Special Effects Supervisor Chris Corbould breaks down some of his best work in films like No Time to Die, Skyfall, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises.
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Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction to Chris Corbould
00:40 - The Role of a Special Effects Supervisor
02:10 - GoldenEye Tank Scene
02:45 - Skyfall Subway Scene
05:53 - No Time To Die Car Chase
08:57 - The Dark Knight Rises The Bat
10:35 - The Dark Knight Truck Flip
12:46 - Takeaways
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Special effects are the definition of movie magic. And it is the work of creative and technical wizards like Chris Corbould that execute some of the best explosions, car chases, and vehicles in Hollywood’s biggest movies. In this video, we sat down with Chris Corbould to pick his brain on his role in a production, some of his favorite effects he’s done, and the secrets behind them. We’ll cover everything from The Dark Knight truck flip and The Bat from The Dark Knight Rises to the Skyfall subway chase and the No Time to Die Matera chase sequence.
First off, we have to make something clear. Special effects are not the same as visual effects, even though those terms get used interchangeably. Special effects cover everything produced on set — including rain, explosions, prosthetics, vehicles, etc. Visual effects, on the other hand, are all done in post-production — including CGI, compositing, motion capture, etc. Of course, in many cases, the final effect on screen is a combination of those two departments.
Corbould explains that in Skyfall, director Sam Mendes needed a thrilling conclusion to the underground subway chase. His pitch was to have subway cars crash through the ceiling of the underground tunnel. What was first conceived of as a miniature shot quickly turned into a full-sized production with train cars riding along a monorail system in the ceiling, smashing through everything.
In No Time to Die, the breakneck chase through Matera came with a number of challenges. For one, this actual location is a centuries-old city that had to be protected. Along with CG cars and explosions, Corbould and his team did much of the action practically. Building fake walls for bullet hits as Bond drives his DB5 in a 360-degree spin.
For The Dark Knight truck flip, the question was whether they could actually flip a full-sized semi-truck or not. But with some extensive testing, a system was devised to do just that. The final result is one of those bravura moments that director Christopher Nolan is known for thanks in large part to Corbould and his team. In The Dark Knight Rises, Nolan wanted a new vehicle for the Caped Crusader — The Bat, what looks like a flying batmobile. At first, Corbould was convinced that it would have to be done with CGI. But as they started building the vehicle, he devised ways to actually use it on set. This included using a massive zip line to fly The Bat up and down city streets as well as mounting it on top of a driving vehicle that could be painted out in post.
If you’ve seen a Hollywood action movie, you’ve seen the work of Special Effects Supervisors like Chris Corbould. For everything that CGI can accomplish, there’s nothing quite like the real thing. The next time you see a hospital demolished like in The Dark Knight or a building sinking into a canal-like in Casino Royale, you can appreciate the power of special effects.
#FilmTheory #VideoEssay #Filmmaking
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♬ SONGS USED:
"Mombasa" - Hans Zimmer
"Amber" - Makeup and Vanity Set
"The Name's Bond... James Bond" - David Arnold
"Goldeneye" - Tina Turner
"Enquiry" - Thomas Newman
"New Digs" - Thomas Newman
"Matera" - Hans Zimmer
"Message From an Old Friend" - Hans Zimmer
"Square Escape" - Hans Zimmer
"Gotham's Reckoning" - Hans Zimmer
"Why so Serious" - Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard
"Aggressive Expansion" - Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard
"A Glowing Light, a Promise" - Makeup and Vanity Set
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Music by Artgrid ►
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Music by MusicBed ►
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