Site of the Week – Aviator Visual Effects
In 2005, Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator made it to the annual visual effects Academy Awards Bake-Off. In conjunction with the film’s Bake-Off presentation, some of the key effects practitioners put together Aviator Visual Effects (http://aviatorvfx.com), an amazing behind the scenes website showcasing the digital, practical and miniature effects used in the film.
The site, which has been kept up and running since 2005, features written info from overall vfx supe Rob Legato, Sony Pictures Imageworks’ Peter Travers, New Deal Studios’ Matthew Gratzner and physical effects supe R. Bruce Steinheimer. On top of that, there’s a bunch of behind the scenes imagery showing how each type of effect was used to create the various plane sequences and info on the 2 strip and 3 strip Technicolor look of the film. Finally, and probably the most exciting aspect of the website, there’s a Screening Room containing QuickTime breakdowns of specific shots and effects work.
Coupled with coverage of The Aviator in Cinefex #101, Aviator Visual Effects is an amazing resource. If only every production had a site this good!
