PROJECT HAIL MARY Directors Talk About the Surprising Amount of Practical Effects Used in the Film
There have been a ton of advancements in visual effects since the beginning of filmmaking. Movies can use CGI to bring anything in their imaginations to life, which is cool, but many fans long for stories that feel based in reality, however fantastical, and there’s something about practical effects that make that feel all the more tangible.
Phil Lord and Chris Miller, directors of the upcoming film Project Hail Mary, made a point to lean into practical effects while making this movie, and they talked about the process in an interview with Comic Book.
First, they began by discussing the film’s impressive visual effects, showcased most in the beloved alien character, Rocky.
“I think the singular achievement has to be Rocky. Holistically, from his design that started before we even had a script to physically printing him out and painting him and having him move in ways that were expressive and to the CG artists and animators that took the baton … and kept being expressive and bring their own personality to it. It’s emblematic of what happens through the whole movie.”
Miller continued:
“And what’s fun about the movie is there is no green screen in the movie whatsoever. Not a single green or blue screen was used. The whole ship was built as a set from the inside. We had a huge section of the exterior of the ship on the outside that we built.
“Rocky was really with us at all times. That’s what makes it feel real and makes it feel natural … and the way that [cinematographer] Greig’s [Fraser] team lit with a lot of practical lights allowed him to move the camera wherever and find these moments because we could see this thing that Rocky was doing and then move over to [Ryan Gosling’s character] Grace and see his reaction to what was really happening, and you weren’t just guessing and pointing out where Rocky might be some day. And that’s what makes it feel like it was captured in the moment.”
Even though Lord and Miller didn’t make use of blue and green screens, Project Hail Mary still features plenty of digital effects. Lord made sure to credit the CGI artists for the work they did in helping bring Rocky to life. Still, it’s impressive to hear that so much of Project Hail Mary is practical.
Having a practical Rocky on set made star Ryan Gosling’s job easier since there was actually something there he could see and act against throughout the entire production. It kind of reminds me of the E.T. puppet used on the set of that film, and how bonded the kids were with it. It made the emotion in the film come to life, making the movie a classic.
Project Hail Mary looks like it’s going to be an incredible film, and I can’t wait to see it. Get your tickets now and watch the movie in theaters on March 20th.