tech-heavy VFX article on SKYFALL (more CGI than you thought, probably)

I didn't write this one. Having said that, it is a lot more thorough and CINEFEX-like than mine, and focuses exclusively on visual effects.
http://www.fxguide.com/featured/skyfall/

I think the komodo dragons were the only really obvious CGI in the film.

Am I the only one who thought the dragons weren't computer generated? :oops:

I thought the first dragon was great, but as I've said elsewhere, the second one moved like someone fed it (or its animator) some crack.

Raja the Komodo dragon from London Zoo was used as a model for the animators.

http://www.zsl.org/zsl-london-zoo/news/komodo-dragon-stars-in-new-bond-skyfall,1017,NS.html

Was a bit disappointed with the dragons. Since when do CGI animals belong in Bond films? Imagine if CGI was around in the 70's and the LALD croc-hopping scene wasn't done for real. Would it be one-tenth as memorable?

Shame because I liked that fight scene. Shades of Moore-Bond and, for once, it seemed Craig-Bond was fighting someone who appeared physically imposing enough to best him (namely the tubby guy who became the dragon's bitch).

Wasn't the white scorpion CGI too?

FieldsMan wrote:

Am I the only one who thought the dragons weren't computer generated? :oops:

It's okay - the first shot of them when Bond was walking in I thought they were real.

When it came to the actual fight in the pit I have to say I dropped that opinion - there was something just not quite right.

Still at least if you thought that other cinema goes probably did as well and that is the effect desired so 'yay!' I guess.

Excellent article, although I haven't seen the film yet. I'm looking forward to seeing the main titles in full.

I'm a bit hesitant to see how these Komodo dragons were handled. I've only read bad things about them. I agree with CJB, though, and don't think CGI creatures belong in Bond films. If you can't do a stunt with the real deal, or use convincing CGI, then don't do it at all.

The CGI didn't look too bad IMO, sometimes they looked pretty good in certain parts like when Bond enters the casino.

Love the WITNESS/HIGH NOON vibe in this shot.

Funny, I just posted something somewhere about how act 3 of SF, like OUTLAND, dabbles in HIGH NOON territory ... though my point was to say it fails in the way OUTLAND does, but doesn't even have Connery to offset things.

Largo's Shark wrote:

Love the WITNESS/HIGH NOON vibe in this shot.

Me too.