ALIENS miniature effects part 1
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- Опубліковано 16 вер 2022
- ALIENS miniature effects. Patrick McClung talks about the miniature work by the British and American crew for the James Cameron film. Upgraded Sense of Scale segment. Photos: Robert and Dennis Skotak, Stuart Land, Doug Beswick, James Belohovek, Patrick McClung, Dennis Lowe, Steve Begg, Brian Smithies, Nigel Blake, Van Ling, John Lee, Syd Mead, William Malone
- Фільми й анімація
This would be a dream job for me. Working with a team of model builders for a movie production. These guys are the best of the best at what they do!
I am truly in love with the miniature ship work on this film!!! Absolutely stunning work ❤
The miniature work is phenomenal. I wouldn’t have thought some of these sets were miniatures.
Incredible that _Aliens_ was a 'low budget' movie. What a triumph.
Ikr, that fact is true about quite a few older masterpieces and it blows me away.
I wouldn't say it was low budget. $19 million for a film in 1986 wasn't exactly cheap. It'd be like a $50 million budget for a movie today. That's a healthy sum. But, yes, Cameron squeezed every last cent and it's all there on screen. Quite a movie for sure.
This movie is an absolute masterpiece!
Amazing! Better than CGI!
There is an incredible shot in Aliens where the drop ship is just about to launch from the Sulaco for the first time. The bay doors open up and you see the planet below and it’s like seeing something from a NASA documentary.
That's a copy of a shot from Dr Strangelove. A homage, if you will...
@@robzilla730 How I Learned to Love the Xenomorph.
Bad science fiction. It's physically impossible to 'drop' a ship from orbit.
It's great
@@RideAcrossTheRiver Rule of Cool wins every time. Besides, it can be explained away by various means.
Really amazing how much Cameron managed to get on screen in Aliens without it ever looking cheap, despite the low budget. The film is a masterpiece on every single level of cinematic craftsmanship.
I only have ONE problem with the CAMERA effects in Aliens, and that's the scene where Ripley has just torched the Alien queen's eggs and there's fire everywhere - I assume it's a rear screen projection (no idea really) but the whole scene doesn't look right; it reminds me of many car driving scenes in old movies where it's obvious that the scenery moving past the windows is just projected or similar.
@@SlartiMarvinbartfast Yep I know that shot but to be fair it’s less than 3 seconds long so you can forgive them.
I think I'll watch this in the home theater today.
Camerons matte painting work is amongst the best, probably because he actually did this work himself on productions like Escape From New York. He's a proper artist, very demanding but it pays off. I can see why Sigourney Weaver loves him, his professionalism and drive is incredible.
You said it: "craftsmanship".
Just loved the look of this movie, outstanding designs. Glad they didn't go away from that industrial military look that Syd Mead came up with but made it even more detailed.
Fantastic. Loved the little details such as the "C" emblem for Caterpillar inc on the powerloader.
I really appreciate the fact that there is no music in the background, no shaky video camera, and no extremely fast photos ... so we can really appreciate everything. This is perfect!
Thank you! That was my goal. I did this doc like a slide show and avoided crazy fast editing.
@@piercefilm Thank you for your reply. You're welcome! Well, you did a great job! I discovered your channel a few minutes ago and watched a few of your videos. They are informative and great! It's so rare to appreciate a video documentary where everything is clearly explained without fast video editing and with loud music and sound effects, so we have time to appreciate everything, all the great and rare photos and the interviews. What a pleasure to watch videos like that! Again, thank you very much for that, and congratulations. You did a really good job! I subscribed to your channel.
These guys were the TRUE HEROES of Cinema!
Unsung heroes
For the child i was, these guys built the Future for me. Thanks
I LOVE the practical effects in this movie! At first, I didn't realize the power loader and the queen were scaled down models. To me, I thought they were full scale props being manipulated with cables and stuff. After learning the size of these models, I'm definitely impressed more on what they did, which looks a THOUSAND times better than any CGI crap.
Love that film, good work fella
Thank You for the greatest sequel ever made !!!
I would have thought *Aliens'* budget was *_BIGGER_* than the original! Great work! Next to *The Thing,* this is my favorite sci-fi movie.
Aliens budget was bigger, $18.5m vs $11m for Alien.
Still watch Aliens to this day. Super production. Nothing to be sniffed at. ❤️🤩
Britain has always had really good model makers for movies. Still do!
