Harryhausen's Clash of the Video Games

May 25, 2006 2:14 PM

Ray Harryhausen's name is synonymous with stop-motion animation, having animated some of the best loved films using the technique, including The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) and Jason and the Argonauts (1963). Now, more than two decades since his last film, Clash of the Titans (1981), Harryhausen is looking to get back into Hollywood. Not only that, he's planning on getting into video games as well. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 86-year-old filmmaker has entered into an agreement with Mindfire Entertainment to create the "Ray Harryhausen Presents" brand, which will encompass motion pictures, television productions, and video games. Projects currently in the works include a script centered around Greek mythology, a frequent subject of Harryhausen films, as well as one about an alien invasion. One of these will begin production this fall.

Harryhausen will oversee all visual effects, which will be done in CGI (computer-generated imagery) but will be in the spirit of his stop-motion effects, [Mindfire CEO Mark] Altman said.
Harryhausen said "utilizing the incredible advances in visual effects technology" would enable him to reach an entire new generation of audiences. "These stories are universal, and I could not be more thrilled than to revisit some of my favorite worlds -- past, present and future -- in these new films," he said.

Mindfire has been in the video game news for a variety of film projects lately. Just days ago, the company announced that it is developing a film based on Eidos' Fear Effect video game property. The company also participated in the production of Boll KG's House of the Dead, and is also involved with the upcoming Dead or Alive from Constantin Films and Impact Pictures.

Chris Remo

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Games: PC

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lowtax

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May 25, 2006 2:32 PM

What the heck is "CGI done in the spirit of stop-motion effects"? They just do regular CGI but drop the animation to 10 frames per second or something?
- [deleted] 638123641
  
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  May 25, 2006 2:50 PM
  
  [deleted]
- Crimsonbeak
  
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  May 25, 2006 6:00 PM
  
  Well Corpse bride was CG in the method of stop motion. But I think it will just be more of a focus on detail, and on camera work than what you currently see with CG films where the camera is flying all around.
  - Ben Barker
    
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    May 25, 2006 6:54 PM
    
    Corpse Bride was actually for-real stop motion, although with CG effects and probably compositing.
- sgtsanity
  
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  May 26, 2006 12:25 AM
  
  Make it slightly jittery to give it more of a sense of reality than the cold calculation of keyframe interpolation. Games are already approaching the uncanny valley. :(
  - astrofunk
    
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    May 26, 2006 3:20 AM
    
    Render scenes without motion blur perhaps?
- geedeck
  
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  May 26, 2006 6:34 AM
  
  Yeah, agree. Hey Chris, do you think you might ever have a chance to ask them exactly what's up with that?