No question.
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 saw "Serenity" sitting on the shelf at the video store and decided to rent it based on the box. I was very surprised at just how good of a movie it was. Much better than most of the Star Wars flicks that were so overblown and so self important. It was a great flick with great effects, humor, and good plot.
See it.
I really enjoy watching the Firefly series and Serenity movie. I must have been out protesting or something because I missed seeing or hearing about the original series on TV. I do think it is a great story around a believable core group and it was very well done. I would vote for Joss Whedon to keep the series going either on TV or in new movies.
Please ping me to any more discussions about Firefly/Serenity.
P.S.: I think the music from the movie is really good and bought the CD as well.
Of course, it's also possible they did it to suit the horny male geek crowd...
And had to wonder why anyone with any brains at all would ever cancel a show like that.
Fox never gave it a chance. They showed the episodes out of order, kept changing the timeslot and preempted it half the time. Insert Chinese cursing here.
Way ahead of you....
To me Firefly/Serenity is good old fashioned scifi... Good story and good plot line...
I'm begining to think that Network execs are really high school dropouts...
1. star trek: tng
2. star trek: tng
3. star trek: tng
LOL! Amen, brother!
"Firefly" and "Serenity" are the best examples of what storytelling could be if network suits and studio executives gave the viewing public a modicum of credit for intelligence.
Yup, Boomer's changed for the better! LOL And Starbuck? I really like the way she plays it better than Dirk Benedict. I loved the card game in the mini-series wher she clocked Col Tighe. I think that it really works.
Unfortunately, I missed the entire first half of the second season, but the episode this last Friday night was really a stunner!
Mark
No question.
Mrs KevinDavis first hated Firefly, however, she is convinced that it is should have been given a fair chance. She now enjoys the show. She also liked the movie.
imdb.com: "Plot Summary: In the year 1980 the Earth is threatened by an alien race who kidnap and kill humans and use them for body parts..."
Watch out for those EBEs! Heehee...
Unfortunatley, "Firefly's" greatest strength is also its greatest weakness: the show is almost impossible to describe, it just has to be seen. I tried explaining it to my family for months, but until I showed them the show and movie when I came home for Christmas, they didn't seem to get it. Now? They're all converted!
Again, fellow FReepers, if you haven't seen this show, pick it up ASAP. You WON'T be sorry!
That's interesting. Probably most of us from-Day-One Serenity lovers thought the DVD design stunk -- but it worked for you.
Dan
Ugh. Though I admit I was so traumatized by Martin Landau's wife promoting the series on some talk show, that I
couldn't enjoy it.
However, UFO was always interesting.
Looks interesting.
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