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August 11, 2000
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Making the Most of Visual Effects
| The Effects House |
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By the end of July, nine of this summer's films, including Gladiator, Mission: Impossible 2, and The Perfect Storm, each had taken in more than $100 million at movie theater box offices. So far, movies in 2000 are on pace to exceed 1999's total receipts of $3 billion by 5%.
Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, written and directed by George Lucas, set last summer's standard, earning better than $300 million by itself. And Lucas's company, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), has made sophisticated and amazing visual effects a way of life in today's movies. For two years, 250 ILM computer artists worked to create a digital universe for The Phantom Menace. Ninety-five percent of the frames in the film involved digital work. "We knew from the beginning that everything was going to be a challenge," said Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Squires. And what kinds of challenges did the crew at ILM face? Here are a few examples:
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It's been a busy summer for technology-driven movies, from the The Perfect Storm to X-Men. None compares to last summer's blockbuster Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace. What made this film so successful?
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| Design Your Own Character |
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Pretend you are an artist who has just been given the following assignment. Create a hand-drawn concept for a new and completely original Star Wars character. Then write at least one paragraph describing your character in complete detail. Include facial features, body, clothing, and more. You may define the character's personality as well. Read interviews with ILM visual effects supervisors on Episode I and learn more about their work. |
| Bringing Characters to Life |
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In developing the character Jar Jar Binks, ILM used a live actor's movements and voice. (The actor is a real stage performer named Ahmed Best.) Everything else was computer generated. Dennis Muren, a visual effects supervisor, says that approach posed many challenges. "How do you show an expression when a character like Jar Jar doesn't look at all human? That's where we came up with the idea of having Jar Jar's eye stalks grow a little longer at key moments. We had to exaggerate how big his eyes were, and we did things with his mouth to be able to show emotions that viewers would recognize, so they would know what he's thinking and respond correctly." This funny and mischievous character speaks his own language. And his designers had to pay attention to his facial shape, mouth movement, and many other details. In fact, they used more than 200 separate controls for Jar Jar's movements. They could be worked in all sorts of combinations to form desired expressions. To help develop characters that move, the ILM designers "actually draw the bones inside and really think about the physiology of the characters," says Animation Director Rob Coleman. One of the Podracer pilots, Sebulba, uses his feet as hands and his hands for walking. This incredible alien has facial features similar to a camel. The guy even has scars from earlier races. Just looking at this creature might give you a glimpse into his personality. He certainly creates plenty of drama at the Podrace when he throws a wrench at a fellow driver's Podracer! Take a look at how the character of Sebulba developed.
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Plunge into the physics of racing with the following Physics Explorer activities:
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