Digital Art/Paint System Survey

ROBERT RIVLIN

. he most fundamental question to be three-dimensional letters, or complex addressed in this survey is, What computerized "mapping" designs, then is a digital art/paint system? output the results a frame at a time, Secondly,T thesurvey provides a basis for usually onto film, taking up to six minutes comparison among the different systems, to assemble each frame of a complex designed to show where they are similar, sequence. where they vary, and prompt you to The systems outlined here are designed directly contact those manufacturers to perform "down and dirty" whose systems you wish to evaluate artwork-artwork which is, in the words seriously . of Peter Black pf Xiphias, "short turn- It is clear, now that the dust from last around/short burst." In typical newsroom year's NAB show is beginning to settle, applications, the images will be created that we have seen, in the course of just the within minutes, then displayed, usually past year alone, the birth of a brand new compressed into a box wipe, for seconds. type of image creation product-the Though some of the systems possess the digital art/paint system. Its predecessors ability to perform 'limited animation"- pre-date it by several years, including the by having a finished picture build up from NEC Action Track/Digital Strobe Action scratch, for instance, unit or by having colors that uses extensive digital processing flash on and off simulating motion, these and a digital framestore to generate often systems are not designed to produce abstract images out of existing video animation effects. The images are, for all pictures, and the Interand Telestrator intents and purposes, digital stills. which, for several years, has been being used to draw images directly onto a TV monitor using a unique blend of analog System types and digital processing. In a narrow definition, only certain of But there is nothing quite like the digital the systems included art/paint in this survey would systems which appeared in such be considered digital art/paint systems, numbers at the NAB show, and the having been developed strictly for the unlimited graphics possibilities they open purposes outlined above. They are the up. By way of definition the systems Ampex AVA, Aurora Digital outlined in this survey are all products Videographics, Digital Effects Video available for purchase and installation in Palette, Logica Flair, MCI/Quantel broadcast plants and teleproduction Digital Fine Arts, N.Y.I.T./Computer facilities. We're not talking about pro- Graphics Lab IMAGES and Xiphias prietary computer animation systems Videograph. For the sake of comparison (opposite page) used by production companies which and because they can A gallery of images created on digital art/ often accomplish the specialize in creating computer graphics same purpose, however, we have included paint systems (clockwise, from upper left). for others (for Aurora Imaging Digital Videographics these companies, see the several other types of systems. From System; Ampex AVA; Digital Effects Video stories on East and West Coast special Adwar and Video Associates Labs are Palette(Andrea D'Amico, artist); IMAGES effects houses elsewhere in this issue). Nor modifications that allow the low-cost from Computer Graphics Lab created on are we talking about the kind of computer Apple II computer's graphics package to the system; MCI/Quantel DFA-7(100 Digital graphics systems which use large and be used in an NTSC video system. From Fine Arts system; Logics Flair. small computers to simulate motion, or For-A is a "video writer" allowing a light

MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981 DIGITAL ART/ PAINT

pen to create images directly on a video screen. The Interand Telestrator uses a proprietary stylus to achieve much the same effect, but far more complex. The Thomson-CSF Vidifont Graphics V is an extremely advanced character generator/ graphics system with a drawing tablet and other art system features. And, from McInnis/Skinner, Spectra Computer Systems (formerly Weathercaster) and Weathermation are art systems which evolved from programs to add graphics and movement to weather radar and map displays. .

Hardware Almost all the systems are based on microprocessors or mini-computers which have graphics programs to translate the digital data and its manipulation into graphics images; this data is generally written into a digital framestore which is The menu display on the Aurora system the active "canvas area" for creating (above) uses a full-color graphical menu to images and displaying the illustration indicate modes. being worked on. Logics's Flair system graphics tablet(left) The basic computer graphics programs has pre-selected menu areas; transparent, are generally accessed through a computer it can be used to trace artwork. console keyboard, though the amount of keyboard interaction varies consider- ably from system to system. On units with the most advanced software, the interaction is limited to virtually turning the computer on with the keyboard; in others, the computer-prompted, key- board-entered commands do much of the work. Again, almost all the systems have a graphics tablet on which the artist "draws" and "paints" with a stylus, providing magnetically-encoded in- structions to the computer through the graphics tablet. In some of the systems, the size of the active Below, the Ampex AVA system's Interac. drawing area is tive graphics tablet. variable so that the artist can select the size of the area he or she wants to draw in, with the scale between the drawing area and the picture monitor scaled according- ly. In some systems, the drawing area is completely separate from the menu selection process, though the same stylus (or the keyboard) can be used to choose operating modes. On the other hand, some of the systems-like Aurora and Digital Effects-have the menu display and the illustration in the same monitor. Paint/Draw/Rubber Stamp The "painting" process is perhaps the ultimate refinement of these systems, for it allows the artist to first define the stylus as a "brush," then define its shape, then dip it in the "paint pots" palette, and paint on the screen with whatever shape and color have been selected. In some systems, the sizes and shapes of the brushes have to be pre-determined. In others, the artist first defines the size and shape of the brush, then "captures" it as a

88 MILLIMETER/SEPTEMBER 1981

DIGITALART/ associated with the color programs PAINT . "Fill" pencil charcoal, etc. An "airbrushing- means that, once the stylus is touched technique is also available, allowing the down within an area on the tablet, the shape so that painting with rather strange artist to smooth out the hard edges of an program will begin to fill all non-contig- image (the program actually takes the shapes can take place. Artist-defined uous boundaries-either inside the pixels at the shapes can often be used as "rubber boundaries of the image and polygons or outside to form the selectively mixes them with the stamps," with the form being duplicated background. "Color Match" allows the wherever the stylus is touched surrounding background color). A "drop down on artist to duplicate a color that has already shadow" function, as in a character the screen. Brush and rubber stamp been used in the drawing without shapes can be stored for generator, allows forms to be provided later use as returning to the color palette; the stylus is with a hard, contrastingedge. defined by the artist. merely touched to the illustration in The computing the power of the system is appropriate place, and the system instruc- Magnification also often used to create geometrical /Compression ted to match the color. This can be par- To aid in composition, the image can shapes, a line beingdefined by the artist as ticularly effective when working with an two points with the computer plotting the often be magnified to allow detailed, image that has been scanned into the pixel-by-pixel work to change colors, straightest path between them ; similarly, system from an external video or a circle can be created by indicating a forms or textures. The image is then reflective artwork source. As MCI_/Quan- shrunk back down to normal size for point as the circle's centei with a certain tel and others demonstrate, if one radius. doesn't display, or it can be retained and like the skyline in an image, the color of displayed in its magnified state. the clouds in the background can Colors be matched and the offending building simply Scan-In, Outputs Since the paints in these systems are painted out. In addition to being able to call up pre- electronic, most can use a system of red, Similarly, most systems enable the stored green and patterns and shapes, and drawing blue/hue, saturation , and artist to "clear" or "erase" selective and painting with the stylus, some intensity values to create more than 16 portions of the image without affecting systems million colors enable the user to digitize both . On a practical basis, not the whole. already-created videotapes and/or that many colors can possibly be used in a "Color blending" indicates software reflective artwork for further processing. single illustration, so a "palette" is formed that allows an artist to actually mix elec- with Though not specifically covered in the a certain number of colors likely to tronic paints like the real thing, taking survey, almost all systems have be needed, with the possibility of two different colors and moving them input/output (I/O) ports enabling them to returning to the basic RGB/HSI table if toged:or, then picking the exact area of be connected with other digital systems necessary. Individual palettes can be the ir?ermixed color to be used. In very such as still stores, character generators, stored like brush sizes and called up as highl-, evolved systems, paints can be etc. needed. distinguished as oil paints, watercolors, Also not covered in the survey, but -Various software refinements are etc., ;-.-. .d drawing lines rendered as chalk, worthwhile investigating, are the means

Standard Features " Automatic or manual entry of title start and stop times " Simultaneous current, next and prior title timing displays " Selectable external or internal time code source " Insert, delete and recompose editing " Automatic sequential and insert subtitle indexing " Selectable vertical title positioning " Special position functions for deaf subtitling " Compensation timing for program length change A full function i, high performance " Full function electronic keyboard composing teleproduction studio titter with an " 16 resident fonts - proportionally spaced characters expanded software and time code " Fine or bold borderline orshadow edge interface package that provides totally " Colorized characters selectable by row " flexible automatic or manual electronic " EBU/SMPTE time code interface subtitling. , " Full function Q-7A Teleproduction Graphic Tiller and dual mini disc memory

Teleproduction Graphic Titlers

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70 MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER

i' DITIGAL ARTI PAINT by which the images created on the system can be captured. While some of the units provide only fcr video outputs, others have attachmei-ts for adding Polaroid and/or 35mm cameras. Cut & Paste "Cut & Paste" is most often a separate mode, like "Paint." Its primary function is to allow the artist to manipulate already- created parts *of the image, duplicating them in the same illustration, rotating them, flipping and/or mirroring them, and in general treating them like images in a collage. A series of increasingly larger or smaller replications of the same image is simply created in this mode, using the stylus as a stamper. In some systems, this mode is used to call up forms from the computer memory. Character Generation The McInnis-Skinner Weathergraphics Most of the systems which rely on a system (above) uses both a computer computer keyboard store character sets in terminal and an interactive graphics their memories in the same way as tablet. character generators. Sets of graphic For-A's Videowriter (left) uses a light pen symbols and forms are often stored in the to write directly into digital memory. same way, and entered into the image through the keyboard. In other systems, individual letters are "picked up" by the stylus, as colors are picked up by the - brush, and positioned in the image by the artist. Animation Though these systems are not really designed to create moving, animated images, some limited forms of real-time animation are possible. Almost all the systems, for instance, can build up an image from scratch, either assembling it line-by-line or having the creation The Thomson-CSF Vidifont Graphics I unit program played back step-by-step so that (below) has extensive textcomposition the image comes to life on the screen in the capability as well as graphics/paint steps originally created by the artist. programs. Depending on the memory capacity and the recall time, frame-for-frame animation can also be accomplished by having the system change pages, or elements within a drawing, up to a maximum speed of 30 times a second (30 fps). Because they are digital systems, however, another type of animation- "color cycling" or "color map lookup"-is possible. This type of animation allows the computer to continually change selected areas of the illustration frame by frame, cycling through either random colors or colors defined by the artist to be included in the cycle. The illusion of motion is the same as that achieved on a juke box by chasing lights. A similar type of animation is achieved by having selected portions of the image revealed -and-covered at different times, making it appear that the image is moving from second to second across the screen, whereas all the figures are always there with only one revealed each frame.

