The Quebec cinema community is dismayed by the death of entrepreneur Daniel Langlois, a pioneer of new seventh art technologies who forever revolutionized the world of visual effects.
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“The cinematographic legacy of Daniel Langlois is immense,” producer Roger Frappier reacted on Sunday. (The decline of the American empire), still upset by the announcement of the death of the Quebec entrepreneur, who was found dead Friday with his partner in a charred car in Dominica.
With his company Softimage, which he founded in 1986, Daniel Langlois developed the first software allowing the creation of 3D computer animations.
It was with this revolutionary software at the time that the visual effects of the film The Jurassic Park were designed in 1993.
“The starting point for everything we do today in special effects was Daniel Langlois,” recalls Roger Frappier.
“He was the first with Softimage to develop software that allowed special effects to be done by computer. Obviously, this technology improved a lot later but the starting point of all this was him with his software.
After The Jurassic ParkSoftimage’s software has been used for the visual effects of several other major Hollywood productions such as Titanic, The Matrix And The Lord of the Rings. Daniel Langlois sold his company to Microsoft in 1994 for $200 million. This sale also allowed certain artists, including Yvon Deschamps and Michel Rivard, to receive $800,000 after having invested an initial amount of $10,000.
- Listen to Benoit Dutrizac talk about the death of Daniel Langlois in the Dutrizac – Dumont meeting via QUB radio :
Before everyone
Several personalities working in the visual effects industry also paid tribute to Daniel Langlois on Sunday on social networks.
“I am one of those who have the privilege of continuing to create new dreams in the same building where Daniel Langlois founded Softimage, which later became part of Microsoft, then Avid. We owe a lot to Daniel’s original vision,” Shailendra Mathur, vice president of architecture and technology at Avid Technology, wrote on Linkedln.
For his part, Loudon Owen says he was approached by Mr. Langlois at the end of the 1980s to invest in Softimage. Over the years, they developed a working relationship, but also a friendship.
“He lived more or less 5 years, 10 years before everyone else,” argued in an interview with The newspaper Mr. Owen. It’s an incredible shock. He was a friend. He’s someone I have so much respect for.”
“I work with entrepreneurs as a profession, […] and he had more integrity than anyone. He was someone very special,” he adds.
A patron
After the sale of Softimage, Daniel Langlois continued to be involved in the world of cinema and new technologies by playing the role of patron.
In addition to having launched a foundation in his name, with which he supported artistic and scientific projects, in 1999 he set up Ex-Centris, a state-of-the-art cinema complex which unfortunately closed its doors. doors in 2016.
The Quebec entrepreneur was also an important ally of the Festival du nouveau cinéma (FNC), the oldest film festival in Canada.
“Daniel was a very big supporter of Quebec cinema,” recalls Roger Frappier. He has bonded with many filmmakers in the industry. Everything he did in his career was unique, forward-thinking and visionary. This loss is a great catastrophe. It’s unimaginable that someone like that would end up in such conditions.”
Daniel Langlois was named Knight of the National Order of Quebec in 1999 and of the Order of Canada in 2000. He also received a scientific and technical Oscar in 1997 for his contribution to the world of cinema.
Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage, also did not fail to highlight his legacy.
“His company Softimage created 3D images for films like @StarWars, impacting generations. The legacy he leaves us reflects his innovative spirit. My thoughts are with his loved ones,” she wrote on Sunday on X, formerly Twitter.