Check out the Walking with Dinosaurs movie trailer, with "my" dinosaurs
May 1, 2013
I know, it’s not exactly an earth-shaking post on anatomy or reconstructing prehistoric life, but as I mop up some of the duties that have taken me away from blogging the last few months I thought I’d share this trailer, which shows off some of what took time away from blogging last year at this time:
I know that some will object to the anthropomorphization of the dinosaurs’ actions, but actually a ton of time was spent on trying to develop less mammalian behaviors and expressions that would still read to an audience. In the end not all of them worked out, but the realities of such a project are that no movies with this sort of budget will get made if the people fronting the cash think audiences won’t be able to relate to it.
I think the anatomy will be some of the best ever seen on the silver screen. The compositing and color in one or two of the shots don’t look as good as say the Jurassic Park movies, but with a final release not coming until holidays in 2013 I seriously doubt the entire film has been through final color grading, so I wouldn’t let that bother you.
What do you guys think?
P.S. I was only one of the anatomy designers - Mark Witton was the other major designer that I know of (that is, created anatomical creature design illustrations as well as consulted), although there was an impressive assortment other paleontologists consulting on the project. After the 2D design was done the talented David Krentz added greatly to the character designs while transferring our work into the realm of three dimensions.
Even after models are made a project like this depends on an army of incredibly talented artists, including those who paint the models, the technical directors and riggers who make it so those static models can move, and the animators who bring them to life. The finished look also strongly depends on the texture and render artists, including shader development, digital lighting, and the people who composite and color grade the finished imagery. I only use the term “my” to illustrate enthusiasm for having played a role, not to imply that the role was more than a cog in a large and very talented army of people who worked on the project.
12 comments
Really like the blue patterns on the tyrannosaurids. (Even if they could be a bit shaggier -- oh well.)
There was an effort to get shaggy gorgosaurs, but the world of film-making just wasn't quite ready for that.
And yet, technically, the absence of shaggy gorgosaurs is correct since Tyrannosauridae is still fuzz free for now albeit phylogenetically likely. We cannot really moan about the film makers in this instance because they are depicting tyrannosaurids accurately - in as much as the fossil record permits.
That doesn't necessarily follow - absence of evidence is not evidence of absence here. The phylogenetic data is really the only data we have, so it's what we should be relying on.
Yet in March of The Dinosaurs there was no problem for it ? :P
Anthropomorphization is the only thing that offends me.
Iben, March of the Dinosaurs was TV/direct to DVD and had a budget of ~4 million USD. Walking with Dinosaurs 3D has a budget estimated at 80 million USD and will have a worldwide release in theaters. Apples to oranges my friend. ;D
This looks amazing! I can't wait to watch it. Congrats on working on a Walking With Dinosaurs Production!
Thanks, it was a blast working with such a talented creative team (and of course all of the other paleo guys).
I understand, but people simply don't plop down this sort of cash on a project if they view it as risky. In that light this is actually a pretty strong move away from movies like Disney's Dinosaur, where the dinosaurs had to talk the entire time.
Iben - Anonymous there makes an excellent point on the budgetary differences. Also, I'm pretty sure that WWD3D actually started development before March of the Dinosaurs (it was like a three year production). Yutyrannus wasn't even published until character design was finished.
"I know that some will object to the anthropomorphization of the dinosaurs' actions, but actually a ton of time was spent on trying to develop less mammalian behaviors and expressions that would still read to an audience. In the end not all of them worked out, but the realities of such a project are that no movies with this sort of budget will get made if they people fronting the cash think audiences won't be able to relate to it."
I have a question about: What anthropomorphism is there in the trailer? I ask b/c, besides the very beginning (when the hero's in the nest trying to get food), I didn't really notice any. Many thanks in advance & congrats on the movie.
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