The Industrial Light & Magic team has been responsible for some of the most iconic scenes in modern movie history. Their magic has graced Star Wars, E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark and more. Here's a peek behind the curtain.
VanityFair.com has an incredible set of shots showing the ILM team at work on various movies, from the miniature models of Empire Strikes Back and E.T. to the CGI raptors of Jurassic Park. Of the Hoth scene above, ILM guru Dennis Muren explains:
Here, stop-motion master animator Phil Tippett [center], Mike Pangrazio [right], and I stand between two incredible matte paintings used to depict the windswept snowscape of Hoth. Pangrazio, a legendary I.L.M. artist, painted many such paintings during the production of The Empire Strike Back to allow for scenic vistas, practical sets to be extended, or, in this case, a stop-motion puppet of a Tauntaun and rider to be inserted for a story point.
Really fascinating stuff. And while you might think that these photographs would take away from the finished product, seeing the delicate work that goes into the shots has some special magic of its own. Don't miss the rest of the shots at VanityFair.com. [VanityFair]