel worked on the physical, post and digital production of X-Men 2 of 20th Century Fox. In 2004, Maricel was part of the team that produced the special effects for Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. And her most recent project is Superman Returns, which she says took almost two years to finish. It?s her second film with director Bryan Singer.

Aside from the three mega films, Maricel has done films like Americano, Route 666, MacArthur Park and Women: Stories of Passion to name a few.

Her next project is the film adaptation of the popular children?s book, Where the Wild Things Are by writer Maurice Sendak which will be directed by Spike Jonze and filmed in Melbourne, Australia.

Newcomer actor Brandon Routh, she says is ?such a humble guy. He is down-to-earth, friendly and easy to work with.? Kevin Spacey, who was villain Lex Luthor, ?is very friendly. I enjoy working with him.?

Maricel notes that working as a female minority in the entertainment industry did not come easy for her. ?I also paid my dues,? she confesses. ?I threw thrash; I got coffee before I reached where I am today. But because of my Filipino upbringing and values, I was able to achieve my goals in life to work in films because most of us Filipinos are hardworking, loyal, and have good work ethics,? she stressed.

Keep up the good work Maricel. We are proud of you and continue to raise the Philippine flag in Hollywood?s special effects industry.