72 MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981

DIGITALART! floppy or PAINT on discs Winchester hard discs is features as a "watercolor paint" mode in almost universal, with artists able to walk which, like true watercolors, painting away from the system and take their over an area will keep darkening the color artwork with them on the disc. When until eventually it transforms from trans- loaded back up again, the artwork can be lucent to opaque. Resolution transferred to the framestore for further Each manufacturer has an individual "Resolution" is a highly important work. "Recall time" describes how long it story to tell and will be happy to discuss factor in evaluating a system, since it is takes to get an image assembled on the its system with interested readers. the chief determining factor not only of screen, even from external memory-a the image quality, but how complex the valuable figure for determining whether For more information on these images can be. Resolution can be the system can be used for on-air presen- evaluated in two ways. 'Pixels' refer to tations. systems, see the following reports the minimum picture element size, and in Millimeter: come down to only a few "bits" of digital Special features Ampex AVA ("A New Palette for the information . Pixels are normally quoted Not included on the chart, but worthy Broadcast Graphics Artist" November, in horizontal x vertical format, with the of consideration when evaluating the 1980, p. 48); Aurora Digital Videograph- vertical format reflecting one pixel per various systems, are the special features so ics ("NAB Report"June, .1981, p.194); Dig- scan line height. Some systems have larger many of them contain. Aurora's unit and ital Effects Video Palette ("I-atest Develop- vertical pixel formats since the output can the Vidifont Graphics V, for instance, are ment in Digital Imaging," March, 1981, p. be used not only for NTSC television, but somewhat unique in that they can have 64); For-A Videowriter ("NAB Report" for still graphic illustration, too-in which multiple user stations with artists June, 1981, p., 197); Interand Telestrator case square or vertical format illustrations stationed throughout the facility able to ("NAB Report" June, 1981, p. 197); MCI/ may be necessary. Resolution in nano- make use of the same central computer for Quantel DFA-7000 ("NAB Report" June, seconds indicates the smallest horizontal creating artwork. (The Aurora system, by 1981, p. 200); McInnis-Skinner Weather- spacing between distinguishable picture the way, invented by Richard Shoup, graphics ("NAB Report" June, 1981, p. elements. The smaller the resolution in "father of the paint systems" at Xerox, is 198); N.Y.I.T. Computer Graphics Lab nanoseconds, the more detailed the lines. in use at KRON-TV, San Francisco. The IMAGES ("N.Y.1.T. Puts Computers to Ampex AVA is used at Skaggs Work for TV", June, 1981, p. 70); Spectra Storage /Recall Telecommunications Services in Salt Lake Computer (Weathercaster) ("NAB Report" Internal storage in these systems can City and at the CBS network center in June, 1981, p. 198); Thomson-CSF Vidi- either be limited to the frame being New York City. font Graphics V ("New Graphic System At created in the framestore or, if a larger The MCI/Quantel unit, displayed in NAB" May, 1981, p. 134); Video Assoc- system is used, internal storage may prototype form at NAB and still Labs VB-1 ("NAB Report" June, 1981, P. comprise several frames located in undergoing some modifications, is truly a 202); Weathermation System 11 ('NAB computer files. External memory storage "fine art" system, offering such software Report"June, 1981, p.198).

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74 MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981

PAT G LOSSOP JIM SEALE

Novocom Springs from Marks & Marks The graphics and special effects animation of Marks dt Marks pro- duction company in Los Angeles has gotten so big that president Harry Marks has split it off into a new company. It's called Novocom, which Marks has formed in association with Jim Gerken . Along with the birth of the new company will soon come the installation of a new computer special effects system which puts the artist and not the technician in control . 'The whole thing is designed to let artistic people sit down and create their To generate this effect, Image Westfirst creates the backgroundon its computer. Next, the own spots," says Doug Kay, developer of clients'three-dimensionallogo zoomsin from out offrame. the system with George Joblove. The device is a digital computer system which generates images and moves them, the picture quality so great that one can film directly off its video screen. 'This means that once the art director says it's okay, that's it . He really doesn't need to worry about what it'll look like when the film comesback from the lab, "Kay adds. Pre-Novocom, Marks do Marks is re- sponsible for enough special effects animation commercials that its work is seen in more than 60 countries, states Harry Marks. When the Disney Studios needed an opening for its new series on CBS, it relied on Marks. ABC, anxious to come out ahead in the fall ratings, had Marks work his magic in coming up with a new package of promos for its fall campaign (see story elsewhere in this issue). Motion Graphics Creates Skyline for Carpenter One of the highlights of John Carpen- ter's film ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK

Pat Glossop is - a writer living in New York, specializing in the entertainment in- dustry . Her articles -have appeared in Future Life, Nuestro, Marks and Marks' projected digital computer specialeffects system enables artists LatinINY, 3-2-1 themselves to create spots, to be filmeddirectly off the screen. , Contact, arid the Christian Science Monitor.

82 MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981 ~ liili{i(1i1)!~1!lfli~iNltklitltl 1 nfi~ _1 y was the computer imagery of the New York skyline, and how those effects con- tributed to the futuristic look that helped make the film work. Those sequences were designed by Motion Graphics of Los MEEn 4? tt P il~ ii p Angeles, and the irony is that their creation did not involve the kind of computer hardware that generates digital images so popular in LA. Instead, as 7;-ia Motion Graphics designer/director John Wash explains, the futuristic images were created using very old fashioned film techniques. Carpenter gave the company basic - -_ -/ii, ideas of what was needed; Motion Graphics made storyboards which Carpenter approved. Wash could have Motion Graphics used Dream Quest's computerized motion controlsystem fore had the computer imagery generated on futuristic effect, combining footage of three models of New Vorlc'~ °=:yllne with back. one of the many computer graphics ground images. systems being used for special effects. 'That was explored, but their budget was limited. However, they did want a good three-dimensional outline effect," he recalls. Motion Graphics' solution was to build three tabletop models of the New York City skyline and shoot them in black and white. The footage was then used to generate artwork. The artwork was put together with its background images by the computerized motion control camera of Dream Quest, another LA special effects company. Shooting the tabletop models of the skyline presented its own special problems. It could not be lit like other miniatures, since it was supposed to look like a computer-generated image and no shadows could be cast. 'We had to rig a lot of indirect, bounced light to illuminate it but create no shadows," Wash explains. Motion Graphics' Footage was used by Carpenter in several ways. Some of the sequences were preserved as film cut directly into the movie, others transferred ro tape and played on video monitor which were shot as live action on the sets.

1'"+ Along with its special effects work, Digital Image is developing new technology. Its Scale is a freelance writer who lines in Aura, combines real time video with the technology ofcomputers. W"Ifvwood. current project,

WIttIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981 83

SPECIAL EFFECTS 'Sportsworld,"and Polyglycoat television smaller-budget client in countries outside commercials, the "Baseball Game of the North America can have available at frac. Week"opening and fora series of Brazilian tionally low costs marvelous new crea. commercials. Image West/ Hollywood tivity to inject into their productions which ImageWest has recently embarked upon heretofore wascost-prohibitive for them." Anticipates Record Year a sizable expansion program forElectronic Animation for its studio, With the increasing interest shown in the with an updated stage for motion control library after its appearance at this year's "The biggest misconception around by and commercial production, facilities for M.I.P. Festival in Cannes, Image West agencies is that they have to go to film to post-production, plus increased areas for believes it can look forward to another get a quality job. But I do see attitude graphic design. In addition, the company growing aspect to its already formidable toward computers changing slowly, has acquired an adjacent building to house foreignmarket. especially with the cost of film production added management and sales offices along going up so much," says Cliff Brown, pres- with a new research and development Digital Image Blazes ident of Image West of Los Angeles, one of department. "We are now actively in- Computer Trails the world leaders in electronic animation vestingating a variety of directions where Not content with the dizzying advances and special effects. we believe animation and special effectsare being The growth of the company over an made in computer and video heading, and to that end we are developing animation, a company in Berkeley called eight-year period has shown that more and our own computer systems," Heyes went more producers are indeed taking advan- Digital Image is working as hard to on. Eyeing the growing competition from develop new technology as it is to pro- tage of video and computer special the television stations currently investing effects. Tom Heyes, VP/Marketing duce special effects. Digital Image has of in their own graphics systems, Brown both digital and analog computers . An Image West Limited, foresees a record sales states, "A station manager may spend year for 1981, and points to analog Rutt/Etra Synthesizer takes a a broad ex- $200,000 on hardware, even though the video image and puts it into a high- pansion of its domestic and international quality it produces is not as good as what marketing activities. "Last year was the resolution monitor, where it can be mani- we can do. But the stations don't have as pulated and distorted in as many ways as most exciting year in Image West's history sophisticated equipment or the time to and we certainly are not letting that the animator can think of. The image. is develop the kinds of designs we come up then put into a colorizer and mixer unit to momentum subsidein 1981,"Heyes said. with." add any kind of coloring. "During 1980 our domestic production In addition to serving a variety of in- ofanimation and special Other hardware includes a JVC video effects reached an ternational clientele-nearly 60 countries discsystem which records as many as 600 all-time high, with many exciting projects in the last year, according to Brown-the - passing frames of video shot one frame at a time through thestudio, includingshow company has added an extra dimension to for time lapse taping. "It allows you to openings f9r theWorld Series andwork on its international sales activity during 1980 commercials such as Spalding, Sizzler, compress things or expand them in time," with the development of the World Effects animation director Howard Gutstadt Bridgestone, Northwestern Bell, and video library for World Effects, Ltd. Osterizer. The yearwound up with a flurry explains. The company's Harris digital Calling it a revolutionary communications framestore allows one to take full frame of activity when we produced the new step, Heyes states, 'The World Effects show-open for Wide World of Sports,' stills from any video source. as video library is an all-encompassing, pre- Now in its last stage of development, well as the opening for'Super Bowl XV' for produced package of more than 400 special but already NBC." - effects and used for special projects, is a backgrounds amounting to prototypical device called Aura. It is The company also garnered its share of over /2 51 hours on seven reels of videotape being developed by Digital Image and an awards last year, with two gold awards, a for use in TV commercials and program silver and a bronze, at the International production Australian company, and is a digitally- ." VP and Executive Producer controlled video system that gives a broad Film and Television Festival in New York Brian Ross adds, "What makes it revolu- for the program opening for NBC's range of color and reconstruction of a tionary is that now for the first time the tape image by using a computer. '1t combines real time video with computer technology," Gutstadt states.