I remember when I was in my late teens, I was still living at home and I lived on the third floor of our old terraced house, essentially the roof. And we had a skylight put in and we had a father and son team that did the plastering once it was all fitted. They did the entire room in less than a day!
Really good guys.
Anyway the Dad. I forget his name, used to work at pinewood studio way back in the 60s and he helped build the Volcano Lair in the James bond film You Only Live Twice and even did the sets for a few of the Hammer films too!
I spent the entire day talking to him as it was fascinating!
He'd met some truly massive movie stars but he was really humble about it. They did a cracking job on my bedroom too!
just gotta love industrial light and magic
ILM didn't work on Aliens. But maybe you mean practical effects are better than CGI?
Bring back models to movies.
I saw the film in the cinema in 1986 the model work was just amazing.
There was enthusiasm, effort, love, and love for cinema in the old movies. People were doing their jobs with love and with great respect. Now, the last stage of the increasingly synthetic industrial society; "virtualism"...
Great movie
Aliens
I watched the shot and the powerloader looking banged up actually contributes to the scene because it makes it more believable that the alien queen is banged up too because of the fall with her tail spike being snapped and all. Everything in the air hatch looks tremendously believable no matter how many times I watch it and the common dissonance of CGI not being there makes it such a joy to watch. I assume software will be created eventually to spot CGI and A.I. generated videos and I would love to one day see that software to scan this movie and go: All real! 😂
Syd was an unbelievable industrial designer, so that helped!
I think this was Cameron's greatest movie. I never get tired of it.
me to dude I didn't even know it was a low budget movie
@@Andy-li2px it wasn't low budget movie.
I've watched it at least 10x! I was working for Network Appliance, we were building a streaming proxy cache, and we needed to watch MP4 videos to make sure the caching worked and didn't freeze-frame etc. So i watched it all day every day for something like a week as I worked! Then later I showed my kids! It never gets old!
It's anyone's greatest movie ever. Nothing will ever top ALIENS.
Great post! 🤘
God Im like a little kid here in AWE of this valuable production back story. All these people really are true craft artists.
Be nice to come up with a technique where you blend miniatures with CGI
I love your UA-cam channel, Great stuff, Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺 😊
Practical effects done right always look better than CGI.
One of my favorite films. Amazing miniature work.
I'll never get tired of watching these!!! Thank you!
Sensational models 🤩👍💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎💎🥂😉
And the movie looks better than stuff made today, and that's because it's all real. Except in few cases, CGI cannot attain that last bit of reality that actual objects give us. And further, using mechanical/in-camera effects enforces a constraint, a discipline that is all but gone with CGI where fantastical things happen that destroy a sense of verisimilitude.
The Alien 2 is a masterpiece. Set the standards high for sci_fi movies forever. From such a low budget, and without boring CGI! Don't forget the constant fear trough the movie too! Worth every second to watch!
As much as I appreciate the advancements in CGI I'll always be a bigger fan of the artistry, workmanship, and creativity of using miniatures in movies. Even after viewing these behind the scenes videos it's still amazing how real they look in the final product.
While I share your sentiments about the craftsmanship and artistry involved in these miniatures I think CG has had a transformative effect on film and television making, without it I don't think many modern films and TV shows would be possible.
@@JetsetDruid I watched Casablanca with the silly Plane on a string ending.....and the film moves me more than any CG ...Replacing is crap...CG is weak
@@ekspatriat weak CG is weak. Good CG is not. The best CG is indistinguishable from reality.
@@miked1869 Maybe the problem is, that movie makers think "we have good CG, people will be impressed" and don't bother with strong story, dialogue and acting. Effects take the forefront. Honestly I didn't like even Cameron's "Avatar" as much as his other work. While it's still good film, it's not a masterpiece like his other films. The effects have too big role
@@shredd5705 agreed. The effects should complement good screenwriting, direction and acting, not be used to bolster a bad film - although I do think there's a place for big, dumb action movies.
I didn't particularly like Avatar either, by the way. I've only watched it once, I think, and I couldn't say that about any of Cameron's other movies. It'll be interesting to see what the sequel is like.
I hope Giger liked what they did with his designs too.
