How did they make the first Star Wars films without computers?
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Before the computing era, Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) was the master of oil matte painting, with geniuses like Chris Evans, Mike Pangrazio, Frank Ordaz, Harrison Ellenshaw, and Ralph McQuarrie.
Matte paintings are one of the original VFX techniques used in filmmaking. Originally used in photography, matte paintings have evolved from painted glass panels to entire 3D digital worlds. A matte painting is often a painted glass pane that is used to show a landscape or large set piece. It could be described like the precursor of the green background system, or chroma.
The way it worked it was actually quite simple. The glass woud have the static objects painted and left space for the areas where the actors would move, giving the impression they were in that scene.
Matte paintings are one of the original VFX techniques used in filmmaking. Originally used in photography, matte paintings have evolved from painted glass panels to entire 3D digital worlds. A matte painting is often a painted glass pane that is used to show a landscape or large set piece. It could be described like the precursor of the green background system, or chroma.
The way it worked it was actually quite simple. The glass woud have the static objects painted and left space for the areas where the actors would move, giving the impression they were in that scene.