Zeplin Runs the Gamut of Effects "In the last year and a half," says Zeplin Productions' Sam Alexander in New York, "almost every job we've done involved composites of live action and other effects. In fact, a recent job for AT&T Horizon Business Systems combined everything we do-live action, model making, stop motion, and, of course, special effects and motion graphics. "First we had a spaceship effect where a telephone-type unit comes in mysteri- ously," explains Alexander . "But since screen time is so short, we had to create an instant, compressed illusion of mystery. Then we had to create a metaphor for the concept-expanding spaces and the fact that with this new Bell system when you A recent spot for ATST Horizon Business Systems ran the gamut of Zeplin's effects.llve add more offices, you simply program in action, modelmaking, stop motion, specialeffects and motion graphics. more phones, up to 100 of them ." Working with N.W. Ayer art director

MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981 SPECIAL EFFECTS

Londoners join Hal Friedman Clients Benton & Bowles' London operation recently came to the Harold Friedman Consortium in New York with a commer. cial for a new air freshener called Flo. Thru. "We were flattered they came to us, instead of the trend to bring English directors to the U.S.," states Alfie Schloss, creative supervisor on the job. Various different techniques were used on this one spot by designer/director George Parker. "Bernie Hirschenson did the live action product shooting," notes Schloss. 'Then we integrated live lasers, plus graphic, computer and conventional animation . Good and bad air were illustrated by animation and a living room and kitchen created in neon that were then matched to a real set, with a real toaster burning toast in the foreground." London reports back that it is having great success with the commercials, currently on-air in 20- and 30-second versions. Producer on this spot was Susan Rubin. Meanwhile, the Consortium is now working on a series of five spots for the Circle K chain store for Bozell & Jacobs in Phoenix, Arizona. Full animation this time, the spots are being produced in Triplane Films and Graphics' Jane Simpson was director/designer for this dazzling logo record time at three or four weeks apiece. sequence produced for Filmways Television. Designer/director is Fred Crippen, producer D. Rufus Friedman. And Hal Bruce Wilmoth and producer Elaine Dia, Triplane's recent Friedman's team just completed its fifth clients was neophyte Bubblicious Alexander did the product shots at the Hollywood film company Filmways commercial for Ted Zeplin insert stage in New York. For the Pictures which Bates/New York, this time using wanted a strong logo rotoscope very complex sequence that pans up and treatment to precede its theatrical films animation to depict a space over the offices, he went to California, and television productions station watermelon and introduce a . new watermelon where 12 actors, a huge set and 250,000 Working in association with Douglas flavor. Designer/ watts of light were involved on the Boyd Design of LA, director was Arnie Wong, producer Alfie designer/director Schloss. $75,000 three-day shoot. Simpson conceived a storyboard that Another Zeplin job also ran the gamut appealed strongly to the senses. 'The of effects. Advertising two new combine people at Filmways wanted to be dazzled Small Is Beautiful for John harvesters, Allis-Chalmers wanted a very by color in their spot. They wanted Gati at Action Productions futuristic approach. 'They had no footage amorphous, soft color instead of distinct Two jobs recently completed at New of the new machinery and they wanted a lines and shapes." York's Action Productions bear out the very specific Hi-Tech look," says The sequence features a horizon out of Schumacher adage about the Lilliputian Alexander. "So we had a grid that became which come dazzling shapes of color, view of life: small is beautiful. Using a a globe, then the combine followed the gradually giving way to a shape which miniature of a Long John Silvers Restau- contour with its harvesting." becomes the Filmways logo. In addition to rant enabled John Gati to get a clean look, This time, Zeplin's model-making slit scan, Simpson used such techniques as with no distracting real life buildings or expert, Robert Mrozowski, and his staff tapered streaks, tapered comets, lens electrical wires to confuse the picture. put together a field of 800 stalks of corn, flares and regular streaks. Working with Leo Stuckhus, VP of Abbott then another with 3200 sheaves of wheat. Advertising in Lexington, Kentucky, who "Our guideline "The idea of the spot is the birth of the was: if it looks fake, they logo was creative director on the job, Gati in- won't buy the commercial," remembers out of a swirl of shapes and colors. jected the The Filmways symbol starts off with hot fourseasons for the openingsand Alexander . Stop motion footage was com- closings of commercials advertising the bined with other colors and then 'cools down' toore bluish effects, such as digital type colors." national restaurant chain. graphics of the harvester mechanism. Technical director was Jim Another Gerken, with Les Bernstein as the camera- spot had a 16-inch 112132-type man. metallic robot in a blue beret-palette in Triplane Flies Filmways one hand, paintbrush in the other-paint- Logo Simpson used some of the same tech- ing the logo for the Michigan-based niques for another recent job, a package People's National Bank & Trust Company. Jane Simpson's Triplane Films and of five different tags and an opening for Graphics, The animated robot, made by well-known Inc. of Hollywood has been the "PM Magazine" syndicated tele- Long Island model maker Tom Newberry, called on by companies to provide vision show. It is the third year PM has was operated by dazzling images for their products. One the armature inside and of hired Simpson to do a new opening, moved frame by frame. "We are back with 86 MILLIMETER/SEPTEMBER 1981 SPECIAL gave a very hi-tech effect." EFFECTS "We are delivering this with a tuxedo, Four ID pieces Singer just completed for look," adds Moore, "doing a lot Warner Amex cable also had a fantasy computer images and cross dissolves on Lucas and Harryhausen," notes Gati. look. She put a chrome model of the logo positive images. Beautiful black and white 'Theydo thatand wedo, too." type in seasonal environments in four continuous-tone photographs going from After completing this spot, Gati flew to separate vignettes. Spring had a soft, negative to positive to negative again, last month's international festival of Renaissance sky, a field of grass, and which is a rather unusual approach for puppet animators held in Odense, flowers that popped open in time-lapse television, where people rarely do things Denmark. Among the entries were Gati's photography . Summer had glitter with negatives." "Flutey and the Knights," a pilot for a sparkling in the sand to give a shimmery, children's TVseries. hot atmosphere, while a beach umbrella APA Develops Self- popped open in stop motion. Winter had MattingSystem Rebecca Singer Moves to a swirl of snow blowing away to reveal More Theatrical Look the logo, and fall, autumn leaves and rich It may be illegal to reproduce stamps of colors. the realm, but it was all part of the job "Instead of STAR WARS effects in when APA's Lee Howard did a commer- everything, we are getting to do a more cial for the U.S. Postal Office. Working theatrical kind of visual approach," notes From Films to Tuxedos at with cameraman Dave Quade, he blew up Rebecca Singer of the Rebecca Singer Moore Graphics & Film a photo of a new stamp, then made a Studio in New York. "Instead of super- "For the past year, we've been pro- replica of the picture: a heron standing on real, many of our recent jobs are super- ducing a one-of-a-kind film for a one-of-a- a log set, set in a pond, surrounded by theatrical, super-fantasy." One recent job kind theater," says David Moore of grass. "We set it up so it looked abso. for the Byrne Arena at the Meadowlands Moore Graphics & Film in L.A. The lutely dimensional," explains Howard, Complex in New Jersey combined tra- theater is a permanent world's fair cur- "zoomed in until it matched, then dis. ditional elements with modern tech- rently being set up in the United States. solved to the stamp. When you're deal- niques, giving a very contemporary di- The film is computer-generated, and the ing with real and fake life, it's critical to mension. whole project is top secret for the have it exact. We added feathers and On first seeing the arena,  Singer re- moment. other moving parts, so the bird actually members, I was very impressed seeing Among the other jobs was one for RCA quivers a little. It's a flat cut-out, but 200 workers welding, soldering, and so Selectravision. Instead of a Whirling you'd never know it." on. The scope of the project was amaz- Dervish, this 30-second spot had a VCR The next job for APA was - the ing. I felt I wanted to really play up the whirling across the screen. As it turned, animation half of a five-minute film for fact that this was an arena and made it the V became an A, the R flipped, the C TelePrompter Cable (Rudi Goldman did very Roman-looking. We treated it using turned over-and the VCR became RCA, the live action sequences). Here Howard two colors and describing a geometric with Selectavision flaring up under- used the unique self-matting system he has form." neath. developed whereby he can shoot two, The colors used also represent a new Moore, who works with a full-time three and four different elements in a direction . "After the recent emphasis on staff of 10, plus numerous freelance single pass, all in register. bright, bright colors," points out Singer, animators, also just completed the The job involved a cable traveling "we have been trying to change our computer section of a Hawaiian down a miniature street in a quiet little palette a little. Greys are not used that Telephone commercial and a promo spot village one dark and dreamy evening. The 'often in film graphics, but here we butted for singer Rickie Lee Jones' second album, cable laser-hits each house, which lights two greys against black and red, which "Pirates,"for Warner Brothers. up and glows in color.. The self-matting technique was vital, since double and triple passing would have been impos- sible. Also, doing this as a separate 'element system for optical printing would have been very time-consuming and would have ended up with third and fourth generation images, instead of the first generation imagesAPA got." Zeller Creates Movie Havoc at Special Effects Studio Plastic engineer and polymer chemist Gary Zeller provided breakaway items such as a juke box, pinball machine, gas pumps and a barber shop that were manhandled by Richard Keil in the new Warner Brothers' movie SO FINE, star- ring Ryan O'Neal . Zeller was also special effects coordinator for Columbia Pictures' NEIGHBORS, starring the Belushi Brothers, where he did breakaways, a fright wig for a dog, and burned down two buildings on Staten Island . And if that's not enough, Zeller-in collaboration with Ed _Drohan-also provided special effects for the film RAGTIME, not Blending traditional elements with modern technology glues Rebecca Singer Studios' least of all the ex- new super-theatrical, fantasy-style approach a unique look. plosion where Coalhouse Walker blows up the firehouse that gave him so much

MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981

SPECIAL EFFECTS STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, Trumbull and Yuricich feel E.E.G . will meet the growing need for a Los Angeles facility housing the most up-to-date effects technology and the most knowledgeable personnel available. Trumbull empha- sized, "Our major advantage is having a group of people who can interpret visual concepts on an artistic level, and know precisely the technology required to bring those concepts to the screen."

Loebel Boasts New High- Speed Camera Loebel Productions recently bought its own Photo-Sonics high-speed- 35mm camera, "the only one on the East Coast," boasts Herb Loebel. The studio has been renting the camera for years ua numerous jobs, including one where a Minolta camera was blown up and filmed in reverse to show the camera reassembling itself. Loebel's Photo-Sonics films up to 2,500 frames per second. "It can go up to 3,250," adds Loebel, "but 2,500 is ideal for our purposes. Shooting at such high speed enables us to show explosions that in reality last fractions of a second, so the eye can see things it's never seen before. In the case of a recent wine spot, for instance, it took eight seconds for a drop of wine to reach a wine glass." In addition, Loebel has added a video assist, which allows playback of a shot in extreme slow motion, plus stop motion facilities. These were first used on a job advertising Moulinex, the European food Don Amundson of Precision Film .Groupputs finishing touches on a 8-17 model which - processor (the agency was Compton in was shot and used to generate animation for Columbia's HEAVY METAL. Germany): "A snorkel lens panned through a field of vegetables until it came to a carrot, then we had a matched cut to trouble. Other recent credits include work recently announced the formation of En- a stop motion sequence of the carrot being on SCANNERS, where Zeller copied an tertainment Effects Group, a comprehen- shredded," explains Loebel . 'The camera actor's face, then exploded the model head sive widescreen photographic effects moved on till it came to an onion, and with a slogan. While on Sylvester studio, located in Venice, Catifornia . The again, a matched cut to the onion being Stallone's NIGHTHAWKS, Zeller-again new 20,000square foot facility, outfitted to diced by the Moulinex." working with Ed Drohan-was respon- produce the effects for STAR TREK: THE The snorkel lens was again used on a sible for the bus that explodes in the river. MOTION PICTURE and currently com- job for Armstrong Floors (BBDO) which For this effect, they rigged up a drive pleting work on BLADERUNNER, in- shows the making of a floor the-this time unit. Not wanting the scuba diver cludes a screening room, machine shop, using synchronized snorkel moves which operator to show, they also rigged up a offices, stages, editorial facilities, optical allow split-second timing as tiny colored separate seat behind the original driver's printers, animation cameras, matte beads were dropped onto a tile grid. "It seat. Holes were drilled in the bus, bullet painting and photography, and motion looks as though the tile is created in one hits wired up, then the bus surface was control equipment . The operation is sweep," explains Loebel, "whereas we did refinished. equipped almost exclusively for 70mm it in four or five takes, each time filling in Zeller and his wife/partner Joyce photography, and has an extensive a little more with a different color on Spector of the Special Effects Studio inventory of70mm cameras and associated different sections." report no accidents in his 20-year career in equipment. screen adventure. "The key is precision, In addition to their work on knowledge, and much, much safety," says BLADERUNNER and the upcoming Cinetron Wins Academy Zeller, who recently outlined some of the motion picture BRAINSTORM, E.E.G. is Award for Computer tricks ofhis trade in the "ZEL GEL Manual: engaged in many facets of entertainment Control System The Art of Fire Stunts," which costs $50 including Showscan film productions Last March, Atlanta-based Cine- and is available from Gary Zeller, 40 (Trumbull's high speed 70mm process), tron Computer Systems received the West39th Street, New York, NY 100113. amusement parks, expositions, and other Academy of Motion Picture Arts & special photographic projects. With their Sciences Technical Achievement Award Doug Trumbull and combined experience on such special for developing a versatile general purpose Richard Yuricich Establish effects film as 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, computer control system used on Independent Facility CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD animation stands and optical printers. Douglas Trumbull and Richard Yuricich KIND, THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN and The Cinetron System utilizes precision

