|
 |
 |
|
|
Libby Hazell (Visual Effects Production Manager)
Jim Rygiel (Visual Effects Supervisor)
Dean Wright (Visual Effects Producer)
Eileen Moran (WETA VFX Producer)
"My same philosophy applied to digital effects as to the overall design. I wanted the monsters to feel real right down to the dirt under the fingernails of a Cave Troll or the bloodshot, bulging eyes of Gollum."
— Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson and his team not only created a physical Middle-earth, they also designed an entirely digital universe for The Lord of The Rings trilogy. This staggeringly intensive, behind-the-scenes work was carried out by WETA Digital. The New Zealand based F/X company assembled a crack team of computer artists, key frame animators, modelers, digital paint artists, motion editors, compositors and software engineers, among others, to devote years of their lives to creating never-before-seen effects.
WETA Digital also invested in a historical first in live-action filmmaking: a massive database that has stored every single frame shot in the making of The Lord of The Rings in a digital library that can instantly access, analyze and cross-reference any single item appearing in the film. This means that every single element in the trilogy can be subject to digital manipulation, from landscapes to mood lighting to hobbits on horses.
But the real creative power of WETA Digital can best be experienced in some of the most evil and threatening of characters appearing in The Fellowship of The Ring. Creatures forged entirely through digital magic include Gollum, Treebeard, Balrog, and the eye of Sauron.
One of the most exciting creatures introduced in The Fellowship of The Ring is Gollum, who was born a hobbit-like creature named Smeagol but transformed into something far more frightening through his own encounter with The Ring.
"I think that Gollum may be one of the most sophisticated digital creations seen yet," notes WETA’s Richard Taylor. "Throw out all your old ideas about what CG looks like because Gollum defies them."
Gollum was brought into existence through a combination of state-of-the-art computer animation and sophisticated motion-capture technology utilizing "fluid dynamics." Peter Jackson wanted to avoid a "computer-generated look," so instead the painstaking design lends to Gollum realistic joint movement based on actual organic muscle and bone, all seen rippling under his translucent, but flesh-like skin. The computer artists even wound up studying anatomy books to create a believable view inside Gollum’s skin.
"WETA developed vast amounts of code to create Gollum," notes Peter Jackson. "They developed new modeling codes, new skin codes, new muscle codes. He is amazingly life-like and we were able to give him a range of expressions from the evil of Gollum to the sympathy of Smeagol."
The filmmakers also brought in renowned character actor Andy Serkis to give Gollum a range of voices — from melancholy to menacing. According to Barrie M. Osborne, "It is imperative that Gollum is a real character. He is brought to screen as an animated character, but we need him to have an emotional range, a character torn between the power of The Ring. Andy Serkis has that range as an actor to do an amazing job, both in his vocal range, in his ability to pantomime Gollum on set, and also on the motion capture stage — so when animated he will become the most realistic animated creature ever on screen." Digital technicians worked closely with Serkis to capture his own uniquely created movement for the bony, lonely creature.
Audiences can look forward to seeing Gollum with the release of The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers.
|
|