I loved that we (as the audience) couldn't tell that this character was actually a puppet in-universe because allStar Trek prosthetics look like puppets.
Is there any example of "decent puppetry"? It seems like any puppetry is very obvious. Even modern animatronics have a very limited number of points of articulation compared to actual biomechanical beings that makes it unrealistic.
Sure, there's limits. Show enough and even the best has an uncanny valley because our brains are great at picking up subtle clues. But in this example there was little shown outside the head motion, and I'll take most any of Henson's or Weta Workshop's stuff that tries to trick the mind into thinking stuff is real.
Most recent is the work in Project Hail Mary. Not humanoid, but convincingly living.
About as old, but the first Yoda out of ESB was incredible in believability, particularly in face expressions (given the topic here of just a talking head on screen). Lucas's later attempts at doing more with Yoda using CGI was nowhere near the level.
I think there's different levels of what we call real. CGI might be more realistic, but our brains know that we are looking at something that never existed, whereas even the shittiest puppet is convincingly a real object; I think that to translates us more easily having feelings about the puppet.
Stole this argument from a comparison of Carpenter's practical effect smorgasborg, The Thing, vs its CGI-heavy remake.
CGI for TNG wasn’t actually all that “there” yet. The cgi of the era was expensive and they didn’t get into it very much until season 6, on the show.
(They did use CGI for the genesis effect in wrath of khan and a few other times, but it wasn’t in their typical skill sets)
The first show to use cgi heavily was actually Babylon 5, who pioneered it, and lessons were learned and used in Star Trek after TNG season 6/DS9 and Voyager.
25 Comments
SatyrSack@quokk.au · 23 pts · 11d
I loved that we (as the audience) couldn't tell that this character was actually a puppet in-universe because all Star Trek prosthetics look like puppets.
Rhaedas@fedia.io · 4 pts · 11d
That advanced a technology and they still chose to go practical vs. CGI. A remake with some decent puppetry, and it would look real.
SatyrSack@quokk.au · 4 pts · 11d
Is there any example of "decent puppetry"? It seems like any puppetry is very obvious. Even modern animatronics have a very limited number of points of articulation compared to actual biomechanical beings that makes it unrealistic.
FuglyDuck@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 11d
The Minotaurs in the Narnia movies were all animatronic prosthetics worn by some dude on stilts.
They’re a sort of puppet, I guess.
They might not have been totally perfect but had full facial movements.
Rhaedas@fedia.io · 5 pts · 11d
Sure, there's limits. Show enough and even the best has an uncanny valley because our brains are great at picking up subtle clues. But in this example there was little shown outside the head motion, and I'll take most any of Henson's or Weta Workshop's stuff that tries to trick the mind into thinking stuff is real.
Most recent is the work in Project Hail Mary. Not humanoid, but convincingly living.
SatyrSack@quokk.au · 3 pts · 11d
Any specific examples? I just remember Farscape being firmly in the "obviously puppets" realm, but that is pretty old by now.
Rhaedas@fedia.io · 6 pts · 11d
About as old, but the first Yoda out of ESB was incredible in believability, particularly in face expressions (given the topic here of just a talking head on screen). Lucas's later attempts at doing more with Yoda using CGI was nowhere near the level.
ummthatguy@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 11d
From an Avatar themed ride at Disneyworld:
Repelle@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 11d
My first thought. That thing blew my mind when I first saw it.
schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 11d
I think there's different levels of what we call real. CGI might be more realistic, but our brains know that we are looking at something that never existed, whereas even the shittiest puppet is convincingly a real object; I think that to translates us more easily having feelings about the puppet.
Stole this argument from a comparison of Carpenter's practical effect smorgasborg, The Thing, vs its CGI-heavy remake.
FuglyDuck@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 11d
CGI for TNG wasn’t actually all that “there” yet. The cgi of the era was expensive and they didn’t get into it very much until season 6, on the show.
(They did use CGI for the genesis effect in wrath of khan and a few other times, but it wasn’t in their typical skill sets)
The first show to use cgi heavily was actually Babylon 5, who pioneered it, and lessons were learned and used in Star Trek after TNG season 6/DS9 and Voyager.
Ghost_Mermaid@lemmy.zip · 5 pts · 11d
Wasn't this from the Original Series? I thought it was the dummy they discovered on the First Federation ship. (I could be wrong, of course.)
TraipsersWill@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 10d
The Corbomite Maneuver. With Clint How...ah, no spoilers.
FuglyDuck@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 11d
oh. I guess it was, lol
That makes CGI even more, uh, difficult and expensive.
grozzle@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 10d
the actual Genesis explosion at the end of the movie was a practical effect.
the CGI part earlier was presented as a CGI simulation they watched on a screen.
ummthatguy@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 11d
But he's so adorable with his wittle legs.
gnufuu@lemmy.ca · 4 pts · 11d
Haven't seen much of Lower Decks but now I'm intrigued. Which episode is this from?
ummthatguy@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 11d
s4e9 "The Inner Fight"
Kojichan@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 9d
...handsome Squidward?
SmoothLiquidation@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 11d
Aviandelight@mander.xyz · 10 pts · 11d
I am a grown ass woman and this image still scares the shit out of me like it did when I was little.
data1701d@startrek.website · 3 pts · 10d
Personally, I think the most scarring sci-fi moment I ever had was the Doctor Who episode with the TVs that eat people's faces.
bashibazouk@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 11d
As long as I get a glass of Tranya, I'm good with it...
schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 11d
Huh. I don´t have this guy there, just an adorable beagle.
homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 11d
Area 51, man.