POV-Ray : Newsgroups : povray.general : Semi-OT: Special effects in the Phantom Menace Server Time
11 Aug 2024 19:32:53 EDT (-0400)
  Semi-OT: Special effects in the Phantom Menace (Message 1 to 5 of 5)  
From: John VanSickle
Subject: Semi-OT: Special effects in the Phantom Menace
Date: 1 Jun 1999 21:07:51
Message: <37547809.9BCBE621@erols.com>
I'll start off by saying that there are no spoilers in this message.

The wife and I went to see SW:TPM on Saturday, and I thought I would
comment here about the computer effects, seeing as we are all hobbyists
in this field.

The effects fall into two categories.  Some of the effects were so
well-done that is was impossible to tell that a computer did it.
Other effects were well-done, but miscues in the lighting and
texturing set them off as being obviously fake.

Oddly enough, the division between the two falls along the same
lines as it would if they had been using POV-Ray:  Objects that are
square, flat, spherical, conical, etc, looked perfect.  The robots
were excellent in every case.  Objects that were organic-looking
looked good, but the lighting and texture was always a little off.

That's all I had to say.

Regards,
John


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From: Ed Kaiser
Subject: Re: Semi-OT: Special effects in the Phantom Menace
Date: 7 Jun 1999 16:14:22
Message: <375c281e@netplex.aussie.org>
I thought it was kind of funny how with CG all the aliens have hairless
reptile skin now.



John VanSickle wrote in message <37547809.9BCBE621@erols.com>...
>I'll start off by saying that there are no spoilers in this message.
>
>The wife and I went to see SW:TPM on Saturday, and I thought I would
>comment here about the computer effects, seeing as we are all hobbyists
>in this field.
>
>The effects fall into two categories.  Some of the effects were so
>well-done that is was impossible to tell that a computer did it.
>Other effects were well-done, but miscues in the lighting and
>texturing set them off as being obviously fake.
>
>Oddly enough, the division between the two falls along the same
>lines as it would if they had been using POV-Ray:  Objects that are
>square, flat, spherical, conical, etc, looked perfect.  The robots
>were excellent in every case.  Objects that were organic-looking
>looked good, but the lighting and texture was always a little off.
>
>That's all I had to say.
>
>Regards,
>John


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From: Lance Birch
Subject: Re: Semi-OT: Special effects in the Phantom Menace
Date: 7 Jun 1999 17:34:51
Message: <375c3afb@netplex.aussie.org>
Didn't you see the spare parts dealer?  I believe he had facial hair, that
count?  :)

--
Lance.


---
For the latest 3D Studio MAX plug-ins, images and much more, go to:
The Zone - http://come.to/the.zone
For a totally different experience, visit my Chroma Key Website:
Colorblind - http://listen.to/colorblind

Ed Kaiser wrote in message <375c281e@netplex.aussie.org>...
>I thought it was kind of funny how with CG all the aliens have hairless
>reptile skin now.


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From: Alan Kong
Subject: Re: Semi-OT: Special effects in the Phantom Menace
Date: 7 Jun 1999 23:14:42
Message: <375c810b.149552807@news.povray.org>
On Mon, 7 Jun 1999 16:10:29 -0500, "Ed Kaiser"
<eka### [at] camdentdsnet> wrote:

>I thought it was kind of funny how with CG all the aliens have hairless
>reptile skin now.

  ILM went with what they are good at, having practiced in "Jurassic
Park".

  There were those beasts of burden in SW:TPM. Remember the scene just
before the pod race began, when that Jar Jar guy caught a whiff of
that beast 'breaking wind'? That creature looked to have really,
really fine textured hair, like peach fuzz. I think it might have been
a rendering trick, rather than individually rendered hair but that's
just my opinion.

  On June 15th, the Fox network will present "Star Wars to Star Wars",
a history of ILM from its modest (not Modesto!) beginnings to today's
driving special effects force (ha!) in the industry. Narrated by
Samuel L. Jackson.

-- 
Alan
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From: Lance Birch
Subject: Re: Semi-OT: Special effects in the Phantom Menace
Date: 7 Jun 1999 23:53:34
Message: <375c93be@netplex.aussie.org>
Yeah, now I remember.  ILM have created several "atmospheric fur" shaders...
they work just like atmosphere (or media, whatever you like to call it...)
based on object distance.  There is a plug-in for MAX which does the same
thing and it's called "Fur" (how appropriate eh?  :)

Looks really good...

Anyway, unfortunately in Australia we don't get the wonder America channels
hehe  Oh well... :)

--
Lance.


---
For the latest 3D Studio MAX plug-ins, images and much more, go to:
The Zone - http://come.to/the.zone
For a totally different experience, visit my Chroma Key Website:
Colorblind - http://listen.to/colorblind

Alan Kong wrote in message <375c810b.149552807@news.povray.org>...
>On Mon, 7 Jun 1999 16:10:29 -0500, "Ed Kaiser"
><eka### [at] camdentdsnet> wrote:
>
>>I thought it was kind of funny how with CG all the aliens have hairless
>>reptile skin now.
>
>  ILM went with what they are good at, having practiced in "Jurassic
>Park".
>
>  There were those beasts of burden in SW:TPM. Remember the scene just
>before the pod race began, when that Jar Jar guy caught a whiff of
>that beast 'breaking wind'? That creature looked to have really,
>really fine textured hair, like peach fuzz. I think it might have been
>a rendering trick, rather than individually rendered hair but that's
>just my opinion.
>
>  On June 15th, the Fox network will present "Star Wars to Star Wars",
>a history of ILM from its modest (not Modesto!) beginnings to today's
>driving special effects force (ha!) in the industry. Narrated by
>Samuel L. Jackson.
>
>--
>Alan
>--------------------------------------------------------------------
>http://www.povray.org - Home of the Persistence of Vision Ray Tracer
>news.povray.org - where POV-Ray enthusiasts from around the world
>                - get together to exchange ideas and experiences
>--------------------------------------------------------------------


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