92 MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981 SPECIAL optical benches are attached to props such as a four-foot mockup of , EFFECTS computers, one a full-blown Cinetron, the airplane plus lush location shooting in other two mini-computers. There are two Mexico, Hawaii and Canada, directed by Eastman Kodak Color Analysers, Richard Greenberg. For the opening to plus a to stepping motors control its assigned CompuGraphic' to provide in-house John Landis' new movie, AN AMERICA;\ axes with extreme accuracy. Eight models typesetting. The company is now also WEREWOLF IN LONDON (the company are currently available (Nos. 300, 350, obtaining a super animation stand made also designed main title sequences for 350X, 360, 390, 500, 800 and 1100), with by Mechanical Concepts on the West ALIEN, ALTERED STATES and SUPER- users making their selection according to Coast. MAN I), the Greenbergs had an eerie, the number of axes they wish to control. "An Elicon follow-focus will provide bloody moon over a moor, actually shot The Cinetron 1100 comprises a 64K very fine variation in focusing. But the big day-for-night behind a shopping center in computer, software package, color advantage is that the computer is set so New Jersey. Other recent credits include display terminal with tape and disc input, that instead of normal shooting at 1/8 of a openings for BLOW OUT, ENDLESS hardware and power cabinet, and second, by the- touch of a dial we can go LOVE and RAGTIME, along with com- precision stepping motors. The system from that up to 10 seconds per exposure, mercials for General Motors, Computer can be fitted to optical printers, animation so we will get much greater depth of Command Control and Newsweek. stands, or special-purpose devices for field," concludes art director Dick Rauh. complete control of all motion or Abel Keeps Producing manipulation. Clio Winners Cinetron control systems are in R/Creenberq Buys East operation across the country in centers Coast's First Elicon System The man often credited with starting the like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and DC Back-Lit Blue electronic age ofspecial effects hasnot been Cincinnati, Portland, Nashville, and Screen resting on his laurels, but is finding new Toronto. Meanwhile, Cinetron has its R/Greenberg Associates has added a ways to expand not only television com- own 16 and 35mm production capability horizontal tracking systemand a 10-by 16- mercials'visualhorizons, but also the hard- in Atlanta, located in Norcross. foot back-lit blue screen that is de- wareand software that produce the effects. 'There we currently have two Oxberry powered and dimmable. Both unique on While looking optimistically into the animation stands and one Producers the East Coast, according to executive '80s, Robert Abel voices a cautionary note Service Optical Printer with beam producer Robert Greenberg, the only about the present state of commercials splitter," explains Harold Pearson, "each other Elicon system in operation right state of the art. "I have seen enough slit- equipped with an 1100 system to aid us in now is at Roger Corman's New World in scan, streak and candy apple to last me a motion picture special effects lifetime and I think that almost all of the and graphic California, though several are on order. production currently these treatments." As Pearson sums it up, For Greenberg, the Elicon is the final key houses using "We've come a long way since Snow to making the company totally self- techniques are on the verge of obso- White." sufficient so it can do all its effects in- lescence. Clients are asking for new and house. (Unlike most optical houses, the varied ways to produce their spots and the The Optical House company does no outside optical work, time may be here soon when all the people Performs for CircusWorld concentrating only on its own produc- currently producing these effects that we tions pioneered won't be able to effectively mar- One spot that really put The Optical .) ket them. Unless they expand these systems House through its races was a 60-second "We've been handling live action as efficiently, they may also be looking at a commercial for Circus World in Florida . well as animation and optical work in the hodge-podge of jerry-rigged and expensive 'The client wanted to appeal to a teenage past 18 months," explains Greenberg, equipment withavery limited future." audience which has gotten very sophisti- "but the Elicon provides the missing It is because of this that Abel has de- cated in terms of opticals," explains Dick element of motion control horizontal veloped a whole new line of software, as Swanek. "So they wanted to really load it tracking. Previously only able to go stop well as hardware, to produce his commer- up with effects." motion and frame-by-frame on track, we cials during the last year; uniquely, he's Swanek's team pulled mattes, created now can go sound speed, as well as high also offering itforsale. images, and turned one scene that was speed and time exposure. The Elicon has The hardware system called the Evans & shot in broad daylight into night, as they repeatable accuracy to 1/2,000th of an Sutherland Picture System II, allows Abel incorporated roller coaster rides, per- inch, as opposed to the best currently not only to preview his commercial forming animals and a diver set on fire. available only to 1/100th of an inch. productions, whether the commercial be The piece was full of graphics-multiple Other features include video record and live action, miniature, computer graphics, titles, animation, strobes, diffused playback so you can preview the moves." or standard animation, but allows him to lighting, push wipes, pinwheel wipes, Larger shots will still be done at one of combine any or all of the above in a single even 10 wipes in eight seconds. One the large blue screens on the West Coast, commercial. When coupled with Abel's "broken glass" effect had the various but for commercial purposes-product LORI Motion Control System, the E&S fragments of a moving picture gliding off and group shots of up to six people- Picture System II allows him to turnout an with different speeds of action within each Greenberg will use its New York amazingly diverse series of commercials. fragment. operation. A black and a white screen that For Levi's "Working Man" his company Audiences are still reeling from some of have also been added will provide addi- previewed an entire liveaction commercial the effects devised by The Optical House tional backgrounds for special effects pur- with the E&S, then went back in post- and special effects director Bran Ferren for poses- production and added all sorts of ALTERED STATES (mushroom fields, "The Elicon is really what we need in rotoscope animation back into the shot by people turning into pure energy, and so order to be able to shoot things live action using the E&S "preview" to control and on). More recently, the studio has been at and also control the motion of the camera plan their motion control graphics work on effects for the movie DEATH- at the same time," states Greenberg . "In cameras. -TRAP. the past, we've had to rent cameras, Startling and unusual variations of these Meanwhile, The Optical House has dollies and tracks that don't control the techniques have been used during the last been moving heavily into graphics and camera to the proper tolerances for special year to create the famous Canon P5D Palm computer-generated images and effects." Printer, the Braun "Micro-Hair" expanding its equipment in the last year or For the new American Airlines cam- commercial, the AT&T "Energy Building" so to meet this emphasis. Three of its paign, Greenberg Associates included (which starts out as a real helicopter shot

