Forced perspective giant robot..

micdavis said:
Very nice for a 10 second clip.

Let's see a 20 minute battle between robots before we start declaring how much better this is than CGI, okay folks.
Click to expand...

Well Mic you don't have to be so blunt...

I agree, that it's A VERY cool effect, but like all effects it has it's limits vs cost vs time, it's simply one very effective tool for certain things...

And CGI is another very effective tool for certain things, the problem is that CGI can be done CHEAP and thus has become the $ for $ go to for EVERYTHING and like all 'Swiss Army Multi-Gadget' tools it doesn't always work well in all applications...

As always I refer people to Jurassic Park, a vintage 'CGI effects' movie that simply applied the CGI well and blended it well with several other traditional effects into a work of movie work of art...

Fact is CGI does several things very well, but it's not yet the everything tool it's being used as... And yes I said 'yet' as I have zero doubt that it will someday become a visually seamless do everything tool...

And playskool2000 you never cease to amaze me with your work in all aspects...
 
I was pretty impressed with it. As a demonstration piece of course!
I actually sat here wondering how the hell they got the shadows and reflections on the FULL SIZE CAR surfaces........i know better now.

OK Ryan, now let's see you pull off the Geonosis arena battle with 3 forced perspective monsters!

Rich
 
clancampbell said:
I actually sat here wondering how the hell they got the shadows and reflections on the FULL SIZE CAR surfaces........i know better now.
Click to expand...

Funny you mention that as my eye was drawn to the same shadows and reflections, and that really sold the effect...
 
We need more tutorials like this, especially on doing model miniature effects like this.

And you say that Jeep is the old 1960s G.I. Joe toy jeep? Don't get me wrong, I like what you did with it, but I'm sure there had to be alternatives (I know that Dragon Models did a 1/6 scale Willy Jeep in the same scale for 12 inch figures) that could have allowed for modification and not depreciate the value of such a collectable item.
 
Last edited:
No it wasn't a 1960's GI Joe Jeep. It was a re-issue from the late 90's (although re-issue is a poor choice of words since it looked nothing like the original toy). The 60's jeeps aren't accurate at all. And if you read my post carefully, you'd see that the Dragon jeep came out AFTER I did this. That was what was so heartbreaking.

CB2001 said:
We need more tutorials like this, especially on doing model miniature effects like this.

And you say that Jeep is the old 1960s G.I. Joe toy jeep? Don't get me wrong, I like what you did with it, but I'm sure there had to be alternatives (I know that Dragon Models did a 1/6 scale Willy Jeep in the same scale for 12 inch figures) that could have allowed for modification and not depreciate the value of such a collectable item.
Click to expand...
 
I think CGI gets a bad rap because, like any art form, it's dominated by mediocrity. The majority of movies have pretty lackluster writing, acting, and photography. They can't all be gems. The special effects are no different. Some films are masterful with their CGI (District 9), others aren't (I Am Legend). Even with optical effects, physical models, and puppets, there are great examples and REALLY cheesy examples. And I think the cheesy stuff far outweighs the good stuff. That's just how it is.
 
playskool2000 said:
No it wasn't a 1960's GI Joe Jeep. It was a re-issue from the late 90's (although re-issue is a poor choice of words since it looked nothing like the original toy). The 60's jeeps aren't accurate at all. And if you read my post carefully, you'd see that the Dragon jeep came out AFTER I did this. That was what was so heartbreaking.
Click to expand...

Sorry about that. Using the "re-issue" is understandable. It's just my dad has been gathering up a lot of the 1960s G.I. Joe stuff because of them being collectables and all, and told me about how he had the Jeep when he was a kid. I apologize if I came off at all rude, I swear it wasn't my intention to. When you said you used a G.I. Joe jeep, I didn't realize that a re-issue was done on it and though you used one of the originals. I was in shock about that. And I also didn't know the Dragon Jeep came out after you did the modifications. Again, I'm sorry if I came off at all rude, or even blunt.

But, yeah, I do think you should cover a lot more on the forced perspective shots. Like I said before, there's not much covering forced perspective (there's not even enough covering on how to pulling off the old school model miniature effect shots like that used in many films prior to the introduction of photorealistic CG).
 
Oh Ye of little faith, it could be done and you of all people should know that! :lol

micdavis said:
Let's see a 20 minute battle between robots before we start declaring how much better this is than CGI, okay folks.
Click to expand...
 
Fun stuff!

It's so great that people all over now have access to this fairly decent camera equipment and the internet!
Think of what we'll see in another decade!
 
Ryan, curious to how you kept the background and foreground in focus being so close to your models. Seems your depth of field would be very limited. Did you use a special filter?
 
No special filter. Just lots of light and a wide lens stopped down as far as possible. You get quite a bit of DOF that way. It's okay if the background is SLIGHTLY out of focus. It doesn't spoil the illusion entirely. But the more everything is in focus, the better.

DarkHelmet said:
Ryan, curious to how you kept the background and foreground in focus being so close to your models. Seems your depth of field would be very limited. Did you use a special filter?
Click to expand...
 
niennumb1 said:
Wow that guy can take some amazing pictures! You'd think he'd take them with a better camera.... Weird....
Click to expand...

Not weird at all, actually. It's like filmmaking: it doesn't matter on what kind of equipment you have, it's about the story you're trying to tell.

The same is true with Mark Hogencamp and his Marwencol pictures.
 
It's really weird: I was browsing YouTube and found those films, came over to the RPF and those very ones were being discussed!

Ryan: what equipment are you using? (This is my slick way of not showing my ignorance as to whether it's film or digital).

And to add what was said earlier: until I read it here, I had *no idea* that blue car was a model! I was wondering how you were able to add shadow effects, yet say nothing was cgi! :lol
 
I shot that video with a Panasonic HVX200 (It was digital video). I no longer have that camera, but it was one of the first "prosumer" 24P HD cameras that shot on solid state media.
 
Thanks! I have an old Canon digital around here somewhere; maybe it's time to dig it out and play!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

teslabe
Giving my quadruped robot some personality
Replies
4
Views
619
edge10
edge10
GEEK1138
SMASH ROBOTS
Replies
0
Views
367
GEEK1138
GEEK1138
Bloop
Found a website for digital FX & animation in movies & tv (Before & Afters)
Replies
1
Views
217
modelcitizen
modelcitizen
Clerval
TNG Spacedock Shuttle Drone parts hunt
2 3
Replies
57
Views
3,730
Mark2000
Mark2000
Edged
  • Sale
$1,276 Hero Prop store credit (READ)
Replies
4
Views
885
Knightmare
Knightmare
Back
Top