Probably not, but just thinking about the level of mathematical know-how and artistic requirements of doing green-screening CGI graphics blows my mind on a regular basis. There's a lot to be said for how amazing the model-based animations were, but the new stuff is pretty fuckin' cool too.
Well, yes and no. The only upper limit to the CGI method is how many hours of animator work you're willing to pay for, true, but in the same sense that's the only thing you need to get something amazing.
Doing a long shot with models requires a lot of excellent timing, setups, and a knowledge that every messed up take will cost you a lot of time and a lot of money. It's an achievement, and it's failable. Doing a long shot with CGI just means not flipping the camera to a different place in the scene.
I was watching the Ascent of Man the other day, which is a miniseries from the early 70s. It has some simplistic wire-frame computer graphics, and the people credited for the animation both have "Dr." in front of their names. Today, I could do the same graphics in an afternoon with a piece of CAD software. An actual animator could probably crank them out in an hour.
The future is awesome. It's the use we make of it that's maybe not-so-awesome.
then watching Attack Of The Clones on DVD with a friend, I commented 'isn't it odd that none of that is real?' the friend replied that this was a very depressing thought.
Those are costumes, not models - I'm talking about the ships. I remember watching the opening of RotS and thinking it looked incredibly fake because the ships didn't seem to be following the laws of physics. Models follow the laws of physics. I was only willing to suffer through the last prequel once though, so it's hard for me to give specifics.
Although I do think the ewoks looked more lifelike than any CG aliens I can remember from the prequels because they *were* actual living people wearing costumes. But the only CG aliens I really remember were the Gungans from episode 1.
The models follow the laws of physics in a gigantic gravity well. These are not the laws of physics in space. It makes them look ridiculous.
Not that the "we have to bank in space and there's this atmosphere to scrape off droids on" crap was any better, mind you, but don't talk to me about the physics. Lucas hurt me in my physics.
Yeah, that's kinda how I feel about CGI. I mean, I enjoy the mind-blowing advances of special effects just as much as the next moviegoer... but as a child of the 80's, I do miss the look of real models. And there have yet to be created a CGI character that was better than the wonderful creatures of Jim Henson.
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(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-24 04:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-24 04:53 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-24 08:32 pm (UTC)Doing a long shot with models requires a lot of excellent timing, setups, and a knowledge that every messed up take will cost you a lot of time and a lot of money. It's an achievement, and it's failable. Doing a long shot with CGI just means not flipping the camera to a different place in the scene.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-24 05:12 pm (UTC)The future is awesome. It's the use we make of it that's maybe not-so-awesome.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-24 04:52 pm (UTC)the friend replied that this was a very depressing thought.
that seemed to sum up the whole film.
this image sums up George Lucas.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-24 08:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-24 09:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-24 11:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-24 11:58 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-25 12:07 am (UTC)Although I do think the ewoks looked more lifelike than any CG aliens I can remember from the prequels because they *were* actual living people wearing costumes. But the only CG aliens I really remember were the Gungans from episode 1.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-25 12:21 am (UTC)Not that the "we have to bank in space and there's this atmosphere to scrape off droids on" crap was any better, mind you, but don't talk to me about the physics. Lucas hurt me in my physics.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-25 10:16 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-25 09:23 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-25 09:25 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-02-07 10:13 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-25 10:23 pm (UTC)http://www.redlettermedia.com/
Despite the fact they are longer than the movies...way worht a watch!
he also does the best trek/nextgen movie reviews.
:)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-26 04:45 am (UTC)