94 MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981

SPECIAL remote terminal site in New York will company . EFFECTS eliminate the need to mail cassettes con- 'That was the most successful commer taining key frames to clients; and informa- . and ends up with cutaway cial in the company's history in terms of fly-though of a tion concerning changes which are sug- each store's sales, which living blueprint"), and the TWA gested by clients each sold can be sent via the term- more pieces of chicken," explains a proud Armada" commercial which featured 16 inal. Soffer. computer-controlled miniature airplanes Other new developments occurring in The storyboard was designed both mattedinto a real time-lapse sky. the South Bend facility include theaddition br Currently on Abel's Sunwest and the agency, with the spa drawing boards are of Evans & Sutherland multi-picture itself employing backlit a spot fora new model Toyota car, TRON systems at animation . While each one of three artist stations. some have predicted backlit cel animation (Disney's new multi-million dollar These systems allow an artist to compose computer a will wear out its popularity due to animation film), and a line drawing on a vectorgraph display so overuse, Soffer commercial for Magnavox Odyssey II that the believes that "until progress of his or her work can be somebody invents something terrific video games which Abel describes, in an monitored. Sequences of these drawings understated tone, as "one of that's affordable, it's here to stay. It's our more can also be monitored so that the anima- better than regular title cards." ` insanemasterpieces." tion can be checked. Frame buffer systems Able states, "The agencies have been have also been added so that after the artist Pacific Titles Supplies coming to us with the simple directive of enters the pictures and color definitions, Lion's Share of Movie give us something new, different, and the line drawings can be converted into Credits wonderful'... the kind of freedom that you raster formats, and those images can be What always dream of. The wonderful thing is recorded on Hershey's is to chocolate, Holly. a quad VTR, using a slow- wood's Pacific Title and Art Studio is that we are all reaping the rewards: our- motion disc system for single-frame to selves, the agencies movie.and TV main titles. Not only does and the clients, of a assembly. Pacific whole new dimension of visual explor- Title do more main title sequences ation." Sunwest Hatches Effects than anyone else, they've been doing it for Pioneer Chicken since 1919. But that isn't all the company Computer Creations does. It has six optical printers, including ExpandsInNewYork More companies than ever are boosting Oxberry aerial image, Acme and Cinema andSouth sales by turning to special effects anima- Research, on which most of the fades and Bend tion, and that's exactly what Computer happened dissoves seen on episodicTV aremade. Creations, developer of the when Sunwest Productions' special effects . 'We're a nuts and bolts VideoCel digital computer animation operation. We division, which includes producer Steve get the job in and out in a few days," system, is expanding its New York offices Soffer and director/designer Jay Jacoby, which are currently explains Gordon Hubbard, president of headed up by Jim was hired to produce a commercial for Pacific Title. A list of its title and optical Lindner. (Computer Creations main Pioneer Chicken through agency Asher- work reads facility is in South Bend, Indiana like the contents of TV Guide: .) Plans Could of Beverly Hills. "M-A'S'H," "Trapper John," "Lou include the installation of a remote The sequence produced by Sunwest Grant," "The computer terminal site where Dukes of Hazzard," plus clients can opened and closed the commercial, and many other television shows and feature preview key scenes of CC's work as it is featured a glowing neon tube of the word films. sent out from its South Bend-based Digital "new" which floated into frame from Just about anything needed in the Equipment PDP 11-50 computer. The infinity and past the viewer. That is production terminal will interact with a of main titles can be found in color display followed by the company logo, which Pacific Title's facilities. There is a fully monitor so that some modifications can flares up. The flare is immediately cut staffed occur, and according to Tom art' department for designing Klimek of with a similar flare on a live action knife special lettering or illustration work for CC, a digitizer might be added, but this is as it cuts through a piece of chicken . not yet definite. The The titles, posters or logos, and there is a fully availability of a spot is closed by a tag symbol of the equipped print shop. The methods of producing main titles have not changed much in recent years, though few sequences use hand lettering any more, Hubbard notes. 'Twenty years ago much of the title and lettering was painted on glass. That's pretty much non- existent today. Now it's almost always done on a printing press." Heavy Metal Created With Precision The line between special effects and animation was always blurry, but now it has disappeared entirely. Special effects movies are relying heavily on pen and ink drawings to heighten live action reality, and animated films are making use of traditional special effects techniques. One company experienced at both is Precision Film Group, with a principal creative team including president Alex Funke, VP Don Amundson, and director/ designer and producer Michele Small. A Precision team used computerized motion control photography of miniature models recently for Columbia's animated fantasy feature HEAVY METAL . 96 MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981 SPECIAL EFFECTS tive producer Gregg Ackermaa, cameraman Lennie Evans, associa,~ producer Storyboards given Precision by Jane Kellard, assistant directoq HEAVY METAL effects director John Robert Weinstein and Maurice Hewitt Bruno and production gaffer Les Kovack and grip Guy Baron designer Michael John Gross called for a long, complex pan over Greene produced for the agency. a sprawling, detailed, extraterrestrial Casey Wojciechowski was account landscape-a task beyond the capabilities executive. of traditional cel animation . So Gerry Versatility Marks Allen constructed a 20- by 32-foot large Coast model landscape of Polyurethane Effects and Located in North painted it black with white lines speci- Hollywood, Coast fying contours. Productions special effects unit is super vised by Phil Precision's task was to perform the Kellison. It is a division of complicated single-take Coast Productions of Hollywood . Coast' camera miniature movement over the sprawling "minia- builders were called on recently ture" set on black and to construct models of the three white film stock. Christopher That stock would be made into paper Columbus ships, which were prints which would used in a crucial shot of a 30-sec become animation and Sperry-Rand cels with color added to the shapes and commercial. The com forms later by the animators. mercial began with a pan over New Elaborate shot preparations York City's Hudson River, with a quick included cut to an overhead suspending the 32-foot track over the set shot of the ships. They (which filled a large room) were actually shot in Coast's shop on a and mounting computerized the camera onto an eight-foot boom arm motion control camera with JORDAN, CASE 3 MCGRATH, INC. bi-pak matting and inserted in order to shoot the film in one "con- into a scene of Gatorgum tinuous" take. The the Hudson River. computer controlling "One the camera was programmed for six axes problem for us was matching the of movement, which atmospheric haze in the New York resulted in a smooth footage, aerodynamic simulation of a bird's eye so we eventually shot the ships as view flyover of the landscape double exposures to soften the image a . Because the bit," Kellison frame-by-frame movement was over a explains. The agency was single Scali, McCabe and Sloves of NewYork. set, lights and blackout curtains had A to be moved during the shooting. very different technique, old fash- ioned stop motion animation, breathed Flint Puts Timex life into three baskets of singing flowers In Space for a Florafax flower delivery system Roger Flint is not a special effects man, commercial . Coast but a filmmaker animator Laine Liska WYSE ADV.-CLEVELAND whose commercials animated plastic flowers in three baskets Goodyear happen to contain a lot of effects, and which were singing to none of his a music track. The recent works were filled with daisies were designed with leaves that as many different ones as the Timex acted as hands "Night and held a microphone, Skies" spot. Done through Grey which the flowers pass around. The Advertising of New York, the Timex spot mouths appeared to move by aid of stick- consists of a rock hurtling fhrough space on decals, changed for each frame in slow motion and exploding, a flying exposure to show a different mouth watch against a background of red position. landscape and blue horizon, and other strange vistas. Surrealism Springs from Flint shot a rock wired with four Apogee strings of monofilament painted black at Oscar winner John Dykstra became one 96 to 120 frames per second (to achieve of Hollywood's most sought-after slow motion) in a studio. '1t was tricky craftsmen after creating the effects for lighting it so that the monofilament wasn't George Lucas' STAR WARS, which showing," Flint adds. rushed in a new era in special effects. An explosive charge was added to the Dykstra's company, Apogee, has not rock and exploded on cue in front of the rested on the laurels of its founder, but camera, which was protected by a sheet of has continued to produce special effects glass. Flint explains that the rock footage for movies and was commercials. In fact, it then rotoscoped and used as a matte won a special effects Clio last spring for a for the Cinema Research Company to add 60-second spot it did for Mercury Cougar. in a starfield background. Other watch (Seestory elsewherein thisissue.) footage was shot on the computerized The surrealistic spot opens up on a motion control camera system of Dream woman standing in front of ivory walls Quest, another Los Angeles special effects that seem to iSTU010S, - recede into infinity. Then the INC. house. Mercury Cougar is unveiled, with scenes 328 EAST44THSTREET The major live action portion was shot of striking clarity reflected in its sleek by Flint on a side. NEW YORK, KY 10017 highway outside LA at night, The images could not simply be optically with 20 sets of lights arranged 1212) 697-6805 to face each superimposed on the car's exterior. The other as a car was driven down the street shape of the car required that the images between them. Flint's production team in- be contoured to the auto body while cluded producer Hal Greenberg, execu- retaining perfect clarity. 98 MILLIMETER/SEPTEMBER 19,81 SPECIAL EFFECTS it worked well, as the symbol of a sampler fit very nicely with the product, which was a-heat pump to make the home a little more cost-efficient." Nancy Esserman produced the spot,, which was written by Rich Halten. Energy Features Time Lapse Energy Productions has provided some of the best remembered time lapse photog. raphy seen in commercials or movies in recent years, as well as special animation for a CBS-TV pilot mixing ceI animation withlive action. A commercial highlighted by Energy's time lapse footage won an award at the Chicago Film Festival earlier this year. Shot for LA's K-Earth radio station, the Roger Flint production featured several vivid time lapse shots of Los Angeles streets. The 15 to 20 shots were pulled from a theatrical short done by Energy's director/producer Lou Schwartzenberg. A time lapse of a sunrise for a recent Security Pacific A recent 20-second spot for a new Kodak color negative film features a tour through the Bank commercial found colorspectrum from watermelons to sunsets, courtesy of the Image Factory. Schwartzenberg shooting in 12 to 14 locations all over California to capture the best possible sunrise. For Ken Russell's The solution of optical supervisor slit scan, the spot was for the Boston ALTERED STATES, Energy provided Roger Dorney was to actually project the agency Harold Cabot & Co.; the agency much of the footage used in the hallucina- scenes onto the side of a Mercury Cougar producer was Lou Stamoulis. tion scenes, including moving clouds, model. The projection was done onto a poppy fields, and swimming fish. Cougar specially painted white, then the Magic Lantern Lights the Way for Features, Schwartzenberg was one of the creators images were optically matted in with the Spots of 'Pen 'N Inc.," a CBS television series live action film of the car. "We had a lot While many effects companies in LA pilot not yet aired which concerns a of problems getting the images to come narrow their range of capabilities to either cartoonist whose characters come to life out strongly on the car. We just had to mechanical or , optical effects, Magic with sometimes wacky results. (See make it work," Dorney recalls. Lantern is capable of mechanical effects, Millimeter, August 1981). Schwartzen- special Mixed Rag at The Image props and miniatures, special cine- berg produced the animation sequences, Factory matography, stop motion animation, which involved cartoon characters who front and back projection, ceI animation interact quite subtly with the live action The Image Factory in New York just effects, and prosthetics. It reflects the actors. . completed a tour through the color spec- varied backgrounds of its four principals: trum for a 20-second spot advertising a Bob Greenberg, William J. Hedge, Computer Camera Service new Kodak color negative film. Called the Thomas H. Payne and Anthony Doublin. Offers the Exotic Kodak Color Series, it is just that. Instead of exclusively catering to the Some camera services have standard Opening with a shot of a Kodacolor film commercial trade, Magic Lantern is also camera equipment that shoots animation box, the trip begins with a Cub Scout heavily involved in feature films. That ceI artwork; others, like Computer painting a wall chrome yellow. Next stop perhaps explains why it keeps its hand in Camera Service, are more specialized . is a vivid green watermelon, then a Blue mechanical effects at a time when "We're a small company which does Girl-Image Factory style, not Picasso, everyone else is going to opticals or exotic effects. We specialize in the believ- this time round. Then on to red, and so electronics. As Greenberg explains, many ability of combining effects and live on, till it ends in the hot orange glow of a feature film directors want an effect done action," states president Ray J. Kerns. sunset, and back into the box. on the set. Besides three computerized motion "It's very lyrical, very soothing, slow- The company's talents were integral in control camera systems, Computer paced picture motion animation," reports one of the more memorable vignettes of Camera Service offers more. Its three- George McGinnis, who was creative Mel Brooks' HISTORY OF THE WORLD, color additive light box allows a designer director on the spot, working with PART L" the 'Jews In Space" episode . It to change a color during a streak action in cameraman George Muhs and J.W. involved miniature model spaceships built backlit effects animation, an effect which Thompson producer Larry Dalton. by John Curtis, laser.animation by Green- otherwise cannot be done without a costly McGinnis and Muhs also worked berg, and a special 'blackscreen" matte and time consuming lap dissolve in the together on a 30-second spot for New technique that involved opticals lab. Another unit can provide 8- by 10- England Bell. Beginning with a shot of a supervised by Bob Costa. The company inch transparencies of any frame from a - finger holding a microchip, the camera also executed the angled crawl" main piece of film. zooms through the finger onto the titles which, a la STAR WARS, appear to Its equipment and capabilities were microchip, which expands to fill the roll off into infinity. called upon during the shoot of a Dupont screen. Then back into the hand, which "Usually an artist is dealing with Lannate insecticide spot produced by touches an old black phone that meta- pencil, paintbrush and such," says Coast Productions. -The commercial morphoses into a new computerized Tricomi. "In this case the tools were a showed lightning striking worms crawling phone. A combination of live action and little bit different-forceps and scissors. along leaves, and emitting streaks as they special effects, including rotoscoping and It was rather like a graphic operation . But fell. The leafy backgrounds were flat

100 MILLIMETER/SEPTEMBER 1981

SPECIAL EFFECTS anical Concepts animation stand, which Valdez says is "considered state of the are in terms of vertical cameras." It is hooked up by a Cinetron 1100 computer system to give swift, precise and complex camera moves over artwork and eliminate the drudge of manual operation. "It's got twice the versatility of the original system we used, and it runs twice as fast. Any program can be put into it and actual shooting time is cut in half,- Valdez says. The system's camera also has a broader range of movement than others of its type.

