I've watched this series multiple times. It was interesting how it differed from Vice's "Icons Unearthed" series featuring some of the same talking heads. In the '80s, I too was a bit obsessed with ILM, had that "Art of Special Effects" book (along with a pile of other books about visual f/x), and also was a bit "meh" about the follow-up ILM books because they almost exclusively covered the digital approach. Once the era of the old school effects (like the ones I'd read bout so much) went the way of the dodo, and the Star Wars films and Star Trek films faded, I sort of secretly felt sad because I knew that there was no way that I'd ever a.) be able to work on a movie with models and matte paintings, and b.) I'd never work at ILM on a Star Wars movie. I don't think I'm alone on this one. We're all like the comic book readers/fans: secretly or openly, they all are frustrated comic book creators. We watched those movies, and we all were sitting there, champing at the bit to jump in and contribute. It must've been great to be there, and be part of that epic struggle to create something that would live well past all of us.
I knew most of these stories, but loved seeing them talk about it again now that they are all older!
I've watched this series multiple times. It was interesting how it differed from Vice's "Icons Unearthed" series featuring some of the same talking heads.
In the '80s, I too was a bit obsessed with ILM, had that "Art of Special Effects" book (along with a pile of other books about visual f/x), and also was a bit "meh" about the follow-up ILM books because they almost exclusively covered the digital approach. Once the era of the old school effects (like the ones I'd read bout so much) went the way of the dodo, and the Star Wars films and Star Trek films faded, I sort of secretly felt sad because I knew that there was no way that I'd ever a.) be able to work on a movie with models and matte paintings, and b.) I'd never work at ILM on a Star Wars movie.
I don't think I'm alone on this one. We're all like the comic book readers/fans: secretly or openly, they all are frustrated comic book creators. We watched those movies, and we all were sitting there, champing at the bit to jump in and contribute. It must've been great to be there, and be part of that epic struggle to create something that would live well past all of us.