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*
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Industrial light and magic
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has created some
of the most iconic imagery
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that cinema has ever seen.
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For the past 35 years,
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they have transported us
to worlds beyond
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the reaches
of our imagination.
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Their pioneering
and breathtaking visual effects
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have transformed
the way we see movies.
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We're all jaded
when we go to movies.
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I mean,
we watch all kinds of stuff
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that we aren't suppose
to be looking for.
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We're looking for the seams,
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we're looking for cracks.
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But you know, when they
make you forget all that,
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and pull you into
the magic that is the story,
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then they've succeeded.
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Through their masterful blend
of art and technology,
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they have revolutionized
movie-making
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and helped to define
popular culture.
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From the sublime
to the ridiculous.
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From "ET" to the amazing work
they did on "Transformers".
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ILM loves to find different ways
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of telling stories visually.
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They've made us wonder.
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They've made us marvel.
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They've made us believe.
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It's wonderful to know
that the tools are there
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to really begin
to get what's in here,
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you know, out there
to the-- into the world.
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And ILM has been
leading the charge
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in that quest
since it began.
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The digital era that dominates
modern day visual effects
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was ushered in by ILM.
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Hundreds of artists
work collectively
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to create complex imagery
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from a variety
of elements that combine
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to perform
a masterful illusion.
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Action.
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Through their technology,
ILM has given filmmakers
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the means to achieve anything.
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Photorealistic
characters and environments
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can be created from scratch,
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such as on "Iron Man 2"
and "Avatar".
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But these high-tech
advancements
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have not come easy,
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nor have they come overnight.
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The roots of today's
cinema magic
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goes back over 100 years.
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But the revolution
of modern visual effects
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began with a story
in a galaxy far, far away.
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Industrial Light and Magic
was formed in 1975,
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to realize the complicated
special effects challenges
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for a new film
called "Star Wars".
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A space adventure dreamed up
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by young filmmaker
George Lucas.
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His vision was unlike anything
Hollywood had heard before.
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With "Star Wars",
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I wanted to do
an action picture.
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I wanted to do something where
I can pan with the spaceships.
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I want to do it
with really short cuts.
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There's a lot of rhythm,
a lot of pace,
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a lot of movement
on the screen.
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I want it to be
a very, very cinematic.
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And at that point in time
that was impossible.
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You just could not do that
with special effects.
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So, when the studio said
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"Well how are you
going to do this?"
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I said, "Oh don't worry
we'll figure it out."
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you know I got it,
you know,
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but I had no idea
what I was going to do.
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At the time,
the special effects departments
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at the major studios
were all but gone.
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So George Lucas was able
to buy up old equipment
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for pennies on the dollar,
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and set up ILM in a
Van Nuys California warehouse.
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With 20th Century Fox onboard,
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George Lucas
and producer Gary Kurtz
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enlisted photographic effects
expert John Dykstra
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to lead the effort.
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Dykstra brought together
a rag-tag group
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of college students,
artists and engineers
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whose mixed skills
in photography,
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model-making,
and mechanics
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would set the stage
for the fantastical space saga.
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Creating ILM to do
the work for "Star Wars"
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was like gambling
high odd bets.
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We knew we were taking
a huge number of risks.
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We were incredibly
naive to think
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that we were going to be
successful in doing that.
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And we were
incredibly fortunate
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that George and even
Fox in it's own way,
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were willing to back us.
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When I read the script,
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I was just thinking,
"my god, what is this movie?"
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all these different genres
are kind of together
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in this massive space film,
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and you're reading like
the last 30 or 40 pages
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and every page is full
of another effect shot
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of the battle.
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Every page it's like--
this thing will never get done.
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When I first read
the script for "Star Wars",
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I think I came across
a few lines that were worrisome.
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The description,
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unlike anything
you've ever seen before,
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to most studio executives
and to producers
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and even to directors,
was daunting.
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We had 365 shots
to do for this movie,
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which had never really been
done for an effects movie.
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It was really fun because
we all knew we could do it.
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We had this nexus of talent
that was just outrageous.
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To create a believable universe
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in the pre-digital age,
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known as the photochemical era
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ILM had to advance
the use of traditional
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handcrafted effects techniques,
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such as animation
and rubber-mask creature work.
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Artists would use
matte paintings
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to increase the scope
and production value
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of a scene
by extending environments
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painted on glass
that would be photographed
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and combined
with live action elements.
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Detailed miniatures
and models were built
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and shot against blue screen
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to allow the placement
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of other elements
into the scene.
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In a process
called optical compositing.
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ILM retooled a dormant
optical printer
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that allowed for a record
number of separate filmstrips
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to be re-photographed
and combined
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onto a single layer of film.
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I knew what I was up against
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and I knew how
I wanted to do it.
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But I was constantly
bumping up
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against
the technology ceiling.
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Sometimes you'd have
as many as a hundred
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different elements
going through
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and it would
take 24 hours to do it
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and if you made one mistake,
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with one element,
you had to start over again.
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There's no second chance.
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If anything goes wrong
during something,
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it's over and you have
to sort of stop
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and start the entire
process over again
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and that is really difficult
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and that takes a good team
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and a lot of concentration
to get a high speed model
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to blow up quick enough
and in the right way.
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Or stop motion characters
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to walk across the scene
over a period of a 12 hour shoot
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and it's only going to last
four seconds.
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There can't be
anything go wrong.
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No light bulbs can blow out.
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No-- nothing can
be bumped accidently,
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you know between
each frame of film.
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So it's really
hard to do that.
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It had to look real.
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And so that was the trick.
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We would paint
ourselves into a corner
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and then have to invent
our way out of it.
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We all knew we could
depend on each other.
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There was this spirit
of camaraderie
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and so many of us gave
our best ideas to the show.
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John Dykstra designed
the revolutionary Dykstraflex.
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This computer controlled system
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allowed for
the programming of dynamic
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and repeatable camera moves.
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The dykstraflex facilitated
the combining
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of numerous elements into
a single, dynamic shot,
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freeing up
the stationary camera
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that has been the norm
in model photography
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for over 100 years.
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It was like we were in
Florence during the renaissance.
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There were so few places
that did
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that type of visual effects
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and there were so few artists
that could do it.
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I was very rare,
very wonderful
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and it was a rebirth
of the-- the industry.
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"Star Wars" was the beginning
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of the renaissance
of visual effects.
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And "Star Wars" woke up
the sleeping giant.
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George anthropologically
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looked out
at the world and said,
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"What's missing here?"
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* ["Star Wars" theme playing]
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The first day
that I saw "Star Wars",
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I was one of those people,
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along with my wife Cheryl,
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that saw it and immediately
went back and got
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into the two hour line again
to see it right away.
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We saw it twice
on the first day,
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00:08:02,015 --> 00:08:03,951
and it was just
this transformative,
193
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mind-blowing,
cinematic experience.
194
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And I called
George and he said,
195
00:08:07,988 --> 00:08:10,357
"well, unfortunately we only
got maybe 30, 40 percent
196
00:08:10,457 --> 00:08:11,859
of what I really wanted there."
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00:08:13,827 --> 00:08:17,565
I'll never forget seeing
"Star Wars" for the first time.
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I was in film school
and it was like,
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00:08:19,332 --> 00:08:22,570
I was there on opening weekend
at the Chinese Theater,
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standing in line
for six hours.
201
00:08:24,471 --> 00:08:29,009
And the way that that film
entertained the audience
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was unlike
any film in history.
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[announcer]
from the world famous
Chinese Theater
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come the stars of the biggest
box office success
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00:08:37,651 --> 00:08:40,621
in motion picture history.
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00:08:40,721 --> 00:08:42,623
I think the success
of "Star Wars"
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00:08:42,723 --> 00:08:47,360
opened the doors for a whole
series of genres of film,
208
00:08:47,460 --> 00:08:49,462
that hadn't been done
before because people
209
00:08:49,597 --> 00:08:52,099
simply couldn't figure out
how to make the images.
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ILM was born
out of sort of a rebirth
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00:08:59,172 --> 00:09:02,710
of the beginning of cinema,
which is to say,
212
00:09:02,810 --> 00:09:05,245
it's-- it's all a trick.
213
00:09:05,345 --> 00:09:08,115
And we're in the business of--
we're the tricksters.
214
00:09:12,452 --> 00:09:14,922
The historic success
of "Star Wars"
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00:09:15,022 --> 00:09:17,390
allowed George Lucas to
establish a filmmaking center
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00:09:17,490 --> 00:09:19,660
outside of Hollywood.
217
00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:21,895
He relocated to Marin county
in northern California,
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00:09:21,995 --> 00:09:24,331
and eventually built
Skywalker Ranch.
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00:09:24,431 --> 00:09:25,999
ILM would set up shop
220
00:09:26,099 --> 00:09:27,668
in the nearby town
of San Rafael.
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Inhabiting
a nondescript building
222
00:09:29,169 --> 00:09:30,638
known as Kerner Optical,
223
00:09:30,738 --> 00:09:34,241
their home until 2005.
224
00:09:34,341 --> 00:09:36,376
They immediately began work
on the next "Star Wars" film,
225
00:09:36,476 --> 00:09:38,779
"The Empire Strikes Back".
226
00:09:40,848 --> 00:09:43,751
All in all,
the real impendence of ILM
227
00:09:43,851 --> 00:09:46,219
was to keep a core group
of creative people
228
00:09:46,319 --> 00:09:49,189
and the highly
technological environment
229
00:09:49,289 --> 00:09:51,158
they needed functioning.
230
00:09:51,258 --> 00:09:52,693
It was really clear that,
231
00:09:52,793 --> 00:09:56,664
in order for ILM to sustain
232
00:09:56,764 --> 00:09:59,066
we did have to find
a model that would work
233
00:09:59,166 --> 00:10:01,501
for becoming
a viable business
234
00:10:01,601 --> 00:10:04,271
and working
for multiple filmmakers.
235
00:10:05,839 --> 00:10:08,241
ILM, opened its doors
to the outside film community,
236
00:10:08,341 --> 00:10:10,944
becoming the first independent
visual effects studio
237
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to realize the visions
of directors
238
00:10:12,813 --> 00:10:14,614
with unique stories to tell.
239
00:10:15,749 --> 00:10:17,317
First film
I collaborated with ILM on
240
00:10:17,417 --> 00:10:18,652
was "Raiders of The Lost Ark".
241
00:10:19,987 --> 00:10:22,522
Most of the effects
of Raiders came at the end
242
00:10:22,622 --> 00:10:24,457
when they opened
the ark of the covenant,
243
00:10:24,557 --> 00:10:27,761
and the effects involved
you know, creating
244
00:10:27,861 --> 00:10:29,663
the power of God I guess.
245
00:10:29,763 --> 00:10:32,365
What was coming out
of the actual ark, the spirits.
246
00:10:41,108 --> 00:10:42,976
There were a lot
of challenges posed,
247
00:10:43,076 --> 00:10:45,713
I mean I wanted a scene
where the one bad Nazi's face
248
00:10:45,813 --> 00:10:48,248
kind of implodes
249
00:10:48,348 --> 00:10:50,350
and where Toht's head melts,
250
00:10:50,450 --> 00:10:53,020
and where Belloq's
head explodes.
251
00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:54,454
I didn't know how to do this,
252
00:10:54,554 --> 00:10:56,690
and I just left it to these guys
that had done "Star Wars".
253
00:10:56,790 --> 00:10:58,191
I figured well if they can do
"Star Wars"
254
00:10:58,291 --> 00:11:00,027
they can certainly melt a head.
255
00:11:00,127 --> 00:11:02,495
And they did figure out
how to melt this wax head
256
00:11:02,595 --> 00:11:04,732
they built,
it was kind of genius.
257
00:11:12,439 --> 00:11:15,809
And that was all the beginnings
of my relationship with ILM.
258
00:11:17,377 --> 00:11:19,379
While ILM continued
to push the boundaries
259
00:11:19,479 --> 00:11:21,181
of photochemical effects,
260
00:11:21,281 --> 00:11:22,950
George Lucas
could see the potential
261
00:11:23,050 --> 00:11:24,317
for an entirely new way
262
00:11:24,417 --> 00:11:26,286
of creating cinema magic.
263
00:11:27,755 --> 00:11:29,056
In the same way George
had so much vision
264
00:11:29,156 --> 00:11:32,292
about marrying computers to
cameras and optical printers,
265
00:11:32,392 --> 00:11:34,594
he felt that there
were probably ways
266
00:11:34,762 --> 00:11:36,764
to create all
the kinds of things he did
267
00:11:36,830 --> 00:11:38,565
in "Star Wars"
in the computer.
268
00:11:38,665 --> 00:11:39,867
He felt that there were ways
269
00:11:39,967 --> 00:11:43,036
to do editing with computers.
270
00:11:43,136 --> 00:11:45,172
He thought there
were ways to create
271
00:11:45,272 --> 00:11:47,174
and manipulate music
with computers,
272
00:11:47,274 --> 00:11:49,810
and those three things
led him to start
273
00:11:49,910 --> 00:11:51,779
the Lucasfilm
Computer Graphics Division
274
00:11:51,845 --> 00:11:54,782
that he hired
Ed Catmull to start.
275
00:11:54,882 --> 00:11:57,150
I was asked
to bring in technologists
276
00:11:57,250 --> 00:12:01,254
and computer scientists
and wizards of various sorts,
277
00:12:01,354 --> 00:12:03,356
to bring this--
into this industry.
