Light ROM 4/Light ROM 4 - Disc 1.iso/text/maillist/1996/031596.doc/[e-mail] _Tue Mar 19 11:38:33 1996.msg

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From: "Eric Gooch" <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Reboot
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> > From:          [e-mail] (robert hood)

> Personally, I think Reboot is the absolute neatest show on television.  It
> does with computer animation exactly what I think CGI should be used for:
> to bring the impossible to life.  It is *extremely* well done, with
> outstanding character animation, beleivable characters, intriguing plots,
> etc.

Looks like I'm going to draw a lot of flack for this one, but I wasn't
impressed by Reboot at all. A couple of weeks ago I tuned in Saturday
morning to watch Hypernauts, and after it was over I left the TV on and
Reboot came on. Although I'd heard a lot about it, it was the first time
I'd seen it. The complete lack of lighting combined with almost non-
existent texturing left me pretty cold.

> While effects done on seaQuest and S:A&B are stunningly realistic, and
> greatly enhance the shows that employ them, I am constantly reminded of
> something said by one of the old Warner Bros. animators (was it Fritz?):
> If it can be done in real life, then it isn't animation (I'm paraphrasing).
> He was, of course, referring to cartoon animation, but I think the same holds
> true for CGI.  If CGI spaceship is almost indistinguishable from a real model,
> then the only advance you've made is in your show's budget.

!?!?   WHAT?
Have you ever tried shooting real effects? Have you ever been tempted to
shoot yourself in the head at 4:30 in the morning because:

a) the motion control rig is acting up,
b) you're NEVER going to be able to recreate the motion the client wants,
c) you're having problems with the shadows cast by the armatures on the
    model,
d) You can't find a wider lens at this hour,
e) The model is too small
f) days will be spent in post putting it all together,
g) ten thousand other things I've forgotten.

Although it's true that there's a budget savings, I wouldn't even include
that in the "top ten" reasons to use CGI.

<Rant mode off>   8^)

-Eric G.



>
> Reboot brings to life something that would be impossible to do for "real."
> I think, therefore, that it is at the leading apex of the CGI artform.
>
> Too bad ABC has cancelled it.
>
> Render me gone,               |||
> Bob                         ^(===)^
> -------------------------oOO--(_)--OOo--------------------------------------
> Bob Hood, President | All governments suffer from a recurring problem:
> Virtual Visions,Inc.| Power attracts pathological personalities.  It is not
> Tel: [phone] | that power corrupts, but that it is magnetic to the
> FAX: [phone] | corruptible.  Such people have a tendency to become
>                     | drunk on violence, a condition to which they are
> [e-mail]    | quickly addicted              - Frank Herbert
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>