Mechanisms role was to recreate scenes for which there was little-to-no existing footage. Mechanism Producer Ted Keenan collaborated with Peacock Producer Caroline Sommers and consultant Captain John Cox to investigate specifically how the aircrafts became damaged and to recreate the mid-flight emergency landings and crashes. 3D models of the planes were constructed with exacting attention to detail — from interior skeletal framework to electrical, mechanical and pneumatic systems, to exterior paint schemes and decals. Stylized explanatory graphics were employed to illustrate what caused the catastrophic events. Then, dramatic 3D recreations were produced to chronicle the resulting disasters. These approaches were employed to both educate and entertain the audience.
Mechanism used a combination of live action and animation to illustrate the Aloha Flight 243 segment. In this case, the entire roof of the jets fuselage was ripped off during the assent, sucking a flight attendant out at 20,000 feet. All passengers remained buckled in their seats and the pilot was somehow able to descend, circle back to Honolulu and land without any further casualties. To recreate this scenario, VFX Supervisor Lucien Harriot shot live action talent on green screen, recording them individually in front of a high powered fan, with a Panasonic PV-GS90 camera.
The passengers were then keyed and composited in Eyeons Digital Fusion, along with 3D models of the jets interior and exterior. The deliberate combination of filters and physics settings within the computer created a natural motion for the plane and escaping debris. The artists realized the necessity of pulling back on the realism because the viewer normally wouldnt see much more than a blur, since a camera travelling at 600 miles per hour would shake excessively.
Although recreating the Flight 243 tragedy involved a combination of live action and digital production, the most complex digital reenactment was the story of Japan Airlines Flight 123 — the deadliest air crash in history, killing 520 people. Mechanism produced five shots for this segment, including explanatory graphics highlighting construction of the airship and pinpointing exactly how an old and forgotten incident — a tail strike 17 years ago followed by an imperfect repair of the rear bulkhead — proved deadly.
Mechanisms challenge was to explain Flight 123s story in a clear and logical progression. For a viewer to understand how this plane failed, is to understand how all parts of a plane work together to maintain structural integrity, said Lucien Harriot. To confront the task, Mechanism producers and artists utilized various techniques to tie the narrative together. To illustrate the physical components of the airplane, a sleek, stylized look for the bulkhead resembling a 3D blueprint was developed using Autodesks Maya and Fusion. Additional color coding highlighted the faulty rivet repair and patch which contributed to the planes failure.
Mechanism Digital and Peacock Productions continue to work together on upcoming edutainment specials. Their recent collaborative programming has aired on MSNBC and Syfy.
Contact:
Deborah Roth | (646) 230-0230 | Debbie@mechanismdigital.com | http://MechanismDigital.com
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