Gehring Develops Kinemorphics System In a town brimming with sophisticated special effects equipment, Bo Gehring of Gehring Aviation has always been one of the first to develop the prototypes. He has used his expertise to direct and produce commercials such as a package of four Bank of America spots he recently did for LA ad agency Grey Advertising . One, directed by Gehring and Deena 1' ' Z'r. i . a t .0,11J,k1 ~ )e Burkett, involved a checkbook re- volving and curling up at the edges to Each stitch is carefully animated and cutoff in this form a percentage sign. It was created on Designer 30-second spot for Alabama Power. Ed TTrcoml ofI.F. Studios In New York shot the 720 frames ofstop-motion the computer graphics system Gehring embroidery In reverse. developed, the Gehring Kinemorphics. 'The Kinemorphics is a digitally-based artwork, and the animated worms computer system on which images can be were with the spot separated into five or six generated and made specially shot to 'blur' a bit as they were units, to move in any per- struck the overall picture plus closeups of spective. Its improvement over similar down. Since movement exposed a smile being formed, window-boxes, one frame at a time will not and systems is the high quality of its image. blur in the so on. Then the commercial was filmed in Once the moving same way continuous movement will to checkbook was gen- the naked reverse, with 720 frames shot thread as erated on the system, the image was eye, Kerns' solution was to the thread unstitched itself. . produce a blur by moving the captured automatically frame by frame on artwork a animation cels. bit while the camera was exposing the film. Short-Stroke Streaks from Then hand crafting took over. "We hand-colored, cel by cel, various things fh="e .lphasis at Lumeni Productions on the checkbook. We made the printing Stop-Motion Embroidery on the Used by Ed Tricomi his shifiec irk the last year. Originally it checkbook several different colors, was a carne_ a service, which enhanced it greatly," states The storyboard called and did the complex for a real sampler shooting of artwork designed by other Gehring. The different elements in the to say family and home. The idea productiurr, coiiipanies checkbook image and the blue sky belonged to B.A. . Lumeni is still a Albert, art director with camera service, but it also produces background were put together on Geh- Atlanta agency Cargill, Wilson k Acree, effects ring's computerized Inc. special commercials now, motion control The execution belonged to Ed according to Lumeni's camera system using bi-pak matting. Pro- Tricomi, who is responsible Tony Valdez, for design whose partners are John O'Connell and ducing for Grey Advertising was- Chet _ and stop motion photography at New Gilbert Maxwell with Claude York's I.F. Yablon. Jacques art Studios. They and staff art director directing. The question on this 30-second John "Good Millerburg together created a recent "This spot made full use of our Sense Home" spot for Alabama Power computer graphics," was: commercial for Banpais, the Bank of Gehring points out, Do we animate, or use some other Mexico. The job, adding that agency producers and art special effect? 'Z thought done through the it would be more Mexico City ad agency of Staff Publiciad, directors will get best results from real if we did it with an actual sampler," was a computerized hardware if they explains 10-second special effectslogo tag. It explore Tricomi, "and had the stitches began with a grid that moved from their uses before finalizing a storyboard. stitch themselves on." the top First of the frame, with the Banpais logo step was to design the stitching and emerging out of it and becoming Acme Cartoon's find out how many larger as "Emulsi- stitches would be it rotated. The logo flares up with hot Filter" Gets Film Look on involved in relation to the number of flashes Tape frames. Research of color, then cools down to was done to find the best solidify into the logo shape. type of stitch and the right materials-a Using a small computer with a large Through a technique Valdez calls "short memory capacity, Acme somewhat coarser material was chosen to "stroke - streaks," Cartoon in give the right the logo appears to be Dallas, Texas, has been busy over the past effect in close-up. Then made of glass. It looks translucent and Rosemary Heyen, wife of 1propmaker/ - two years developing software for - its artist Jerry three dimensional, even though it is digital computer graphicssystem. Heyen who often works with actually backlit artwork," The set Tricomi, did theembroidery. Valdez points up includes a central computer, an image out. array Camera positions were determined, processor (a small computer that can Recently installed at Lumeni is a Mech- store a picture's worth of information in 102 MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981

SPECIAL -Complete Animation EFFECTS Services -Special Effects 3/4ths of a megabyte), a video monitor -Title Design digitizing tablet and pen. -Computerized Oxberry The most unique application of with Image Expander this system involves the "EmulsiFilter - program-a process that runs tape throue digital processing for analysis. The tape is 38 East 20 Street then digitally manipulated to make it loop New York NY 10003 exactly like film. With Acme Cartoon*% 212-228-9000 digital computer system, it is possible to produce a high-quality videotape that car, be mixed with film without any distin. Film PlanningAssociates 0 0 yearsofawardwinning films guishable differences-perfect for match. ing various film and tape sources during animation . Otherprograms available with the Acme Cartoon system include optical printing. squeezingand zooming, scan and slit scan. pixellation and mapping. These programs are designed for creating srrs 6a effects for use in commercial animation, and for titling, etc. The system can take images and perform a number of effects with them, including rotations, tumbles, spins, and a special 3D program for adding depth and OPTICAL dimension to flat artwork. In the mapping &ANIMATION PHOTOGRAPHY mode, images can be placed on any arbitrary surface for manipulation and 15 West 44 Street John Casolaro perspective distortion. - A painting program affords AcmeallCar- New York, N.Y. 10036 Ron Riedener toon 16,000,000 available colors, . of which are stored in the computer's mem- (212)869-0370 Ray LaRussa ory. In this mode, a digitizing tablet and stylus are used for picture manipulation and color matching. With this program, images can alsobe rotoscoped and neon ef- fects added. Yet another program prepares finished cartoon sequences from supplied COMPUTER CAMERA SERVICE linedrawingsoranimation. - Freedom is European Market for Midocean The Clio given last spring in the foreign special effects category was for a spot for Schneider, a French company which produces color TV sets. It was produced by Midocean Motion Pictures of Hollywood, for several years one of the Computer Animation and FX pacesetters in commercial special effects animation . Live Action combined with "It was one of those dream jobs,- recalls Special Effects and Rod McCall, director/designer of the Graphics spot, and creative head of Midocean. Simulated Live Action Shutter '?hey were alile to let me have full freedom in making it." While most Aerial Image- Opticals directors must hew to a rigid storyboard Curved Streaks -Slit Scan worked out by an ad agency, the French firm allowed McCall to design his own storyboard. "I wanted to pull the audience through something . Let them wonder what was going on, then let them see what it was. It's an abstract of color television. The spot also owes a lot to Stravinsky's Rite of Spring,' which I'd been listening to. I had Joseph Byrd, a composer I work with 800 N. Cole Ave., Hollywood a lot, get this 20-minute piece of music into 30 seconds. Then we took the sound (213) 463-8445 and distorted it a bit and changed some notes."

104 MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981

SPECIAL EFFECTS

The many elements in the commercial were produced by bi-pak matting Midocean's three computerized motion control camera systems. Technical director for the job was Don Button, with Cameron Strewski assistant director and Clint Colver and Mark Hardin at camera. Landscape photography was by Charles Edwards. The Schneider spot reflects a new trend in the Hollywood commercial produc- tion community : some of the most creative work" is being done for Euro- pean clients. I think it's mainly because of (Hollywood) movies," McCall offers as explanation . 'They see STAR WARS and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK over there and they're swept away by it, so they come to Hollywood to get that. And because commercials often play in theaters there, their. advertising goes in more for entertainment than our ads do here."

Computer ImageUnveils System IV Over the last four years the Denver- based Computer Image Corporation has developed a massive computer program. This summer, Computer Image .unveiled System IV, a hybrid computer to go along with it. Considered the fourth generation of its real-time animation technology, System IV will increase the speed of animation through operator controls which are coupled with the new computer program. The first models of this computer have already been leased to Radio Television, Luxembourg; and to Telerey Productions in Mexico City, for delivery thisfallandwinter. , Computer Image has designed, patented, and built its own analog and analog-digital computers (the Scanimate and CAESAR) used for commercial production both at its own facility and consortium n. As in Harold Friedman Dolphin (N.Y.C.) and Image West . The l. a Consortium. unique association ofartist-designer-directors specializing resulting real-time electronic animation in special effects, computer motion control, live process produces an infinite variety of generated action, computer optical animation, cartoon animation, stop motion, multi- effectsquickly and easily, as well as plane, laser holography. . . for commercials, disciplined animated moves from films television, feature and visual communications . 2. a production company. electronic patterns to lip sync character animation . Tim Clark Doros Dan Kohne Keith Robinson The method of production used is elec- Fred Crippen D. Rufus Friedman Bob LeBar tronic David Denneen Terry Gilliam Lee Savage manipulation of image, which can Eric Bernard Lodge Linda Stokes be art, video tape, color camera, or Durst Milton Glaser Lee Mishkin Jill Taffet the Larry Etin Gary Gutierrez George output ofthe alternatecomputer. Only one Parker Drew Takahashi piece of artwork is Lee Aoward Oscar Pittman Amie Wong required for any given image, letter form or cartoon character. Key Harold Friedman frame animation is set up by the Consortium operators for extremes in then 420 Lexington Avenue New York, N.Y 1(1017 motion,' Tel. 212 697-0858 ,. , played back in real time. The computer produces all Producers in-betweens at 30 frames per : Harold Friedman, Alte Schloss, Susan Rubin second. The animation cycle approximates West Coast: 2726!5 Grand Canal, the directing of live action and allows far Venice, CA 90291, Tel. (213) 821-0100 greatercreative interaction Producer: D. Rufus . Friedman Some recentclients include IBM, NCAA Football on ABC, and The Phil Donahue Show, among others. 108 MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981 Electronic Scenery, Digital Optical Printers, Computer Imaging in the Near Future for Film Production

PETER SORENSEN

dam Powers is the first of a new breed of stuntmen, who has just made his debut in a few scenes that are on the Information International, Inc. (known widely as "Triple-I") demo reel. All he really does is juggle and do a few back flips; but he is a most promising protege at Triple-I because he can defy the laws of physics with utter impunity. If required, he could just as easily walk through walls, fly without wires like Superman, stretch his arm across the room, change his features or his sex (Eve?) and glow from within. Adam Powers is synthesized by computer . "People used to say, Toull never be able to do the human figure, youll never be able to do anything organicl'" relates Richard Taylor, the senior effects director

Peter SQrensen is a designer/director of computer animation commercials and fea- ture film special effects, living in Hollywood.

Adam Powers(above), stuntman and juggler ex- traordinaire, is a com- pletely synthesized hu- man figure with articu- lated limbs. Created by Triple-1, he may one day appear undetected alongside human actors. This digitally synthe. sized spacecraft, creat- ed by Triple-1's John Whitney, Jr. and Gary Demos, was a test for George Lucas. Lucas liked the results so much he decided to form his own computer animation facility.

