Visual FXs are getting better

F

FilmDiva6

Cadet
The Visual FXs on Stargate Atlantis to me have always been some of the better ones since it has a such a low budget compared to bigger Sci-Fi shows that also use VFXs. This past episode "Be All My Sins Remember'd" I think has some of the best if not the best of this season. Granted it was the season opened but it was part two to the mid season finale. There is yet another video from the VFX supervisor Mark Savela on the Stargate/MGM website. I like watching these kinds of behind the scenes things because they give you some really cool insight into how they do this kind of stuff. I love seeing what cool new effects they come up with each week. I know lots of people like the VFXs on BSG but I have yet to see an episode so I can't compare. So go check out the video I watched and watch the show and let me know what you think about the VFXs.

Here's the link: An Announcement from Stargate Command | Stargate Command

FilmDiva6 an Official Team Stargate member and proud of it!
 
Hmm, I was going to make a teaser thread for those who hadn't caught the last SGA episode and include a couple of screenshots. Maybe one of the allied armada and one of the fighting above the planet.......
 
I think CGI has given writers and directors a huge advantage over pre computer era.

The old and new versions of Doctor Who are a good comparison of how far things have come.

What about Ray Harryhausen's stop motion dinosaurs compared to Jurasic park?

There are lots of possible examples of how VFX evolve to be more realistic but I sometimes wonder if they spoil me reminiscing a bit. I remember loving Gerry Anderson's UFO as a kid but I saw it recently and thought 'Wow! that looks dated'

That's progress for you.
 
audiothor said:
... There are lots of possible examples of how VFX evolve to be more realistic but I sometimes wonder if they spoil me reminiscing a bit. I remember loving Gerry Anderson's UFO as a kid but I saw it recently and thought 'Wow! that looks dated'. ...
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In addition to the nostalgia factor, I think sometimes too that today's filmmakers rely upon the VFX to show their story instead of letting the dialog tell the story. One of the things that I liked about the movies from the 50's & 60's was that the filmmaker had to rely upon character development and dialog to carry the story line instead of relying upon visuals to show the audience what is happening.

Take for instance a movie like Independence Day. Sure, it's a good "popcorn movie" (as I like to call them) that I'll watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon but it is really a good story? How about some recent remakes... The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine -- both remade versions are visually stunning with plenty of things for the viewer to watch but how many genre fans prefer the original versions? Instead of actors/actresses being the focal point of movie they are now simply just another prop to look at.

Even one of my favorite movies, The Day the Earth Stood Still, is being remade with.... are you ready for this?.... Keanu Reeves as Klaatu! :crying:



BTW: Welcome to Cool Sci-Fi! :thumbsup: Interesting name.
 
quote :BTW: Welcome to Cool Sci-Fi! Interesting name.

Thanks - It's a contraction of AUDIO story auTHOR from www.audiothor.com

What you said made me remember about when I last watched the George Pal version of War of the Worlds with its 1950's effects. In one scene, you can make out the wires holding up the Martian war machine as it floats towards you and, amazingly enough, it doesn't seem to detract from the tension of the unfolding drama at all.

Now THAT'S good storytelling.
 
Great special effects go unnoticed. Good special effects are appreciated. Its all JUST a movie and our types of movies are not made to be reallifelike. I allow the spaceship on a string because the story is what draws me. If the story is bad the whole movie will be.

If you set your mind to judge, no movie can really stand up. I watch movies for the entertainment value. If I was entertained, I will like it. If I start daydreaming during a movie it isn't that good. We should recon our opinions of movies to the artistic value because they are supposed to be works of art.
Like sculpture, you can tell when one has been whipped together to get it on screen.
 
Thanks for the welcome everyone. I've just really startyed getting in to messege boards and all. I'm meeting a lot of cool people. You all bring up some good examples and movies. I know what you all mean about looking back at some of the effects you used to think were great but comepared to what we've become acussomed to they seem weak.

Three shows I like to compare are "The X Files," "Supernatural," and "Stargate Atlantis." They all have their different reasons to use effects but the monsters and aliens on Supernatural and Stargate Atlantis look so advanced compared to the ones of The X Files. When X Files came out it seemed so new and impressive but now those same episodes seem so simplistic.
 
n25an said:
Really great special effects mean nothing without story... check out mystery box
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Just watched it - brilliant

Interesting what he said about people going off and making their own movies.

Has anyone heard of 'Madness in the first degree' by Geoff Searle? He made his own movie, starred in it and did all the production all by himself. I think the budget was about £75000. Although I can't judge because I haven't seen it, it's at least a pretty impressive achievement.

We made HUNTRESS ourselves but that only involves sound which I'm pretty expert at. I wonder, as the cost of VFX comes down, if I could ever get that made as a movie?
 
audiothor said:
Just watched it - brilliant

Interesting what he said about people going off and making their own movies.

Has anyone heard of 'Madness in the first degree' by Geoff Searle? He made his own movie, starred in it and did all the production all by himself. I think the budget was about £75000. Although I can't judge because I haven't seen it, it's at least a pretty impressive achievement.

We made HUNTRESS ourselves but that only involves sound which I'm pretty expert at. I wonder, as the cost of VFX comes down, if I could ever get that made as a movie?
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checked out Madness in the first degree... pretty cool... Now where can I find huntress???
 
I totally agree with FilmDiva6 and with n25an.
I think that without a good story the effects mean nothing.
Having said that I think that vfxs have come a long way in the last ten years or so.
It is interesting when vfx for television series get compared to that of large movies.
Oh, and I think that guy in the mgm link posted by FilmDiva6 looked pretty **** chubby. What did you think?
 
QUOTE : Now where can I find huntress???

HUNTRESS is an MP3 audiostory series available as download or on CD from www.audiothor.com

BTW part two of the trilogy has just become available.

Check it out & let us know what you think???
 
your huntress... sounds interesting.... I'll put a post about it next time I write a post for my blog... won't be for about 5 days but there'll be a little snippet on it...
 
n25an said:
your huntress... sounds interesting.... I'll put a post about it next time I write a post for my blog... won't be for about 5 days but there'll be a little snippet on it...
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Thanks, I really appreciate that.

Be interesting to hear what people think of it - More feedback the better.

With VFX getting better I think it could be made into a film despite the story being potentially very graphics intensive - It would be amazing to see what you imagine as you listen to the story, to be actually on a movie screen.
 
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