278
00:12:03,456 --> 00:12:06,359
Among PhD students Ed Catmull's
early advancements
279
00:12:06,459 --> 00:12:08,061
in computer technology
280
00:12:08,161 --> 00:12:11,131
was the ability to create
smooth curved surfaces
281
00:12:11,231 --> 00:12:13,366
and wrap textures
around them.
282
00:12:13,466 --> 00:12:14,902
This was a pioneering leap
283
00:12:15,002 --> 00:12:17,037
in the rudimentary world
of computer graphics
284
00:12:17,137 --> 00:12:19,239
known as CG.
285
00:12:19,339 --> 00:12:20,974
I think their charter
was to make a system
286
00:12:21,074 --> 00:12:23,276
that might be able
to make images,
287
00:12:23,376 --> 00:12:26,146
ultimately images onto film
that look photo real.
288
00:12:26,246 --> 00:12:29,382
And in the process of that,
the Apple came out.
289
00:12:29,482 --> 00:12:31,919
And Dennis Muren had said,
290
00:12:32,019 --> 00:12:33,153
"Gee, can I take
six months off
291
00:12:33,253 --> 00:12:36,957
and just learn how
to use this Apple?"
292
00:12:37,057 --> 00:12:39,860
so he, was the one that first
put his foot in the water
293
00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:43,864
and learned what Ed
and the guys were doing.
294
00:12:43,964 --> 00:12:45,065
And that started the link,
295
00:12:45,165 --> 00:12:47,467
so that I could transfer
the technology
296
00:12:47,567 --> 00:12:50,370
that the computer division
was developing
297
00:12:50,470 --> 00:12:52,840
over into ILM, which is where
it was meant to be.
298
00:12:52,940 --> 00:12:54,307
It was a very
risky thing certainly
299
00:12:54,407 --> 00:12:55,375
for George to fund this,
300
00:12:55,475 --> 00:12:57,177
and also very visionary
301
00:12:57,277 --> 00:12:59,479
because it all
really did pay off.
302
00:13:05,218 --> 00:13:07,220
Today's powerful
computer generated imagery
303
00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:09,923
owes it's roots
to this early CG group,
304
00:13:10,023 --> 00:13:13,293
who by 1982 were able
to prove their various skills
305
00:13:13,393 --> 00:13:16,529
to create a sequence
in "Star Trek: Wrath of Khan".
306
00:13:18,098 --> 00:13:19,867
While developing
hardware and software,
307
00:13:19,933 --> 00:13:22,502
they spent five months
advancing texture mapping,
308
00:13:22,602 --> 00:13:25,305
motion blur,
digital matte painting
309
00:13:25,405 --> 00:13:27,240
and compositing programs
to create
310
00:13:27,340 --> 00:13:28,876
the first visual effects shot
311
00:13:28,942 --> 00:13:32,079
made in the computer
for a motion picture.
312
00:13:32,179 --> 00:13:33,881
It was mind-blowing
for the time,
313
00:13:33,947 --> 00:13:35,148
and now of course
it looks old fashion.
314
00:13:35,248 --> 00:13:37,717
But it was part
of earning the way in.
315
00:13:37,885 --> 00:13:41,321
And the minute Dennis Muren
saw the types of things
316
00:13:41,421 --> 00:13:43,090
that could be done
in computer graphics,
317
00:13:43,190 --> 00:13:45,525
it led to Dennis
using computer graphics
318
00:13:45,625 --> 00:13:49,496
to create the stained-glass man
in "Young Sherlock Holmes".
319
00:13:49,596 --> 00:13:52,065
Dennis came over
to us and said,
320
00:13:52,165 --> 00:13:54,367
why don't we try it
in computer animation.
321
00:13:54,467 --> 00:13:56,469
And this was very innovative
322
00:13:56,569 --> 00:13:58,071
and very forward thinking.
323
00:13:58,171 --> 00:14:00,107
It was really exciting.
324
00:14:03,143 --> 00:14:04,444
I mean it was a lot of work
325
00:14:04,544 --> 00:14:06,679
because back in the day
we didn't have the tools.
326
00:14:06,779 --> 00:14:08,381
I literally had
to take the footage
327
00:14:08,481 --> 00:14:10,984
and project it
onto my computer screen
328
00:14:11,084 --> 00:14:16,223
and I matched-- animated
the camera move by hand.
329
00:14:16,323 --> 00:14:18,091
I don't know
if I've ever worked harder
330
00:14:18,191 --> 00:14:22,262
on six shots in my life.
331
00:14:22,362 --> 00:14:24,397
But it was worth it
because when
332
00:14:24,497 --> 00:14:26,599
"Young Sherlock Holmes"
came out,
333
00:14:26,699 --> 00:14:29,069
people who worked
in the special effects industry
334
00:14:29,169 --> 00:14:31,638
had no idea how it was done.
335
00:14:33,140 --> 00:14:34,541
The stained-glass knight
336
00:14:34,641 --> 00:14:36,509
was the first computer
generated character
337
00:14:36,609 --> 00:14:38,145
in a motion picture,
338
00:14:38,245 --> 00:14:39,712
and the film was nominated
for an academy award
339
00:14:39,812 --> 00:14:41,581
for best visual effects.
340
00:14:41,681 --> 00:14:43,250
A testament
to the growing impact
341
00:14:43,350 --> 00:14:45,452
of computer technology.
342
00:14:45,552 --> 00:14:47,587
ILM's work
in stop-motion animation
343
00:14:47,687 --> 00:14:49,789
and optical effects
would advance further
344
00:14:49,957 --> 00:14:52,392
into the digital realm
with George's next movie,
345
00:14:52,492 --> 00:14:55,228
a fantasy epic
he asked Ron Howard to direct.
346
00:14:56,263 --> 00:14:58,465
Dennis Muren
called George and I
347
00:14:58,565 --> 00:15:01,534
over to his office
there at ILM and he said,
348
00:15:01,634 --> 00:15:04,037
"we're beginning
to use computers
349
00:15:04,137 --> 00:15:06,073
to work with film digitally."
350
00:15:06,173 --> 00:15:07,074
the first time I ever--
351
00:15:07,174 --> 00:15:09,409
you know,
heard that phrase used,
352
00:15:09,509 --> 00:15:11,378
to sort of blend film images.
353
00:15:11,478 --> 00:15:13,346
So there was
this one transformation
354
00:15:13,446 --> 00:15:15,615
that we needed
to make in the movie.
355
00:15:15,715 --> 00:15:16,816
I assumed
we'd have to do it
356
00:15:16,984 --> 00:15:18,151
the way werewolf
transformations
357
00:15:18,251 --> 00:15:21,388
had always been done
with dissolves, cuts.
358
00:15:21,488 --> 00:15:24,057
And he thought
we could do it in one shot,
359
00:15:24,157 --> 00:15:26,493
which was a really
interesting notion to me.
360
00:15:26,593 --> 00:15:27,794
And he said, "I can't guarantee
it's going to work,
361
00:15:27,894 --> 00:15:30,130
but you know it just might."
362
00:15:30,230 --> 00:15:33,333
and it was the first
morphing shot ever done.
363
00:15:36,736 --> 00:15:39,639
And it really was
more like, kind of magic
364
00:15:39,739 --> 00:15:42,709
that you see on stage where
there's no camera trickery
365
00:15:42,809 --> 00:15:44,444
it just happened.
366
00:15:44,544 --> 00:15:46,546
And of course there was
so much technology behind it.
367
00:15:46,646 --> 00:15:48,015
It was all
breakthrough stuff.
368
00:15:48,081 --> 00:15:50,083
That was--
that was amazing for me.
369
00:15:53,220 --> 00:15:54,587
By the late 1980s,
370
00:15:54,687 --> 00:15:57,857
the computer was threatening
the analog ways of old.
371
00:15:58,025 --> 00:15:59,092
The Lucasfilm computer group
372
00:15:59,192 --> 00:16:01,028
had developed
an astounding array of tools
373
00:16:01,094 --> 00:16:04,164
that remain today's
industry standard.
374
00:16:04,264 --> 00:16:06,433
The first digital
editing system,
375
00:16:06,533 --> 00:16:08,768
the first digital
audio editing system,
376
00:16:08,868 --> 00:16:10,370
a film laser scanner
377
00:16:10,470 --> 00:16:11,871
and a powerful
graphics computer
378
00:16:12,039 --> 00:16:15,442
for digital compositing
and high-resolution imagery.
379
00:16:15,542 --> 00:16:16,809
The Pixar image computer
380
00:16:16,909 --> 00:16:19,646
and it's processing
software called renderman,
381
00:16:19,746 --> 00:16:21,514
enabled the group
to create a breakthrough
382
00:16:21,614 --> 00:16:23,516
computer animated short film,
383
00:16:23,616 --> 00:16:25,352
"Andre and Wally B",
384
00:16:25,452 --> 00:16:28,088
which inspired them
to pursue their far off goal
385
00:16:28,188 --> 00:16:30,423
of a full length
animated feature film.
386
00:16:30,523 --> 00:16:34,094
At the time, as the vagaries
for finance come up and down
387
00:16:34,194 --> 00:16:36,529
George realized he couldn't
afford all of this,
388
00:16:36,629 --> 00:16:38,398
because there was so many
things going on,
389
00:16:38,498 --> 00:16:41,134
and so we had some meetings
with George and said,
390
00:16:41,234 --> 00:16:43,203
"We really want to make
an animated film."
391
00:16:43,303 --> 00:16:45,238
and he said, "Well that's not
what I want to do now."
392
00:16:45,338 --> 00:16:47,107
He wanted the technology,
393
00:16:47,207 --> 00:16:50,710
so we started down the path
of selling off the group
394
00:16:50,810 --> 00:16:54,581
to be a separate company,
which is what became Pixar.
395
00:16:58,151 --> 00:16:59,886
So we set up our own CG group,
396
00:16:59,986 --> 00:17:01,954
within ILM instead of Lucasfilm,
397
00:17:02,089 --> 00:17:05,225
that's purpose was to use
CG work only for films,
398
00:17:05,325 --> 00:17:07,094
and it was great.
399
00:17:07,194 --> 00:17:09,529
And it took a couple of years
or so to really get it going.
400
00:17:09,629 --> 00:17:10,830
We did some wire removal stuff
401
00:17:11,098 --> 00:17:13,433
and eventually
we did "The Abyss".
402
00:17:13,533 --> 00:17:16,103
It was "The Abyss"
that I think, in many ways,
403
00:17:16,169 --> 00:17:18,338
put a larger stake
in the ground
404
00:17:18,438 --> 00:17:21,108
for the notion
of digital characters
405
00:17:21,174 --> 00:17:24,177
in live-action films
created by the computer.
406
00:17:28,014 --> 00:17:31,518
It ended up being about
90 seconds of animation.
407
00:17:31,618 --> 00:17:33,320
It used a mix
of computer graphics
408
00:17:33,420 --> 00:17:36,123
and traditional optical
compositing techniques
409
00:17:36,189 --> 00:17:38,291
so, it was kind of a
transitional step.
410
00:17:38,391 --> 00:17:40,927
That was something
very new for us.
411
00:17:41,027 --> 00:17:42,929
There were not a lot
of established procedures
412
00:17:43,029 --> 00:17:44,731
for doing any
of this work at the time.
413
00:17:44,831 --> 00:17:47,300
So, we just dove into it
414
00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,137
and were making it up
as we went along.
415
00:17:50,203 --> 00:17:52,572
It was just so exciting
to be able to see
416
00:17:52,672 --> 00:17:55,142
that what had been
a promise for so long,
417
00:17:55,242 --> 00:17:56,643
and so difficult to do
418
00:17:56,743 --> 00:17:58,578
because nobody had
ever done it before.
419
00:17:58,678 --> 00:17:59,579
The tools were now in place,
420
00:17:59,679 --> 00:18:00,880
the software was in place.
421
00:18:00,980 --> 00:18:02,649
The hardware was
sort of in place.
422
00:18:02,749 --> 00:18:05,152
It was a matter
of applying them.
423
00:18:06,586 --> 00:18:08,421
What happened after
"The Abyss" came out
424
00:18:08,521 --> 00:18:12,792
was a number of projects
that had been sort of circling
425
00:18:12,892 --> 00:18:16,163
needing effects that couldn't
have been accomplished before,
426
00:18:16,229 --> 00:18:18,531
really started to rise up.
427
00:18:18,631 --> 00:18:21,168
One of them came out as a
direct result of "The Abyss",
428
00:18:21,234 --> 00:18:23,170
which was "Terminator 2".
429
00:18:25,238 --> 00:18:26,339
After Jim Cameron felt that
430
00:18:26,439 --> 00:18:28,341
we had successfully
created what he wanted
431
00:18:28,441 --> 00:18:30,410
for "The Abyss"
with CG animation,
432
00:18:30,510 --> 00:18:35,448
um he then created
a character in "Terminator 2"
433
00:18:35,548 --> 00:18:38,451
that had to be done
in computer graphics.
434
00:18:38,551 --> 00:18:41,521
I think that was the real
breakthrough film also for CG.
435
00:18:41,621 --> 00:18:43,223
We did all our work
with digital compositing
436
00:18:43,323 --> 00:18:44,791
for the first time.
