Post

The Spaceshipper 🚀
@thespaceshipper.com

An effective use of the full range of tools available at the time: animatronics, practical models, CGI, stop-motion... The DID (Dinosaur Input Device) armature by @tippettstudio.bsky.social enabled stop-motion animators to produce computer animation without learning animation software programs.

7 reposts111 likes

The Spaceshipper 🚀
@thespaceshipper.com

How it works? Like Harryhausen, but with 1997 tech. Btw that Nolan's Odyssey actually makes me want to track down all the Harryhausen movies, so I can watch all those extraordinary classics again. 🗡️🦴

The Spaceshipper 🚀
@thespaceshipper.com

It's also one of the last great films featuring plenty of practical spaceship models. If you're interested, I've written all about it here:

The Spaceshipper 🚀@thespaceshipper.com

Paul Verhoeven's Starship Troopers was released 28 years ago today. This is an opportunity to rediscover the film's sublime models:

patreon.comStarship Troopers: Would you like to know more about spaceship models? | The SpaceshipperGet more from The Spaceshipper on Patreon
Eli Friedmann
@eligit.bsky.social

Another interesting effects aspect is how convincing the bugs are. Both the physical props, puppets, etc and the cgi swarms. Very well executed stuff. And in the service to an impressively satirical story.

They call me JC
@theycallmejc.bsky.social

I've been a fan since sitting with my Dad at age 5 watching Jason and the Argonauts. I have most of them on DVD but a few are on YT 🙂 Particular favourites are 'First Men in the Moon' 🌑 and 'One Million Years BC' 🦕

Raptor
@raptornx01.bsky.social

another fun fact. these techniques are also the core of computer animation programs. they are animated the exact same way. you have a model, position it, set bookmark, move, set, move, set.

Raptor
@raptornx01.bsky.social

people'd be amazed at how much "traditional" filmmaking techniques play a role in animation. esp 3d animation. lenses, shutter speed, frame rates, lighting, depth of field, set building/decorating, framing, etc etc.

Andrew | TheSpoilist
@thespoilist.bsky.social

I think Starship Troopers is perhaps the absolute peak of where practical and CG meet to create unquestionably great effects. So much from Jurassic Park in 1993 via First Contact in 1996 up to Starship Troopers in 1997 is just unbeatable.

Raptor
@raptornx01.bsky.social

you know whats even better? this version of the DID actually allowed for free flowing, live movement recording. where the original DID worked exactly like stop motion (move, click, move, click) this one not only allowed that, but also allowed you to use it like a handpuppet, recording the whole time

Professor Togglebooooootton
@togglebutton.bsky.social

I wish this was still in use for production. There is something about posing things by hand that adds believability. You can so easily animate unreal motions with a digital rig. Taking a stop motion class in college really hemp d me understand animation better than the CG ones.