American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 75

Tried and True

Style for Robocop

by Ron Magid

Left: Miniature Edo
209 with

and

rear

Robocop
projec¬

tion. Center: Edd
209 in miniature
set, built

by Craig

Davies. Below:
Stairwell sequence

Iminiature).

Phil

in the

tion work for the low

who cares?"

Tippett's exceptional stop mo¬
budget mega¬
hit Robocop was a most welcome
surprise to the visual effects assem¬
blage of 1987. Working on an ex¬
tremely tight budget and time
schedule with long term Industrial
Light And Magic cronies Harry
Walton, Randy Dutra and Tom St.
Amand, Tippett managed to create
the menacing character of Robocop's nemesis, the Edd 209 robot, in
true quick and clean Ray Harryhausen style by animating his
puppet against a rear screen pro¬
jected background, which saved
on
costly and time consuming
compositing.
Tippett emphasizes credit

spontaneous animation work for

to director Paul

Robocop has

Verhoeven, who

would
can

it, we had to move on. It's a
different way of working, but I
think it's the real way of working.

that every

possible.

do sub-standard work in the

was

shots be

The

bad film,

had to work the first time and that

over the cleaner, more
refined work of his competition is

incorporated into the film

even

a

Tippett explains. "I
go so far as to say you

service of a good idea told with
dynamic and kinetic filmmaking.
The best thing about our work on
Robocop was that as a result of a
stringent budget, we had to work
very quickly and everything we did

insisted that each of the effects
in the most dramatic way

world, but if it's in

shot he made works en¬
tirely in the service of the story.
"You

advantage Tippett's fast and

July 1988

can

do the best work

Special effects shots tend to be rele¬
gated to second unit directors, but
Paul stayed with us, making sure
that every scene was shot with the
right kind of dramatic impact. It's a
different kind of sleight of hand. It's
not the apogee of special effects
work, but it is of movie making."
Verhoeven's willingness
to

participate in

American

a

project called Ro-

Cinematographer

73



American Cinematographer - July 1988

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Cinematographer - July 1988

American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 1
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 2
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 3
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 4
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 5
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 6
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 7
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 8
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 9
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 10
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 11
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 12
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 13
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 14
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 15
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 16
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 17
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 18
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 19
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 20
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 21
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 22
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 23
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 24
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 25
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 26
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 27
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 28
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 29
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 30
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 31
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 32
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 33
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 34
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 35
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 36
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 37
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 38
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 39
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 40
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 41
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 42
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 43
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 44
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 45
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 46
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 47
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 48
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 49
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 50
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 51
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 52
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 53
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 54
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 55
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 56
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 57
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 58
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 59
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 60
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 61
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 62
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 63
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 64
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 65
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 66
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 67
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 68
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 69
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 70
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 71
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 72
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 73
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 74
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 75
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 76
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 77
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 78
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 79
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 80
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 81
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 82
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 83
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 84
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 85
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 86
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 87
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 88
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 89
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 90
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 91
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 92
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 93
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 94
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 95
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 96
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 97
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 98
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 99
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 100
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 101
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 102
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 103
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 104
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 105
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 106
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 107
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 108
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 109
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 110
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 111
American Cinematographer - July 1988 - 112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ac/ac198001
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com