He really liked the Queen, he made special mention of liking the mechanization, but didn't like the ribbed cranium of the Alien warrior. He was though depressed that he hadn't been asked to work on Aliens and, other than getting his name in the credits, didn't get any payment for the movie using his ideas from Alien (all part of his contract with Fox). He also didn't like the 'Rambo' movie approach of Aliens and instead prefers suspense but he grew to enjoy it over the years.
@@SlartiMarvinbartfast Good info - thanks. I heard the contract was not the best. Kind of screwy for all that he inspired including ship design.
Decades later this movie is still perfect the way it has been done. This is called talent at all levels👌
Just finished Rinzler’s ‘Making of Aliens” book which covers every detail quite well but this interview was fantastic to see. No matter how many times I’ve seen the final Queen/loader fight sequence it always satisfies. Its that perfect combination of live action and miniatures that sells the sequence so well. Absolutely masterful execution from all departments! Cheers
Never knew until recently that parts of the Queen/loader fight were miniature, truly gobsmacked. Btw that Rinzler book...does it give info the making of videos don’t?
It does. Covers the entire production from top to bottom. From the writing of the script to the day to day shooting, (including of course all of the effects work) and finally postproduction. He also wrote an outstanding making of book about Alien as well. Highly recommend both
Cool
Amazing work. Got to admit some of the details mentioned here floored me!
More amazing content,shared far & wide:)
This is excellent, thanks piercefilm.
Now thats film making
Epic it would be amazing to wk on a set designing props
It’s incredible what was required for special effects back in the golden days of the art form!
Syd Mead did the Leonov? Did not know that!
With such limitation and constraint, in creating cinematic treasure.. so much love and passion.. unlike today’s hollywoke.
I'm not sure how being "woke" has anything to do with using too much CGI or practical effects. It's all about money, which has never changed.
Oh that Sulaco model is so sweet.
ur brain is amazing and picking up whats real and whats not. no matter how good cgi is there is always something off about it. great use of model work can trick ur brain, because you are looking at something real, the trick is in the scale.
When I see clips of video like this and photos on set, I like to pause them and look at all of the faces of talented people that most of us will never know and I really appreciate their silent contribution to films that we have come to love over time.
The models from BSG behind this interview ❤
replicas from the original molds
Amazing! If I didn't know better, I would never have guessed that I was watching miniatures in the movie.
Tackling nonrelative receptive environments with relevant equipment in receptive capacity for noun improvement
?
Aliens one of my all-time favorite movies
The pulse rifle sound is one of the most memorable sound effect in cinema.
@@Joshua_N-A the magic of sound effects
Movies: Inventions + Tricks + Details + Hard work
It looked real then, and it looks real today. More believable onscreen than anything I have seen done with CGI, honestly.
Thats because you don't notice good CGI, honestly.
@@dontevenlook CGI has destroyed cinema...
CGI is instantly noticeable. Take the car scene at the beginning of I am legend. Terrible.
@@novaexpss no it hasn't
@@dr.emilschaffhausen4683 can I list some bad practical effects now?
Incredible artistry and free hand skills these people have. Beautiful craftsmanship.
Thank you for all your hard work! Loved it!
The Sulaco is just hilarious and I loved it about the movie. It's a ship full of space machines and it looks, quite simply, like just one friggin' gun pointed in the direction it's going. PERFECT !!
this is gold material, i want more :D
I have a second "Aliens" segment here on my channel.
He sounds like a really nice guy. He spent a lot of time complimenting other people. You put him in front of a camera and all he's thinking about is "how can I include other people in this?"
I worked with him briefly on "Charlie's Angels", and though I knew he was the fx supervisor, he never gave me the feeling that he was the boss. I felt like I was talking to a chatty night janitor - just a humble accommodating nature. Same with the Skotaks.
@@aliensoup2420 he/that sounds awesome
I love hearing about nice people.
@@aliensoup2420 Great story, thank you.
This movie is a work of art, and timeless ❤
proof that no advancement in CGI will ever beat a bunch of artists in a shed.
The art is dying. Hope someone with a 3D printer could rejuvenate scale models in filmmaking again.
Aliens was low budget? Well, they sure got their money's worth.
One can actually make a great movie with 45 million dollars today that can put 300 million dollar CGI fest to shame.
@@Joshua_N-A I agree
Love watching these videos! The special features on the Aliens dvd is filled with details on how the fx work was done for the movie...thanks for sharing and stay safe!
