American Cinematographer - April 1993 - 45

1

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*

--

effects. These

were

'1

ft mV

}1

»

'

if,t

created with

a

desktop computer and PhotoShop
software developed, in part, by an
ILM employee. "Pre-visualization
is

an

important part of this pro¬

cess," says Nicholson. "We wanted
to be able to communicate in pic¬
tures as well as words since that's
the language of film. PhotoShop
allows us to use digital technology
to art-direct visual effects."
In all, there are 117 visual
effects shots in the film, including
3-D computer graphics, digital wire

removal, and both digital

and

op¬

tical compositing of foreground
and background picture elements.
The flying scenes were

most of the movie was

suspended by a harness from
double set of wires, and he rode
them like a cable car at a ski resort.

were

was

a

Just a few years ago, cinematogra¬

pher Alonzo would have needed to
apply extreme caution while com¬
posing and lighting this type of
scene in order to avoid drawing

special effects, which included

rigging the wires for flying scenes

flying shots re¬
quired rigging 40 to 50 feet of cable
on the Baltimore city streets where

on

location. Some

were

scanned into

a

Opposite: While
shooting blue
footage,
(arms
folded), actor/

screen

Alonzo

director

Townsend (in
costume at

left)

and crew
members

visible. ILM has

examine their

using Silicon Graphics work¬

progress on a
video monitor.

reflection

been

was

stations for this purpose.

After the

slightest reflection of light on a wire
could provide the audience with a
glaring visual clue that the stunt

tures were

scanned onto Eastman

high-resolution color
original film, which intercut

EXR 5245

This page:

Computer
wizardry helped
create this

colossal

faked.
With contemporary digi¬
tal wire removal technology, how¬

seamlessly with the live-action foot¬

cornucopia of
vegetables, the

age.

result of meteor

able to treat the

flying scenes involved complicated
movements and changes in per¬
spective. Background plates for

was

Alonzo

ing on their complexity. ILM's A1
cal

visible

digital format, and an electronic
paint program was used to remove
and replace pixels with appropriate
backgrounds wherever the wire or

image was altered, the digital pic¬

ever,

responsible for physi¬

duction. Frames in which the cables

attention to the wires. Even the

cables

was

problems

easily resolved in postpro¬

The actual shooting was
fairly straightforward. Townsend

were

filmed in one of two ways, depend¬
DiSarro

Those kinds of

filmed.

as

was

though they

were

invis¬

ible, allowing him to light and
shoot flying scenes for maximum
dramatic

impact. He didn't have to

showing the
flag lights to keep them
from reflecting on the cable.

choose angles to avoid

wires,

or

April 1993

Other,

challenging

radiation (frame

duplication from
film).

filmed with a
at the live-ac¬
locations. Later, that film was

these

scenes were

Vista Vision
tion

more

camera

composited with footage of
Townsend flying on a soundstage

American

Cinematographer

43
American Cinematographer - April 1993

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