BrookeHanson specialfx

Matte Painting: Art in Film Special Effects: 

Matte Painting: Art in Film Special Effects Brooke Hanson The Science of Art CS 99-D Final Presentation Prof Marc Levoy

The Art of Special Effects: 

The Art of Special Effects Picture control= art Manipulation of image George Melies Use of glass panels similar to Brunelleschi’s panels

Use of Glass Panel: 3D and 2D combined with perspective: 

Use of Glass Panel: 3D and 2D combined with perspective Early 1900’s Required painting with emphasis on realism (a Renaissance revival?) Techniques vary: rear projection, front projection, Latent image projection Images from Hitchcock’s The Paradine Case

Hitchcock’s Paradine Case: B/W Matte Paintings: 

Hitchcock’s Paradine Case: B/W Matte Paintings Limited to Zoom or Still shot

More Paradine Case...: 

More Paradine Case...

Latent Image Matte Painting: 

Latent Image Matte Painting A photographic technique of combining two scenes Runs film through twice, once with a portion blacked out and unexposed Used now with stills and paintings Notice the use of bridal veil material on the right to create diffusion and a sense of atmosphere in this filming for An Ewok Adventure

Latent Image, cont.: 

Latent Image, cont. Pros Original stock quality (highest) Matching of hues easy Cons Hard to estimate need footage with live action Mistakes are expensive Latent image projection used with Matte Painting in Return of the Jedi

Rear Projection: 

Rear Projection Movie projector placed behind glass with painting Window covered with frosted plastic Camera films from front

Rear Projection, cont.: 

Rear Projection, cont. Pros Easiest Cons Loss of image quality Least sharp image of all techniques Composite of Completed Rear Projection from Return of the Jedi

Front Projection: 

Front Projection Both camera and projector on same side of glass panel. Scene projected through glass backed with Scotchlite (highly reflective) A partially reflecting mirror is placed between camera and projector at 45 degree angle (to put both in exact same perspective)

Front Projection (cont) : 

Front Projection (cont) Pros Sharper image than rear (with highly reflective screen) Well regulated perspective from exact same point Cons complicated A woman paints a matte on glass for Temple of Doom.

Digital Painting: 

Digital Painting Advantages Ability to move camera No more limitations of pan Ex. In Empire Strikes Back Reflections and moving animations can be combined easily Digital editing is cost efficient and easier

Truman Show:Digital Matte goes 3D: 

Truman Show: Digital Matte goes 3D A “camera”, like those seen in our graphics demos is tracked with the image in the exact motion and perspective of the actual camera.

Titanic: Matte and more: 

Titanic: Matte and more Digital Matte Clouds Digital Animation Water (with reflections) Model Boat Animated People Digital Animation smoke

In Conclusion : 

In Conclusion Many of the same principles used in Renaissance art are at work in the creation of Special Effects The impact of computer graphics is revolutionizing the way movies are made, in bringing a realism of perspective to movement The use of matte paintings and digital matte paintings is still a question of aethetics. When constructed via computer, does the art disappear?

Some Video Clips : 

Some Video Clips Raiders of the Lost Arc (long shot) Paradine Case Truman Show (digital 3D) Empire Strikes Back (bad perspective with a pan) Return of the Jedi (Rear Projection/Latent image matte)