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Firefly F/X Led To Galactica
Sci Fi Wire ^ | 01/09/06

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.


TOPICS: TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: battlestargalactica; beamme2chatscotty; firefly; scifi; serenity; shouldbebreakingnews
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To: Post-Neolithic

Is that really River under about an inch of makeup? ;)


41 posted on 01/09/2006 4:36:15 PM PST by Mr. Jeeves ("When the government is invasive, the people are wanting." -- Tao Te Ching)
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To: Post-Neolithic; KevinDavis
Nothing like a Sci-Fi babe to start the day.

Yep! That's pretty much an ultimate weapon!

42 posted on 01/09/2006 4:36:24 PM PST by tarheelswamprat
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To: tarheelswamprat; All

I think that Universal really did not want to produce the movie.. Know why, the message was about Freedom, how evil big governments could be.


43 posted on 01/09/2006 4:36:44 PM PST by KevinDavis (http://www.cafepress.com/spacefuture)
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To: Hodar
I think Joss wants to make two more Serenity movies instead of work on a series. Works for me! I love both "Firefly" and Serenity!
44 posted on 01/09/2006 4:37:00 PM PST by SuziQ
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To: Mr. Jeeves; All

Yep....


45 posted on 01/09/2006 4:37:11 PM PST by KevinDavis (http://www.cafepress.com/spacefuture)
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To: buccaneer81
Add Quark and you've got an even number.

I remember Quark. But I'm not sure why. ;)

46 posted on 01/09/2006 4:37:31 PM PST by Mr. Jeeves ("When the government is invasive, the people are wanting." -- Tao Te Ching)
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To: happydogx2

When they're speaking Chinese, it means they're cursing. They decided to do that instead of fooling with censors or bleeps. I think it's hilarious!


47 posted on 01/09/2006 4:38:09 PM PST by SuziQ
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To: Hodar
However, your link had no quotes from Josh Whedon

Whedon (or at least someone claiming to be him) posted on that thread.

I would LOVE to see Firefly get picked up. It's much better than any other Sci-Fi series I have seen in a quite a while. It has humor, and it has soul; the character development is first rate.

Absolutely, and its philosophy is solidly conservative/libertarian. If Apple were smart they'd get Whedon to continue new Firefly seaons as iTunes exclusives.

48 posted on 01/09/2006 4:39:17 PM PST by ThinkDifferent (I am a leaf on the wind)
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To: ThinkDifferent; All

Man watching Battlestar Galatica and Firefly on a iPod, that would be neat...


49 posted on 01/09/2006 4:40:45 PM PST by KevinDavis (http://www.cafepress.com/spacefuture)
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To: ThinkDifferent; All

Man watching Battlestar Galatica and Firefly on a iPod, that would be neat...


50 posted on 01/09/2006 4:40:49 PM PST by KevinDavis (http://www.cafepress.com/spacefuture)
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To: SuziQ
When they're speaking Chinese, it means they're cursing. They decided to do that instead of fooling with censors or bleeps. I think it's hilarious!

Or worse...inventing a fake "F-Word".

/Frelling
//Frakking

51 posted on 01/09/2006 4:40:49 PM PST by Wormwood (Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!)
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To: Mr. Jeeves
Is that really River under about an inch of makeup?

Wow. And Jewel Staite is almost unrecognizable in some of her glamour shots. I prefer the Kaylee look myself.

52 posted on 01/09/2006 4:41:19 PM PST by ThinkDifferent (I am a leaf on the wind)
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To: KevinDavis

ON!!!


53 posted on 01/09/2006 4:42:51 PM PST by PISANO (We will not tire......We will not falter.......We will NOT FAIL!!! .........GW Bush [Oct 2001])
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To: ThinkDifferent; All

I liked Kaylee.. Anyone who keep a ship like Firefly together and yet still look good is my type of gal...


54 posted on 01/09/2006 4:43:03 PM PST by KevinDavis (http://www.cafepress.com/spacefuture)
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To: KevinDavis
I think that Universal really did not want to produce the movie.. Know why, the message was about Freedom, how evil big governments could be.

I had similar thoughts as yours. Of course, articulating such hypotheses is an invitation to ridicule (from many quarters). Doesn't faze me, however. /grin

55 posted on 01/09/2006 4:50:56 PM PST by tarheelswamprat
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To: tarheelswamprat; All

Same here...


56 posted on 01/09/2006 4:52:30 PM PST by KevinDavis (http://www.cafepress.com/spacefuture)
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To: tarheelswamprat
I find it amazing to look at Amazon's Top selling DVD's (updated HOURLY). Check here for the top Sci-Fi movies; where we see Serenity at #1 and Firefly at #2. These are truly kicking box-office butt; as War of the Worlds is at 17, LOTR is at 8 and LOST is at 6.

Looking at All Categories these are sitting at #3 and #4. Not too shabby for being released nearly a month ago.

57 posted on 01/09/2006 4:52:45 PM PST by Hodar (With Rights, come Responsibilities. Don't assume one, without assuming the other.)
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To: KevinDavis

Guess I'm the only one not totally entralled with Firefly. BSG does rock though.


58 posted on 01/09/2006 4:54:22 PM PST by Sybeck1 (The Washington Redskins- the Cinderella team of 2005)
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To: KevinDavis

Guess I'm the only one not totally entralled with Firefly. BSG does rock though.


59 posted on 01/09/2006 4:54:23 PM PST by Sybeck1 (The Washington Redskins- the Cinderella team of 2005)
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To: KevinDavis
Man watching Battlestar Galatica and Firefly on a iPod, that would be neat...

I've already got all the Firefly episodes and Serenity on my iPod. It is neat. ;)

60 posted on 01/09/2006 4:54:23 PM PST by Mr. Jeeves ("When the government is invasive, the people are wanting." -- Tao Te Ching)
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