How good is Gollum's CGI Animation....

Dúnedain · 02-13-2003, 11:06 PM

Check this out, this is really interesting, I read this today over at theonering.net:

HOW good is Gollum's animation?
Tehanu @ 4:24 am EST
How good is Gollum's animation? REALLY good, according to Ringer spy Lisa, who wrote in:
"Now that my husband and I have seen the movie more than once, it occurred to me to pass on to other fans a somewhat different observation of Gollum.

As nearly everyone who has seen TTT can attest, the CGI work of Gollum is extraordinary. However, there is another aspect of that work, too. My husband has a 65% hearing loss in both ears, wears hearing aids, and does not use sign language. Instead, he reads lips. Cartoon characters and all CGI characters have always frustrated him because he has never been able to read their lips.

Until Gollum. After we saw the movie the first time, my husband said, "I have never been able to read a CGI character's lips before. Gollum's were exactly as if he were a human being." I cannot think of higher praise for all the people involved in creating Gollum than to tell them that a hearing impaired person was able to follow Gollum's speech exactly, just by lip-reading. Kudos to the dedication of the Weta staff! "

Coney · 02-13-2003, 11:12 PM

Wow...I was very impressed by WETA's Gollum, but I had no idea it was that accurate

Gwaimir Windgem · 02-14-2003, 12:04 AM

*claps hands*

Very good. I knew that they were excellent graphics, but I didn't know they were THAT good!

Huan · 02-14-2003, 01:06 AM

Now that is cool. I thought Gollum was the absolute best performance I've ever seen by a CG character.

Black Breathalizer · 02-14-2003, 09:42 AM

There is a magazine out called Cineflex that goes into great detail describing all the special effects in TTT. Much of it was about CGI Gollum, including how they worked to match the mouth movements with Andy's dialoge.

WallRocker · 02-14-2003, 09:59 AM

Thats' amazing

All I can say is that Weta should.defientely get some kind of Oscar for the awesome job they did.

Gwaimir Windgem · 02-14-2003, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Huan
Now that is cool. I thought Gollum was the absolute best performance I've ever seen by a CG character.

No 'think' about it for me.

Insidious Rex · 02-14-2003, 11:01 AM

Yet another amazing example of the incredible thoroughness of this movie. they sweated the details like no one before. right down to hirring guys who specialized in making miniature fixtures to put on the wooden buckets in the shire scene that got all of 4 seconds on screen. it really must have been not so much like working on a movie set but more like living in a small bubble where middle earth actually existed.

Draken · 02-14-2003, 12:35 PM

Gollum is the first CGI character where I've completely forgotten about it being a CGI character. He's a stunning achievement.

BeardofPants · 02-14-2003, 02:47 PM

What a whopper. I have 65-70% hearing loss in BOTH ears, wear hearing aids, and can hear almost perfectly normal.

Rána Eressëa · 02-14-2003, 07:11 PM

I agree on that; I almost forgot Gollum was actually a CGI character. And I did notice that about his lips -- it was very accurate.

Fimbrethil · 02-14-2003, 08:39 PM

Wow, thats so cool. I mean I knew Gollum was great before I read this but that had to be like the ultimate complimate for all the people involved in making Gollum.

gollum9630 · 02-21-2003, 11:31 PM

I thought gollum was the coolest character in the movie, he looked so life like that it was amazing.

Edro · 02-22-2003, 06:44 PM

Gollum was totally cool, but i didn't know that he was that accurate. I also forgot he was computer generated. I mean hes going around, interacting with people, looking for fish, and then you tell your self "Where did they find such a thin actor

?" and you remember hes CG

Celebriel · 02-22-2003, 11:51 PM

I also think the lip-reading post was an accomplishment. After seeing the TT several times, I started to pick up on little things. Such as Gollum's toes move nicely. But then there are parts of the movie when Gollum doesn't exactly match up with the rest of the film.

But hey, I am a perfectionist so what do I know? Overall, I good job.

- Celebriel

**Nurvingiel** · 02-23-2003, 06:38 PM

You don't think he matches parts? Which parts? I never notice stuff like that and I'm curious.

Gollum never stick his knee in his forehead or any obvious mistake like that. Not only can you read his lips (deeply impressed) but his body language is so incredible! (I'd say 'human' but that's not really what I'm looking for is it?) His body language is so twisted former hobbit!