437
00:18:44,891 --> 00:18:47,694
There's no sign of any sort of
matte line around anything,
438
00:18:47,794 --> 00:18:50,930
or any grain mismatching
that used to tip people off
439
00:18:51,198 --> 00:18:52,299
to an effects shot.
440
00:18:52,399 --> 00:18:54,434
It looked like it was
right in the scene.
441
00:18:54,534 --> 00:18:56,569
So we got 52 shots in it.
442
00:18:56,669 --> 00:18:57,604
And most of the people
I don't think
443
00:18:57,704 --> 00:18:59,806
had any idea
how we did that work.
444
00:19:02,041 --> 00:19:03,476
In order to create
the shape-shifting
445
00:19:03,576 --> 00:19:05,212
t-1000 terminator,
446
00:19:05,312 --> 00:19:08,381
ILM employed a revolutionary
laser scanning process
447
00:19:08,481 --> 00:19:10,817
to capture Robert Patrick's
form and expressions
448
00:19:10,917 --> 00:19:12,419
that would enable
them to animate
449
00:19:12,519 --> 00:19:14,921
and model a realistic
computer version of the actor.
450
00:19:19,492 --> 00:19:21,461
It was a lot of breakthroughs
451
00:19:21,561 --> 00:19:22,862
that we had to do
to get that show done.
452
00:19:22,962 --> 00:19:24,331
To get the CG to work.
453
00:19:24,431 --> 00:19:25,765
All the reflection
maps on it,
454
00:19:25,865 --> 00:19:27,967
and not have it just rip
it's geometry apart.
455
00:19:28,067 --> 00:19:30,002
And being able to pan
the computer camera
456
00:19:30,102 --> 00:19:33,273
to match the background
live action camera.
457
00:19:33,373 --> 00:19:34,574
And so we can
follow the guys feet
458
00:19:34,674 --> 00:19:36,809
as he's walking across
the checkerboard floor,
459
00:19:36,909 --> 00:19:39,246
and up from that
grows this head.
460
00:19:39,312 --> 00:19:41,248
And that was really,
really tough stuff to do.
461
00:19:41,348 --> 00:19:42,615
You know it was on
the cutting edge.
462
00:19:43,816 --> 00:19:45,017
So everybody
in this industry is saying,
463
00:19:45,117 --> 00:19:47,320
"wow everything's
changing now."
464
00:19:47,420 --> 00:19:49,822
so then there's
this general awareness
465
00:19:49,922 --> 00:19:53,760
that the technology
is coming into this industry.
466
00:19:53,860 --> 00:19:55,662
So with that film
it made the awareness
467
00:19:55,762 --> 00:19:57,364
that something big is coming.
468
00:20:06,939 --> 00:20:09,108
I was perfectly happy
to do the dinosaurs.
469
00:20:09,208 --> 00:20:10,877
The technique
that Phil Tippett
470
00:20:10,977 --> 00:20:13,980
had honed to a fine point.
471
00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,383
And we had settled on that
for "Jurassic Park".
472
00:20:18,585 --> 00:20:19,852
Personally I didn't think
the CG was ready
473
00:20:19,952 --> 00:20:21,621
to do "Jurassic Park"
474
00:20:21,721 --> 00:20:23,556
for at least the close ups
of the dinosaur.
475
00:20:23,656 --> 00:20:26,326
I thought maybe we could
do like some stampede sequences.
476
00:20:26,426 --> 00:20:28,027
Cause what computers
are good at is,
477
00:20:28,127 --> 00:20:29,462
like in a word processor
478
00:20:29,562 --> 00:20:31,130
you can clone something
a million times,
479
00:20:31,230 --> 00:20:33,300
you can copy a word
and duplicate it
480
00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,268
100 times on the page
or anything you want.
481
00:20:35,368 --> 00:20:36,536
Well it's true also
with models
482
00:20:36,636 --> 00:20:38,104
and so you can
do it with dinosaurs.
483
00:20:38,204 --> 00:20:40,473
You could make one
Gallimimus dinosaur,
484
00:20:40,573 --> 00:20:42,375
and clone 20 of them
485
00:20:42,475 --> 00:20:44,911
and have them all running
with the same run cycle.
486
00:20:45,011 --> 00:20:46,746
That's the sort of thing
that's really hard to do
487
00:20:46,846 --> 00:20:48,748
with stop motion
or anything like that.
488
00:20:48,848 --> 00:20:51,050
But we started doing
these tests in CG
489
00:20:51,250 --> 00:20:52,552
before the show
was going on.
490
00:20:52,652 --> 00:20:55,922
And our tests started
looking better and better.
491
00:20:56,022 --> 00:20:59,125
Until one day Dennis Muren
came over to me and said,
492
00:20:59,225 --> 00:21:02,995
"you know I really think we
should do this in the computer."
493
00:21:03,095 --> 00:21:05,131
and let me shoot
a test and show you.
494
00:21:05,231 --> 00:21:07,500
Dennis was working
off in the corner.
495
00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:10,169
We were off going
along the normal route.
496
00:21:10,337 --> 00:21:14,106
Dennis then got
the audience with Steven,
497
00:21:14,206 --> 00:21:16,909
and part of it is
to convince Steven
498
00:21:17,009 --> 00:21:18,144
and part of was me saying,
499
00:21:18,244 --> 00:21:20,079
"we can do this,
I will guarantee it,
500
00:21:20,347 --> 00:21:22,382
it'll be fabulous."
501
00:21:22,482 --> 00:21:25,618
the test was a herd
of running Gallimimuses,
502
00:21:25,718 --> 00:21:27,954
and he didn't flesh them out.
503
00:21:28,054 --> 00:21:30,990
He just basically
put the bones in motion.
504
00:21:31,090 --> 00:21:32,825
It didn't have that
kind of artificial look,
505
00:21:32,925 --> 00:21:34,361
it was completely realistic.
506
00:21:34,461 --> 00:21:36,095
It looked like skeletons
had come to life
507
00:21:36,195 --> 00:21:38,498
and were just running
throughout Hawaii.
508
00:21:38,598 --> 00:21:40,867
And all the onus
of stop-motion photography
509
00:21:40,967 --> 00:21:42,935
was suddenly eradicated.
510
00:21:43,035 --> 00:21:45,171
We were both kind of wondrous
511
00:21:45,271 --> 00:21:48,741
about what this was
promising this industry.
512
00:21:51,177 --> 00:21:53,145
We literally didn't know
from one day to another
513
00:21:53,245 --> 00:21:54,747
how stuff was going to look.
514
00:21:54,847 --> 00:21:56,916
Everyday we'd be
looking at the dallies
515
00:21:57,016 --> 00:21:58,651
and saying did we do this?
516
00:21:58,751 --> 00:22:00,420
Did people make these images?
517
00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:02,655
We had never seen anything
like this before, you know.
518
00:22:02,755 --> 00:22:03,923
Where's the trickery?
519
00:22:04,023 --> 00:22:06,025
We've been seeing movies
for you know, 80 years?
520
00:22:06,125 --> 00:22:07,860
There's nothing there,
it looks real.
521
00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:09,529
A visual effects shot starts
522
00:22:09,629 --> 00:22:12,399
with a line in the script
that describes something.
523
00:22:12,499 --> 00:22:15,868
Let's say a dinosaur
runs across the field.
524
00:22:15,968 --> 00:22:18,104
You start by going on
the live action set,
525
00:22:18,204 --> 00:22:20,072
and shooting
what's called a plate.
526
00:22:20,172 --> 00:22:21,474
The plate is the background
527
00:22:21,574 --> 00:22:22,742
that you're ultimately
gonna insert
528
00:22:22,842 --> 00:22:24,977
that digital
character in this example.
529
00:22:25,077 --> 00:22:26,979
The plate comes back
to the artists,
530
00:22:27,079 --> 00:22:30,082
they create
a virtual topography
531
00:22:30,182 --> 00:22:32,419
that reflects what
they've seen in that shot.
532
00:22:32,485 --> 00:22:35,422
They build a character
in the computer.
533
00:22:35,522 --> 00:22:37,424
They build its bones,
they build its structure.
534
00:22:37,490 --> 00:22:40,192
They then come up with
surfaces and skins for it.
535
00:22:40,292 --> 00:22:42,862
They color it,
they give it eyes,
536
00:22:42,962 --> 00:22:45,064
they give it motion,
they give it fingernails,
537
00:22:45,164 --> 00:22:47,567
they rig it so that
it can be animated.
538
00:22:47,667 --> 00:22:49,702
So they take that
photograph background plate.
539
00:22:49,802 --> 00:22:51,170
They take that character,
540
00:22:51,270 --> 00:22:52,605
and they animate
the character
541
00:22:52,705 --> 00:22:53,973
in the computer space
542
00:22:54,073 --> 00:22:57,143
to fit into that
photographic plate.
543
00:22:57,243 --> 00:22:59,178
When that's done
to the director's satisfaction
544
00:22:59,278 --> 00:23:02,014
they actually composite it
into the scene.
545
00:23:02,114 --> 00:23:03,450
Once it's composited
into the scene
546
00:23:03,516 --> 00:23:05,685
it is filmed
out of the computer,
547
00:23:05,785 --> 00:23:07,153
and cut into the film.
548
00:23:07,253 --> 00:23:10,590
And hopefully everybody
loves it in the movie house.
549
00:23:10,690 --> 00:23:12,859
Here there was not even
going to be a thought
550
00:23:12,959 --> 00:23:16,663
in the audience's mind
that what they were seeing
551
00:23:16,763 --> 00:23:18,831
was not absolutely real.
552
00:23:18,931 --> 00:23:21,634
And because Stan Winston
did this amazing job
553
00:23:21,734 --> 00:23:26,606
of creating full-size
life replicas of a t-rex
554
00:23:26,706 --> 00:23:29,041
we were able to
effortlessly cut together
555
00:23:29,141 --> 00:23:30,276
the digital dinosaurs
556
00:23:30,376 --> 00:23:33,780
with the Stan Winston
full-size dinosaurs.
557
00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:35,247
And the audience
sometimes was confused
558
00:23:35,347 --> 00:23:36,616
as to which was which.
559
00:23:42,889 --> 00:23:44,624
The major breakthrough
really was
560
00:23:44,724 --> 00:23:47,760
when Steve bought off on
the idea of making that leap
561
00:23:47,860 --> 00:23:50,597
from analog to digital.
562
00:23:50,697 --> 00:23:52,899
And that really is what
changed everything.
563
00:23:52,999 --> 00:23:54,501
Once we did those dinosaurs
564
00:23:54,567 --> 00:23:57,504
I saw that we had
unlimited possibilities.
565
00:23:59,105 --> 00:24:00,306
From the point of view
of the industry,
566
00:24:00,406 --> 00:24:03,610
the turning point
was "Jurassic park".
567
00:24:03,710 --> 00:24:05,545
When "Jurassic park"
happened then
568
00:24:05,645 --> 00:24:07,914
that was like
this big switch was thrown.
569
00:24:08,014 --> 00:24:10,049
It was like the world
has changed.
570
00:24:18,224 --> 00:24:21,528
It started
kind of a revolution
571
00:24:21,628 --> 00:24:23,863
and an evolution
that began to move faster
572
00:24:23,963 --> 00:24:24,931
than the speed of light.
573
00:24:25,031 --> 00:24:28,635
It's-- it's a dinosaur.
574
00:24:28,735 --> 00:24:31,671
I was amazed at how much
ILM was able to accomplish
575
00:24:31,771 --> 00:24:33,372
and go beyond the dinosaurs,
576
00:24:33,540 --> 00:24:34,974
with everything else they did
577
00:24:35,074 --> 00:24:36,709
in the next several years.
578
00:24:50,723 --> 00:24:52,391
Transferring the culture
from the analog culture
579
00:24:52,559 --> 00:24:56,328
to a digital culture
was huge, huge problem.
580
00:24:56,428 --> 00:24:58,297
Lots of pain,
lots of heartache,
581
00:24:58,397 --> 00:25:00,567
lots of emotions for people
582
00:25:00,667 --> 00:25:03,736
who were getting
crunched in the shift.
583
00:25:05,304 --> 00:25:07,907
It caused concern
for the people
584
00:25:08,007 --> 00:25:10,009
who were used to doing
traditional effects.
585
00:25:10,109 --> 00:25:14,313
You know would their jobs
become obsolete someday?
586
00:25:14,413 --> 00:25:19,251
When I started working
in computer graphics training,
587
00:25:19,351 --> 00:25:21,621
they referred to me as going
to work for the dark side.
588
00:25:21,721 --> 00:25:23,823
The model shop were
threatened by this--
589
00:25:23,923 --> 00:25:26,659
by this whole,
division that was growing up.
590
00:25:26,759 --> 00:25:28,060
And I was one
of the few people
591
00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:31,030
who made the first jump
into CG from the model shop.
592
00:25:31,130 --> 00:25:32,164
Since then there
have been many,
593
00:25:32,264 --> 00:25:33,165
and we've all been-- most,
594
00:25:33,265 --> 00:25:34,967
on the whole,
been very successful.
595
00:25:35,067 --> 00:25:37,336
But at first
it was not considered
596
00:25:37,436 --> 00:25:40,139
to be loyal to the shop.
597
00:25:40,239 --> 00:25:41,608
I had an interesting experience
598
00:25:41,674 --> 00:25:46,345
where we had a shot in the movie
that was just really bad.
