Everything this man said about the focusing on the use of practical effects while minimizing CG effects, is spot on and the main reason why Aliens still holds up to any modern day blockbuster in my opinion.

@Kipper5776

3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely true. My favorite part of the entire movie were the sequences utilizing the miniature sets involving the atmosphere processing station and drop ships etc.. I love watching videos and anything that the Skotak brothers have worked on. Not to leave out all the other amazing artists. For me personally after I saw the first Poseidon adventure I was hooked and been working on miniatures ever since.

@calessel3139

3 жыл бұрын

Couldn't agree more!

@mattdrago4660

2 жыл бұрын

Truly well said.

@macprofire

2 жыл бұрын

Except he didn’t say that. He said both techniques should be used to complement each other, not one before the other

@tauruslove86

2 жыл бұрын

@@macprofire I think you need to rewatch this video again, in particular start at 1:31 and go to 2:13. He then states that they can compliment each other when you use CG to "remove matte lines and tidy stuff" when dealing with real models and practical effects. The focus is still on the real models and practical effect, the CG aspect he was referring to was definitely supplemental to real models, hence why I made my initial comment. Way too many movies today focus on nothing but CG and it shows.

The drop ship peeling off through the inferno at the climax is still one of the most staggering shots in cinema... and it's all in camera!

Aliens is literally one of if not the greatest Sci-Fi movie ever made!

I love that Nigel can look at his model work on one of the greatest sci-fi VFX productions of all time and say "eh, it looks like what it is"!!

The scenes 1000% believable! Practical effects for me all day long!

When both practical and CGI complement each other, you are at the best of both worlds.

There's no school like the old school. The model work was brilliant and still holds up today.

Scale models and miniature effects made this movie which is why it became a block buster hit. Movies like this will never be made again without the use of CGI.

The reason why these movies hold up against any modern CGI movie is that people built these sets with pride and hard work along with passion and skill!

Just a note... I built the first model power loader in the UK (not sure about anywhere else) from a couple of images from an Aliens film magazine way back in 1986.... After going semi-pro sculpting/modelling sci-fi retail & garage kits I was at the Toy Fair & Earls Court with my boss and popped onto Halcyon's Booth the year they released the 1/12 power loader... After pointing out some of it was out of scale, the suite on the stand said "your the guy we were trying to find to do the master." Wrong time, wrong place yet again. When the APC kit was released I began building the Drop Ship to match. Completed the cockpit with rod driven animated crew figures, front section, ramp and fully articulated/sprung brass landing gear...... Lost it and everything else during house moves.

@geet77777

Жыл бұрын

Are you on the "Aliens Legacy forum"? you should really drop in, its where the people like us network. I've probably seen photos of your work. We may even know eachother already haha.

I never even considered how these effects were done, as they are so convincing. It never takes you out of the film, it all just looks so real. Masterful job by all these artists!

I love the fact that every time I go on KZread at the moment, there is a new piercefilm upload! Great stuff.

@piercefilm

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@gonzomuse

3 жыл бұрын

@@piercefilm Thanks for uploading!

Great to see the brit artists being recognised here

"when models are used with good CG they compliment each other"- truer words...

Exactly... models and using CGI to get rid of the matte lines. The perfect combo.

Good words to end on, and I totally agree, practical with cgi help is always the best way, IF what you’re aiming for is gritty reality (full cgi is better for fun stuff like Marvel) then you need something real for the camera to focus on. I suspect the main issue nowadays is due to a ‘CGI will make it work later’ attitude. Practical effects needs way tighter planning and teamwork.

To be a model maker for movies would have been awesome, To have worked on one of the best movies ever made would be mind blowing

If making of documentaries of the alien series don't spark your love for filmmaking then you're not made of flesh and blood

Being a model builder of some 40 years I ca attest to his early statement. When you build something you are so close to it for long periods. You see everything because you either painted or built it. My own models can cause me aggravation, yet when someone else sees them all they see is the entirety. We as the builder only sees the flaws. This is just how it is.

That dropship was so realistic feeling. It was like a sci fi version of the V-22 Osprey which was in development at the time the movie came out, and the way they used it to land the APC and dust off looked like something right out of a Vietnam newsreel. Amazing film.

truer words were never spoken...

