avatar – Constructonomics https://constructonomics.com/blog A construction industry blog that digs below bedrock Sun, 18 Apr 2010 01:37:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Construction and Film Making Cross Paths in Avatar https://constructonomics.com/blog/2010/01/31/construction-and-film-making-cross-paths-in-avatar/ https://constructonomics.com/blog/2010/01/31/construction-and-film-making-cross-paths-in-avatar/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:41:16 +0000 http://www.constructonomics.com/blog/?p=209 I’ve always thought there were similarities between the film making process and the construction process.  In movie making you have the script (plans), the set (jobsite) and of course the final product (building).  Similar to construction, the more time spent on the script, the smoother and quicker the implementation of the script takes place.  And [...]]]> I’ve always thought there were similarities between the film making process and the construction process.  In movie maavatarking you have the script (plans), the set (jobsite) and of course the final product (building).  Similar to construction, the more time spent on the script, the smoother and quicker the implementation of the script takes place.  And of course, making changes to the script during production (construction) can be brutally expensive.

Duane Craig who writes the Construction Informer blog wrote an excellent article about the use of 3-D virtual imaging technology provided by AutoDesk during production of James Cameron’s most recent film Avatar.  AutoDesk also provides the software AutoCAD which has long been the most widely used computer aided drafting program for the AEC industry.  Craig also provides a podcast of an interview he did with Chris Ruffo, the senior industry marketing manager for design visualization at Autodesk’s Media and Entertainment Division.

I will say that Avatar was a very spectacular movie.  I still think my most jaw dropping experience in the movie theater was seeing a bunch of Dinosaurs break out of their zoo in Jurassic Park, but the effects in this one weren’t too shabby either.  This is the first time I saw a mix between real actors and computer generated images, and they pulled it off very well.

I read the document provided by AutoDesk about virtual production and the Avatar movie specifically.  The following is an excerpt:

Computer applications like Autodesk® MotionBuilder allow directors to control a virtual camera using hand-held devices such as the mock camera shown below.  The camera movement is tracked in real-time and translated directly into the computer.  MotionBuilder also allows real time capture and display of actors’ performances applied to digital characters.  This allows the director to shoot a computer generated (virtual) scene by simply directing the actors and moving the camera in the same way they would during a live-action shoot.

In short, the 3D visualization technology that is beginning to become more and more common in the building industry were similar to those used by James Cameron when shooting Avatar.  It allowed him to march around the set and direct just as he would with real characters and objects because he could see something very similar to the final product.  I’m sure it beats having to direct actors with a big green screen behind them.

Anyway, I think it is save to say that Camera pulled off another good one with Avatar – it’s already made more money than Star Wars.  In fact, I think James Cameron has made more money than God.  But while the building industry may not be quite as lucrative at least we use some of the most advanced technology to improve our industry.  Hell, maybe we’ll make a movie about it.

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