New Episode
Episode 014 — Firefox
We talk the making of Clint Eastwood’s Firefox with Russian speaker Mike Gower, and we marvel at John Dykstra and Apogee’s technical advances, including “reverse blue screen,” for the effects of the super-stealth fighter. до свидания!
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VFX & Special Effects
Apogee’s Miniature Effects
A clip from Hollywood Stuntmakers covering Apogee’s miniature effects, and some interview bits with John Dykstra and John Swallow. It also shows their Graphlite motion control boom setup circa the late 1980s (a few years after Firefox).
Film Technology
Widescreen Museum - The VistaVision Wing
You've probably heard me talk about ILM and other effects houses using VistaVision film for effects work, but just what is VistaVision? Martin Hart, curator of The Widescreen Museum, has a whole section of his website dedicated to the history of VistaVision, the format specs, the politics of why it came to be, and how it evolved. Don't be fooled — the website may look a bit dated, but it's a wealth of well-researched information.