Making of the Computer Graphics for Star Wars (Episode IV)
(1977) The computer graphics for the first Star Wars film was created by Larry Cuba in the 1970s at the Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL) (at the time known as the Circle Graphics Habitat) at the University of Illinois at Chicago. For more information on the lab, visit our website — www.evl.uic.edu
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wow dude, i was not putting this down at all, i was actually worshipping this by saying, “THAT WAS AWESOME”. I think the caps and the use of the word “awesome” explained that well enough, gosh!
@FirebirdDude
when people think of the 70′s, they don’t think of good computer graphics, but then again the 60′s had 2 moon landings and the 70s had 4, 3 had lunar rovers. technology evolves.
PS: for those that think moon landings are fake, dont post that shit on me. WE REALLY WENT
THAT WAS AWESOME!!! I think it’s amazing that the technology was around back in ’77 to even make this!!! I wonder what was the first movie to use computer generated sequences…
Well, there was just one other scene that I remember that used computers. It’s when Luke and Solo are in the Millenium Falcon fighting against some Imperial TIE Fighters. The “targeting computer” screen of the MF was CG’ed. Maybe the X-Wing fighters’ was also? I’m not sure.
The rest of the movie is all miniatures filmed against blue screen with the help of a (computer controlled) motion camera, matte paintings and such. Except for indoor and outdoor shots, of course.
And lots of optical effects.
Mind blowing! And painful to think a man spent hours spinning dials and entering code ect, when today modeling is so much quicker! Is this how they made the other graphics or was everything else physical models and stop motion filming?
George does talk a bit about this on the Dvd commentary in detail. Praising Larry Cuba’s early work.
The first film is timeless. Even though I saw it at the time, it’s still difficult to believe they could pull off something like that in 1977. These graphics still look impressive.
Larry Cuba’s effort is impressive, especially when you consider the tools he had to work with. Anyone that touched Maya or a similar package probably shrieks in terror at the thought of having to input data all the time and use real analogue dials to rotate objects.
State of the art back in ’77 is stone age today.
then or today?… Just kidding.
How is the title misleading? It cleary says making of the computer graphics for starwars. It in now way implies that the rest, or even majority of the special effects from the movie are cgi. You having a bad hair day or something?
right. If he had to actually surface the models, you’d see all sorts of gaps. Luckily it was all wireframe — and no triangles required
How is this misleading? The whole video is about the computer graphics used in the first star wars movie, as the title says.
slightly misleading with the title, star wars and early sfx movies had very little “cgi” and were mostly done using small live minature model work. still cool video. props.
Geez, how could he get any work done with those noisy Jawas next to his cube…:)
@moviefact1 lol everyone knows that, perhaps one a starwars fan page is not the best place to say it.
This should be on the DVDs
star wars is ggaaaaaaay
Bravo… awsome
Haven’t you seen the old SW films with the new cgi?
the z coordinates would be a bitch to enter for every fucking coordinate. wow
Really makes your realise how easy we have it with the digital world
I think the phrase you’re looking for is “Most impressive”.
Impressive. Real impressive. For such a short bit of footage in the movie a lot of work sure has been spent making it… and it actually looked a lot more interestingly made than the usual modern 3D models and animation.
im gay.
Dude, I hope you realise, your continual farting is having a catastrophic effect on the ozone?