Friday, November 04, 2011
10 Minutes of Hobbit-y Goodness
Topless Robot: Peter Jackson's fourth video blog for The Hobbit came out, and holy hell is it a joy. First of all, it's 10 minutes of behind the scenes goodness, and so you get to see Martin Freeman as Bilbo, Ian McKellan as Gandalf, all the dwarves, some Mirkwood, all sorts of stuff. Then there's the video's ostensible theme, which is 3-D. I know most of us are sick of 3-D, and I don't know that this will change your mind, but it is fascinating to discover how insane the shooting process is.
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I am personally sick to death of 3-D. I dont think that it helps immerse you in the movie more, but I can see how as a creative team or a director it would be really fun to play with it. But I agree with the author that this video is really cool. Like that they have to use a mirror to get the shot of the lenses close enough together. It is also great to see the actors behind the scenes and them making this movie. The stunts were really cool to see happen. I cant believe how many cameras there are, and I love that they are all named after people that the crew knows, or the Beatles. I like to see how the over saturated the one forest even though in the movie we'll only see a little, thats like so much that we do in theatre. So much work for one scene, or one piece of one scene. This blog was really great and I cannot wait for the movie. Also Gandalf wearing 3-D glasses is pretty funny.
Like Sonia said, I'm pretty over 3-D. But this blog gave me the impression that the creators of The Hobbit are doing something special and not just using 3-D technology for the sake of using it. What I really found fascinating here is the way that every department had to adapt certain aspects of their craft for the 3-D film. I never thought that the set might need to be painted in neon colors or that the wardrobe people would have to be so careful about the details of their fabrics. I'm sure that these types of adaptations are exciting and fun for the creative team and crew, especially those who have been in the business for a long time and are now able to change things up. I never knew that most films were shot with a speed of 24-frames-per-second when our eyes can see 60-frames-per-second. I can't wait to see this 48-frames-per-second film to see how much of a difference this change in speed actually makes. I'm just really excited that these film-makers are making a 3-D movie that will actually look more real than other films (and not just seem obnoxious like many 3-D versions of films).
I am also quite sick of 3D movies, yet I wont deny that sometimes it is used effectively. Avatar for example really stands out in my mind as being a purposeful use of 3D. It helped immerse the audience in the fantastic world very different from our own that the film created. This video blog really made me excited about The Hobbit because it addressed the amount of care that the designers and filmmakers are taking to make the 3D effects in this movie a one-of-a-kind experience. They are doing everything from adjusting the colors in the set and makeup to choosing cloth that will look realistic under 48 frames/second. It seems as if they have decided to use 3D not simply as an afterthought and “because they can” but rather because it will add something substantial to the film.
This whole concept of making 3D a major part of the design of the film (rather than just an afterthought) raises another issue. If the 3D effect is necessary to fully experience the film, then isn’t it necessary to actually see it in theatres? Perhaps this technology is working to bring the film audience back to the cinema and away from their home televisions by offering something that cannot be experienced at home.
This is amazing. When they would show something new my mouth would drop. The Red cameras that they are using are so small compared to 5-10 years ago and when they say that the 3d cameras are bulky and hard to use they are somewhat right but they are not all that big when compared to film cameras. That fact that they are shooting in all digital is amazing. I can imagine the amount of storage that they have in total for all of the footage. I wonder how many copies they have in how many different places? The fact that they can change from 3d or not live and fade between live gives many options and I really want to follow this more once they release more video.
I feel like 3D is one of the less beneficial innovations that film has seen in the last decade. Of all the 3D films I have seen, I felt that maybe two of them gained something valuable from the medium. However, if anyone can make this work for a movie without taking away the cinematic value, it's Peter Jackson. The fact that they are approaching the concept art and every facet of the production in a way to make 3D more useful is a good sign. Maybe this will be groundbreaking, the last LoTRs were.
While I am not the biggest fan of 3-D, that doesn't matter. I am so excited and glad that the creative team of The Hobbit have been filming the behind the scenes work. I have been following their production blog since it started, and have been watching their videos everytime they post a new one. I am so thrilled that they are taking the time to give back to those interested in the film. I love watching all of the segments, and I'm sure many others do as well. Not only does it seem that Peter Jackson and his team are making another quality set of films, but they are taking time to really be invested in what they are doing.
In addition, the challenges that 3-D presents in terms of filming are astounding. I never would've thought that shifts in make-up and fabric choice would be necessary to accommodate 3-D.
We've all heard about the RED cameras and the possibility of using them in 3D (although it's funny that it requires the mirror rig that RED didn't mention in its initial marketing materials), but I'd never seen people rendering concept art by hand twice: once in blue and once in red with minor differences.
They also emphasized the frame rate over the 3D, and it's new to hear from a costume designer's perspective about how the technology affects her job.
We've all heard about the RED cameras and the possibility of using them in 3D (although it's funny that it requires the mirror rig that RED didn't mention in its initial marketing materials), but I'd never seen people rendering concept art by hand twice: once in blue and once in red with minor differences.
They also emphasized the frame rate over the 3D, and it's new to hear from a costume designer's perspective about how the technology affects her job.
3-D does not enhance the movie going experience rather has a tendency to make it very uncomfortable and tends to detract from the overall experience, yet filmmaker have yet to realize this. This is a beautiful set and beautiful work is being put into this production. ignoring 3D they are doing amazing work on this film and it excites me as it is what I really find to be exciting about filmmaking and why i find film a fascinating medium. the work behind the camera is amazing.
I think If I were studying film or cinematography, I would love 3D a whole lot more. But I am just not a huge fan of 3D movies- I just don't enjoy a movie more because it is in 3D as opposed to the same movie seen "regular". That being said, the video did help me understand why it is such an magnificent thing to be able to shoot film in 3D, and I appreciate they took the time to explain how the components work, like how adjusting that convergence point as someone walks towards a camera will amplify how they pop from the screen.
Storytelling has undergone major changes as technology improves and film has allowed us to bring things to life that may not have played on radio. Personally I think that the film and television industry has gotten away from storytelling and the technology is to blame. As we add complexity to the filming process much like the complexity of Broadway shows the quality of the acting suffers. I think that the major issue is that the public is asking for a removal of the storytelling elements by supporting reality TV and Michael Bay. Shows that are visually stunning and/or lack any need to think are now poised to overtake the well written shows in the ratings and will cause the death of storytelling among us.
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