Hollywood magic with green screens: how are thrills are made
The first time I ever went to the Big Screens to see a movie was in 2018 when Marvel Cinematic Universe announced that the much-awaited film Black Panther was oven-ready. For months, superhero fans had gripped their fingers for what was to come. In hindsight, it is safe to say the first black superhero movie did not disappoint! It reinforces how Hollywood does magic with green screens to thrill us.
The writers and actors of the movie were impeccable, as we’ve come to expect. Still, the Editing effects of places like Wakanda and the Afterworld were nothing short of jaw-dropping as I experienced myself in the arena.
With the invaluable help of Computer-Generated Imagery, popularly known by many as CGI, movie producers are propelling us to a whole new world of possibilities. Let us walk through memory lane to recall popular movies’ (TV shows included) scenes and how they were shot on set.
1. Game of Thrones
There was no way famed showrunners Dan Weiss and David Benioff were ever going to get a living dragon (not even a dead one) for the shooting hence the improvisation. So here, Emilia Clarke, starring as Daenerys Targaryen, cuts a playful figure with what looks like a pillow with a long stick at its rear. But, of course, Emilia herself would be awestruck by this impressive technology.
2. Beauty and the beast
It’s pretty hard to believe that Emma Watson, starring Belle in the renowned Disney movie, kept a fearful yet daring posture with Dan Stevens, who was slated as the beast without an actual caricature of a beast on set. The cursed prince walks down a staircase in a giant cushioned costume with her would-be redeemer. The beast after the CGI effects didn’t look too bad. Did it?
3. The Avengers
Marvels fans would probably prefer a Hulk who is much less guarded like Bruce Banner, but even they know that is a non-starter. Producers aren’t spending much time thinking about Hulk’s destructions so long as they can make him Hulk. Hulk is always an unexpected blow away from yanking off the entire New York City with these impressive effects!
4. Space Jam
We all love basketball. We love the best basketball players. Then we love Looney Toons because we cherished the fun it filled us with, and our parents saw it in our hearts. And so any collaboration between the greatest basketball player in his generation, Michael Jordan, so to speak, was always going to make the ‘hype boards.’ Of course, it was impossible for Jordan to perform with Bugs Bunny and family, yet those of us who’ve watched this can vigorously dispute. But see, there’s proof. Green Screens all over.
5. Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince
Many of you are huge fans of Harry Potter, and so am I. I love everything about the movies, from spell casting to weird creatures to their mode of transport within the magic world – flying. It would be a memorable experience flying on broomsticks, and all the same, Daniel Radcliffe would be the first to admit that shooting for his flying scenes was as regular as the word goes.
6. Infinity War
“Thanos is coming, Thanos is coming.” If that beast were absolute, I cannot tell how many nuclear warheads would prevent the planet-killing demon from claiming his precious stones here on Earth. The great news is that he is only a fantasy envisioned by creative and brilliant minds but the technology to bring this beast into reality? Awesome!
7. The Wolverine
Perhaps, nobody would embody The Wolverine more than the exceptional Hugh Jackman. It’s only sad that fans would not get to see him play this character on the big screens. That said, it was fun while it lasted, and fans know The Wolverine would belong to the top echelons of superhero movies. I’m not sure you’ll be able to tell if this scar was natural, this iconic scar.
8. Iron Man
The unspoken beauty, or should I say less talked about positive of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is their ability and desire to improve the outlook of their heroes. They do an impressive job on that, and Id dare says DC fans enjoy the outlooks too. For example, the MCU consistently improved the outlook of Iron Man for years, so much so that it set the firm bedrock for costumes of War Machine, Black Panther, Spiderman, and others.
9. Godzilla
Gigantic lizards trying to attack the world as we know it? Give me a break! However, with CGI, everything is possible. If this ever happens, we hope to turn to those countries who stubbornly continue developing Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). Here, the makeup of Godzilla is generated on a green screen.
10. Superman
If ever flying becomes genetically supported, airplanes would generally go out of business, and national governments would mobilize these rare specimens for their military aspirations. But this won’t work, not unless you’re Clark Kent. Born in Krypton, sent here to Earth to save the planet, and so far? He’s doing just fine. In a world of CGI, we know we can get Kent to be the “Super Man” we want him to be.
CGI has ushered Hollywood into a new age, an unthinkable reality, and time would only make it better. It cannot continue to be Hollywood if quite the unfeasible becomes a reality. But, on the other hand, it could be Holy-works because if there’s anything we know, the whole idea of fiction just got better, and as fans, we can only relish it.
GCBM Feature