599
00:25:46,445 --> 00:25:47,647
It was an optical composite,
600
00:25:47,747 --> 00:25:52,351
and we re-did the comp
with some frustration
601
00:25:52,451 --> 00:25:55,387
and people didn't want to do it
with digital, with Photoshop,
602
00:25:55,487 --> 00:25:57,456
and it was like night and day.
603
00:25:57,624 --> 00:25:59,959
So I showed this to one
of the old timer optical guys
604
00:26:00,059 --> 00:26:02,629
who had done it
the first time.
605
00:26:02,695 --> 00:26:04,430
Showed him both
versions and I said,
606
00:26:04,530 --> 00:26:05,865
"which one do you like?"
607
00:26:05,965 --> 00:26:07,634
cause I wanted to bring
him into the digital world,
608
00:26:07,734 --> 00:26:10,069
and he liked--
he picked the old one.
609
00:26:10,169 --> 00:26:12,104
And I thought
what the heck are you seeing?
610
00:26:12,204 --> 00:26:14,173
What's going on?
611
00:26:14,273 --> 00:26:17,209
And I realized then
there was a problem here.
612
00:26:17,309 --> 00:26:19,378
You know,
there's fear going on,
613
00:26:19,478 --> 00:26:21,247
denial is going on,
614
00:26:21,347 --> 00:26:24,984
but he ended up being one
of our best digital compeers.
615
00:26:25,084 --> 00:26:27,754
Once he came over to it,
and saw what he could do.
616
00:26:31,023 --> 00:26:32,224
Right around the same time
617
00:26:32,324 --> 00:26:34,694
Bob Zemeckis
did "Forrest Gump".
618
00:26:34,794 --> 00:26:39,031
And "Forrest Gump"
had a similar importance
619
00:26:39,131 --> 00:26:42,201
in terms of changing
the industry.
620
00:26:42,301 --> 00:26:43,836
What "Jurassic Park" did
621
00:26:43,936 --> 00:26:46,305
in terms of big
in your face visual effects,
622
00:26:46,405 --> 00:26:49,676
big characters,
bringing fantasy
623
00:26:49,742 --> 00:26:51,711
and sci-fi
to the foreground.
624
00:26:51,811 --> 00:26:54,947
Um, "Forest Gump" did
in exactly the opposite
625
00:26:55,047 --> 00:26:56,382
and understated way,
626
00:26:56,482 --> 00:26:58,250
invisible effects.
627
00:26:58,350 --> 00:27:00,152
Doing things that
you couldn't do before,
628
00:27:00,252 --> 00:27:01,921
changing people's
performances
629
00:27:02,021 --> 00:27:03,956
by changing the way
their lips moved,
630
00:27:04,056 --> 00:27:05,892
changing the skies
and pictures
631
00:27:05,992 --> 00:27:07,727
to create a different mood.
632
00:27:07,827 --> 00:27:09,195
All kinds of little things
633
00:27:09,295 --> 00:27:11,430
that had you been able
to do photograph
634
00:27:11,698 --> 00:27:13,966
it that way originally
you would've,
635
00:27:14,066 --> 00:27:15,301
but you couldn't.
636
00:27:15,401 --> 00:27:19,505
So manipulated everything
to enhance the storytelling.
637
00:27:19,605 --> 00:27:25,044
At one point in "Forrest Gump",
he's playing ping pong.
638
00:27:25,144 --> 00:27:27,146
And he's playing
at this phenomenal speed.
639
00:27:27,246 --> 00:27:28,514
And you might ask
how did tom hanks
640
00:27:28,614 --> 00:27:30,349
learn how to play ping pong?
641
00:27:30,449 --> 00:27:32,952
Well the answer
is of course he doesn't
642
00:27:33,052 --> 00:27:34,120
he's just moving the paddle.
643
00:27:34,220 --> 00:27:36,155
And somebody's
putting a ball in
644
00:27:36,255 --> 00:27:38,991
and it's used
with renderman.
645
00:27:39,091 --> 00:27:40,526
So, it's this
simple little thing,
646
00:27:40,626 --> 00:27:43,029
but what it meant
was a story point
647
00:27:43,129 --> 00:27:44,764
would go into
the movie and the audience
648
00:27:44,864 --> 00:27:47,199
doesn't know or care about
649
00:27:47,299 --> 00:27:49,135
and we reached that point where
650
00:27:49,235 --> 00:27:51,203
it's not about
special effects anymore.
651
00:27:51,303 --> 00:27:53,372
It's about telling a story.
652
00:27:53,472 --> 00:27:56,909
So, suddenly visual effects
has a place in dramatic films,
653
00:27:57,009 --> 00:27:59,078
in comedies,
all types of things
654
00:27:59,178 --> 00:28:01,580
that it just didn't
fit into before.
655
00:28:01,748 --> 00:28:03,282
And at that point in time
everybody started to try
656
00:28:03,382 --> 00:28:06,786
to figure out how to
dust off those old scripts
657
00:28:06,886 --> 00:28:09,388
the had that they didn't
know how to make before.
658
00:28:09,488 --> 00:28:11,523
As ILM approached
their 100th movie.
659
00:28:11,623 --> 00:28:14,961
They would be challenged
with the next level of realism.
660
00:28:15,061 --> 00:28:15,962
It was the beginning of
661
00:28:16,062 --> 00:28:18,264
kind of,
working with CG creatures.
662
00:28:18,364 --> 00:28:19,598
Cause I remember
at one point
663
00:28:19,766 --> 00:28:21,868
there's a wall blew
open and a guy came through
664
00:28:21,968 --> 00:28:23,069
he's the rhino,
665
00:28:23,169 --> 00:28:24,136
ok,
666
00:28:24,236 --> 00:28:26,773
run away from the rhino.
667
00:28:26,839 --> 00:28:27,840
And that was the beginning
of kind of,
668
00:28:27,940 --> 00:28:29,776
ok imagine now
that's the rhino,
669
00:28:29,842 --> 00:28:31,477
the one on the right
is an elephant,
670
00:28:31,577 --> 00:28:33,545
Phil is the hippopotamus.
671
00:28:33,645 --> 00:28:35,014
Ok, good I got it.
672
00:28:35,114 --> 00:28:36,115
Let's do this.
673
00:28:38,384 --> 00:28:40,152
Run!
674
00:28:40,252 --> 00:28:41,453
It's a stampede!
675
00:28:41,553 --> 00:28:42,789
Basically it's just
fight or flight.
676
00:28:42,889 --> 00:28:44,123
Most of the time
you're just running.
677
00:28:44,223 --> 00:28:46,158
It's not a creature
that's having a dialogue
678
00:28:46,258 --> 00:28:47,626
it's nothing
that's talking to you.
679
00:28:47,794 --> 00:28:50,062
It's basically chasing you
or confronting you
680
00:28:50,162 --> 00:28:53,499
or running from you or
you're both in a state of fear.
681
00:28:53,599 --> 00:28:55,534
I was amazed by all
the larger creatures,
682
00:28:55,634 --> 00:28:57,804
it was insanely beautiful.
683
00:28:57,904 --> 00:29:00,239
And I found out they had
taken some of the programs
684
00:29:00,339 --> 00:29:02,308
from "Jurassic Park",
685
00:29:02,408 --> 00:29:04,276
and applied them
to elephants and rhinos.
686
00:29:05,577 --> 00:29:06,913
And they are working
you through
687
00:29:07,013 --> 00:29:08,848
going, you can't go there
you have to look over there
688
00:29:08,948 --> 00:29:11,050
and they're going literally
this area is a no go
689
00:29:11,150 --> 00:29:12,985
especially if you're thinking
can I run over there?
690
00:29:13,085 --> 00:29:14,253
No. Why?
691
00:29:14,353 --> 00:29:15,254
That's a pit.
692
00:29:15,354 --> 00:29:16,488
Okay cool.
693
00:29:16,588 --> 00:29:19,158
It's a twister,
it's a twister!
694
00:29:24,897 --> 00:29:26,132
The tornado
in "Wizard of Oz" to me
695
00:29:26,232 --> 00:29:28,434
just stood out
as being strikingly real
696
00:29:28,534 --> 00:29:30,336
compared to other stuff
I had seen.
697
00:29:30,436 --> 00:29:33,840
It was beautiful
also to look at.
698
00:29:33,906 --> 00:29:35,441
It had this-- I had
never seen that done before
699
00:29:35,541 --> 00:29:37,243
and I don't think
it's been done since
700
00:29:37,343 --> 00:29:40,512
as well the beautiful
cylindrical design.
701
00:29:43,315 --> 00:29:45,151
ILM is consistently
breaking new ground.
702
00:29:45,251 --> 00:29:47,954
I think that the visual effects
industry requires that.
703
00:29:48,054 --> 00:29:50,156
"Twister" I remember
got green lit
704
00:29:50,256 --> 00:29:52,424
because of a special effects
shot that ILM did.
705
00:29:52,524 --> 00:29:53,692
And we did a test
706
00:29:53,860 --> 00:29:55,427
and we sat in
the screening room at Amblin.
707
00:29:55,527 --> 00:29:56,863
Everybody loved
the shot so much
708
00:29:56,963 --> 00:29:59,198
that's when the movie
got green lit at that moment.
709
00:30:00,432 --> 00:30:01,901
When we started
working on "Twister"
710
00:30:02,001 --> 00:30:04,403
we were dealing with
really organic materials.
711
00:30:04,503 --> 00:30:08,440
Things like dust and debris
and tornados and water.
712
00:30:08,540 --> 00:30:10,276
And those things
hadn't been solved
713
00:30:10,376 --> 00:30:12,578
and creating those elements
in the digital world
714
00:30:12,678 --> 00:30:14,046
was extremely difficult.
715
00:30:14,146 --> 00:30:16,448
We had to develop
our own particle system,
716
00:30:16,548 --> 00:30:18,584
and a way of rendering
the particles
717
00:30:18,684 --> 00:30:19,952
that was realistic.
718
00:30:24,190 --> 00:30:25,858
In doing anything photo real
719
00:30:25,958 --> 00:30:28,227
you need to look at
the real world around you.
720
00:30:28,327 --> 00:30:30,329
To see how light
bounces off of things
721
00:30:30,429 --> 00:30:31,363
or illuminates us,
722
00:30:31,463 --> 00:30:33,032
or how cloth bends,
723
00:30:33,132 --> 00:30:35,734
or how people move,
and animals move.
724
00:30:35,834 --> 00:30:38,070
ILM's stock and trade
is photo realism.
725
00:30:38,170 --> 00:30:40,839
That we make stuff that
you can really believe is real.
726
00:30:42,208 --> 00:30:43,475
A lot of painters,
727
00:30:43,575 --> 00:30:45,511
a lot of the modelers
tend to either fall
728
00:30:45,611 --> 00:30:47,513
into what we call
a hard surface camp,
729
00:30:47,613 --> 00:30:49,916
which are things like planes,
spaceships, hardware.
730
00:30:50,016 --> 00:30:53,119
And then you've got your organic
creature type stuff.
731
00:30:53,219 --> 00:30:56,555
What helps me is to go back
to real things.
732
00:30:56,655 --> 00:30:59,892
To study nature to see
how a feather functions.
733
00:30:59,992 --> 00:31:02,628
How it's actually
constructed so brilliantly,
734
00:31:02,728 --> 00:31:07,934
and if I can take some of that
enthusiasm and curiosity.
735
00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:10,937
I can bring that
into my work.
736
00:31:11,003 --> 00:31:12,171
To create the reality
737
00:31:12,271 --> 00:31:13,940
the visual effects
supervisors lead an army
738
00:31:14,006 --> 00:31:16,342
of production managers,
artists, and technicians
739
00:31:16,442 --> 00:31:19,178
to realize the most
complicated imagery on time
740
00:31:19,278 --> 00:31:20,779
and on budget.
741
00:31:20,947 --> 00:31:23,415
The starting point begins
with the ILM art department.
742
00:31:24,816 --> 00:31:25,717
The concept artists
743
00:31:25,817 --> 00:31:26,752
and the art department
in general
744
00:31:26,852 --> 00:31:29,355
are sort of the front end group
745
00:31:29,455 --> 00:31:31,123
or the spearhead
to get everybody
746
00:31:31,223 --> 00:31:33,325
on the same page
the starting point.
747
00:31:33,425 --> 00:31:35,127
In a lot of cases at ILM
748
00:31:35,227 --> 00:31:37,363
they'll be designing
the effects sequences,
749
00:31:37,463 --> 00:31:40,166
or the creatures
or the environments
750
00:31:40,266 --> 00:31:43,469
of the world
of our clients.
751
00:31:43,569 --> 00:31:45,471
The directors we work with.
752
00:31:45,571 --> 00:31:47,739
As often happens,
directors ask ILM
753
00:31:47,839 --> 00:31:50,242
to create imagery
that has never been done.
754
00:31:50,342 --> 00:31:51,210
The visual effects supervisor
755
00:31:51,310 --> 00:31:52,611
brings these challenges
756
00:31:52,711 --> 00:31:55,514
to ILM's research
and development department.
757
00:31:55,614 --> 00:31:57,316
One of the great
things about ILM
758
00:31:57,416 --> 00:32:00,119
is that you have
a R&D department.
759
00:32:00,219 --> 00:32:01,353
I can go to them
and say you know what?
