CGI or Model Starship.

[Lita]

Watch is faster I want to but a starship fight scene in my movie.but it may take to long.So is cgi faster to do then model starship.

------------------
Brenda Diane Smith Filmmaker 35mm 0r bust nothing will stop me!!!!!

[eddie]

Hello Lita

It depends on what you have available to you.
CGI tends to take a long time to do, but making a 3d Model of a spaceship and filming that against a piece of black card with stars painted on it might take a week.

[Lita]

Thanks ,EDDi I would hire someone because I know nothing about cgi or model building but I got a budget of 3,000 for fx.

------------------
Brenda Diane Smith Filmmaker 35mm 0r bust nothing will stop me!!!!!

[eddie]

3 grand sounds like plenty to me. But it wont be enough to buy the computer hardware and software needed to make a convincing cgi dogfight.
I could make a fleet of model fighters for a fraction of that.
Personally I would choose 3D models over CGI, simply because they can be done more cheaply and I prefer the look of models over CGI. But at the end of the day you must choose what is right for you, your film and your budget.

[Lita]

Thanks Eddie and CurtinP. do you any good books on Modeling .I know very little about.I should learn things like how to do ,camera to use size of ship?Maybe I can mix both?

------------------
Brenda Diane Smith Filmmaker 35mm 0r bust nothing will stop me!!!!!

[Curtin-Parloe]

If you can get CGI done professionally for 3k we'd all love to hear about it!

Also remember that you have to allow for conversion of your footage back and forth from 35mm to digital. I'm sure that would up the price.

For that reason I agree with Eddie. Go for models - as long as you get the lighting right.

The other thing to think about is laser bolts - a bit harder without CGI, you might have to etch them onto the film by hand!

good luck...

paul

[Curtin-Parloe]

have a look on SF dvds for extras. There's also a book on cinematography I found (can't remember the author) with a small section on miniatures - it has all of the info on one page!(I think I posted it last month)

Cheers

Paul

PS http://www.hostboard.com/ubb/Forum317/HTML/002782.html
This was the post

[This message has been edited by Curtin-Parloe (edited July 24, 2001).]

[eddie]

As far as modelling is concerned just about any model shop or library will have a book on paper mache or making models.
Just get some glue, a few plastic model kits and some assorted plastic junk, and a can of silver spray paint. See what happens.
On tip I know is when you actually film them film it all upside down. Suspend the models from wires upside down and turn the camera upside down. This is how they filmed Thunderbirds. It means that the final image will be the right way up, but anyone looking for wires wont see them, because they wont think to look *under* the model.