PT Practical Effects in the Prequels- Sets, Pictures, Models, etc.

Somewhat, I think it would help if KK and JJ had said, "Yes, we will be using practical effects and sets like both trilogies. Which some of you may not realize this but the PT actually used those too."

Something along those lines at Star Wars Celebration, it didn't have to be anything major unless it was a PT panel, but briefly point this out to some of the ignorant people out there, but anyway.

 

It is, lmao

Speaking of aliens though, I've also been reminded today because of the TFA creature shot that came out, there's also some folks out there who believe there weren't any "practical" aliens/creatures (aka people in masks and makeup, basically) in the PT and that they were all CGI!




Man, is there a lot of misconceptions out there of these movies.

 

Those people need help!

 

Not to mention, as a Star Wars Fan, he should know that Gungan skeletons are made of cartilage.

 

Wow. Thanks for this. I was spoiler-free for Episode III so I didn't see a lot of these videos back then. Impressive, most impressive.

Lol. good point.

 

The Creatures Of Episode III
"And the People who bring them to life"

Notice, its People, not computers..!


JJ's reaction >

 

j.j. did say it and it was a joke. lighten up people.

 

You guys already probably mentioned this so sorry not to repeat anything, but at the Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim John Knoll mentioned that TPM was the most model-heavy film ILM has ever done and that he would bet it was the most model-intensive film ever done to that point. I know the films get lambasted for their use of CG, but he was indicating at least that TPM used an extreme number of models and practical effects as well. I think you use the right tool for the right job, whatever that may be.

 

This is where the distinction between models and miniatures has to come into play.

Models seem to mean more ships and vehicles than environments that miniatures create. I also note that people in the industry tend to do a lot of shorthand so what exactly is meant by that and how interchangeable is it seems to vary a lot.

Then of course you get into the whole thing where tons of models are made but not actually directly used in the movie and shoot but used as reference models for the CGI artists to use when building the digital models or even scanning those into the digital realm then using that as a starting point.

TPM certainly used the largest combination of models for moving vehicles shot with motion control seen in the movie plus all the miniatures also shot with motion control. For AOTC and ROTS far fewer models were actually shot and used directly in the movie as opposed to being reference models of one kind or another. The number of miniatures shot and used in camera for environments went up and up.

Each of the prequels used an extreme number of practical effects and far less CGI than any of the detractors would ever possibly imagine or could possibly admit to. They also wouldn't like to know about all of the animation that the OT used because somehow that animation was "real" just like the barely moving and mostly stationary puppets were "real."

I love Lucas' line from the ROTJ commentary where he laughs at the whole "real" notion. IIRC he says something like 'puppets characters are fake and CGI characters are fake. It's all fake but the difference is the fake CGI characters aren't stuck on one or two places on the floor that you have to shoot around while the fake CGI characters can be shot like real actors.'

 

The strange thing about this coming up so much is in the 10 years since the prequels ended i see all these other action movies where they're using cgi for the actual actors. I mean when you saw people dueling in the PT it was really people. Not so much in the fights in a lot of these other movies.

 

Look at Avatar..
Even though that's the kind of movie they were going for.

 

LMAO At this very practical jedi doing a very practical lightsaber swirl,, on a very practical gunship.

 

I found this pic online and thought it would be a nice addition to this post.

 

Organa's speeder to the right?

 

Nice. What's the source on that picture?

 

I will try to find it again and post it when I do. It was a random pic I had saved somewhere.

 

B99 Looks like it.

 

it's from annie liebowitz's pt photo shoots.

 

the whole cgi was everywhere in the prequels thing is rubbish and it has to hurt folks like Silas Carson who played multiple characters under heavy makeup sometime with animotrontics inside the mask he was wearing like for gunray.

 

There is a site trying to get money to do a documentary on "Defending the Prequels!"
Saw it on Makingstarwars.net. Check it out.

 

I wish I could contribute money towards that, but I have none.

 

LOL I know, All my moneys going to SW figures.. I'll just spread the word..

 

I put it in my sig

 

Yeah, don't have any money either, but I'm spreading the word.