760
00:32:01,453 --> 00:32:04,656
I need controllable smoke.
761
00:32:04,756 --> 00:32:06,392
It just has to do this,
762
00:32:06,492 --> 00:32:08,027
and you've got a brilliant team
of smart people
763
00:32:08,127 --> 00:32:09,261
that can say,
"ok you know what?
764
00:32:09,361 --> 00:32:10,629
We're going to make
you smoke system."
765
00:32:10,729 --> 00:32:13,365
and they come out
with the goods.
766
00:32:13,465 --> 00:32:16,302
Everything that you see
on the screen
767
00:32:16,402 --> 00:32:19,505
is meticulously assembled
out of hundreds or thousands
768
00:32:19,605 --> 00:32:21,007
of different elements.
769
00:32:21,107 --> 00:32:24,643
And those are all there because
an artist put them there.
770
00:32:24,743 --> 00:32:27,013
So much of it is about
giving them tools to layer
771
00:32:27,079 --> 00:32:28,780
in greater
and greater complexity,
772
00:32:28,880 --> 00:32:31,283
but always with the control
that's necessary
773
00:32:31,383 --> 00:32:35,621
to give the director
the images that he's after.
774
00:32:35,721 --> 00:32:37,789
On set,
the visual effects supervisor
775
00:32:37,889 --> 00:32:40,326
is responsible for delivering
the live action elements
776
00:32:40,426 --> 00:32:42,128
to ILM's artists.
777
00:32:42,228 --> 00:32:43,595
When you are
in principle photography
778
00:32:43,695 --> 00:32:46,198
you have 300,
350 people in your crew,
779
00:32:46,298 --> 00:32:49,168
your days is costing
about 250,000 dollars a day.
780
00:32:49,268 --> 00:32:50,269
And there is a question,
781
00:32:50,369 --> 00:32:51,670
and you need to answer
that question,
782
00:32:51,770 --> 00:32:54,340
everybody turns to you
and you have about two seconds
783
00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:56,775
to say exactly what you need
these people to do,
784
00:32:56,875 --> 00:32:58,710
and then they do it.
785
00:32:58,810 --> 00:33:03,049
One of things I love about this
place is the ILM methodology.
786
00:33:03,149 --> 00:33:04,583
You know we try to create
an atmosphere here
787
00:33:04,683 --> 00:33:07,053
where creative people
are free
788
00:33:07,119 --> 00:33:09,221
to share their
opinions about things
789
00:33:09,321 --> 00:33:11,690
if somebody has a good idea
about a shot say it.
790
00:33:11,790 --> 00:33:13,392
And when people are honest
about what they think,
791
00:33:13,492 --> 00:33:14,826
the work is better.
792
00:33:14,926 --> 00:33:16,128
There's amazing times
793
00:33:16,228 --> 00:33:17,829
when you're struggling
with something.
794
00:33:17,929 --> 00:33:19,198
You're maybe working
on it for days
795
00:33:19,298 --> 00:33:21,333
or even weeks
and everybody is thinking
796
00:33:21,433 --> 00:33:23,102
how to solve
this certain problem,
797
00:33:23,202 --> 00:33:24,503
and you really get a sense
798
00:33:24,603 --> 00:33:27,139
of a community art
going on at that time,
799
00:33:27,239 --> 00:33:29,608
where everybody's--
where it's all been worth it
800
00:33:29,708 --> 00:33:31,477
to come together
and contribute on something
801
00:33:31,577 --> 00:33:32,544
that's never been done.
802
00:33:35,647 --> 00:33:37,449
Nearing the dawn
of the new millennium
803
00:33:37,549 --> 00:33:38,717
George Lucas returned to ILM
804
00:33:38,817 --> 00:33:40,586
as a client
with a daunting task
805
00:33:40,686 --> 00:33:43,722
of making three new
"Star Wars" prequels.
806
00:33:43,822 --> 00:33:45,924
George had to wait
to do the prequels.
807
00:33:46,092 --> 00:33:49,428
Because his vision was so grand,
and it was so big,
808
00:33:49,528 --> 00:33:51,630
and he wanted to do so much
809
00:33:51,730 --> 00:33:54,600
that he had to wait
for the technology to catch up.
810
00:33:54,700 --> 00:33:57,803
And I think what
he saw in ILM
811
00:33:57,903 --> 00:34:01,307
and the work ILM was doing
throughout the 1990s
812
00:34:01,407 --> 00:34:03,109
sort of encouraged him
to believe,
813
00:34:03,175 --> 00:34:04,843
that finally
the time had come,
814
00:34:04,943 --> 00:34:08,747
and it was absolutely
possible to achieve greatness.
815
00:34:08,847 --> 00:34:12,218
I could sort of come in
and push things forward
816
00:34:12,318 --> 00:34:16,488
as the owner
and as the client.
817
00:34:16,588 --> 00:34:18,390
You know we're pushing
the envelope in a few places.
818
00:34:18,490 --> 00:34:20,126
But the biggest issue is volume.
819
00:34:20,192 --> 00:34:22,561
Just the amount of stuff.
820
00:34:22,661 --> 00:34:26,598
We were attempting
a scale of visual effects
821
00:34:26,698 --> 00:34:28,567
that had never
been done before.
822
00:34:28,667 --> 00:34:30,669
And over 90% of that movie
823
00:34:30,769 --> 00:34:33,539
had some sort
of visual effect in it.
824
00:34:33,639 --> 00:34:35,174
We over doubled the size
825
00:34:35,274 --> 00:34:38,277
of our computer graphics
department for that movie.
826
00:34:38,377 --> 00:34:40,446
As well as the potential
changing culture
827
00:34:40,546 --> 00:34:42,781
of the company because
we were growing so much.
828
00:34:42,881 --> 00:34:44,550
So, there was
the trepidation of,
829
00:34:44,650 --> 00:34:46,652
have we bitten off more
than we can chew,
830
00:34:46,752 --> 00:34:48,720
and can we do this.
831
00:34:48,820 --> 00:34:50,622
It's not just that we have
to do it for this picture,
832
00:34:50,722 --> 00:34:51,890
we have to do it
for two more pictures.
833
00:34:51,990 --> 00:34:53,492
And also if this picture works
834
00:34:53,592 --> 00:34:55,727
then everybody else will want
it done for their picture.
835
00:34:55,827 --> 00:34:59,165
And what are we going to do?
836
00:34:59,231 --> 00:35:01,233
We had over 2000
visual effects shots in it.
837
00:35:01,333 --> 00:35:04,203
There were so many aspects
of what needed to be depicted
838
00:35:04,303 --> 00:35:07,373
that couldn't be done
with tools we had at the time.
839
00:35:07,473 --> 00:35:10,041
It was painful, scary,
a lot of things.
840
00:35:10,176 --> 00:35:11,443
You need somebody there
to hold your hand and say,
841
00:35:11,543 --> 00:35:13,745
"Look I'll take the blame,
842
00:35:13,845 --> 00:35:16,415
if this doesn't work
I take the blame"
843
00:35:16,515 --> 00:35:19,218
and that's what I've always
done on my own movie.
844
00:35:19,318 --> 00:35:23,189
Okay so, I am doing
my damndest to figure out
845
00:35:23,255 --> 00:35:25,324
well how do we even
do a shot like this.
846
00:35:25,424 --> 00:35:27,859
And ok these
are the techniques
847
00:35:27,959 --> 00:35:30,596
I think are going to be
the most bang for the buck,
848
00:35:30,696 --> 00:35:33,665
and geez we'll just have
to able to animate
849
00:35:33,765 --> 00:35:34,866
that in two weeks.
850
00:35:34,966 --> 00:35:36,202
We had very dense scenes
851
00:35:36,302 --> 00:35:38,604
with hundreds of thousands
of characters in them.
852
00:35:38,704 --> 00:35:40,606
And we had to do
rigid body dynamics,
853
00:35:40,706 --> 00:35:44,009
cloth simulations,
synthetic terrains.
854
00:35:44,109 --> 00:35:47,879
The list of things
that we needed to develop
855
00:35:47,979 --> 00:35:51,383
new tools for was quite
large and intimidating.
856
00:35:51,483 --> 00:35:53,352
The real point is how
can we manage to change
857
00:35:53,452 --> 00:35:54,853
the operating procedures
in a way
858
00:35:54,953 --> 00:35:56,555
that we can
completely revolutionize
859
00:35:56,655 --> 00:35:59,925
the way we make movies,
so that this is all do-able.
860
00:36:00,025 --> 00:36:02,228
We'd have discussions
back and forth in the beginning.
861
00:36:02,328 --> 00:36:04,996
You know
the supervisors, myself
862
00:36:05,096 --> 00:36:05,964
now I want to do this
and I want to do that,
863
00:36:06,064 --> 00:36:07,666
and they go well...
864
00:36:07,766 --> 00:36:10,369
and sometimes I'd say,
"we're going to do it anyway."
865
00:36:10,469 --> 00:36:11,503
they said, "No we can't"
866
00:36:11,603 --> 00:36:12,504
and I said,
"we're going to do this.
867
00:36:12,604 --> 00:36:14,740
I know we can do this."
868
00:36:14,840 --> 00:36:17,343
what he brought to us
was something
869
00:36:17,443 --> 00:36:20,579
that had never been
sort of accomplished before,
870
00:36:20,679 --> 00:36:22,914
and he really
pushed us as a company
871
00:36:23,014 --> 00:36:27,686
to grow and learn how
to create such a large vision.
872
00:36:27,786 --> 00:36:30,456
*
873
00:36:35,494 --> 00:36:37,396
To do a big
complicated show like that
874
00:36:37,496 --> 00:36:40,098
you develop some confidence
in the process
875
00:36:40,266 --> 00:36:42,301
of you take big problems,
you break them down
876
00:36:42,401 --> 00:36:43,302
into smaller problems.
877
00:36:43,402 --> 00:36:44,470
You break those
smaller problems
878
00:36:44,570 --> 00:36:46,037
down into yet
smaller problems.
879
00:36:46,137 --> 00:36:47,439
Until you get to a scale
880
00:36:47,539 --> 00:36:49,541
where it's tractable
by a single person.
881
00:36:49,641 --> 00:36:51,377
And so when a new
big project comes
882
00:36:51,477 --> 00:36:54,946
with some kind of scary
unknown aspect to it.
883
00:36:55,046 --> 00:36:56,782
You have to comfort
yourself with the fact
884
00:36:56,882 --> 00:36:58,850
that we've been doing this
for a long time,
885
00:36:58,950 --> 00:37:01,287
and this process works,
it always works.
886
00:37:02,421 --> 00:37:03,855
When I was asked
to paint Yoda
887
00:37:03,955 --> 00:37:05,691
as a computer
generated character
888
00:37:05,791 --> 00:37:08,560
I really remembered
what it was like for me
889
00:37:08,660 --> 00:37:10,629
when I first saw Yoda
on that screen.
890
00:37:10,729 --> 00:37:13,499
And what Frank Oz had done
with him as a character.
891
00:37:13,599 --> 00:37:16,034
That was a really honor
to be asked to work on him.
892
00:37:16,134 --> 00:37:18,670
To get Yoda's expression,
893
00:37:18,770 --> 00:37:21,807
to get his character
was terribly important
894
00:37:21,907 --> 00:37:23,375
that we get that right.
895
00:37:25,877 --> 00:37:29,581
The fear of loss
is a path to the dark side.
896
00:37:30,882 --> 00:37:32,918
In the CG Universe
performers were now challenged
897
00:37:33,018 --> 00:37:34,653
to act in virtual worlds
898
00:37:34,753 --> 00:37:37,656
when invisible characters
unlike ever before.
899
00:37:37,756 --> 00:37:41,560
That was the time we created
the Jar Jar Binks character.
900
00:37:41,660 --> 00:37:43,329
And a lot of people
feel different ways
901
00:37:43,395 --> 00:37:44,330
about Jar Jar Binks,
902
00:37:44,430 --> 00:37:45,597
but the fact
of the matter was
903
00:37:45,697 --> 00:37:49,435
you had a living
breathing character
904
00:37:49,535 --> 00:37:51,503
who was acting
alongside the actors
905
00:37:51,603 --> 00:37:54,139
for a large portion
of that film.
906
00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:56,875
And it really showed you could
have digital characters
907
00:37:56,975 --> 00:37:59,445
integrated with
live action people,
908
00:37:59,545 --> 00:38:01,347
and make that work.
909
00:38:05,216 --> 00:38:06,785
Get away, get out of here!
910
00:38:11,022 --> 00:38:13,158
[mumbles]
911
00:38:13,258 --> 00:38:14,526
I remember meeting Liam Neeson
912
00:38:14,626 --> 00:38:15,994
after he had done one
of the "Star Wars" movies
913
00:38:16,094 --> 00:38:17,829
and he went,
"Robin I don't know anymore
914
00:38:17,929 --> 00:38:19,598
I really don't want to act.
915
00:38:19,698 --> 00:38:21,700
I've given up,
I don't really think I can.
916
00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:24,436
Cause I've just spent
times looking at an X,
917
00:38:24,536 --> 00:38:26,104
I don't know what
it's about anymore really.
918
00:38:26,372 --> 00:38:27,673
I've been trained to do lots
of amazing things,
919
00:38:27,773 --> 00:38:29,941
but now I've just been looking
at an X for a long time."
