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Welcome
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Roderick Vonhögen's
Virtual Edition
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| December 2004 |
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Big models, even BIGGER sets !
27th December 2004 |
| As a well-timed Christmas present, the 13th 'Making Of' webdoc was released on the 23rd of december. This one reveals to us the fascinating involvement of the miniature sets fabricated by ILM, that will be digitally composited with the live action and other visual effects. |
| Building highly detailed scale models and convincingly lighting and filming them was the benchmark that put ILM ahead of its competitors, thereby earning its respect since 1975. And here, with Episode III : Revenge of the Sith, the task of creating new worlds is no exception. Since Lucas' imagination is calling for a wide range of exotic locales - both glimpses of worlds torn apart by the Clone Wars, as well as sites of destined import - it was felt that engineering such landscapes as a 'controlled' miniature would be far more effective that trying to 'tweak' a real-world location. |
| Utapau, a world coined back in '73, appears to be a grassy, windy planet, with massive sinkholes in its surface crust. Here will be found vast cities, burrowed into the walls of the chasms. Kashyyyk, the Wookiee world, is a forested setting, though our particular stop will be a lagoon-side tree-city ; think Ewok Village on a much greater scale, with a fair amount of technology placed harmoniously within the arboretum ! And for Mustafar, the mythic, fateful, hoped-for location of the epic duel between Anakin Skywalker and his Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, perches atop lava fields and fiery geysers ! |
| These fanciful worlds, and more, have been recreated as scaled models rich in detail. Married to the studio shoot, Episode III will come alive, and the final installment of Anakin Skywalker's life will be revealed.... :o) |
| Nathaniel Reed, 27th December 2004 |
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Return of the Wookiees !
7th December 2004 |
| The twelfth 'Making Of' webdoc was released on the 1st of december, and this time the camera focused on the Wookiees of Kashyyyk ! |
| Not only (re-)introducing Chewbacca - at a sprightly young age of 170 years ! - we get to see more of his comrades in arms, including General Tarfful. Both Lucas and Animation Supervisor Rob Coleman work to bring alive the mighty Wookiees, fashioned in fur by Lou Elsey's fabrication team. Meanwhile, VFX director, John Knoll, leads the digital and miniature photography of the lagoon-side village on the arboreal world. And Lou's partner, Dave, oversaw the creation of the new suits, as well as the advanced subtle animatronics hidden in the face masks. |
| Peter Mayhew - the Chewie veteran actor - once again confirms that his body language in movement and posture is essential in creating the famous Wook' that we all know and love. And he also gives some interesting personal insight into what he feels the raison d'etre of the Wookiee is, namely not to expect angry brute force, but rather receive gentle loyalty and empathy. |
| We've been discussing the webdoc and all things Wookiee in the forums here. |
| And the Official Site has quietly updated it's Revenge of the Sith casting page with confirmation that Rohan Nichol is to play Captain Antilles. One wonders whether rebel vet' Wedge Antilles will be related to him, and whether or not the captain will be adopting two certain pedantic and stubborn droids we know so well ......... ;o) |
| Nathaniel Reed, 7th December 2004 |
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