What I have been working on for the last year:

[Evan]

CGI, no matter how good at present, looks like CGI.

Not always, not anymore. Some is so good that you can't tell. Of course, then you don't know you are looking at CGI. They are using it for things that aren't special, just expensive to do another way.

[+ or - Zero]

Nah, it's not that big of a deal. Most of the sliders we use are a wide THK rail and a lead screw. A little nema 17 stepper moves it back and forth. This is all connected to a "kuper", a motion control system specifically designed for the movie industry. It sends step and direction signals to the drive boxes. Plus the IO distance is pretty short, about 10mm usually.

it all has to be shot right the first time. Misalignment cant be fixed in post.

If it can't be fixed later, then is there some way (after all it is digital, I assume) to check each set of pictures prior to moving on to the next set?

It's just that it would seem to be about a disaster if one set got screwed and it wasn't caught at the time... I mean how does one 'go back' for a retake at a later date (if that is possible at all)? Or possibly one dropped frame wouldn't matter, so all that is needed is a quick check that each set looks 'close enough', before moving on?

[macona]

The animator can see all the frames they shot immediately and if there is a screw up there. That can call a camera assistant and do a cutback to a point before and continue on. This handles like focus out of whack and stuff like that.

Once the scene is shot the directors and others watch the scene in the theatre in 3d to see what it looks like and if everything is good the shot is approved. There is also review of the previous days shots in morning daileys.

[+ or - Zero]

The animator can see all the frames they shot immediately and if there is a screw up there. That can call a camera assistant and do a cutback to a point before and continue on. This handles like focus out of whack and stuff like that.

Once the scene is shot the directors and others watch the scene in the theatre in 3d to see what it looks like and if everything is good the shot is approved. There is also review of the previous days shots in morning daileys.

Well I'm even more impressed with the time/effort that goes into this project. I will be sure to see it, and I'll find it's predecessor 'Coraline' so I can watch it.

Has to be interesting to be involved in working with this medium.

Out of curiosity (and a non answer is OK, this is the net and privacy matters) --are you in the credits when they roll? I can't imagine what your job title would be --gaffer? +clapper-loader/ camera operator/ assistant cameraman/ focus puller/ grip/ key grip/ dolly grip, some combination of all those, or all, or none, of them?

Do people that create stop motion have to be SAG members? They aren't on camera --but someone does the voices. All that may not be in an area you know or are concerned with --and it isn't earth shaking if I never find out the answers to those questions, they just occurred to me as an adjunct to the main issue here, which is neat stuff you're involved in.

[macona]

I should be in the credits. Either Camera Tech or Motion Control Tech, that's what I ended up as on IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4454449/

We are a non-union shop. No clue what goes on with the voice actors.

[+ or - Zero]

I should be in the credits. Either Camera Tech or Motion Control Tech, that's what I ended up as on IMDB. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4454449/

We are a non-union shop. No clue what goes on with the voice actors.

That's cool --I'll look for you when I get to watch ParaNorman. I'm not really much of a movie watcher, but the tech, and the trailers, are interesting enough that I'll have to watch it. Thanks for the info.

[dfw5914]

I saw the ParaNorman "pommel horse" trailer tonight, loved it!

[T.Hoffman]

I saw the ParaNorman "pommel horse" trailer tonight, loved it!

I saw this too! Right away I saw the stop motion ad during the Olympics and thought it might be for this movie, yup!
Very well done, clever, and cute.

[kc5ezc]

Macona: You are costing me money that could be spent on tooling.
Had to get "Coraline" for the Grand-daughter. She is coming here again
next week and ParaNorman is on the list of wants.
Looks like a nice facility to work at.

[Weston Bye]

We went and saw the movie tonight, my wife and I and our two oldest granddaughters. We all enjoyed it. My wife laughed out loud - and laughed - almost embarrassed me, but I was laughing too. The story line was good - got a little sappy occasionally, but good.
The animation was excellent, the stop-motion most evident in closeups of the faces - if you looked real hard. Be sure and stay until after the credits for about 30 seconds of animation. You will be the only one left in the theater and you will annoy the cleaning crew - but it is worth it.