Arex coming to Phase II!

[Itisnotlogical]

How did you insert him into the scene? I know with AfterEffects you can do pretty much anything you flippin' want with a few mouse clicks, but for me I'd have to render Arex separately with a green background and nothing else, and later in my video software of choice (Wax 2.0) key out the green with the original footage being the underlying track. Do you have a guy in a green suit do all the motion for Arex, or do you just paste him in to the scene without any sort of reference?

 

[tobiasrichter]

The original footage was filmed with an actor in place. His head was painted out and replaced by an animated and rendered 3D head. The head was created in Maya and composed into the footage using Fusion.

 

[JarodRussell]

Is it cheaper/easier/better to do it with CGI instead of using make up/masks?

 

[GSchnitzer]

Is it cheaper/easier/better to do it with CGI instead of using make up/masks?

Cheaper and easier, yes. "Better?" I'm not sure how to measure that.

With CGI, any problems with the process would only hold up post-production and would only impact the handful of folks on the post-production team. With make-up or masks or puppet arms, any problems would hold up actual production and would cause changes to the schedules to the scores/hundreds of people who show up for a shoot. We might have to reschedule flight arrivals and departures, change hotel room dates, change the date of return for rented equipment, and various other expensive changes. Probably just easier and chaper to do it in CGI.

 

[Captain Robert April]

I don't think even a pro production would try and do this practically.

 

[lennier1]

I don't think even a pro production would try and do this practically.

Not unless the involved teams were started by Stan Winston, Jim Henson or Phil Tippett.

 

[JarodRussell]

I don't think even a pro production would try and do this practically.

Not unless the involved teams were started by Stan Winston, Jim Henson or Phil Tippett.

And whoever did stuff for Star Trek 2009. But they did have a shitload of money.

 

[PattyW]

And whoever did stuff for Star Trek 2009. But they did have a shitload of money.

And, yet, they STILL went over budget... by a shitload! Maybe this is one of the reasons.

It's pretty amazing what Phase II does on no budget except "what we can find in the couch cushions and how much we can increase the limits on our credit cards"

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Congratulations on getting a real Edosian to come to Earth to be in your show! That's really quite a coup.

 

[JarodRussell]

And, yet, they STILL went over budget... by a shitload! Maybe this is one of the reasons.

I think that has to do with JJ Abrams' rather hyperactive directing style. Wish I could find the interview again in which he said that himself.

 

[PattyW]

"hyperactive directing style"? I've never been on a set where the director was so calm and focused. If JJ is "hyperactive" by Hollywood definition, I HAVE to start working on more "Hollywood" films!