(oppositepage) For the Ladd Company's LOOKER, Triple-i digital- ly synthesized a model of actress Susan Dey's face and body. Lines painted on her skin were scanned Into the com- puter, then Image syn- thesis programs used to "flesh" out the model.

MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981 at Triple-1. But the results point the way clearly to the future, when Adam Powers can take his place alongside the live actors in a movie and not be detected until he does something impossible. To put Adam in perspective, we should HEAD .DAT :36542 look back at least as far as 1975, when Dr. Aff",r AC NO 4367 James F. Blinn synthesized with extra- ASPECT 1,-'41-10 ~. r " SYSTiE.'! l/P ordinary grace a running human figure APE,r A1'4LOc; t-' 07 that was constructed out of simple geometric forms-rather like an artist's 00RD11JAFE F_ I L_E wooden mannequin. Then, in 1976, the 807iY3457j#8 movie FUTUREWORLD included a scene by Triple-1 with the simulated face of Peter Fonda-not articulated, but very beautifully "sculpted," and easily recog- nized as Fonda. While it must be admitted that Adam wouldn't really fool anybody today, it is nevertheless obvious that "the full suspension of disbelief" is only a few years away. Here it should be pointed out that in computer graphics, like laser technology, rapid growth and success have prompted a lot of wild speculation about the wonders that will be accomplished tomorrow. In reaction to that, the computer graphics community has become understandably conservative in its tone of speech, prefer- ring to take the cautious route of doing HEAD, DAT : ,3 u 512 first and talking afterward. APEX 7-C ;$ .7 .. Dr. Blinn puts it succinctly: "On the ASPECT P4 T', r7 periphery of computer graphics there ilff SYSTC" , 4,.o are ,4fLf A1C1LOu O. 0,' all these people going bananas with fanciful ideas. But, generally, the people who are shooting their mouths off are not the people who are going to be responsible ,-ofor getting it done." f cvJ ~j ." Nonetheless, extremely advanced work is under way. There are, in fact, at least 17 ~ 1 a ," ; ~'7 . three feature films in various stages of 3`" 051 8 1 011`1713 production that make use of dimensional 5187 0657138763 .` computer image synthesis. 7 0657138763450 '- 0657 :-- :-- :,- . . Ladd Company's LOOKER FOOE 1 7M000L E 3 The first of these films, called C4AF,e4 ANG 33 .1 f,-S . 6 LOOKER, will be released this fall by the Ladd Company. Starting where they left off with the Fonda head in FUTURE- WORLD, the Triple-I people this time have synthesized the entire human b9dy which, although it doesn't have articulated joints like Adam Powers, is a painstakingly accurate anatomical ren- dering, in full color, turning in space-a digital sculpture of actress Susan Dey. The principal step in creating an elec- tronic portrait like this is obtaining a mathematical description of the person. In this case, Triple-I started by drawing patterns of lines directly onto the actress' b"dy which followed the contours of her P. b5143 0370 musculature . Next, she was photographed 707 from four different angles simultaneous- 853014 8011i(79 ly. and then these views were enlarged 1 1+890 013"?0 and I r: ...1 ;,,y'713 projected onto a computer input ;;, ::. ~ I X;1'7518 device called a data tablet. By tracing the "Ms/ rf i.Ct. ? : f31 "+`51824797 411",IAY.r1Of 0 01 o ,ntour lines in the photograph with an w SrSrfr ur +3 3-051 s7 I,F At"fee 44r1a I:I 905187 065713 Ilectronic stylus, the programmer was 167 665713876 ible to feed the computer the mathemati- 7 06571387634 -° cA description that it needed to synthe- +cre her image.

10 MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981 109

- DIGITAL EFX

The film was directed by Michael Crichton, who has done a number of projects with Triple-I, including FUTURE- WORLD. (Richard Taylor is in charge of the computer effects for LOOKER, while John WhitneyJr. andGary Demos were re- sponsible for the FUTUREWORLD ani- mation.) Disney's TRON Next summer will see the release of the new Disney science fantasy film TRON, which also has a lot of effects produced by Triple-I. In addition there will be other segments of dimensional synthesis provided by Magi /Synthevision and Digital Effects, plus 60 minutes of optically processed live action, all under the creative supervision of Harrison Ellenshaw and Richard Taylor. This robot, from N.Y.LT.'s film THE WORKS, incorporates some of the very latest digital Written and directed by Steven Imaging techniques. Lisburger and produced by Don Kushner, TRON draws on the talents of Syd Mead, will generate a digital record of all motion tasy reality that will remind you of some- the grand master of chrome and glass, for the computers to digest. Since the thing you have never seen before," says who designed many of the flying craft and computers" take several minutes to Taylor. The combination of so many un- other forms of transportation that glide animate one frame of film, the live action conventional techniques as well as tradi- about through the digitally synthesized en- is usually done first, although it would be tional techniques, will amount to a tour de vironment of TRON. Mead, who has had possible to do it the other way around by forcethat will beatough act to follow. an important influence on vehicle and pro- having the computer generate pulses to At the New York Institute "of Tech- duct design since the '60s, is also a produc- operate a motion-control system, should nology the intention is to do just that, tion artist for BLADERUNNER, the new that be desirable . with a film it is producing itself called motion picture being worked on by Doug THE WORKS, which will be entirely syn- Trumbull. TRON's "candy apple glow" thesized . This huge undertaking will TRON will be the first feature to make Brief mention should be made of the hopefully be released in the Summer of use of sets and scenery generated by effects for TRON that Taylor and Ellen- 1983 . It represents the culmination of a digital computer. It seems safe to shaw are cooking tip using the optically long standing commitment by the school's speculate that scenery will be created this processed live action scenes. We can anti- president, . Dr. Alexander Schure, to way with increasing frequency in the cipate something of what these scenes will pioneering computer animation research. future and that TRON will be an historic look like by reflecting on the work that benchmark in this regard. The ability to Taylor did for many years when he was a N.Y.I.T.'sTHE WORKS make alien towns on alien planets, and designer/director at Robert Abel & THE WORKS is being written and dir- mighty space cruisers traveling the waves Associates where the invention of the ected by Lance Williams. It is about a plan- of space-time, all made entirely out of "candy apple glow" look that dominated et populated entirely by robots who have non-physical models, is obviously a lure TV graphics in the late 1970s originated. satiric space battles and other adventures, that will stimulate the early efforts at While that look has become over-imitated all very humorous. The fancifully making software sets. But then as the in commercials, it hasn't been used to any designed characters include a little guy artform matures it could be used for con- extent in feature films. with his arms and legs sprouting out of his temporary and historic subjects as well, Very basically, the candy apple head, named Ipso Facto, who rides whenever conventional techniques would technique depends on shooting black-and- around inside a giant robot ant. Bil be prohibitively expensive or simply white images for optical printing through Maher, Dick Lundin and Carter Burwell impossible. colored filters, offering the opportunity to are responsible to one extent or another In addition to being able to do hover- do a wide variety of effects with for the production design and creating the ing Martian palaces, synthesized scenery the images, from glows to slitscans. The software that produces the amusing robot will offer intoxicating freedom to make Bon's share of the TRON live action was characters. changes in the scene, right up to the time shot on 70mm black and white to take ad- N.Y.I.T., like the University of Utah, is of the final editing. It will be possible to vantage of those opportunities. Much of a place where many computer graphics view the scene in as many variations as that is being enlarged, photo-roto- pioneers did a lot of their research. It are necessary to satisfy the director. scoped and then shot on an animation already has the biggest computer instal- ("Here's the shot with the castle made of stand to get the effect of painting with lation for doing animated cartoons (see marble, C.B. Shall we do the next one in light thatTaylor isknown for. Many of the "N.Y.I.T. Puts Computers to Work for graniteorgold?") costumes are designed by the French fan- TV," Millimeter, June 1981), and obvious- To match the motions of a moving live tasy illustrater Moebius (HEAVY METAL) ly intends to be involved when photo- camera with a synthesized scene, there to take advantage of Taylor's effects and graphically realistic synthesized images must be either "witness points" in the lookas though filled with light energy. The start to play a major role in the scene that the computer can follow from idea is to create for the story a world of entertainment applications . frame to frame, or the camera making the electricity and light, a parallel universe of Dr. Blinn was with N.Y.I.T. at the time shot must have sensors in its dolly wheels, computer games to which the hero is magi- that he developed his running mannequin, pan, tilt and zoom mechanisms, which cally transported. "We have set up a fan- mentioned earlier. He also contributed to

MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981

now heading the team at Lucasfilm that known to be involved with, however, is DIGITAL EFX will be synthesizing dimensionally ani- the development of a digital optical mated space ships and software printer. Although Lucas already the scenery in has the software at Triple-I before he went to a year or two. Also with him there are best optical printers in the world, he the Jet Propulsion Labs to work on the several other big names in the field, wants an electronic one for the greatly space flight simulations . His synthe- including Alvy Ray Smith, Tom Duff, increased speed, quality and versatility it sized films of the Voyager missions to Loren Carpenter and others. (Dr. Blinn promises. This development task is Jupiter and Saturn gave scientists and the was there for a while, too, but re- spearheaded by Alvy Ray Smith. public a preview of what to expect, long cently returned to JPL because astronomy A digital printer functions quite before the spacecraft reached their des- is his first love, and with all the infor- differently from its optical counterpart . tinations_ Scenes from those films were mation coming back from the space Both combine elements shot on different featured in Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" series, probes now he wants "to work with that pieces of film into a final composited for which Dr. Blinn also animated DNA data for the next few years.") scene; but the new process manipulates molecules replicating . The computer graphics team at Lucas is digitized pictures instead of the film being especially cautious about speaking images themselves. First the film elements Lucasfilm's digital optical printer before they act; in fact it's almost like the are scanned by a point of light smaller Ed Catmull, who helped N.Y.I.T. get Manhattan Project up there at Industrial than the grains of silver in the film to started with its computer graphics lab, is Light and Magic. One project they are translate the images into numerical information stored in a computer's memory. Once in that form, the digitized picture information can suffer no genera- tion deterioration, scratches or other ill effects, no matter how much work is done. Using techniques unlike either video or film, the images can be manipulated as if they were statistical data, keyed into GEVACOLOM* each other, repositioned, color corrected and much more-all in one pass which gets scanned back onto film with a laser Negative Film process only as the last step. And, because it is possible to preview scenes on a Type 682 monitor before exposing any raw stock, adds a positive touch of quality the operator knows exactly what will be to your feature, documentary coming back from the lab the next day. and TV filming. Taylor says that Triple-I is also working to develop a digital film printer, in the A negative film that records the VistaVision format, which it hopes to subtlety in color shading that you have on line in six months. 'The problem demand, GEVACOLOR Type 682 with traditional printers is that the film is features a high definition and more contrasty, more grainy and less very fine grain. It is a unique neg- color saturated. Fringing in hair is another ative film that provides excel- classic problem. They are also very time lent color rendition in the color consuming, labor intensive and - non- release print film, and is com- creative to operate. patible with Process ECN-2. 'Traditional opticals see the grain GEVACOLOR Type 682 structure of the film and the best they can do is try to reproduce it. So, what we has a speed index of 100 have done is design a system that compen- ASA - 21 DIN when ex- sates for those flaws. It is designed to posed to artificial light - 1 1 know what the nature of grain structure is of 3,200 K. and eliminate that, so when it scans the GEVACOLOR' is a registered trademark picture on the high-resolution screen and of AGFA-GEVAERT. Antwerp/Leverkusen. it's rephotographed, there is no grain build-up. The printer has greater resolution than the film. It sub-scans the grain structure. It looks at the grain and it AGFA-GEVAERT, INC. knows that the area should be a certain Motion Picture Products color. So, when it makes the new picture, 275 North Street, Teterboro, N.J. 07608 it literally knits the image together. (201) 288-4100 You can. clean up film, enhance it, In the Mid-West: . - color correct it, anamorphically compress 2803 Butterfield Rd., Oak Brook, ill. 60521 (312) 986-9078 it, stretch it, take scratches out. It really In the West: gets to be magic when you stylize the film. 1801 Century Park East, Los Angeles, CA. 90067 You can get a living Maxfield Parish (213) 552-9622 image by enhancing color, adding texture 1633 Old Bayshore Highway, Buriingame;CA. 94010 and so forth." (415) 692-2432 . . There already is an electronic film-- printer available which is based on analog, rather than digital, technology. It was made by Frank Van Der Veer and Barry Nolan just in time to composite some scenes for the recent re-make of

MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981

Perpetual FLASH GORDON. Essentially a NO Motion resolution (4000 line) video system rath,s, than a computer, it can do keys, wipe, Pictures, Inc. dissolves, color correction and 212/953-9110 position the image. Hal Hoffer Live action matted with "electronic 213/990-8084 scenery" Ellen Knable Eventually, digital printers will mare up with image processing and artificij 312/236-3324 intelligence techniques to identify ark 312/641-1109 track objects and actors as they move Bill Borden from frame to frame, enabling live action shot on film to be integrated with digitally synthesized backgrounds. Bill Kovacs, the senior technical director at Robert Abet & Associates, who is well known for hB innovative vector graphics software has said, 'The processing of real data-be it live action, landscapes or whatever-is potentially a much richer source of imagery than just creating objects synthetically. You could separate everything that's plaid from that which isn't plaid, look at and alter contour, out- could Oticalhrp line and shadow. Movie companies ,rt~~ ray" t~m~ri come in and save a scene, or replace fiIm~ 0312) 642-8~ somebody's head with somebody else, or turn a daylight scene into night. That's the big apple-intelligence matting." Image processing will be able to remove scratches and dirt spots from' footage by looking to adjacent frames to get the color needed to patch over the flaws. Tech- 111 ~. 1 niques currently in use by NASA for aG a restoring focus to out of focus images could be used to give infinite depth of field to any image-after it's been shot! nlmation and speclal;effects. .. °~pf r~lA /rsa u~}~1"rtat " Imagine being able to alter the focus of orn film~~ (31r2") 822-9580 scenes already in the can, perhaps to draw attention to something in the scene, or simply to salvage a focusing error. The computer scans the blurred areas, and, given data on the lens used to shoot the image in the first place, it can follow formulas that will in effect push the light backinto its proper place! ' The main thing about digital printers is that once a picture is converted into ~~yylo iy numerical data, it is free from the physical .~~a an and the ~71"ll~f "~m ~ ~~" r1 limitations of lenses, light Answer; ints. (~31~2)028,1~ chemical properties of emulsions. At the risk of sounding starry-eyed, we can say that image processing is still in its own very early infancy, and the spectrum of possibilities opening up has barely begun to be explored. Future of effects industry Three corripanie's wbFkiiig'togeth16r While the future is obviously bright for to provide the ultimate in Film. those who are involved with the digital imagingarts, there is a developing sense of apprehension on the part of workers in the special effects field who fear that their livelihood will be put in jeopardy. Model 57 west Grand Avenue makers, matte painters, optical printer operators, even some_actors view the new Chicago, Illinois 60610 developments grimly. Obviously one can't forecast with confidence precisely

MILLIMETER/SEPTEMBER 198'

what changes will take place. But it seems foolish to spend valuable computer time Lance Williams of N .Y.I .T. wrapped up reasonable to assume that the new on those jobs. his description of digital image synthesis hardware will be so involved with In addition to the three films in produc- this way: "Computer models are made of c onstantly blazing new territory that the tion that we have discussed, there are mathematical surfaces: spheres and established methods of special effects will others in the planning stages. A fad will ellipsoids, cylinders, cones, hyperboloids, find their home turf to be basically no doubt take off, with all the good and paraboloids, polygons, and doubly- unthreatened. If a studio invests in a the bad that that will bring . . .but when curved parametric surfaces. They are dimensional animation system, it would the dust settles the new tools will be here weightless and require neither wires nor be well advised to keep its model makers to stay, and the art of making motion pulons to flout gravity. They do not need and matte painters on, or else the new pictures will be richer. "Stuntmen" like dusting, gluing, oiling, repainting, or ."toy" won't be free to do anything new. Adam Powers and little robots like Ipso brushed-aluminum Haliburton luggage The majority of effects challenges will still Facto will become, in a manner of cases with custom foam-padded interiors. solvable by the more economical speaking, familiar faces on the lot. They enjoy, in short, most of the advan- conventional means, and it would be In discussing his movie THE WORKS, tages of fantasy over reality." O

LUCASFILM, ZOETROPE EYE COMPUTER GRAPHICS By Laurence Sarchin

Laurence Sarchin is a Seattle-based free- . scene; and portray it in different light or technology is rapidly advancing." lance writer. . weather conditions . The system, now Boeing's present system-a VAX partly operational, will be used by 111780 computer, IKONAS graphics The endless fluorescent hallways and Boeing's military strategy and tactics system, Lexidata memory and video steel-gray desks of the Boeing Co.'s division to do realistic video simulations display-has been used to develop computer center may be an unlikely of war games so far advanced they will software that can produce trees on a Flace for the development of STAR' make the best computer graphics effects bare landscape, show drifting fog or IYARS effects technology. But Luke oftoday look like the early video "pong" biological hazards, and view any Skywalker and his rebel friends would games. portion of the Earth's surface "right be very interested in the computer "The displays you see in movies today down to the guy on the ground," braphics work being done there. are pretty simplistic," says Mike Cyrus, according to Cyrus. The Boeing - graphics system can the manager of Boeing's Simulations Computer graphics that can `' already .- " manufacture a three- Technology Group. "Most of the manufacture realistic ground wars are dimensional landscape -of anywhere in algorithms in use in present computer obviously of interest to film companies ` the world from satellite mapping data; graphics were designed before 1975. that have spawned a minor industry in add trees and other vegetation ; move the With the number of people entering the space wars. The most recent probe from yicwer over, around or through the - field doubling or tripling every year, the the industry was an inquiry from Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope Studios for a project called 'Interface." Jack Fritz, a producer with Zoetrope in Los Angeles, says that Zoetrope approached Boeing CALL OR WRITE in the fall of 1980 to do an animated computer graphics sequence for the film. GRAY ENGINEERING LABORATORIES "It's a rather ambitious effects project," says Fritz, "with a variety of special 4-P W. HAPMAN AVE. effects and animated graphics ." Boeing ORANGE, CA. 92668 was asked to do a 30-second to two- 714-997-4151 minute scene of an animated low-level flight over the desert, but turned the project down at that time because its management saw no prospects for con- tinued business in the film industry . Although the Boeing Co. hasn't been attracted to movie production, some of its employees have. Loren Carpenter, a former Boeing employee in computer graphics, went to Lucasfilm last year after producing a lbmm color film of a digitally-animated flight of a small object over desert and mountains, taken from a video monitor. '1 wanted to work in a place where pictures are the end product," says Carpenter, who now works at the Lucasfilm Computer Development Division with Ed Catmull. Boeing's computer graphics work appears to be ahead of the present state of the art in motion pictures, but re- searchers at Lucasfilm and labs such as the New York Institute of Technology ' are working on a slightly different track. Speed and real-time simulation are the goals at Boeing, where some video noise y1 LLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981 Graphic

nited capability, i for features, titles, Flight simulation programs developed at !quipped and staffed the Boeing Corp. can take satellite data of a spacecraft as it does to make a surface and from any portion of the earth's plastic one, and the plastic one looks digitally synthesized picture of it. experience. create a better-for now," the source says. "The Lucasfilm people have been doing some and limited accuracy are acceptable . At computer image manipulation and audio Lucasfilm, however, the emphasis is on editing so far, but they have no facili- complete realism-"if anyone sees a ties for hard copy [film] yet." digital artifact in our graphics work, JEDI may use computer-enhanced we've failed," says a source close to images such as the artificial reflection of d16mm. Lucasfilm: laser flashes against the actors' faces and Lucasfilm's computer division is now clothing during blaster duels, but Animation, working on the entry tools for its nothing has yet been planned. 'They system, VAX 780 and 750 computers can't commit anything to the production ;, Blow-ups, from Digital Equipment Corporation. schedule until it's up to full quality. It's With the addition of some frame buffers possible that the software will be up and dissolves, and other off-the-shelf hardware, the running in post-production, and it could Lucasfilm people are putting together a be used then," the source said. lternegatives. system that will allow matte artists to While the production of JLDI goes on ; draw animated effects on the computer in England, rapid development in the,', for later mixing with live action, or to computer graphics field may make produce complicated three-dimensional "impossible" visual effects possible backgrounds. Lucasfilm sources say that before the next Lucas space epic. Lucas major parts of the system will bow in at and Coppola were invited to Japan the 1982 computer graphics conference earlier this year to see Sony's new 1125- b. (known as Siggraph) in Boston a year line high definition TV system. Software from now, but until then, products from continues to advance, too; it took the Lucas shop probably won't contain Boeing 30 minutes a year to product graphics any more complex than the sim- 1,200 highly complex trees with leaves;' ple vector drawings that were rear-pro- the same scene can be done today in 40 jected in the rebel base scene in STAR seconds. WARS. 'There is a lot of pressure out there in There has been speculation that the market to improve graphics,"' says REVENGE OF THE JEDI will be the first Boeing's Cyrus. "Someone out then, big showpiece for the high-powered before 1990, is going to invent a system computer research department at that is VLSI-oriented (Very Large Scale Lucasfilm, but sources say that it is too Integrated Circuit-equipment with soon for the complicated effects that the incorporated memory that can process computer will eventually produce. digital and analog images) and the kind "Anything that would be done would of realistic graphics we are talking about home have to be extremely high definition, will be commonplace for sophistic"c^d and video just isn't ready for that yet. It computers, not just for takes as long to make a computer model things likeSTAR WARS."

MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981 MILLIMETERISEPTEMBER 1981