Although the press release is listed elsewhere on Studio Daily, I did want to comment about the Prime Focus Group announcement that VFX vet Mike Fink has been named as president of visual effects worldwide, working out of that company’s Frantic Films office. You can read about Fink’s long list of credits in the release (he most recently won an Academy Award and BAFTA award for his work in “Golden Compass”).

Why I find this intriguing is that, as you might know from previous stories, Prime Focus Group is the Indian-based post production conglomerate that purchased Post Logic Studios. With this purchase, they’ve creating a new foothold in Hollywood, expanding their network across India, the U.K. and, now with Frantic Films, Canada.

I’m sure Mr. Fink’s services do not come cheap, and Prime Focus Group is clearly and very carefully choosing top-notch resources. Does Prime Focus Group plan simply to create a massive high-end network of visual effects companies to service Hollywood films? Or does this unique gathering of talent presage a new line of Hollywood/Bollywood films? Just wondering….

For those of you interested in 3D films (and I count myself in that group), “Fly Me to the Moon” is scheduled to come out on August 8, four weeks from today. I went to a screening yesterday at Clarity Theatre, in the same building housing Real D. The film is already playing in Belgium, where its animation was done (and there’s a YouTube clip in what I think is Flemish). The movie is directed by Ben Stassen and one of its producers is Charlotte Clay Huggins, both of nWave Entertainment which, with Summit Entertainment, is presenting the film. nWave Entertainment, if you recall, is a ride film company that’s now turned its talents to 3D movie-making (a logical evolution since some of their ride films had been in 3D).

I wish I could say that it’s good. As a fan of 3D who only wants to see the medium flourish, “Fly Me to the Moon” is a step backwards, alas. I will say that the 3D itself is serviceable to good (a couple of the convergences were a bit rough for me, and I’m not crazy about getting poked in the eye by a rocket to the moon, but these are small complaints). I won’t quibble over the animation, which I wasn’t crazy about. All of these things could have been forgivable with a compelling story and script, both of which “Fly Me to the Moon” lacks. The core idea of the film is great: get young people enthused about space travel by telling the unknown tale of three flies who accompanied astronauts on the first Moon walk. They even have Buzz Aldrin as a voice and on-screen at the end.

But all the money that paid for the celebrity voices (Christopher Lloyd, Tim Curry, Nicolette Sheridan) should have been siphoned towards someone who knows how to write a script. It’s really among the worst that I’ve ever seen–not a stereotype is left untouched–and, unfortunately, Mr. Stassen also stumbles as a director.

This is one person’s opinion. Maybe others will flame me in disagreement. I look forward to your comments.