Estate Living Digital Publication Issue 9 September 2015 | Page 65

Avatar (2009)

The Polar Express (2004)
The Polar Express was listed in the Guinness
World Book of Records in 2006 as the first alldigital capture film. It marked the first time that
motion-capture technology was employed
in a mainstream film and made popular
the use of 3D as we know it today. Director
Robert Zemeckis’ visionary sensibilities and
groundbreaking use of the technology allowed
Tom Hanks the opportunity to play four very
different characters. Made at a budget of $165
million, a record-breaking sum for an animated
feature at the time, the studio first released
the film in both conventional and IMAX 3D
theatres on 10 November 2004 to mixed
reviews and grossed $307 million worldwide.

Previous 3D cinematography incorporated a
pair of closely aligned images with different
tints to give the impression of depth by fooling
the eyes. Director James Cameron took things
to the next level with his blockbuster movie
that also used advanced stereoscopic filming
methods to create the illusion of reality.
The film’s footage is built from around 70%
computer-generated imagery as well as
motion-capture suits worn by the cast that fed
the movements of the body back to a bank of
computers, and the cast also acted out their
scenes on a performance capture stage six
times bigger than anything used in Hollywood
before.