Viewpoint Digital Joins Forces with Bond, James Bond in "The World Is Not Enough"

Business Wire, Nov 17, 1999

OREM, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 17, 1999--

Viewpoint custom 3D modeling services help Agent 007

avert world oil catastrophe in the 19th film

of the classic James Bond series

Viewpoint(R) Digital(TM) Inc. (Viewpoint) Wednesday announced that its acclaimed 3D modeling services played a key role in helping James Bond thwart the evil designs of international villains in the film "The World Is Not Enough," due in theaters Nov. 19.

Viewpoint was selected by Eon Productions, long-time producers of the classic James Bond series, to create digital 3D vehicles for integration with live action footage. Viewpoint's participation generated significant cost savings for the producers, and helped reduce risks to cast and crew by digitizing elements of potentially hazardous location shots.

Viewpoint's services also relieved the post-production team from labor-intensive model building, allowing them to concentrate on texturing, lighting and animation -- crucial factors in ensuring that the computer-generated elements matched the distinctive "look" of James Bond films.

"Viewpoint's creative services were invaluable to Eon Productions, especially when it came to building digital versions of actual aircraft and vehicles used in the film. Viewpoint created impressively accurate 3D models that were perfect for use in conjunction with their live action counterparts," said Mara Bryan, visual effects supervisor at Eon Productions.

"A James Bond film requires an intense degree of cooperation between many different teams performing complex tasks. Viewpoint fit in very well in this collaborative environment, and they performed their role in a very efficient and cost-effective manner."

"The World Is Not Enough" is one of the first projects awarded directly to Viewpoint Digital, Europe since establishing its on-site production studio in the U.K. Both Viewpoint and Eon are located at Pinewood Studios, which enabled close collaboration during the initial stages of the project.

This early involvement -- a key part of Viewpoint's business model -- was critical in making the CG elements conform to the creators' vision in all areas of the production, which involved several different production companies working on different scenes and effects.

Viewpoint's collaborative approach helped ensure that "The World Is Not Enough" will live up to the high expectations of James Bond fans, who are accustomed to visual effects as sophisticated and daring as their debonair hero.

"Viewpoint Digital is thrilled to join forces with Eon Productions -- known for their Oscar-winning special effects on previous Bond movies -- to help create scenes that are visually electrifying to the viewer," said Daphne Rowan, managing director of Viewpoint Digital, Europe.

"Not only did we assist Agent 007 in striking a blow against the forces of evil, but our digital models allowed the cast and crew to avoid unnecessary risks in the process."

The Spy Who Digitized Me

Viewpoint's collection of high-tech modeling tools and proprietary processes would impress even Bond's gadget wizard, "Q." One of these tools is Viewpoint's highly accurate and portable measuring system that enables on-site digitizing of large objects.

Using this system, the Viewpoint team digitized one of the film's "parahawks" -- combination snowmobiles/parasails with built-in machine guns -- featured in a key chase sequence. Viewpoint used the digitized data, along with photographs of the vehicles, to construct a highly detailed 3D model with over 50,000 polygons.

After being animated by the Magic Camera Co., the CG parahawks were composited with live action shots of the actors riding and flying the actual vehicles.

Facing severe winter weather in the Alps, Eon Productions was able to reduce on-location shooting by using Viewpoint's CG parahawks, avoiding unnecessary risks to the cast and crew on the avalanche-prone slopes. Viewpoint finished the high-resolution 3D model in less than two weeks -- a fraction of the time and expense required for sending actors and crew back on location to shoot additional footage.

Models are Forever

For the requisite exploding helicopter scene, Eon again turned to Viewpoint to save money and reduce risk with a CG helicopter. Relying solely on photographs for reference material, the Viewpoint team put its unique combination of computer modeling expertise and design artistry to work to create an intricate NURBS model of the vehicle.

The resulting digital version of a Dauphin helicopter featured impeccable detail, allowing animators from the Moving Picture Co. to seamlessly integrate CG effects with live action close-up shots.

Working with animators at Cinesite Europe, Viewpoint modeled another CG helicopter, this time using polygonal modeling tools. The computer-generated AS-355-F2 helicopter had to be modeled with a high degree of accuracy to match live action in scenes that had previously been filmed.

Using photographs and line drawings as reference, the Viewpoint team crafted a 27,000-polygon model complete with rotors, windows, door gaps, seals and even antennae built into the geometry.