'Oblivion' Front Projection in Hollywood films

[andy lee]

I'm done with Green screen this is the way forward!

its looks so much better - all shot in camera and no post green replacement for months

Mr Cruise seems to like it too!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DCkIuv82Q4&feature=player_embedded

 

 

[Sean Cunningham]

This isn't a new technique.  It can't replace green screen entirely, otherwise it would have done so already.  It's neat though.

 

What's truly impressive is that we have projectors finally bright enough that the effect can be more or less invisible now, not to mention able to contribute to a shooting stop.

[andy lee]

Front projection is an old trick its been used since the 40's it produces a sharper image than rear projection

also used in FX shots alot.... ILM front projected onto Scotchlite on Matte Paintings in Jedi and in the Indy films matte paintings by Michael Pangrazio and Harrison Ellenshaw back in the days of optical printers like THE QUAD.

 

But on this scale it looks amazing! on set huge screens

[Hans Punk]

Bet they hooked up an Xbox when the Cruise was not around.

[Ian Anderson]

That guy's moustache...

[Sean Cunningham]

Bet they hooked up an Xbox when the Cruise was not around.

 

It's a regular practice in facility screening rooms everywhere.  

[Sean Cunningham]

Going to the theater in LA during the 1990s meant you were pretty much always seeing these LA Times promos that almost always featured some kind of visual or special effect, or stunt.  One of the more popular was their featuring of the Introvision process used in a lot of big movies during the day.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDAGW3aOcRA

 

 

...they call it "rear projection" in the video but, meh, it's the LA Times.  They don't understand the tech they write about anymore than any other media outlet.

[mtheory]

Is this what they used in the Matrix for the city skyline when Neo shoots through the glass to bust out Morpheus, or were they using actual printed backgrounds? I remember the city skyline being shot in-camera.

[andy lee]

Kubrick used front Projection for the Apes sequence where he smashes the skull

 

This new version looks very interesting - and expensive!!

I like the way the light spills onto the actors which ties them into the enviroment and looks real.

[see ya]

This isn't a new technique.  It can't replace green screen entirely, otherwise it would have done so already.  It's neat though.

 

It's not about replacing chroma key technique, it was the chosen option for this shot on this project and partly due to the chosen camera and decision to risk potentially more expensive vfx rework if the shot need say a sky replacement, too much baked in compared to chroma key.

 

What's truly impressive is that we have projectors finally bright enough that the effect can be more or less invisible now, not to mention able to contribute to a shooting stop.

 

It was the sensitivity of the camera used Sony F65 and the fact the shots were on fast lenses wide open that a 'reasonable' amount of projectors could be used on this occasion instead of a stupid amount, cost and stability wise. Rather than projectors being brighter now.

 

http://www.fxguide.com/fxpodcasts/fxpodcast-248-oblivion/

[Gábor Ember]

Is this what they used in the Matrix for the city skyline when Neo shoots through the glass to bust out Morpheus, or were they using actual printed backgrounds? I remember the city skyline being shot in-camera.

 

In Matrix they used printed backgrounds in that shot, a huge still image. The image was not projected.

[Sean Cunningham]

It's not about replacing chroma key technique...

 

Uh, yeah.  You should read the topmost message and direct your attention there.

[Sean Cunningham]

Is this what they used in the Matrix for the city skyline when Neo shoots through the glass to bust out Morpheus, or were they using actual printed backgrounds? I remember the city skyline being shot in-camera.

 

The technique used here is called a cyclorama, or "cyc" for short.  It's widely used in film and television to create the illusion of being "on location" where distant buildings, skies, etc. need to be seen beyond a window or set edge.  It can be a blown-up photograph or painting.  

 

Sometimes the in-camera effect is done well enough that even a sophisticated eye won't pick out anything "wrong" with a scene.  Sometimes all you have to do is actually look at it (where you shouldn't be looking, ideally) and the trick is obvious, either due to looking dim or being able to perceive blown-up grain, etc.

[Husah]

https://vimeo.com/63752741