Celebriel · 02-23-2003, 10:19 PM

Nurvingiel, the only scenes that irked me were the close-up shots. Such as when Gollum was telling Frodo he "swears...on...the precious!".

- Celebriel

cassiopeia · 02-23-2003, 10:29 PM

I think there are parts in the movie where Gollum's hair doesn't move while the hobbits' hair does, among others. I didn't notice them when I saw the movie, I thought Gollum was excellent.

Celebriel · 02-23-2003, 10:32 PM

By the by, I love your little icon, Cassiopeia. Has someone been to MusingsOfViggo.com? ^__^

- Celebriel

Lady_of_the_Golden_Wood · 02-25-2003, 10:41 PM

Back to the subject. My dad's a 3D animator. Even he thought Gollum was great. All my friends fell in love with Gollum. Gollum was my favorite character in TTT.

Quoting him is great fun!!!

02-13-2003, 11:06 PM	#1
Dúnedain High King of Númenórë Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Númenórë <--United States of America Posts: 1,947	How good is Gollum's CGI Animation.... Check this out, this is really interesting, I read this today over at theonering.net: HOW good is Gollum's animation? Tehanu @ 4:24 am EST How good is Gollum's animation? REALLY good, according to Ringer spy Lisa, who wrote in: "Now that my husband and I have seen the movie more than once, it occurred to me to pass on to other fans a somewhat different observation of Gollum. As nearly everyone who has seen TTT can attest, the CGI work of Gollum is extraordinary. However, there is another aspect of that work, too. My husband has a 65% hearing loss in both ears, wears hearing aids, and does not use sign language. Instead, he reads lips. Cartoon characters and all CGI characters have always frustrated him because he has never been able to read their lips. Until Gollum. After we saw the movie the first time, my husband said, "I have never been able to read a CGI character's lips before. Gollum's were exactly as if he were a human being." I cannot think of higher praise for all the people involved in creating Gollum than to tell them that a hearing impaired person was able to follow Gollum's speech exactly, just by lip-reading. Kudos to the dedication of the Weta staff! " __________________ 'Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!' - And those were the words that Elendil spoke when he came up out of the Sea on the wings of the wind: 'Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world.' 'Then Tuor arrayed himself in the hauberk, and set the helm upon his head, and he girt himself with the sword; black were sheath and belt with clasps of silver. Thus armed he went forth from Turgon's hall, and stood upon the high terraces of Taras in the red light of the sun. None were there to see him, as he gazed westward, gleaming in silver and gold, and he knew not that in that hour he appeared as one of the Mighty of the West, and fit to be father of the kings of the Kings of Men beyond the Sea, as it was indeed his doom to be; but in the taking of those arms a change came upon Tuor son of Huor, and his heart grew great within him. And as he stepped down from the doors the swans did him reverence, and plucking each a great feather from their wings they proffered them to him, laying their long necks upon the stone before his feet; and he took the seven feathers and set them in the crest of his helm, and straightway the swans arose and flew north in the sunset, and Tuor saw them no more.' -Of Tuor and his Coming to Gondolin "Oh. Forgive me, fairest of all males of Entmoot...Back down, all ye other wannabe fairest males! Dunedain is the fairest!" --Linaewen

02-13-2003, 11:12 PM	#2
Coney The Buddy Rabbit Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Trapped in the headlights.. Posts: 3,372	Nice Article Wow...I was very impressed by WETA's Gollum, but I had no idea it was that accurate __________________ Blessed are the cracked, they let the light in Beatallica

02-14-2003, 12:04 AM	#3
Gwaimir Windgem Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA Posts: 10,820	claps hands Very good. I knew that they were excellent graphics, but I didn't know they were THAT good! __________________ Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle

02-14-2003, 09:59 AM	#6
WallRocker Elven Warrior Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: At the computer... Posts: 376	Thats' amazing All I can say is that Weta should.defientely get some kind of Oscar for the awesome job they did. __________________ Do one thing every day that scares you ~Anonymous~ <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><<>< <>< <>< <>< I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America And to the Republic for which it stands One nation UNDER GOD with liberty and justice for all

02-14-2003, 11:01 AM	#8
Insidious Rex Quasi Evil Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Maryland, US Posts: 4,634	Yet another amazing example of the incredible thoroughness of this movie. they sweated the details like no one before. right down to hirring guys who specialized in making miniature fixtures to put on the wooden buckets in the shire scene that got all of 4 seconds on screen. it really must have been not so much like working on a movie set but more like living in a small bubble where middle earth actually existed. __________________ "People's political beliefs don't stem from the factual information they've acquired. Far more the facts people choose to believe are the product of their political beliefs." "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

02-14-2003, 01:06 AM	#4
Huan Elven Warrior Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oxford, MS Posts: 274	Now that is cool. I thought Gollum was the absolute best performance I've ever seen by a CG character.

