tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post7277372389520297630..comments2024-03-18T07:23:32.809-04:00Comments on Gurney Journey: ILM visual effects before 1987James Gurneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01870848001990898499noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-39220265492781749142013-10-14T02:09:42.429-04:002013-10-14T02:09:42.429-04:00Yeah, I obsessed over that book too and eventually...Yeah, I obsessed over that book too and eventually my parents bought it for me for Xmas. It was like $125 in Australia at the time and I never heard of anyone else having it. I eventually worked in VFX, but it wasn't like in the book with all the model making and great illustration. <br />I regret to say I recently sold it to a comic shop for about 10-15 bucks. Depressing, but now days you can find all those images and info and so much more online and you dont have to lug it from one rental property to another.Robin Cavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10353567187150888824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-41952354658610785612013-10-05T04:10:39.181-04:002013-10-05T04:10:39.181-04:00I borrowed that book from the library several time...I borrowed that book from the library several times. I wanted to buy it but it was over $100 as I recall - that's like a gazillion dollars in today's money I think.Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08026511553591079915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-60405007625806408342013-10-04T11:49:16.363-04:002013-10-04T11:49:16.363-04:00The most interesting thing about this to me is the...The most interesting thing about this to me is the bit about recording yourself reading the book on audio cassette. Serves as a nice reminder how hard it was to get a book if the local bookstore didn't carry it before the Internet.Keith Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14579786144772849547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-74985611888283672342013-10-04T10:06:13.824-04:002013-10-04T10:06:13.824-04:00Special Effects aren't so special anymore.Special Effects aren't so special anymore.Joel Fletcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11473257355394926172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-20881288955668501652013-10-03T21:31:09.607-04:002013-10-03T21:31:09.607-04:00I saw this book on the shelf a the Tattered Cover ...I saw this book on the shelf a the Tattered Cover book store in Denver in 1990. I begged my parents for it and they told me it was too expensive ($60 for the hardcover at the time), but that Christmas it was my one and only present and I was ecstatic. I still have it, although it's pretty beat up now it is one of my favorite possessions.Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13285747131172173058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-85566796493140437232013-10-03T16:32:08.886-04:002013-10-03T16:32:08.886-04:00I've worked with a few of these guys you menti...I've worked with a few of these guys you mentioned (at an earlier stage in my life; including one who is a giant pain in the butt but brilliant) and they all had an INCREDIBLY great eye and strong vision. I did a shoot once with Richard Tayl0r from Tr0n, and I was so green at the time, and in utter AWE of the guy (I didn't know who he was at first but there was a small crowd around him during breaks while he told stories). I've worked with quite a few cinematographers (the mellow, the screamers, the incompetent, etc), and was struck by how he (Taylor) knew EXACTLY what he wanted on set; from shot to shot. I don't see that much anymore, and it was amazing. His influence and knowledge of post and being on set just made his vision an incredibly fluid process that he was able to easily communicate. Today I find that there is not much 'talk back' (people on set talk about post like it is magic and people in post talk about on set like it's separate 'they're taking our jobs' etc). These guys at the forefront are absolute PERFECTIONISTS who enjoyed and felt challenged by the problem solving process, and not sloppy with their work; incredibly innovative; they demanded the best of themselves and constantly pushed the limits of the industry. I feel like that is HUGE today.Technology is supposed to make things easier but it's also supposed to inspire; creation comes from us; the human element. A lot of the mentality is 'churn 'em out', which I disdain because I love love love cinema and art with my entire being. <br />Also, thanks for the heads up on the new Star Trek (my head hurts now)!krystalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943824077845596208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-28408753345939084362013-10-03T15:37:09.261-04:002013-10-03T15:37:09.261-04:00Jon, definitely. I saw my job as a fantasy illustr...Jon, definitely. I saw my job as a fantasy illustrator as a sort of amalgam of all the separate jobs in the movie director/ ILM pipeline. And with Dinotopia I was setting out to paint the images that couldn't be done in live action, like cities on waterfalls and people flying on pterosaurs. <br /><br />Michael, I totally agree. It's as if the director is saying "amp up the action!" when they plan the timing in the animatic stage of big creature action scenes. But if there's no understanding of how weight and momentum scales up, the scenes just aren't convincing. James Gurneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870848001990898499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-40688104530641953542013-10-03T13:08:06.145-04:002013-10-03T13:08:06.145-04:00In many ways, that technology from the last centur...In many ways, that technology from the last century worked very well - I remember being wowed by the effects in "Alien" and "Blade Runner." Today, much of the CGI stuff I see in films doesn't quite cut it. For example, many critters - especially large ones - just don't have seem to the mass of a real object. That is, they don't seem to have enough inertia or momentum to move in a totally realistic way. In the LOTR movies, for example, the way the cave trolls move from stop to start to stop again isn't quite right. They move a little too...nimbly. Hard to describe, but you can see it, I think.Michael Chesley Johnson, Artist / Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17003530955203751138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2999230124118604245.post-30717582801832601322013-10-03T11:01:21.735-04:002013-10-03T11:01:21.735-04:00Awesome post! That was ingenious of you to record ...Awesome post! That was ingenious of you to record the entire book on tape. The history of visual effects is such a fascinating field, and I'm always astounded at the creativity and ingenuity of those who figured out how to do amazing things with little or no digital assistance.T. Arispehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03384209171396117798noreply@blogger.com