@dellawrence4323

3 жыл бұрын

I think that when CG was discovered, we lost something wonderful.

@Lumibear.

3 жыл бұрын

Ikr, words that certain sci-f film makers should live by, you would think.

I really enjoyed Alien and Aliens as a kid and really appreciate the special effects. There is something about well done physical models/effects/puppetry that just evoke the imagination more than CGI. Shame a lot of it is now a dying art, but heartened to see some directors going back to more mixed effects.

Everyone involved in the making of this film did such a fantastic job. Thank you! One of my favorite movies of all time.

Brilliant! Some of my favourite models in one of my favourite films. I saved up as a kid to buy the Halcyon plastic model kit of the drop ship.

Can't beat the old way it must have been more fun trying to get around problems and your dealing with a real object what skill ! 👍👏👏👏

I believed the APC drop too. I actually thought for a lot of time it was the real thing.

@herrakaarme

Жыл бұрын

The APC itself was ridiculous, though. It had the ground clearance of a sports car. If you look at real APCs, they are designed for off-road capability, without an exception. Even though I was too young to know such things, for real, when I saw the movie for the first time, I still thought so immediately. But then again, one or two silly details in a masterpiece movie don't really matter.

Models are real. CG is meant to compliment that rather than replace that. The brain needs reality!

I totally agree with him, I think that people over use CG now and working with both media works much better and looks more believable.

Please keep posting these forever!

@piercefilm

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching. Many more coming up soon!

@SquidkidMega

2 жыл бұрын

@@piercefilm how much do you have? You seem to have a bottomless pit of this amazing stuff

@piercefilm

2 жыл бұрын

@@SquidkidMega couple more months.

I agree with this gentlemen yes sir .

Love it! Aaaaabsolutely love it!

The miniature drop ship is being auctioned over on Prop Store Auctions, estimate 150k

I just thought of a good pet name for the motion detectors in the movie.. H.R. Giger counters!👽

@piercefilm

Жыл бұрын

but it's pronounced, "Geeger" like Geezer

Yeah, first 3D first personal shooters like AvP2 also a very great game with models from an original ALIENS. 3 different games in 1 and free multiplayer mode

Do you have access to the BTS stills in this edit? I would gladly pay for copies. I own several of the miniatures pictured and these are some of the best images I've seen of them. really tough to find. Please let me know. Thanks so much.

@gonzomuse

3 жыл бұрын

Awesome!!! Which miniatures, may I ask?

I can only think about one film when the use both techniques and fuck, it worked, The dark knight, the batmobile scene.

I am currently planning another Batman film and want to do a Batmobile car chase with models. With todays cameras and compositing it would be even easier to make models look more real and tangible than cg alone.

100% soon it’s going to be a lost art, that’s why they called it movie magic. Now everything’s done on a computer, modern cgi can only go so far.

@CarverPete

Жыл бұрын

No model making will never be a lost art , tbh it's continued developing in leaps and bounds, hell photo etch didn't even exist back then.There are some amazingly talented modellers making some awesome creations it's a popular past time.

I thought the thumbnail was a giant rubber chicken.

😳

Wait, he didn't do the detailing on the Sulaco, it was done by Patrick Mcclung (Blade Runner, 2010 etc)

@piercefilm

3 жыл бұрын

Nigel did the basic shape. It was then detailed by British model makers. Then Pat Mcclung and the Skotaks came in and redid some of the difficult Syd Mead style detailing. Combined effort.

@cheeseskreist5654

3 жыл бұрын

@@piercefilm That's exactly, what I heard. It's funny how some of the more traditional model makers, i.e. the guys who build mainly from plans, have utter scorn for kit-bashing, and yet most of them cant do it. LOL..

Very nice . But a robot ain't gonna Transform in front of your eyes with all the wire n gubbins in the world ain't it?

Meanwhile these days… “Just CGI everything” Yeah but that’s lazy and looks fake “Ha ha ha haven’t you seen how much that crappy movie ‘Avengers’ made?” 😞

@piercefilm

Жыл бұрын

Well, there are also films like John Carter and the last Fantastic Beasts movie that did terrible at the box office. Also, Green Lantern... Cats... If people want to see a film they'll go see it whether it has practical or CGI.