Pacific Title and Art 工作室，视效总监马克·弗罗因德，讨论在电影“Ladder 49”中的视觉特效
信息来源：http://www.vfxblog.com/articles/ladder_49/index.html
Can you tell me about yourself, your background in visual effects and your role in creating the effects for Ladder 49?
I got my start as an optical camera operator in 1976. I was at a facility that contributed to many effects films, including the original Star Wars, Close Encounters and others. I spent a number of years at Robert Abel and Associates, the pioneer of motion graphics and CG work in commercials. Other highlights include Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Buckaroo Banzai, Dune and several Showscan films for Doug Trumbull. I spent four years at Illusion Arts with Bill Taylor and Syd Dutton, one of the real highlights of my career. While there working on Spaceballs I first met Peter Donen, the Visual Effects supervisor on Ladder 49, and have worked on numerous productions with him since. I came to Pacific Title in 1989 and have been here continuously since then.
Which shots in the film did Pacific Title work on?
We did a number of sequences. Our biggest in terms of number of shots was the Brookfield interior, with firemen entering a building with their vision severely limited by smoke. The sequence involved over one hundred cuts, each with it’s own requirements of smoke density. The initial shots involved a combination of 3d particles forming an inversion layer or shelf, combined with 2d smoke elements shot by the production team. Most of the shots involving particle elements were 3d tracked using Boujou. The sequence was composited on an Inferno by Bob Wiatr, who also did much of the tracking himself, using Inferno’s 2d and 3d trackers. The density of smoke was choreographed to slowly diminish as we neared the flash point at which the smoke itself fueled a flame burst.

- Before-and-after blue screen shot. Images copyright © 2004 Touchstone Pictures. All rights reserved.

The sequence also demanded animated color grades as we changed rooms and proximity to the flaming portions of the building. Flame enhancements were also incorporated into some of the cuts. We generally used elements shot as generic enhancements. The scene ends with two split screen shots as our protagonists are on the floor and the ceiling is engulfed in a flaming explosion. The sequence begins as firefighters ascend stairs while facing an onrushing stampede of rats escaping the building. This involved a plate of the firemen on the stairs, and accompanying blue screen staircase with live rats on it. Different portions of each rat plate were used multiple times to increase the rat density. We took the liberty of having a firefighter squash one in a moment of virtual animal cruelty. The SPCA started to come after the production after seeing these shots, which we took as a compliment to the realism of our composites.

We were involved in a number of snow enhancement shots also. Our 3d department created particle snow in many layers using a rough 3d landscape to replicate buildings so that moving shots had elements properly occluded when appropriate. Sometimes shots would have on set practical snow with weak spots that would need filling. The most interesting one began with a closeup of tires on fire trucks as they emerged from the station and craned up to reveal as they disappeared down the street. The nature of the snow was quite different from the close up to very wide portions, and the 3d nature of the move was an added challenge. Snow was also added to a series of bluescreen shots of the interior of the fire truck as it drove through the street. These we generally created using a 2d program called Particle Illusion.

- Snow enhancement before-and-after shots. Images copyright © 2004 Touchstone Pictures. All rights reserved.
What were the main tools Pacific Title used to create the effects?
Compositing was primarily Inferno on this particular show, although Shake accommodated a few shots. We are also one of the few remaining houses using Cineon, still the package of choice in many situations in my opinion. Particles for snow, smoke were generally manufactured with Maya, although occasionally supplemented with Particle Illusion.
Could you provide a breakdown of a particular sequence or shot that Pacific Title worked on?
I’ll describe a shot from the Exterior Brookfield sequence of an exterior of a row apartment on fire with an explosion blasting out the third story windows. The shot was composited on an Inferno by Bob Wiatr. We started with a live plate of the street scene.

- Live street scene plate. Image copyright © 2004 Touchstone Pictures. All rights reserved.
Our first task was to remove a foreground chainlink fence and camera crew. We recreated the fg matching the flashing ambulance lights. To create a snowy, misty look we used a number of logic ops (mathematical manipulations) of the bg with a mist plate which was basically the bg heavily blurred and multiplied back onto itself, graduating to create a sense of dimensionality. Glows were added around lights and flames using Sapphire plug-ins and light beams were added to streetlights. Four or five layers of 3d particle snow created in Maya were combined with practical elements varying in size and focus depending on distance from the camera.

- Miniature explosion element. Image copyright © 2004 Touchstone Pictures. All rights reserved.
A miniature explosion element was incorporated into the comp, also with added glows, interactivity with the building, and rotoscoping of foreground objects. The entire comp was then time warped for editorial matching with the subsequent cut.

- Final shot. Image copyright © 2004 Touchstone Pictures. All rights reserved.
Ladder 49 was certainly not pushed as a 'visual effects' film. Was there a deliberate emphasis on 'invisible' effects and a reliance on more practical effects work?
Absolutely the goal was to produce naturalistic, unobtrusive effects shots. I find this to generally be more challenging and rewarding kind of work. As storytellers, our goal is to not impinge on or distract from the narrative. Towards that effort Peter would provide practical elements whenever possible rather than rely on CG. This is very typical of most of the shows I’ve worked on with him.

- Download Quicktime break down clip (3.9M. Copyright © 2004 Touchstone Pictures. All rights reserved.
I understand the overall visual effects supervisor, Peter Donen, unfortunately passed away while still overseeing the effects. How did that affect the production?
Of course, the primary impact was everyone’s feelings at the loss of a good friend. Peter was an extraordinary individual who could make warm connections with people. In terms of the work, He had really established such a firm look and direction that it was more a matter of execution from that point on. Visual effects producer Henric Nieminen and vfx editor Miller Drake became the point people for the effects. We all felt strongly that the greatest tribute to Peter would be to complete the show as he had envisioned it, rather than bring in a new supervisor and possibly change direction.
Finally, can you me give any details about upcoming projects at Pacific Title?
Lots in the works. A basketball film called Glory Road primarily crowd and face replacements. Flight Plan for Henric and supervisor Rob Hodgson involving a nice mix of blue screen, miniatures, matte paintings and cg.

Pacific Title - www.pactitle.com