Metropolis rediscovered

By now you must have heard the news that nearly all the lost footage of Metropolis has been rediscovered in an archive in Buenos Aires.

Several scenes by secondary characters were excised from the film after the premiere. Further cuts by Channing Pollock completely transformed the story of the film.

So now we will be able to see the performance by Fritz Rasp, which received rave reviews back in 1927.

Hel's memorial scene is also back, but the rediscovered footage does show something odd. Until now it was always assumed that the monument to Hel's memory was done using the Schufftann process. But as you can see on the image below, this doesn't seem likely as the curtain moves in front of the statue. So the Hel monument, like many other sets was actually fully built, which you can see here

As for Maria and her robot doppleganger they should get more scenes, including one where she gets her instructions to pervert Fredersen's orders and Maria's escape.

Robotskin part deux

Here is the translation of my interview with Matthieu Poirier for the Robotskin TV ad.

1) Could you tell us about Wizz and your work ?

I am in charge of postproduction at wizz and my job is to gather talented people for specific projects.

Wizz is a postproduction and graphic production company

We work with 3D digital compositing tools and traditional 2D animation (Cartoons)

Our customers are ad agencies, TV networks and movie production houses

2) What scenes or elements did you work on and how long ?

All shots needed fixing in postproduction. We touched up the set, which wasn't fully finished in some parts.

All lighting on the robot was done in 3D (except for the hair) as well as the cables coming out of her back at the beginning of the film.

Her neck was animated in 3D on the last shot.

3) What effect was the hardest to do.

This film didn't have any difficult special effects. The hardest to do is to capture the universe of the director and bring out images that do not betray the rushes. The effects should never try to upstage the actual footage. A flashy effect is by all means a failed effect.

4) What effect are you most proud of

The fact that we did not insist on making the robot in 3D. It was very tempting, and the director had a very good idea.

5) Many people cannot believe the robot wasn't fully done in CGI. Does this surprise you ?

That is a great compliment ... to create doubt about what you see on the screen, is proof you are doing a good job.

6) In the 1927 film Metropolis, actress Brigitte Helm, already played a state of the art female robot, wearing a plastic-wood costume painted in bronze. Today between virtual images and real robots like ASIMO or the ACTROID, is it still realistic to use an actress wearing a costume in 2007 ?

YES, all depends on the talent of the filmmaker. This shows that Fritz Lang is a better director than Michael Bay and that Ridley Scott created the best Alien without CGI.

7) If we gave you full creative control, what would you change ?

I don't think there will be towels in the future

(Personal note, I don't think Douglas Adams would agree)

8) Would you like a personal shaving robot ?

I don't shave that much at the moment.

10) Did we forget to ask you an important question ?

The postproduction time ?

As usual we didn't have much time to finish the effects, three weeks in all.

And also a brief look at the making of the clip :

Making of pub TV
Uploaded by RobotRasoirDelAlto

Robotskin

Courtesy of Philips, a startling ad was shown on TV all across the world in the last six months.

Rasoir hydratant Philips NIVEA FOR MEN
Uploaded by RobotRasoirDelAlto

Like just about everybody when I first viewed it, it looked like a very decent piece of CGI wizardry until I noticed a few odd things. If you take the time to look carefully, you may notice the robot doesn't always move in a perfectly proper robotic manner.

Perhaps one of the simplest ways to portray a robot is to dress up a performer as one. And in this case an actress was called upon to stand in a shower for hours on end, pretending to shave a guy.

I had the pleasure of talking with one of the many people who worked on this clip, Matthieu Poirier, who works for WIZZ, a company that specialises in animation, CGI and post production.

Here is a copy of the interview in French, the English translation will be posted shortly.

1) Parlez-nous un peu de vous, de votre équipe et de Wizz.

Je suis responsable postproduction chez wizz et mon travail consiste à réunir un certain nombre de talents pour la réalisation d’un projet.

Wizz est une société de postproduction et de production Graphique.

Nous travaillons avec des outils numériques de compositing de 3D et d’animation 2D traditionnelle (dessin animé).

Nos clients sont les agences de publicité, les chaînes de télévision ainsi que les productions cinématographiques.

2) Sur quelles scenes ou éléments avez-vous travaillé ? Pendant combien de temps?

Tous les plans ont nécessité une intervention en postproduction

Nous avons retouché tout le décor qui par endroit n’était pas totalement fini.

Tous les éléments lumineux sur le robot ont été fait en 3D (sauf les cheveux) ainsi que les câbles qui sortent de son dos au début du film.

Son cou fut animé en 2D sur l’avant dernier plan.

3) Quelle était l’effet numérique le plus difficle à réaliser ?

Ce film ne comporte pas d’effets spéciaux difficiles à réaliser.

Le plus dur c’est de capter l’univers du réalisateur et de sortir des images qui ne dénaturent pas le rush tourné.

L’effet digital ne doit en aucun cas prendre le dessus sur l’image tournée. Un effet trop voyant est forcément un échec.

4) De quel effet etes-vous le plus fier ?

C’est de n’avoir pas insister pour faire le robot en 3D. C’était tentant et le réalisateur a eu cette bonne idée.

5) Beaucoup de gens sont incrédules d’entendre que le robot n’etait pas entièrement unz création numérique. Cela vous suprend ?

C’est un trés bon compliment….semer le trouble sur la veracité de ce que l’on voit à l’ecran. C’est qu’on a fait du bon travail.

6) Dans le film Métropolis de 1927, l’actrice Brigitte Helm jouait déja une femme-robot a la pointe du progrès dans un costume en bois synthétique peint en bronze. Aujourdhui entre les images virtuelles et les vrais robots comme ASIMO ou l’ACTROID. A votre avis, est-ce encore réaliste en 2007 d’utiliser une actrice en costume ?

OUI. Tout dépend du talent de celui qui la film. C’est ce qui fait que Ffritz Lang est un meilleur réalisateur que Michael Bay. Que Ridley Scott a réalisé le plus bel Alien et ce sans 3D.

7) Nous vous donnons le controle total de la creation du clip. Voudriez-vous changer quelque chose ? Si oui, quoi ?

Dans le futur, je ne crois pas qu’il existe encore des serviettes…

8)Il y a t-il des details à observer dans la pub ou des anectdotes ?

9)Cela vous dirait, un robot personnel pour le rasage ?

Je ne me rase pas tellement en ce moment.

10) Avons nous manqué de vous poser une question importante, sinon laquelle ?

Le temps de postproduction ?

Comme souvent nous avons eut trop peu de temps pour finaliser ce film….3 semaines au total.