🎬🎥🎬🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🎬🎥🎬
ABSOLUTELY
Funny how he says "Aliens" had a relatively small budget. I think the effects are some of the best ever done, and hold up fine today. And, most importantly, they are vastly better than the CGI cartoonish crap that is ruining so many movies today....
As great & powerful CGI is, i kinda prefer the "real" model movies! just has a certain feeling to it, seeing well placed animatronics/miniatures instead of pixels!
What happens with all that in camera stuff is that it ages well. Aliens still looks gresh asidebfrom the last scene where the ship is rocketing away. The entire movie just stands up. The performances put it over the top and for me is the greatest sequel ever made. OK Empire is right up there....
Thank you to this guy for the incredible work he and his team done to contribute to this amazing movie 👌👍
Great video! Where is part 2?
It's here on my channel. You can use the playlist button, or just search through the hundreds of videos.
GREEBLING!
Easily one of the best Sci-Fi movies ever, wish they could find that magic again in the franchise.
The Sulaco is one of my real favourite ships. It looks so very real!!
I was always surprised how massive the ship was but had such a tiny crew.
@@jimmyzhao2673 so much was automated, it was a giant transport. Once the crew of whatever size were put to sleep, it was all on whatever AI programs that ran the ship to get them to whatever hot spot they were required to deal with.
Guys who did model effect did escape from New York Sean when Snake flyer over city was made on a tiny bujet was Great
Robert and Dennis Skotak.
And to think years ago they said the loader riply uses to fight the queen was real and used in European warehouses. To think all this time it was just a puppet. Still it’s amazing work!
There was also a full size one for Sigourney Weaver to use on set.
The amount of work the production crew put on that thing was so impressive and the depiction of the powerloader in the film is so realistic that it is said that construction firms ask the production crew where they can get one.
And now the budgets are huge and these new movies still can't quite match how good Aliens looks!
Fascinating story. Thanks. Aliens is one of the greatest films of all time.
Alien made 3.5 million in four days at the cinemas so they decided the sequel should get a low budget? I didn't know is was a low budget until this year.
18 million USD in 1986 adjusted to today is about 45 million USD. Goosebumps 2 budget was 35 million and the CGI isn't too bad (at least to me) either.
Some of these things I never realised were models. The power loader and queen look full sized in every frame...
"Such a low budget" is not something you hear quite often when speaking of a milestone sci-fi blockbuster.
The narrator was not only happy himself with Sulaco model, he made lots of movie fans happy as well I believe.
Ahhh....Pat.
I want that big Sulaco model!!
Imagine Bandai make a 1/100 scale Sulaco plastic model kit. The kit box would be insane and so are the runners. Instruction manual would come in a book instead of a usual pamphlet. A model builder's dream.
It was brilliant anyway wether the budget was small or not it didn't show ! 👍🙂
One of the most incredible cinematic experiences of my life . The crow d went apeshit in London where normally you barely got any reaction at all i'll never forget it .
It’s ironic that come 2003, the pre-production for AVP, they had a higher budget than Aliens (60mil compared to 16), but the studio was against making another film in space because it would cost too much. So they went with Paul’s idea of a Pyramid under the ice because it would save money.
Aliens budget adjusted to today would be 40 to 45 million USD. Probably need to check one more time.
@@Joshua_N-A Adjusted for inflation for 2003, it's still definitely a lower budget than AVP.
man i would love to have that sulaco model!
wow thanks for uploading, this is fascinating!! love these miniatures!
Despite what he keeps saying about not having enough money the end result was a winner.
Having a tight budget makes people come up with creative ways to solve problems. Sometimes it helps elevate the end result.
1986 18 million USD adjusted today is about 45 million. Goosebumps 2 was given 35 million budget yet the effects especially the CGI isn't shabby at least to me.
A truly great film, which has all the hallmarks of a classic. The directors cut was a real treat!
Best movie ever made!!!
Absolutely loving these vids ❤
I saw the apc model at Alien war in London. I think it went back to the USA afterwards
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 👌👌👌👌👌👌👌 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 These guys are genius. Going beyond time. They took us to mars or other planet 100 years before we actually go.
Funny How the Marine Drop Ship ressemble Hunter Killers from Terminator...
Some of those models look look so cool. I'd love to see them in real life.
I'm very surprised Aliens had such a low budget. With a director like Cameron, and source material from the Alien storyline, you would think the budget to be 3x more than it was. The completed film sure looked like a movie with a bigger budget.