Practical make-up and effects at their finest - Page 5

This thread has gotten me thinking:

Is there any possibility that some of the reason why CGI has become used so constantly is that, if you do practical effects really well, the audience has a higher chance of being creeped the hell out?

Case in point: Never saw videodrone, so I went on youtube and looked at some of the effects people were talking about. Didn't get very far before I got weirded out and uncomfortable. And not in a "really cool" way, but in a "yeah, I'm hitting the X right now" way.

Then I decided to look at the transformation in An American Werewolf In London, and I loved how viceral the transformation itself was - you could tell the human body was basically forced to change its shape... But it was very hard for me to watch someone in agony like that, even though I knew it was fake.

Thing is, I understand that in both of those cases that was the artistic purpose, but damn.

I realize that the reason why CGI is used over practical isn't this, but it did come to mind as I was watching those, and figured it'd be interesting.

I think there is a distancing effect with CGI, but maybe only to the trained geek eye. I grew up on practical FX and stop-animation, so when I see something that seems to be moving too fluidly to be achieved by those means, I conclude that it's a CG illusion. As I've opined elsewhere, practical FX have the advantage of being 'real' in at least one literal sense.

I don't think special effects 'fool' anybody these days, what with making-of documentaries and coffee-table books everywhere. It's become part of the standard promotional strategy: "Look how much work we put into creating this stuff!" If there are still any magicians who guard their secrets, we don't know who they are.

But to answer your question, I think contemporary filmmakers go for CGI for two reasons: (A) It's perceived as more efficient and less expensive, and (B) it's the fashion. You're not big-league if you can't make your movie the way the big guys do.

I don't disagree with you, I was just thinking.

Another thought that popped in my head, the last I'll do before I eat because I'm starving: CGI will never be inherently believable because, no matter how 'real' it gets, people will know that they didn't actually genetically engineer an alien to work like that, etc.

That's why I like cartoon animation. It eliminates the challenge to the viewer of trying to figure out how they did that. Unfortunately, the filmmakers that take complete advantage of this are very rare. Maybe only Miyazaki.

HELLBOY 2 DVD is chocked full of goodness. Anyone who's a practical FX fan needs to pick up the 3 disc and marvel at the wizardry:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9mJHTTYdLM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vZUa...eature=channel


Just surfing the youtubes, I came across this fanmade Critters puppet. Inspiring!

Making a Monster part 1
Making a Monster Part 2 "Mechanics"

FANTASTIC FLESH - The Art of Make-Up EFX hits DVD tomorrow. It's "Short Wait" on my Netflix queue, but I'm looking forward to it.

I've never seen this BBC show, but good for these guys:

Being Human Werewolf Transformation

Drag Me To Hell CGI Fly says "Fuck that!" in a buzzy little voice.

Thanks for the heads up on the show and that clip!

Not to stray too far from the topic but this is actually a really engaging show, something that took me somewhat by surprise.

Seeing the behind-the-scenes of the Werewolf make-up just makes me appreciate it all the more.

One of the best subtle uses of make up is still Max von Sydow in The Exorcist.

Most don't realize that this guy...


was only 44 at the time.

Word. And based on the trailer for Shutter Island, you can see just how eerily prescient Dick Smith was.

I'm currently loving 'Moon' and it's great model work. I really think having models makes the film even better. And then Clint Mansell's wonderful score.

Great thread..FX master Steve Johnson just started a Youtube channel.He plans on sharing thousands of hours of behind the scenes footage.

http://www.youtube.com/user/stevejohnsonfx

One of the most informative and accurate FX docs from the Golden Age:

Horizon: Filming the Impossible (part 1)

what the christ

I'm pretty positive that's Zbrush. So I guess I don't get it.

Good on Baker for learning digital sculpting though. I imagine it's translating better for the old guard in Hollywood effects than most 3D work since it's a whole lot more intuitive.

Poopdeck Pappy (by way of Innsmouth)? Cause Popeye's jaw would be bigger. Cool Zbrush sculpt though.

DeNiro in KB'S MS'S F

(below is a model of his Frankenstein, but it's good at showing the concept of the design, I couldn't find a still from the film that showed it off as well)

Definitely Zbrush. When he visited the school I personally witnessed him geek out about Zbrush (which I know absolutely nothing about) for an hour with about a dozen VFX students (I was the only Film guy that slipped in). I think he even ended up judging some ZBrush competition they were having. Then I mentioned Videodrome and everyone there but Baker eyed me funny.

I mentioned this in the discussion thread itself, but for all the ballyhoo about District 9's kickass CGI, the practical effects work there is just as good, particularly Wikus' alien arm and the mutilated prawn corpses.

Rewatching Carpenter's THE THING (for the umpteenth time, inspired by prequel's recent trailer). THE THING, AMER WEREWOLF, and THE DARK CRYSTAL are about 30 years old. 30. Cripes. What a landmark. Weta and ILM do amazing work, but I miss the latex heyday of the early 80s.

THE THING is always a perfect reminder of the fundamental differences of CGI and Practical FX; at their best CGI gets you to say "Wow" while practical gets you to say "WTF!?". I've never thought CGI was "gross"... it may convey a gross idea but it's never "gross" in the way practical is.   

As a special-effects make-up enthusiast (and amateur meddler) I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed Blu-ray and my 1080p display for showing off every fascinating detail of the great movie make-up illusions.  The new Lord Of The RIngs - Extended Edition Blu-ray set is such a wonderful way to appreciate the amazing orc make-up work by Richard Taylor and his WETA team.  What an endless and horrifying array of nightmare faces!  And flawless!  I cannot see any seams around the eyes in the close-ups.  Bravo, nerds!

A lovely behind-the-scenes video of Amalgamated Dynamics Inc's practical FX for the Thing rebootquel-- much of which, I gather, hit the cutting-room floor:

 

And the hits keep on comin'...

 

FX company Amalgamated Dynamics just released this video of a concept for the Green Goblin from Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man movie from 2002:

Yeah, as bad as the helmet in the movie was, why would Norman Osborne make an articulated Green Goblin mask?  Simply because he's crazy?

 

He didn't exactly modify much gear to begin with.

Quote:

I'm guessing that's not supposed to be a mask. I don't know if the ears there quit work (I'd tone em down a bit), but I always wanted Norman to remove the mask in the film, revealing that the serum had transformed him into a grotesque goblin. It would have been so much better to have seen Dafoe's face during those good vs evil conversations with Peter.

 

And I'll wait to see THE THING remake before checking out that footage. Actually looking forward to that now in an academic sense.

 

 

This.  Something has been lost in the over-reliance on CGI.  It's cheaper and easier to change on the fly, but it doesn't have the palpable reality of a creation.  I think practical effects and CGI signal the brain in different ways, such that the visceral experience of watching a CGI creation will never be the same as watching a practical moonster.  And Rob Bottin's work on The Thing has never been topped, imho. 

The award-winning visual FX wizards (miniatures, matte paintings, etc), Skotak Bros (Robert and Dennis) are hugely influential... just in their involvement with James Cameron alone. But seeing them in the ALIENS behind the scenes materials, led me to believe their HAIR is an example of  "Practical make-up and effects at their finest". Wow.

 

Just found this. Pretty cool (RIP Stan):

https://www.stanwinstonschool.com/

http://www.youtube.com/user/StanWinstonSchool?feature=watch

This is pretty cool:

 

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/03/05/special-effects-tests-show-off-the-scale-of-stan-winstons-work-on-the-jurassic-park-series-and-more/

Quote:

Yeah, SW School has been throwing those up on FB too.