I found some information on the special effects in the engine room scenes that I want to share. I found it interesting and thought maybe others would to. "Creating the images involves putting together computer-generated images with live-action shots and model shots. For example, shots of the engine room of the Titanic were composed using a ship's engine room that was identical to the Titanic's, but one-third the size. To make the engine room scene look realistic they added one-third size catwalks onto the engines and filmed the smaller site, then filmed the actors on separate catwalks that could be digitally removed from the shot. When the images were merged, it appeared that the actors were in the actual Titanic engine room. Much of the water in the movie was also electronically created using the Alpha systems and the compositing tools."

-- Rose (rosemarie17@hotmail.com), February 09, 1998

Answers

Response to Special Effects

Rose, Did you get this info from a website? Got an address?

Linda

-- Linda (Ashokan4@Yahoo.com), February 09, 1998.

The American Cinematographer did an absolutely EXCELLENT article on the various techincal aspects of Titanic; the lighting, sets, miniatures, computer effects, and all that. It was amazing! I read it all in one night, and it really made me interested in the process. What I wouldn't give to be part of something like that. It's enough to make you want to join that field of work. I just might, too. Anyway, check out the American Cinematographer's special on Titanic at:

http://www.cinematographer.com/magazine/dec97/titanic/titanictoc.htm

-- Dave Phillips (Sonitus@USA.net), February 11, 1998.

These are some other sites that talk about the special effects. My favorite is the vfxhq site. The scene by scene review is wild. It made me appreciate what a masterpiece Titanic is on a whole different level.

Digital Domain (Camerons Effects house) http://www.d2.com/html/m_features.html Visual FX HeadQuarters (Great scene by scene review of effects) http://www.vfxhq.com/1997/titanic-review.html

Greg Steward (Pictures of the 90% Titanic set) http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Lot/2107/

NewTekniques Online Magazine (One of the Effects Houses that worked on the stern scene.) http://www.newtekexpo.com/titanic/index.htm

Crystal

-- crystal smithwick (crystal@9v.com), February 11, 1998.

Sorry it took me so long to respond. Linda: I e-mailed you the address. For anyone else who is interested, here it is: http://marketspace.altavista.digital.com/WebPort.asp?Page=http://marketspace.altavista.digital.com/WebPort/English/I-School.asp?ArticleId_5&showContent=yes

There's not a whole lot of information there, just a blurb. Good Luck. :) Rose.

-- Rose (rosemarie17@hotmail.com), February 11, 1998.

For those of you who are interested in accurate, detailed information on how all of the special effects in the movie "Titanic" were done, I suggest you read the December issue of "Cinefex," which is devoted entirely to "Titanic" (60,000 words, more than 100 color photographs, including interviews with Cameron, effects supervisor Rob Legato and many more key figures who worked on the film. This particular issue is hard to come by in book stores because it has been so popular and most have sold out. It is available directly from the publisher as a back issue for $12.50. Call the Cinefex Circulation Department at 1-800-434-3339 (Pacific Standard Time) to order by credit card, or send a check to Cinefex at P.O. Box 20027, Riverside, California 92516.Information on Cinefex can be found in Ingram Periodical's Magazine Cybercenter at http://www.magamall.com/magazine/81180/cinefex.htm

-- Estelle Shay (Estelle@cinefex.com), February 12, 1998.