920
00:38:30,041 --> 00:38:31,410
and if I saw him--
921
00:38:31,510 --> 00:38:34,480
I'm going, "Oh no
they've gotten poor Liam!"
922
00:38:34,580 --> 00:38:35,814
Dear God, Dear God.
923
00:38:38,450 --> 00:38:40,552
I would've liked to work
with a Yoda character.
924
00:38:40,652 --> 00:38:41,753
That would've been fun.
925
00:38:41,853 --> 00:38:42,788
'cause I've worked
with the Muppets,
926
00:38:42,888 --> 00:38:43,989
I can deal with the fact
927
00:38:44,089 --> 00:38:45,424
there's a guy
under there going [mumbles]
928
00:38:45,524 --> 00:38:46,925
I'll work with a puppet,
I see you.
929
00:38:47,025 --> 00:38:48,694
It's okay.
930
00:38:48,794 --> 00:38:52,030
[Yoda voice]
Syntax none have.
931
00:38:52,130 --> 00:38:55,867
Mhmm the dark side
clouds everything.
932
00:38:57,268 --> 00:39:01,673
Impossible to see
the future is.
933
00:39:01,773 --> 00:39:03,074
They would bring
the puppet in,
934
00:39:03,174 --> 00:39:05,811
so you could see it and get
a visual of how tall he was,
935
00:39:05,911 --> 00:39:07,145
or where he was going to be
936
00:39:07,245 --> 00:39:09,214
and sometimes I had to walk
with him and talk with him,
937
00:39:09,314 --> 00:39:10,516
which was kind of new too
938
00:39:10,616 --> 00:39:12,050
because he usually
didn't walk and talk.
939
00:39:12,150 --> 00:39:13,985
That was a whole bunch
of new stuff
940
00:39:14,085 --> 00:39:15,654
they were able
to do with him.
941
00:39:15,754 --> 00:39:17,723
So, I just had to pick
a spot and kinda do it.
942
00:39:17,823 --> 00:39:19,057
I kind of like that,
943
00:39:19,157 --> 00:39:21,560
I'm an only child
so I played by myself
944
00:39:21,660 --> 00:39:23,995
a lot in my room
I made up stuff,
945
00:39:24,095 --> 00:39:26,898
and I'm used to fighting
things that aren't there,
946
00:39:26,998 --> 00:39:28,700
talking to people
that aren't there.
947
00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:29,735
It was perfect for me.
948
00:39:29,835 --> 00:39:31,036
So when actors
complain about it
949
00:39:31,136 --> 00:39:32,504
I just kind of look
at them and go,
950
00:39:32,604 --> 00:39:34,740
"Where's your imagination?"
951
00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,509
this is the perfect
time to do what you want.
952
00:39:37,609 --> 00:39:38,877
I was very happy to know
953
00:39:38,977 --> 00:39:41,179
that I was part of something
that was changing
954
00:39:41,279 --> 00:39:42,848
the way people
were going to make,
955
00:39:42,948 --> 00:39:45,717
watch, and create films
956
00:39:45,817 --> 00:39:48,820
for the rest of the time.
957
00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:52,524
"The Phantom Menace" was
released on may 19th, 1999
958
00:39:52,624 --> 00:39:54,092
and became
the highest grossing
959
00:39:54,192 --> 00:39:55,894
"Star Wars" film of all.
960
00:39:55,994 --> 00:39:56,928
Its success paved the way
961
00:39:57,028 --> 00:39:58,263
for the next two films
that were shot
962
00:39:58,363 --> 00:40:01,199
completely on digital
high definition cameras,
963
00:40:01,299 --> 00:40:02,868
and showcasing
the most extensive use
964
00:40:02,968 --> 00:40:05,937
of virtual characters
and environments ever.
965
00:40:06,037 --> 00:40:07,806
George brought the original
"Star Wars" universe
966
00:40:07,906 --> 00:40:10,876
back into popular culture
in a whole new way.
967
00:40:13,779 --> 00:40:15,180
You're George Lucas!
968
00:40:15,280 --> 00:40:16,582
Uh, I take it you're here
969
00:40:16,682 --> 00:40:17,849
for the "Star Wars"
convention.
970
00:40:17,949 --> 00:40:18,917
Oh dear god.
971
00:40:19,017 --> 00:40:20,218
Oh my god!
972
00:40:20,318 --> 00:40:22,187
George Lucas!!!
973
00:40:22,420 --> 00:40:23,889
Ahhh!!!
974
00:40:26,024 --> 00:40:28,059
All of the films
that Lucasfilm have made
975
00:40:28,159 --> 00:40:29,595
have become
culturally significant
976
00:40:29,695 --> 00:40:30,962
in one way or another.
977
00:40:31,062 --> 00:40:32,731
And people have a very
emotional connection
978
00:40:32,831 --> 00:40:36,167
to props
and costumes and artwork.
979
00:40:36,267 --> 00:40:37,836
Because it's part
of something much larger
980
00:40:37,936 --> 00:40:39,871
that really effected them.
981
00:40:39,971 --> 00:40:41,540
So when I walk around here
982
00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:44,610
everything that I see
fills me with memories
983
00:40:44,710 --> 00:40:46,712
of you know movies
that I watched
984
00:40:46,812 --> 00:40:49,047
and the experience I had.
985
00:40:49,147 --> 00:40:51,650
It's pretty incredible
to see all the costumes,
986
00:40:51,750 --> 00:40:54,553
and it was like
nerd's paradise.
987
00:40:54,653 --> 00:40:57,088
All of a sudden I was 12,
that's so cool.
988
00:41:05,997 --> 00:41:09,167
No matter how much you
romanticize a weapon or a mask
989
00:41:09,267 --> 00:41:11,069
or a costume
or a character,
990
00:41:11,169 --> 00:41:12,270
you come and touch it
991
00:41:12,370 --> 00:41:14,305
and somebody had
to paint it and build it
992
00:41:14,405 --> 00:41:16,542
and cast it out of foam
or wood or plastic
993
00:41:16,608 --> 00:41:18,376
or what have you.
994
00:41:18,544 --> 00:41:19,911
It's really wonderful
and heartwarming
995
00:41:20,011 --> 00:41:21,647
for me to come up here
and see these models
996
00:41:21,747 --> 00:41:23,782
that I built almost
30 years ago.
997
00:41:23,882 --> 00:41:25,316
'cause it brings
back so many memories
998
00:41:25,416 --> 00:41:27,285
you don't think about
these things for so long,
999
00:41:27,385 --> 00:41:28,954
and then you see them
and it's like,
1000
00:41:29,054 --> 00:41:31,557
oh gosh I remember
when I built that.
1001
00:41:33,458 --> 00:41:36,227
Whoops, ten people just died.
1002
00:41:36,327 --> 00:41:39,297
It's odd though, we didn't
build them to last forever,
1003
00:41:39,397 --> 00:41:40,766
and we certainly
didn't build them
1004
00:41:40,866 --> 00:41:43,835
to go out into travelling
shows and be in museums.
1005
00:41:43,935 --> 00:41:45,336
And so it's kind of odd
to see them up here
1006
00:41:45,436 --> 00:41:46,972
where they won't
let us touch them
1007
00:41:47,072 --> 00:41:48,339
and if something breaks off
1008
00:41:48,439 --> 00:41:50,609
they photograph
where it came off,
1009
00:41:50,709 --> 00:41:52,878
and they put it in little
plastic bag and seal it up.
1010
00:41:54,312 --> 00:41:55,280
When you see them
1011
00:41:55,380 --> 00:41:56,582
and you realize that
when they lit them,
1012
00:41:56,648 --> 00:41:57,583
they had a life.
1013
00:41:57,683 --> 00:41:59,084
They were a creature.
1014
00:41:59,184 --> 00:42:01,219
Yoda, to see Yoda like,
1015
00:42:01,319 --> 00:42:03,354
[Yoda voice]
mreaaa moving not.
1016
00:42:03,454 --> 00:42:05,691
CG take work is.
1017
00:42:08,894 --> 00:42:11,262
In 2001 ILM brought
history to life
1018
00:42:11,362 --> 00:42:13,231
like never before with the epic
1019
00:42:13,331 --> 00:42:16,234
world war 2 battle sequences
in "Pearl Harbor".
1020
00:42:16,334 --> 00:42:18,837
Another series of landmark
achievements for the company.
1021
00:42:20,338 --> 00:42:22,774
In 2004 they created
the first extreme close up
1022
00:42:22,874 --> 00:42:24,375
of a realistic digital human
1023
00:42:24,475 --> 00:42:27,345
for "Lemony Snicket's:
A Series of Unfortunate Events"
1024
00:42:27,613 --> 00:42:30,949
ushering in a new era
for digital actors.
1025
00:42:31,049 --> 00:42:33,318
The realism paved the way
for the highly anticipated
1026
00:42:33,418 --> 00:42:36,321
"Pirates of The Caribbean"
films.
1027
00:42:36,622 --> 00:42:38,423
When the script
for "Pirates" came in.
1028
00:42:38,523 --> 00:42:40,959
The gag was that our crew
of pirates were cursed,
1029
00:42:41,059 --> 00:42:42,193
so that when
they appeared in moonlight
1030
00:42:42,293 --> 00:42:45,130
they were these
tattered skeletons.
1031
00:42:45,230 --> 00:42:48,133
Which immediately
brought back memories
1032
00:42:48,233 --> 00:42:49,701
of "Jason and The Argonauts".
1033
00:42:49,801 --> 00:42:51,937
There's a scene of sword
fighting skeletons
1034
00:42:52,037 --> 00:42:54,906
that's an iconic scene.
1035
00:42:55,006 --> 00:42:56,007
You know that image
came immediately to mind
1036
00:42:56,107 --> 00:42:57,709
when I read
that in the script.
1037
00:42:57,809 --> 00:42:59,377
It's a really fun opportunity
1038
00:42:59,477 --> 00:43:02,113
to pay homage to Ray's work,
1039
00:43:02,213 --> 00:43:05,283
but to update with some
of the newer technologies.
1040
00:43:05,383 --> 00:43:07,252
The "Pirates of The Caribbean"
series
1041
00:43:07,352 --> 00:43:09,220
made extensive use of in camera
1042
00:43:09,320 --> 00:43:11,022
motion capture technology.
1043
00:43:11,122 --> 00:43:13,458
Otherwise known as Imocap.
1044
00:43:13,558 --> 00:43:15,761
This advanced system
of sensors records actions
1045
00:43:15,861 --> 00:43:18,063
of human actors
and uses the information
1046
00:43:18,163 --> 00:43:20,465
to animate digital characters.
1047
00:43:20,565 --> 00:43:21,900
I mean the characters
were all created
1048
00:43:22,000 --> 00:43:22,868
by the visual effects.
1049
00:43:22,968 --> 00:43:23,969
It wasn't make-up.
1050
00:43:24,069 --> 00:43:25,436
They were walking
around in gray suits.
1051
00:43:25,536 --> 00:43:27,839
And uh you know it's
very difficult you know
1052
00:43:27,939 --> 00:43:30,475
for actors sometimes
to interact with a character
1053
00:43:30,575 --> 00:43:32,043
that's wearing a gray suit
with a beanie,
1054
00:43:32,143 --> 00:43:33,078
but since our actors
1055
00:43:33,178 --> 00:43:34,980
are so well trained,
so professional,
1056
00:43:35,080 --> 00:43:37,683
they did a fantastic job.
1057
00:43:37,749 --> 00:43:41,186
Most challenging thing
on pirates was Davy Jones.
1058
00:43:43,054 --> 00:43:46,491
We had motion capture
trackers on him.
1059
00:43:46,591 --> 00:43:48,493
He had all these
silly dots on his face.
1060
00:43:48,593 --> 00:43:51,697
But Bill Nighy
was that character.
1061
00:43:51,797 --> 00:43:52,931
And I think for me
that was the first time
1062
00:43:53,031 --> 00:43:54,866
I really saw
a direct transference
1063
00:43:54,966 --> 00:43:57,836
of someone's performance
onto a CG creature,
1064
00:43:57,936 --> 00:44:00,906
and it was so complex
and so layered.
1065
00:44:01,006 --> 00:44:02,507
You've got all these tentacles
1066
00:44:02,708 --> 00:44:03,742
trying to get them to operate
1067
00:44:03,842 --> 00:44:06,912
like they really would
is a major challenge.
1068
00:44:07,012 --> 00:44:08,179
Because in the computer
1069
00:44:08,279 --> 00:44:09,948
although you've got
the shape of the tentacles
1070
00:44:10,048 --> 00:44:11,850
if they are going
in different directions
1071
00:44:11,950 --> 00:44:13,885
they'll just penetrate
right through each other.
1072
00:44:13,985 --> 00:44:15,854
The idea that
they would hit and react
1073
00:44:15,954 --> 00:44:18,824
is just not in the computer,
it has to be worked out.
1074
00:44:18,924 --> 00:44:20,458
And it takes a lot
of calculations
1075
00:44:20,558 --> 00:44:22,861
to make something
like that work.
1076
00:44:22,961 --> 00:44:25,831
It was just so
incredibly detailed
1077
00:44:25,931 --> 00:44:27,999
and the work
that the model builders
1078
00:44:28,099 --> 00:44:29,134
and the texture painters
1079
00:44:29,234 --> 00:44:31,002
and all the guys
that contributed
1080
00:44:31,102 --> 00:44:33,238
to that show
in all the different ways
1081
00:44:33,338 --> 00:44:36,507
just bringing this
immensely complicated crew
1082
00:44:36,607 --> 00:44:38,777
and ship to life.
