Gene Ruda encouraged us to check out the website for Telestructure Conference with exhibitions by the companies bringing digital services [cable] to the North Bay.

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Medley of Movie Magic

He saw Star Wars [1977] when he was four years old, and has grown up watching the magic of ILM, founded in 1975, through the years. Next we were treated to a video collage of clips from all the best Science Fiction and Fantasy Films as the last twenty years flew by on the screen. I caught a few favorites as Marcus encouraged the Peanut Gallery to join him for a stroll down memory lane.

Giant dinosaurs chased frightened children through a kitchen in Jurassic Park. Tie Fighters swooped down on the Deathstar from the original Star Wars as we remembered holding our breath while Luke "Trusted his feelings and felt the Force". Landrovers sped over the Endor Moon landscape from Return of the Jedi. Jim Carrey's face transformed into the fabulous, green Mask. Many ooh's from the Peanut Gallery as an impressive leader of the Borg, or at least the top half of her, descended from the ceiling in Star Trek First Contact. Casper came alive with his ghost friends. Bob Hoskins played against a most believable co-star who happened to be the animated title character in Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Animation history is captured in this film starring animated characters from the 1930's [Betty Boop] through original characters of this oscar-winner. Writers from rival studios put down their swords and took up pens [to draw and also to sign a lot of contracts] to give us a chance to see Disney's dancing hippos and ostriches from Fantasia in a crowded scene backstage with Dumbo flying over the heads of Warner Brothers Looney Toons cast including Tweety and Sylvester and who can forget the piano show-down between Donald and Daffy Duck, all able to act with real actors thanks to the magic of ILM!

Little Green Aliens from Mars Attacks blew up Congress. Elliot took to the skies on his bicycle with ET in his front basket. Robin Williams took to the skies as Peter Pan, while Dustin Hoffman was being crushed by an enormous crocodile courtesy of the ILM wizards. More oohs from the Peanut Gallery as water transformed itself into the likeness of a woman's face as alien meets scientist in The Abyss. Music swelled as heartbeats increased watching Indiana Jones clutching a boxcar whooshing through mine tunnels below the Temple of Doom.

Marcus pointed out that we were watching an original creation of Lucas Films called Morphing, as we watched Terminator 2 appear to melt into silver liquid and restore himself to return to live actor in motion, thanks to more award-winning ILM magic.

Marcus proclaimed proudly "We make the best effects that can be made at this time!"

Marcus reminded us that he loves working there at ILM, and although known mostly for being an innovator of computer graphics, they also have a great Creature House! With about a thousand employees they mainly specialize in taking animation and blending with 35mm film live action, so it looks like dinosaurs are really chasing people through kitchens!

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Two years ago, Marcus explained, the Electric Car [EV1 pictured above] was introduced, and we were treated to a background story of how ILM Commercial Productions did the special effects bringing all the appliances to life, as we watched lamps and toasters pull themselves out of their wall-sockets to gather en masse around the fabulous new EV1, the world's first Electric Car.

The Commercial Productions staff is comprised of about 23-25 artists, as Marcus explained. A full Production staff of 4 or 5 directors, an Art and a Storyboard department. Many times they get to help do the special F/X in films, but Commercial Productions gets to use their own animators and models.

He started two years ago as Technical Director in a division of ILM that only accounts for 10 percent of the whole company, yet generates a quarter of the revenue!

He went on to explain that with only 23 artists, they have to pick up the ball and run with it. With 11 or 12 animators and 11 or 12 modelers, if a job requires 11 or 12 modelers and the next job also requires 11 or 12 modelers, then the artists get to put on their modeler hats [to good laugh from the Peanut Gallery].

It is a misconception, Marcus clarified for us, that only one guy bangs it all out. This is a new concept to school grads, he explained, because they usually have to work alone, and think SoftImage is the top of the line, where they are the sole animator and director. Everything including painting, lighting, they [ILM] have a real staff to fill in the pieces of the puzzle.

The process he outlined to us, starts with hearing about a job, bidding against the competition, then you get the job, Woohoo! he exclaimed [to delighted laughter as the Peanut Gallery was swept up in his enthusiasm].

Preproduction [Prepro] = Special Effects

Once Prepro is done, you do the background [BG] plates, in a day or two you get the film back, every day they have what he explained as "dailies". Everyone gathers in a dark room he described for us, to watch the work from the day before. He went on to explain, you almost never get it right the first time. The Producer or Director says what's wrong and they do it over. This goes on for about 4 to 6 weeks, unlike 8 to 12 months for features.

We were treated to a back story of the making of the TV commercial for Pontiac's Grand Prix, in which Marcus and his team had to meet the challenge of blending 3D computer graphics with 2D, hand-drawn cells from Warner Brothers. Although the film flew by in only a minute, there were many frames for the storyboard, as Marcus ran through some of the various plates. Element: BG [BackGround], CG Rough Comp, Final BG Element, CGBG Plate, CG Final FG [ForeGround] Element. Each frame produced another layer of beautiful effects starting with the background drawings in true Warner Brothers style, complete with cactus plants and curvy highway. The Grand Prix appeared to twinkle in the sun thanks to more layers of effects, not to mention blending Wile E. Coyote behind the wheel, trying to run down Beepy!

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When asked how long it took, to produce the Grand Prix commercial, Marcus answered approximately 2 months.

As for the size of the drawings, they are 720 x 480 or sometimes 720 x 540.

The scene opened at twilight in a dark, towering, techno-Industrial World [my first reaction, Blade Runner meets Gotham City] as a tall, pale figure passed a carousel of bulls and bears and brass rings, and a gypsy fortune teller in a carnival-from-hell atmosphere as he walked down what turned out to be Market Street, as Marcus explained how they used that background and a camera in the real world, using a Tracking Matte to move and track pixels. Suddenly the figure fell to the ground, and the face cracked and turned to dust as the sunset cast a warm glow on the First Union logo.

They have been using Motion Control Cameras at ILM since the 80's.

Someone asked what they use for 3D modeling? To which, Marcus answered AW, which is Alias Wavefront.

A member of the Peanut Gallery who was paying attention in the beginning, reminded Marcus that he qualified what an Enveloper is Not but had not, as yet, explained what it is. Marcus was happy to inform us that Enveloping is the technical process of wrapping skins of creatures around bones. Wrapping muscles, he further explained, used to be a tedious process but is getting better.

In response to a question of whether he uses Maya, Marcus nodded and confirmed they use Alias Wavefront, 1-2-3 and Maya. Currently testing a nice cloth and particle motion, used for water and dust, he explained.

Many members of the Peanut Gallery were anxious to learn more about how to become an Intern at ILM and get to do this wonderful work!

Marcus gave us the Web address as http://www.ldlhr.com.

You can download an Intern Application Form, but you must currently be a student.

A professional who works with film and a PC, prefaced his question by explaining as a compositor, the film moves in front of the camera but asked how do they blend with digital?

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