Tron:Legacy10/01/11

In 1982 Tron took the world by storm with its breathtaking visual effects and a modern twist on a classic creationist storyline reaching into the heart of geeks everywhere and pushing cinematic special effects to its limits. So new was the technology that Tron was refused consideration for the visual effects Oscar as use of a computer was deemed cheating.

28 years later and here we are once more, the long awaited sequel Tron:Legacy is living up to its predecessors reputation. It’s truly amazing to see how special effects have changed in under 3 decades. From huge computer generated environments to an entire CG reproduction of Jeff bridges’ head. Naturally the sequel is far more accessible than the original, with far more ways for audiences to connect with the film; It could be seen as a simple blockbuster- babes, motorbikes and explosions. or just revisiting of a favourite movie. Maybe it’s the Father and Son reconciliation story. For at TJ, the most exciting elements are the advancement of special effects, predominantly the cities, lights and environments. Everything that made the Tron movie so groundbreaking all those years ago is exciting a new wave of CG artists today.

Legacy is a veritable showcase of cinematic technology. In post production for a total of 68 weeks, visual effects supervisor Eric Barba is quoted as saying “yeah, it’s been a while”. Without doubt the most ambitious effect in the movie is the de-aging of Jeff Bridges character Clu – by 28 years(!), something that has never been done entirely digitally in a movie before. The process was a combination of several advanced techniques. Head-mounted HD cameras captured high-res shots of Bridges’ face when acting the scenes. Laser scans mapped every contour of his face and thousands of reference images of Bridges in his 30s from films, press and magazines all went into recreating this CG marvel. With 52 motion tracking markers on his face alone the level of detail is astounding and allowed for scenes to be filmed that would not have been possible before now.

Tron is filmed in a mix of dimensions, with scenes in the real world shot in 2D and scenes on the grid in 3D it truly utilises the technique as a means of enhancing the story rather than simply as an audience-driving tactic; a refreshing use of the extra dimension since Avatar. This is something our R&D department have been experimenting with for a while now and we hope to develop it further over the coming months.
Tron is a visual spectacle never before seen and well worth a trip to the cinema! . If you can, go the extra mile and see the 3D iMax presentation in London, for full immersion in the world of Tron. If 3D is your thing, you won’t be disappointed.