Computer Magic In The Movies

Seems like the most popular movies these days fall into the “fantasy” category. The opening of “The Hunger Games” this past weekend is an example. $155 Million dollars for the first weekend of release is not chicken feed! Based on the book of the same name, it falls into the “fantasy” category. “Captain America” is another and so of course are all of the “Harry Potter” movies.

Reality takes a backseat to the flights of imagination that only today’s technology can deliver to the big screen. What’s interesting is that even the most mundane of scenes may be generated by a computer—and you will never know it!

Check out this fascinating video of both ordinary and extraordinary scenes that are virtually created (pardon the pun) on the computer. This is amazing stuff:

Boardwalk Empire VFX Breakdowns of Season 2 from Brainstorm Digital on Vimeo.

http://player.vimeo.com/video/34678075?title=0&

Thanks to good friend Rick Cooper for passing this along. All this time, I though the big epics were creating huge scenes—real sets and real crowds, like they used for movies like “Ben Hur” and “Gone With The Wind”.

Nope.

A nerd with a high-powered computer, graphics card and software can apparently “program” whatever images are needed. This, of course, begs the question:

How in the world do they decide on who wins the Oscar for special effects? It seems like the whole movie is one big running special effect. I am amazed by it all, but confess that a tiny bit of magic has been lost because now, I know.

Will I therefore spend less time getting absorbed in the story and instead try to pick apart what I see, separating the real from the unreal? Most remarkable is the technology distance we have travelled ina relatively short period of time.

Imagine plucking your average early 1930’s movie-goer from their plush seat at the Bijou watching Fred Astaire—and placing them into one of today’s stadium theatres with 3-D, surround sound and ANY one of a thousand films that defy belief. For one thing, you would NOT be looking at the screen. You’d be staring at your time-traveler, soaking in every second of their profound and ongoing amazement.

Now, try to imagine what “movies” will be like in another 50-75 years. My guess is that we will all be IN the movie---not “watching” it per se, but completely immersed-where our vantage point will allow for 360 degree action all around us. It will make 3-D look completely primitive.

I can’t wait!

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