1083
00:44:38,877 --> 00:44:41,079
Technology changes
very quickly
1084
00:44:41,179 --> 00:44:42,280
and gets better and better
1085
00:44:42,380 --> 00:44:43,749
so it gives the artists at ILM
1086
00:44:43,815 --> 00:44:45,250
and their supervisors
more fun to play with
1087
00:44:45,350 --> 00:44:46,752
more things to play
with more toys,
1088
00:44:46,818 --> 00:44:48,386
and it pushes the limits
1089
00:44:48,486 --> 00:44:50,255
which is exactly
what we want to do.
1090
00:44:51,857 --> 00:44:53,892
We thrive on developing
new techniques
1091
00:44:53,992 --> 00:44:56,762
to achieve something
that's never been done before,
1092
00:44:56,828 --> 00:44:58,764
so imagination
is unencumbered.
1093
00:45:01,332 --> 00:45:04,035
Inspired by the original
1953 version
1094
00:45:04,135 --> 00:45:05,771
of "War of The Worlds"
1095
00:45:05,837 --> 00:45:07,505
Steven Spielberg
teamed with ILM
1096
00:45:07,773 --> 00:45:09,474
once again to push
visual storytelling
1097
00:45:09,574 --> 00:45:11,376
to a whole new level.
1098
00:45:13,945 --> 00:45:14,913
Well I had this
crazy idea one day
1099
00:45:15,013 --> 00:45:16,915
when I was doing
my storyboards.
1100
00:45:17,015 --> 00:45:18,549
I had sketched out
a three minute dialogue scene
1101
00:45:18,649 --> 00:45:20,919
between the two kids
and tom cruise in the car
1102
00:45:21,019 --> 00:45:23,254
after they escape new jersey.
1103
00:45:23,354 --> 00:45:25,190
I began sketching it in cuts
1104
00:45:25,290 --> 00:45:28,226
you know in close ups,
profiles,
1105
00:45:28,326 --> 00:45:30,095
and over the shoulder shots.
1106
00:45:30,195 --> 00:45:31,262
And then threw
all that stuff out
1107
00:45:31,362 --> 00:45:32,563
because it wasn't
exciting enough.
1108
00:45:32,663 --> 00:45:33,865
And I thought,
1109
00:45:33,965 --> 00:45:35,100
there's got to be a way
to do this,
1110
00:45:35,200 --> 00:45:37,135
what if I did this
all in one shot?
1111
00:45:37,235 --> 00:45:38,970
And then I had some
of the pre-vis guys come in
1112
00:45:39,070 --> 00:45:42,040
and I pre-vised the entire
scene with the moving camera,
1113
00:45:42,140 --> 00:45:43,809
that actually went through
the car at one point,
1114
00:45:43,875 --> 00:45:45,076
when through the back window
at another point,
1115
00:45:45,176 --> 00:45:46,344
went out into the middle
of the turnpike
1116
00:45:46,444 --> 00:45:48,579
to make room for cars
that are passing,
1117
00:45:48,679 --> 00:45:50,415
then went back
into the window again.
1118
00:45:50,515 --> 00:45:52,183
It was an impossible dream
1119
00:45:52,283 --> 00:45:53,584
and I knew it was not achievable
1120
00:45:53,684 --> 00:45:55,954
cause I didn't quite know
how to blend it,
1121
00:45:56,054 --> 00:45:57,823
where are the blend lines
going to be?
1122
00:45:57,889 --> 00:46:00,826
How do we glue these
disparate pieces together
1123
00:46:00,892 --> 00:46:02,828
to make it seem
like it's one shot.
1124
00:46:02,894 --> 00:46:05,063
So when I showed
Dennis Muren the pre-vis,
1125
00:46:05,163 --> 00:46:06,932
Dennis said,
right away this time
1126
00:46:07,032 --> 00:46:08,299
he didn't even have
to think about it,
1127
00:46:08,399 --> 00:46:10,101
he said,
"You could do it in two shots."
1128
00:46:10,201 --> 00:46:11,837
I said, "Where's the break?"
1129
00:46:11,903 --> 00:46:13,304
he said, "When you come
back in through the car
1130
00:46:13,404 --> 00:46:14,505
through the back of the car."
1131
00:46:14,605 --> 00:46:15,907
and then when
you're pulling back out
1132
00:46:16,007 --> 00:46:17,642
to the high crane shot
at the end
1133
00:46:17,742 --> 00:46:20,078
as the car moves off
into the vanishing point.
1134
00:46:20,178 --> 00:46:23,214
So, Dennis thought that
was going to be no problem.
1135
00:46:31,122 --> 00:46:32,223
I don't think
there's much clue
1136
00:46:32,323 --> 00:46:33,859
that you're seeing an effect
in those scenes
1137
00:46:33,959 --> 00:46:35,093
because there are no camera cuts
1138
00:46:35,193 --> 00:46:37,528
it's done much more
like documentary style,
1139
00:46:37,628 --> 00:46:39,030
and that's got a really great
1140
00:46:39,130 --> 00:46:41,132
sense of surprise
when that happens.
1141
00:46:41,232 --> 00:46:43,168
It's much more
realistic and immediate,
1142
00:46:43,268 --> 00:46:46,204
and that's hard to do
with any kind of effect.
1143
00:47:08,960 --> 00:47:11,529
Every little thing
as a collection
1144
00:47:11,629 --> 00:47:12,898
of what we do in the history
1145
00:47:12,998 --> 00:47:14,732
of all the films that
we've done kind of goes
1146
00:47:14,900 --> 00:47:16,601
into every movie
we're doing right now.
1147
00:47:19,604 --> 00:47:23,041
"Transformers" represents
a colossal collection
1148
00:47:23,141 --> 00:47:24,509
of all these
different stair steps
1149
00:47:24,609 --> 00:47:26,177
of ideas on the way.
1150
00:47:26,277 --> 00:47:28,379
By this point in time
in computer graphics,
1151
00:47:28,479 --> 00:47:31,082
we have learned how
to do hard shiny objects.
1152
00:47:31,182 --> 00:47:32,717
Yes.
1153
00:47:32,817 --> 00:47:35,453
But have we really
conquered how they are lit.
1154
00:47:35,553 --> 00:47:36,922
Have we really conquered
1155
00:47:36,988 --> 00:47:38,924
a more realistic
style of animation,
1156
00:47:39,024 --> 00:47:40,926
or a cooler
style lets say.
1157
00:47:40,992 --> 00:47:42,928
No.
1158
00:47:42,994 --> 00:47:45,563
We're constantly re-assessing
what can we do better?
1159
00:47:49,234 --> 00:47:51,937
Then we start
designing the robots.
1160
00:47:52,003 --> 00:47:54,105
I think initially a lot
of the robots were made
1161
00:47:54,205 --> 00:47:56,374
out of all these
questionable material
1162
00:47:56,474 --> 00:47:58,776
that looked very CG-ish.
1163
00:47:58,944 --> 00:48:00,745
And we actually started
building a couple robots
1164
00:48:00,845 --> 00:48:03,281
out of these bony fragments
that look like,
1165
00:48:03,381 --> 00:48:06,084
you know what
is alien space stuff,
1166
00:48:06,184 --> 00:48:07,185
we don't know what it is.
1167
00:48:07,285 --> 00:48:08,419
Michael Bay, our director,
1168
00:48:08,519 --> 00:48:10,521
and myself kept going back
and forth on this--
1169
00:48:10,621 --> 00:48:12,090
you know what,
this is not working.
1170
00:48:12,190 --> 00:48:13,191
Let's just go to car parts
1171
00:48:13,291 --> 00:48:17,462
and just start drawing
from real world
1172
00:48:17,562 --> 00:48:19,464
because you and I
go to the movie
1173
00:48:19,564 --> 00:48:21,366
and if we something
we don't quite understand
1174
00:48:21,466 --> 00:48:22,567
it looks fake.
1175
00:48:22,667 --> 00:48:24,402
If you want it
to look photo real,
1176
00:48:24,502 --> 00:48:25,636
well what does that mean?
1177
00:48:25,736 --> 00:48:28,706
It's go to look like
people made it.
1178
00:48:28,974 --> 00:48:30,375
And so that's why
we gravitated
1179
00:48:30,475 --> 00:48:32,377
all toward these designs
1180
00:48:32,477 --> 00:48:35,646
that were more or less
things that we know.
1181
00:48:35,746 --> 00:48:37,382
I think
the transformation scenes
1182
00:48:37,482 --> 00:48:39,150
from the first movie
you know,
1183
00:48:39,250 --> 00:48:41,252
were something that people
had never seen before.
1184
00:48:41,352 --> 00:48:43,588
There were about
10,000 moving parts.
1185
00:48:51,362 --> 00:48:53,231
And all those pieces
have to move and articulate
1186
00:48:53,331 --> 00:48:54,799
with one another.
1187
00:48:54,899 --> 00:48:56,501
Technology wise
that stuff didn't exist before,
1188
00:48:56,601 --> 00:48:59,004
so again it puts ILM
on the leading edge
1189
00:48:59,070 --> 00:49:00,505
of technology breakthrough.
1190
00:49:06,377 --> 00:49:07,378
On "Iron Man" we drew a lot
1191
00:49:07,478 --> 00:49:09,547
from what they learned
on "Transformers".
1192
00:49:09,647 --> 00:49:12,017
Um and that made me
extremely comfortable
1193
00:49:12,083 --> 00:49:13,884
with how ambitious
to get with "Iron Man",
1194
00:49:14,019 --> 00:49:17,522
because I 've always been
a bit of a skeptic about CGI.
1195
00:49:17,622 --> 00:49:20,258
I think primarily because
it hasn't been done right
1196
00:49:20,358 --> 00:49:22,327
in many cases.
1197
00:49:22,427 --> 00:49:24,262
A challenge was
I think initially
1198
00:49:24,362 --> 00:49:25,796
to impress him
with the idea
1199
00:49:25,896 --> 00:49:27,798
that we could
make the Iron Man suit
1200
00:49:27,898 --> 00:49:30,035
look pretty seamless
and realistic.
1201
00:49:31,202 --> 00:49:33,104
I love this suit!!
1202
00:49:34,939 --> 00:49:37,175
The other issue
was that there were some
1203
00:49:37,275 --> 00:49:38,543
very beautiful
practical suits
1204
00:49:38,643 --> 00:49:41,879
created by what was then known
as Stan Winston studios.
1205
00:49:42,047 --> 00:49:45,183
Robert, he was finding the suit
very uncomfortable to wear,
1206
00:49:45,283 --> 00:49:47,818
and so we would usually
pull one or two pieces off
1207
00:49:47,918 --> 00:49:50,588
just so that he had more
freedom with his are movements.
1208
00:49:50,688 --> 00:49:52,857
It was clearly
still constricting
1209
00:49:52,957 --> 00:49:54,525
so we pulled more
and more pieces off.
1210
00:49:54,625 --> 00:49:57,295
So in the end I said,
"look, let's pull it all off.
1211
00:49:57,395 --> 00:49:59,530
I'm confident based
on what we've done
1212
00:49:59,630 --> 00:50:01,866
we can replace
the whole thing."
1213
00:50:01,966 --> 00:50:03,601
and so we did,
we pulled it all off
1214
00:50:03,701 --> 00:50:06,404
and I was putting
the markers on Robert
1215
00:50:06,504 --> 00:50:07,705
he was like, "I love you."
1216
00:50:07,805 --> 00:50:11,442
because he was so happy
that he could now act and emote,
1217
00:50:11,542 --> 00:50:14,145
and we would just add
it all digitally later.
1218
00:50:14,245 --> 00:50:16,181
At one point in the process
1219
00:50:16,281 --> 00:50:18,716
I was giving notes on a shot,
1220
00:50:18,816 --> 00:50:21,719
saying how I didn't believe
a certain reflection,
1221
00:50:21,819 --> 00:50:22,753
it looked fake to me.
1222
00:50:22,853 --> 00:50:25,056
And that's when Ben Snow,
1223
00:50:25,156 --> 00:50:28,359
who was
the ILM supervisor said,
1224
00:50:28,459 --> 00:50:32,063
"That's the real suit."
1225
00:50:32,163 --> 00:50:34,232
so I was giving notes
on the real suit
1226
00:50:34,332 --> 00:50:35,900
thinking it was the CGI suit.
1227
00:50:36,000 --> 00:50:38,736
And that's when I knew that
it crossed that line.
1228
00:50:38,836 --> 00:50:39,837
And from that moment on
1229
00:50:39,937 --> 00:50:41,806
I realized that technology
was a good one
1230
00:50:41,906 --> 00:50:43,074
it had passed the point
1231
00:50:43,174 --> 00:50:44,509
where I could tell
the difference.
1232
00:50:44,609 --> 00:50:47,078
And then it became about
how best to design the shots
1233
00:50:47,178 --> 00:50:49,380
to make full use of what
it could do well,
1234
00:50:49,480 --> 00:50:52,517
and not to ask of those shots
or that technology
1235
00:50:52,617 --> 00:50:53,951
what it wasn't good at.
