Cinefex number 6 October 1981

It is unlikely that any technological breakthrough of the last decade will have as significant a long-term impact on the way motion pictures look and are made than will the burgeoning field of computer generated imagery. From the earliest advances in the art and technique of computer animation to the current state of the art, a solid overview is presented on the past, present, and future of computer graphics, digital scene simulation and electronic compositing. Article by Peter Sørensen.

When Hal Barwood and Matthew Robbins set out to make a sword-and-sorcery fantasy, they had no idea it would spawn the most significant innovation in dimensional animation since its inception. ILM dragon-masters Dennis Muren, Phil Tippett and Ken Ralston discuss the development and utilization of “go-motion” animation, aided and abetted by dragon mover engineer Stuart Ziff, optical supervisor Bruce Nicholson, armature builder Tom St. Amand, miniature set builder Dave Carson, matte painting supervisor Alan Maley, makeup artist Chris Walas, and animation supervisor Sam Comstock. Non-ILM involvement is recounted by dragon designer David Bunnett, full-size prop maker Danny Lee, and VCE animation supervisor Peter Kuran. Article by S.S. Wilson.

One of the more effective recent uses of special effects to enhance rather than dominate a film was in the Lucas-Spielberg production of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Discussing the climactic holocaust sequence and other optical work in the film are ILM effects supervisor Richard Edlund, effects art director Joe Johnston, animation supervisor Sam Comstock, optical supervisor Bruce Nicholson, special makeup artist Chris Walas, cloud manufacturer Gary Platek, matte painting supervisor Alan Maley, and matte cameraman Neil Krepela. Article by Don Shay.