We have discussed in past posts how we VFX artists need both the practical and the digital to sell the shot. All this despite the recent film industry trend to convince you otherwise.
Today let us rewind back to a time when practical was the main option.
Since we have another Alien movie around let’s explore how Riddley Scott originally approached the defining moments of the franchise and of sci-fi genre in general.
The first stage of the Xenomorph’s evolution is inside an egg that opens up upon gestation.
This was achieved with a hydraulic system that controls the hatch as seen below.
Needless to say, this can be beautifully done with CG nowadays.
It’s important to note though that the digital counterpart restricts how an actor can interact with it thus creating a necessity for set placeholders. The image below is from Romulus, the newest franchise instalment.
Moving on, to a more gruesome scene, the legendary chestbuster.
The actor laidon the table underneath a fake torso that hid his body. The chestburster was pushed through that from the other side, breaking the fabric while high-pressure pumps sprayed blood everywhere. The entire crew was dressed in plastic overalls (sort of) protecting them from this mayhem.
Finally, you may have guessed this, the later fully grown-up Alien is a brilliant costume.
And giving credit where credit is due, here is 6’10″ Bolaji Badejo halfway dressed up.
More secrets of the trade coming up soon or if you are ready for a higher dose explore here.
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