02-14-2003, 09:42 AM	#5
Black Breathalizer Elf Lord Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 828	There is a magazine out called Cineflex that goes into great detail describing all the special effects in TTT. Much of it was about CGI Gollum, including how they worked to match the mouth movements with Andy's dialoge.

02-14-2003, 12:35 PM	#9
Draken Elf Lord Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Durham, England Posts: 694	Gollum is the first CGI character where I've completely forgotten about it being a CGI character. He's a stunning achievement. __________________ I'm beset by self-doubt ....or am I?

02-14-2003, 02:47 PM	#10
BeardofPants the Shrike Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA <3 Posts: 10,647	What a whopper. I have 65-70% hearing loss in BOTH ears, wear hearing aids, and can hear almost perfectly normal. __________________ "Binary solo! 0000001! 00000011! 0000001! 00000011!" ~ The Humans are Dead, Flight of the Conchords

02-14-2003, 07:11 PM	#11
Rána Eressëa The Rogue Elf Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 1,722	I agree on that; I almost forgot Gollum was actually a CGI character. And I did notice that about his lips -- it was very accurate.

02-14-2003, 08:39 PM	#12
Fimbrethil My microwave speaks to me Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Having conversations with my major household appliances. Posts: 937	Wow, thats so cool. I mean I knew Gollum was great before I read this but that had to be like the ultimate complimate for all the people involved in making Gollum. __________________ Bah, Bah black sheep have oyu any wool? Yes sir, yes sir. Three bags full! One for the master, one for the dame, one for the little boy who lives down the lane! Bah, bah black sheep have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir. Three bags full. I'll be gone for a while. But never fear! "I shall return anon!"

02-21-2003, 11:31 PM	#13
gollum9630 Canadian Guy. Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: The true North Strong and Free Posts: 1,513	I thought gollum was the coolest character in the movie, he looked so life like that it was amazing.

02-22-2003, 06:44 PM	#14
Edro Sapling Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: West Virginia, USA Posts: 10	Gollum was totally cool, but i didn't know that he was that accurate. I also forgot he was computer generated. I mean hes going around, interacting with people, looking for fish, and then you tell your self "Where did they find such a thin actor ?" and you remember hes CG __________________ "Bumper stickers are like little nuggets of truth."

02-22-2003, 11:51 PM	#15
Celebriel Elven Warrior Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Mirkwood Posts: 139	I also think the lip-reading post was an accomplishment. After seeing the TT several times, I started to pick up on little things. Such as Gollum's toes move nicely. But then there are parts of the movie when Gollum doesn't exactly match up with the rest of the film. But hey, I am a perfectionist so what do I know? Overall, I good job. - Celebriel

02-23-2003, 10:19 PM	#17
Celebriel Elven Warrior Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Mirkwood Posts: 139	Nurvingiel, the only scenes that irked me were the close-up shots. Such as when Gollum was telling Frodo he "swears...on...the precious!". - Celebriel

02-23-2003, 10:29 PM	#18
cassiopeia Viggoholic Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Australia Posts: 1,749	I think there are parts in the movie where Gollum's hair doesn't move while the hobbits' hair does, among others. I didn't notice them when I saw the movie, I thought Gollum was excellent. __________________ Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try. Last edited by cassiopeia : 02-23-2003 at 10:33 PM.

02-23-2003, 10:32 PM	#19
Celebriel Elven Warrior Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Mirkwood Posts: 139	By the by, I love your little icon, Cassiopeia. Has someone been to MusingsOfViggo.com? ^__^ - Celebriel

02-25-2003, 10:41 PM	#20
Lady_of_the_Golden_Wood The Precious Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Glasgow Posts: 204	Back to the subject. My dad's a 3D animator. Even he thought Gollum was great. All my friends fell in love with Gollum. Gollum was my favorite character in TTT. Quoting him is great fun!!! __________________ was holding on hanging by a thread clinging to three words you said but words are meaningless in your absence.

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