1236
00:50:54,051 --> 00:50:56,754
So I think a lot of times
now when you see bad CGI
1237
00:50:56,854 --> 00:50:59,957
it's because of poor planning
on behalf of the filmmaker
1238
00:51:00,057 --> 00:51:02,660
as opposed to the artists
that are working on it.
1239
00:51:02,760 --> 00:51:05,130
And it's a big--
that's a big leap,
1240
00:51:05,196 --> 00:51:06,464
that's a big change,
1241
00:51:06,564 --> 00:51:08,699
and so now I think it's
incumbent upon the filmmakers
1242
00:51:08,799 --> 00:51:10,468
to learn more about CGI
1243
00:51:10,568 --> 00:51:11,636
because it's a tool
that's here to stay.
1244
00:51:17,208 --> 00:51:20,745
The suit is the star you know
of the "Iron Man" movies.
1245
00:51:20,845 --> 00:51:22,513
You watch that suit do stuff
1246
00:51:22,613 --> 00:51:24,182
that's what we go there for.
1247
00:51:24,282 --> 00:51:26,884
When the screws come out,
the boots come on,
1248
00:51:26,984 --> 00:51:29,420
the tu-tu-tu--
things come on his arms.
1249
00:51:29,520 --> 00:51:32,190
You really wish
you had one of those things
1250
00:51:32,290 --> 00:51:35,760
and the ability
to make you want to be
1251
00:51:35,860 --> 00:51:38,196
that particular
character is the dream
1252
00:51:38,296 --> 00:51:40,665
of, I'm sure all the guys
1253
00:51:40,765 --> 00:51:42,367
that are working in those
particular places
1254
00:51:42,467 --> 00:51:44,302
that sit there and go,
ah that would be so cool,
1255
00:51:44,402 --> 00:51:45,503
what if the suit did this.
1256
00:51:45,603 --> 00:51:47,605
And they make us want
to be those characters
1257
00:51:47,705 --> 00:51:49,240
the make us want to see
that stuff happen.
1258
00:51:50,541 --> 00:51:53,211
In 2009 director J.J. Abrams
1259
00:51:53,311 --> 00:51:55,513
reinvigorated the original
"Star Trek" universe
1260
00:51:55,613 --> 00:51:57,648
through the help
of ILM's illusionists.
1261
00:51:57,748 --> 00:51:58,949
The first challenge
1262
00:51:59,049 --> 00:52:01,719
being a new design
for the starship enterprise.
1263
00:52:01,819 --> 00:52:03,288
The thing about
the enterprise was
1264
00:52:03,388 --> 00:52:05,290
you can't really play
with it too much
1265
00:52:05,390 --> 00:52:06,591
because it's so iconic.
1266
00:52:06,691 --> 00:52:10,027
I just knew we were dealing
with those very vocal fans
1267
00:52:10,195 --> 00:52:12,497
who were going to be pissed off
no matter what we did.
1268
00:52:12,597 --> 00:52:15,032
So I thought,
let's just update a little bit
1269
00:52:15,200 --> 00:52:17,435
but let's maintain
it's essential silhouette.
1270
00:52:19,537 --> 00:52:20,838
There's certain level of
pressure involved in that too
1271
00:52:20,938 --> 00:52:22,740
because I remember when
we did the new enterprise
1272
00:52:22,840 --> 00:52:24,542
for the J.J Abrams "Star Trek",
1273
00:52:24,642 --> 00:52:26,977
and the first image
that was revealed to the public,
1274
00:52:27,077 --> 00:52:28,213
it sounded like they
were going to kill us
1275
00:52:28,279 --> 00:52:29,514
if they could find us.
1276
00:52:29,614 --> 00:52:31,282
And we were talking about
an artist relocation program
1277
00:52:31,382 --> 00:52:32,583
because we're like,
"Oh my god" you know.
1278
00:52:32,683 --> 00:52:34,519
They got so upset,
1279
00:52:34,619 --> 00:52:37,255
and then it came out
and they loved it.
1280
00:52:37,355 --> 00:52:38,989
You know
the amazing thing is ILM
1281
00:52:39,089 --> 00:52:41,359
took these designs
that were done
1282
00:52:41,459 --> 00:52:43,561
and it made this thing
live and breathe.
1283
00:52:43,661 --> 00:52:45,730
It brought
this ship to life.
1284
00:52:45,830 --> 00:52:49,300
"Star Wars" made it impossible
to do anything new.
1285
00:52:50,368 --> 00:52:53,238
There's not a weather system,
a terrain,
1286
00:52:53,338 --> 00:52:54,972
an environment,
a character color,
1287
00:52:55,072 --> 00:52:56,307
a number of arms or legs.
1288
00:52:56,407 --> 00:52:57,642
There's nothing--
1289
00:52:57,742 --> 00:52:58,976
I mean he did everything
1290
00:52:59,076 --> 00:53:02,913
like in the last three films
probably exponentially more
1291
00:53:03,013 --> 00:53:06,384
than you know all science
fiction films put together.
1292
00:53:06,484 --> 00:53:07,385
And every once in awhile
1293
00:53:07,485 --> 00:53:08,519
someone would whisper you know
1294
00:53:08,619 --> 00:53:09,987
remember, "Star Trek"
came before "Star Wars".
1295
00:53:10,087 --> 00:53:12,423
And I was like yea yea
it doesn't help me
1296
00:53:12,523 --> 00:53:13,491
cause George had out done it.
1297
00:53:15,560 --> 00:53:18,028
ILM made the most of practical
and visual effects magic
1298
00:53:18,128 --> 00:53:20,030
by shooting two
very different worlds
1299
00:53:20,130 --> 00:53:22,600
side by side
just 30 feet apart
1300
00:53:22,700 --> 00:53:24,835
in the parking
lot of Dodger Stadium.
1301
00:53:24,935 --> 00:53:27,605
Creating kirk stranded
on the icy Delta Vega Planet
1302
00:53:27,705 --> 00:53:28,839
was done on a partial set
1303
00:53:28,939 --> 00:53:30,808
under the balmy skies
of Los Angeles.
1304
00:53:34,645 --> 00:53:35,713
It was a really
fun magic trick
1305
00:53:35,813 --> 00:53:37,382
to get to kind of shoot
those things so closely,
1306
00:53:37,482 --> 00:53:40,618
and yet have them
seem so worlds apart.
1307
00:53:40,718 --> 00:53:41,786
There's a step with lighting
1308
00:53:41,886 --> 00:53:45,022
and rendering that
is just unnervingly magical
1309
00:53:45,122 --> 00:53:46,657
that when you get
you're like, "huh!"
1310
00:53:46,757 --> 00:53:49,093
You can work
on a shot for months.
1311
00:53:49,193 --> 00:53:51,296
You go and watch one
of the movies you've worked on,
1312
00:53:51,362 --> 00:53:53,298
and you see the audience react
1313
00:53:53,398 --> 00:53:55,833
to something, you go,
"Wow that's awesome."
1314
00:53:55,933 --> 00:53:59,304
so, it's very fulfilling
from that aspect.
1315
00:53:59,370 --> 00:54:00,905
It just requires
an incredible organizational
1316
00:54:01,005 --> 00:54:02,407
and artistic endeavor,
1317
00:54:02,507 --> 00:54:04,909
and I think that the fact
that it works as well as it does
1318
00:54:05,009 --> 00:54:07,345
is a testament
to how ILM is built,
1319
00:54:07,445 --> 00:54:08,479
and the kind of people
that work there.
1320
00:54:08,579 --> 00:54:11,582
It's an amazing team,
a huge amazing team.
1321
00:54:15,453 --> 00:54:17,988
In 2005 ILM
moved from Marin county
1322
00:54:18,088 --> 00:54:19,424
across The Golden Gate Bridge
1323
00:54:19,524 --> 00:54:22,893
to a 23-acre complex
at the historic Presidio.
1324
00:54:26,163 --> 00:54:28,833
Within this house
that "Star Wars" built,
1325
00:54:28,933 --> 00:54:30,801
ILM's team
of visual effects wizards
1326
00:54:30,901 --> 00:54:32,537
continue to push the envelope.
1327
00:54:34,739 --> 00:54:36,574
From their humble beginnings
in a Van Nuys warehouse
1328
00:54:36,674 --> 00:54:38,376
to a state of the art facility.
1329
00:54:38,476 --> 00:54:40,010
They've single
handedly transformed
1330
00:54:40,110 --> 00:54:43,013
the photo chemical days of old
into a new digital era
1331
00:54:43,113 --> 00:54:45,850
changing the industry
one film at a time.
1332
00:54:45,950 --> 00:54:47,952
Over the last 35 years
1333
00:54:48,052 --> 00:54:50,355
ILM has created visual effects
1334
00:54:50,421 --> 00:54:52,723
in nearly 300 movies.
1335
00:54:52,823 --> 00:54:53,758
Their innovations and artistry
1336
00:54:53,858 --> 00:54:54,859
has been recognized
1337
00:54:54,959 --> 00:54:58,095
with 15 visual effects
academy awards,
1338
00:54:58,195 --> 00:55:00,064
23 additional nominations,
1339
00:55:00,164 --> 00:55:02,533
and awarded the National
Medal of Technology.
1340
00:55:03,468 --> 00:55:04,702
In dark theaters everywhere
1341
00:55:04,802 --> 00:55:06,471
they transport us
to other worlds
1342
00:55:06,571 --> 00:55:07,838
with their cinema magic
1343
00:55:07,938 --> 00:55:10,708
always inspired
to create the impossible.
1344
00:55:11,942 --> 00:55:14,745
I think ILM's
greatest challenge
1345
00:55:14,845 --> 00:55:16,881
is, in a way,
their own reputation.
1346
00:55:16,981 --> 00:55:18,616
You know continuing to grow,
1347
00:55:18,716 --> 00:55:21,886
and expand and live up
to the standards they've set.
1348
00:55:21,986 --> 00:55:24,154
This work is very complicated
1349
00:55:24,254 --> 00:55:25,956
and it's very labor intensive,
1350
00:55:26,056 --> 00:55:28,726
but it's, to some extent
become commoditized
1351
00:55:28,826 --> 00:55:31,962
and the expectation is that
the more of this we're doing
1352
00:55:32,062 --> 00:55:33,898
we should be getting
cheaper, cheaper, cheaper.
1353
00:55:33,998 --> 00:55:37,602
The competition from overseas
especially has been really hard
1354
00:55:37,702 --> 00:55:39,504
when the salaries are
so much less than here
1355
00:55:39,604 --> 00:55:41,105
so how do we work
faster and better
1356
00:55:41,205 --> 00:55:42,607
and still keep
the quality of it?
1357
00:55:42,707 --> 00:55:43,841
And we've had a lot of people
1358
00:55:43,941 --> 00:55:46,210
who have gone through ILM
set up other companies
1359
00:55:46,310 --> 00:55:48,813
around that are
doing great work also
1360
00:55:48,913 --> 00:55:50,948
and we need to try
to keep on top of it
1361
00:55:51,048 --> 00:55:52,783
to come up with
the next thing
1362
00:55:52,883 --> 00:55:55,853
that's better than what
someone else is doing.
1363
00:55:55,953 --> 00:55:59,757
ILM's body of work is something
to be extremely proud of.
1364
00:55:59,857 --> 00:56:01,859
I mean you go back
and look at all the things
1365
00:56:01,959 --> 00:56:03,260
that ILM has done.
1366
00:56:03,428 --> 00:56:07,164
It's the history of movies
at the last part
1367
00:56:07,264 --> 00:56:10,067
of 20th century
and into the 21st century.
1368
00:56:13,203 --> 00:56:15,272
Lightning just keeps
striking at ILM.
1369
00:56:15,440 --> 00:56:16,707
That's the remarkable
thing about ILM.
1370
00:56:16,807 --> 00:56:18,543
It's not like
they had their moment
1371
00:56:18,643 --> 00:56:20,845
and it's moved on,
1372
00:56:20,945 --> 00:56:22,547
they find ways to reinvigorate
1373
00:56:22,647 --> 00:56:24,782
the facility,
by breaking new ground.
1374
00:56:26,517 --> 00:56:27,452
I think ILM's
biggest accomplishment
1375
00:56:27,518 --> 00:56:29,219
isn't any one show
1376
00:56:29,319 --> 00:56:31,822
it's that they've managed
to realize the dream
1377
00:56:31,922 --> 00:56:33,624
that any filmmaker
would have,
1378
00:56:33,724 --> 00:56:35,726
which is the ability
to do anything.
1379
00:56:37,862 --> 00:56:41,165
The ability to continue
to make us believe
1380
00:56:41,265 --> 00:56:44,769
what we see
is the true genius
1381
00:56:44,869 --> 00:56:47,204
of what these guys do.
1382
00:56:47,304 --> 00:56:50,007
George made his company
available to every studio,
1383
00:56:50,107 --> 00:56:51,742
and to every filmmaker.
1384
00:56:51,842 --> 00:56:54,311
And in a sense
it was the first time
1385
00:56:54,479 --> 00:56:55,279
that had ever happened before.
1386
00:56:55,379 --> 00:56:58,315
Where a company
was formed for all us
1387
00:56:58,483 --> 00:57:02,152
to be able to achieve
our our impossible dreams.
1388
00:57:02,252 --> 00:57:03,921
And George made that
possible for all of us.
1389
00:57:11,095 --> 00:57:12,863
*
1390
00:59:31,736 --> 00:59:32,937
*
102292
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