posted
Inside the National Geographic magazine for May 2001, there is a two page ad for the upcoming film "Pearl Harbor". If I had a functional scanner, I would scan the ad.
I think this is one of the clearest examples of the limitatations of the current SFX-CGI (Computer Generated Imagery).
The scene is this- We are at a baseball diamond at a military base. Children were playing baseball when they look up and see Japanese planes flying overhead. By overhead, I mean these planes are flying just above the fence line, approximately 15 or 20 feet above the ground.
I think the problem with this image is that there is a sharp contrast between the live elements-the people, the baseball field, the fence-and the CGI effects-the planes, the base, which is seen in the background. The CGI is out of focus, two dimensional, and the lighting is out of synch. This is can be seen in the boy who stands in the foreground, left of center- and the lead plane-right of center.
Further complicating the issue is the flight paths of some of these planes. There is one plane southwest of the lead plane mentioned above which seems to be flying into the fence.
I feel that the creators of the ad took elements of two separate scenes-the baseball game and the planes in flight-and cut and paste them into a scene of improbablity.
If someone can scan this image, I would be grateful. I would like to hear other peoples opinions on this topic.
posted
I'm really looking forward to seeing this movie. Michael Bay is, without doubt, the most visual director out there today. Compare, for example, Bad Boys, Rock, Armageddon with any of Kevin Smith's films: you can just SEE the difference ...
Bay'll have thirteen different cuts of one scene, and Kevin'll just have one wide shot ...
I'm sure the CGI mishap on the ad was just a mishap on the ad: seeing the Pearl Harbor trailer in theatres (on repeated occasions), I didn't really notice any obvious glitches with the CGI. And looking at the massive amounts of CGI in both The Rock and Armageddon, I really couldn't see any errors in either of those films, either.
------------------ Star Trek Gamma Quadrant Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted) *** "Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!" -Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001 *** Card-Carrying Member of the FlareAPAO *** "I think this reason why girls don't do well on multiple choice tests goes all the way back to the Bible, all the way back to Genesis, Adam and Eve. God said, 'All right, Eve, multiple choice or multiple orgasms, what's it going to be?' We all know what was chosen" - Rush Limbaugh, Feb. 23, 1994.
posted
I don't think contrasting the work of Michael Bay with that of Kevin Smith is realistic. They do different kinds of films! Might as well compare him to Woody Allen or Ingmar fucking Bergman, for Christ's sake. . .
posted
Granted. Except, Smith has been attached to some action films in the past -- anyone remember Death of Superman? And, while they haven't gotten off the ground, it's very conceivable that he will soon be at the helm of an action flick ...
Okay -- Bay with Frakes? Totally different styles. Bay is very much a visual kinda guy -- I don't think any cut lasts longer than a few seconds. I think he sets up 7 to 8 camera for each scene so he can play around with it quite a bit. You've got angles up, down, across ... quick cuts, pans ... rarely does Bay set up a wide shot, and when he does, he usually does something with it -- a pan across or up, a moving shot, etcetra ...
------------------ Star Trek Gamma Quadrant Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted) *** "Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!" -Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001 *** Card-Carrying Member of the FlareAPAO *** "I think this reason why girls don't do well on multiple choice tests goes all the way back to the Bible, all the way back to Genesis, Adam and Eve. God said, 'All right, Eve, multiple choice or multiple orgasms, what's it going to be?' We all know what was chosen" - Rush Limbaugh, Feb. 23, 1994.
[This message has been edited by JeffKardde (edited May 10, 2001).]
posted
What massive amounts of CGI in The Rock? A bit of missile launching, and Tony Todd off on a spin was about all that I remember.
Although the scene where Cage came out of the church did look a little suspect...
------------------ At that point, McDonald fired his gun three times in the air to emphasize his point. The crowd, estimated at 350,000, loudly cheered the new candidate.
"Let me make this clear: I am the law! I am your ruler! And you will have fries with that, motherf*cker!"
posted
Perhaps I overstated things ... but the F-18 flyover and bombing of Alcatraz was all CGI. The Trolley explosion during the chase was a mix of CGI and real effects. See how good it was ... ? You didn't even realize it!
------------------ Star Trek Gamma Quadrant Average Rated 8.32 out of 10 Smileys by Fabrux (with seven eps posted) *** "Oh, yes, screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!" -Omega 11:48am, Jan. 19th, 2001 *** Card-Carrying Member of the FlareAPAO *** "I think this reason why girls don't do well on multiple choice tests goes all the way back to the Bible, all the way back to Genesis, Adam and Eve. God said, 'All right, Eve, multiple choice or multiple orgasms, what's it going to be?' We all know what was chosen" - Rush Limbaugh, Feb. 23, 1994.
posted
Of course, the main problem with CGI is that it can't count: the flight of F/A-18's kept changing size in The Rock! The again, are humans that much more reliable...?
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted
I haven't seen the ad in question. I've seen some trailors on TV and it looks good.
IIRC the Japanese planes would been close to the ground since they approached Oahu through a mountain pass. Probably to avoid radar. I use to live in Hawaii and since been interested in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
------------------ "Let me ask you something, Mr. Garibaldi, a purely philosophical question. On a scale of 1 to 10, how stupid do you think I am anyway?" - Bester Federation Starship Datalink: Brand new look, fresh minty scent, same great taste!