j a n u a r y . f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 6 c g w 3 1
ore oen than not,
visual effects are
big, bold, and in
your face. However,
not all VFX fall into that catego-
ry, and yet they still elevate the
story in dramatic ways.
Consider a handful of films
released in the last quarter of
2015: In the Heart of the Sea, The
Walk, Bridge of Spies, Everest,
and The Martian, to name a few.
All five movies feature digitally
constructed environments
that were vital to the story line.
Four – In the Heart of the Sea,
The Walk, Everest, and Bridge
of Spies – required an accurate
re-creation of a real-life period
locale. The Cold War era back-
drop for Bridge of Spies. The
harsh watery landscape batter-
ing the 1820s vessel "Essex" in
The Heart of the Sea. The frigid
landscape of Mount Everest
during the ill-fated March 1996
trek. And, the heart-thumping
void atop the 1974 World Trade
Towers. The Martian, meanwhile,
provided a barren backdrop of
desolation based on scientific
data mixed with artistry.
These environments set the
tone for the respective films,
transporting audiences to
unique locations where they,
too, could experience the dra-
ma, fear, isolation, and anxiety
of the main characters.
Here, CGW reaches high and
deep, looking at the amazing
work that placed us on a thin
wire atop the Twin Towers of
the World Trade Center and
on an 1820s whaling ship in
the South Pacific. Online, CGW
transports you behind the
Berlin Wall during the Cold War,
atop the highest mountain in
the world, and to the bleak
surface of Mars, to finish this
digital journey.
COMPLEX CG SETS TRANSPORT FILM AUDIENCES TO UNIQUE LOCATIONS
STORY: GO TO EXTRAS IN THE JANUARY.
FEBRUARY 2016 ISSUE BOX FOR BRIDGE
OF SPIES, EVEREST, AND THE MARTIAN
C G W. C O M
