Posted on 01/09/2006 3:47:37 PM PST by KevinDavis
Loni Peristere, visual-effects supervisor on the SF movie Serenity, told SCI FI Wire that the movie's computer-generated visual effects mimicked hand-held camera moves and realistic lens effects, which also directly influenced the F/X on SCI FI Channel's original series Battlestar Galactica.
When Galactica creator Ronald D. Moore and visual-effects supervisor Gary Hutzel saw the visual effects that had been pioneered for director Joss Whedon and Serenity's predecessor TV show, Firefly, they came to Peristere. They told him "that's the way it should be photographed, and please bring those rules to Galactica," Peristere said in an interview. "That is the way this should be shot. And now Galactica has taken on its own set of rules. But it started with appreciation for Firefly and appreciation for work Joss had begun." (Serenity is now available on DVD.)
In Serenity, digital animation of the title spaceship taking off in the rain included raindrops on the camera lens. "When you have a massive ship lifting off, it would be hard for the cameraman to keep the lens clean," said Peristere, who worked with Whedon on both the TV show and movie. "We proposed this as a style to Joss, where the animation would have mounted cameras, depth of field, zoom lenses, all in CG, and he's like, 'Well, yeah, my whole movie is a documentary. Find the story in the camera design.' And we went with it."
Peristere's team from his Zoic Studios created Firefly/Serenity's jerky digital style, which differs from the static style of 2001: A Space Odyssey and the more fluid F/X of the Star Wars films. The style adds a sense of realism, as if things were shot by real people and not created in computers. "It seemed sort of silly to not apply the cinematic language to digital photography as well," Peristere said.
As an example, in Serenity's climactic battle scene, visual-effects designers worked as if they had three camera operators following the title ship. "Our job from an animation standpoint was to create an action that moves through the battle, rather than participating in the battle," Peristere said. "Our pilot is chasing Serenity and has to keep Serenity in frame, even though large chunks of debris and fire is coming toward him." The new Serenity DVD includes features on the creation of the movie's visual effects.
I have my 14 episodes.
Such a shame. It really was a very good series. Far better than any Star Trek, IMHO.
This is, unless you have the box set. I'm in the process "converting" more of my friends this week. Serenity got them curious.
I'm not sure what you're saying. Are you reporting that there won't be a sequel to the movie "Serenity"? Are you saying you're sure no TV network will pick up the series in the future?
Too Bad! Firefly would be a great show for the SciFi channel
if they could bring it back with new episodes.
A Firefly-class ship is also visible in the BG miniseries.
I think the series was better -- if they like the movie, I think they'll love the series.
I think you're right. It's a brief glimpse when Laura Roslin (Mary McDonnell) is sitting in the office of her doctor, right?
And this is a shame. One wonders if Fox and the Sci-Fi channel have an allergy to money. Star Wars has done well as a franchise, making over $23 so far; I believe. Star Trek has made nearly $50. The Stargate series made a few dollars too, and even movies tend to do all right.
So, they get a creative series, with intriguing characters; they shoot a series than change the time the series is shown on Fox 3 times. Sci-Fi picks up the series and not only do they change the time for the first season 4 times; they play the season OUT OF ORDER.
Then we have a movie, that not only was barely advertized, it still made more than $25 Million. That's not too bad for a movie with a near zero advertizing budget, and a cast of unknowns. Amazon has Firefly as the #2 best selling Sci-Fi movie, with Serenity coming in at #1. Yes, both are beating Star Wars.
Yup. You can see it out the big picture-windows.
Alas, Slashdot carried an interview in which Josh Whedon said that he was pulling the plug on Firefly.
Sad, and this announcement came out the day Serenity went to DVD. I think this is a mistake.
Ping
I was more excited about Serenity than I was about the Star Wars Ep III...
I hadn't heard that. But since the movie wasn't exactly a huge financial windfall, I guess that's no surprise.
Missed seeing the series when it was on television. Rented the movie. Rented the series. Bought the series. Bought the movie. Shiny.
Episodes I through III do not exist. All rumors to the contrary are malicious lies.
There are only three Star Wars films. There have only ever been three Star Wars films.
/and Jedi is kinda iffy as well.
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