tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post8337251073853870937..comments2024-03-27T23:06:28.849+13:00Comments on Matte Shot - a tribute to Golden Era special fx: MARY POPPINS - the supercalifragulous visual effects of a Disney favouriteNZPetehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13863364769084676156noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-86964053311710257472023-02-15T11:49:34.233+13:002023-02-15T11:49:34.233+13:00I do remember I had Mary Poppins on video tape cas...I do remember I had Mary Poppins on video tape cassette as a 90's kid and it had trailers on it as Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too and Basil the Great Mouse Detective and Cinderella and the trailer for Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Pete's Dragon before the Buena Vista logo was shown and Mary Poppins started and then finished with The End and then that was it and the film was all over since it's been shown on channels lots of times.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-42532162997190852102019-02-03T19:01:42.353+13:002019-02-03T19:01:42.353+13:00I like this post, enjoyed this one thank you for p...I like this post, enjoyed this one thank you for putting <br />up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-88547404343464080362019-01-23T08:44:39.043+13:002019-01-23T08:44:39.043+13:00Great post.Great post.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-60193822423913764872018-09-23T02:52:02.717+12:002018-09-23T02:52:02.717+12:00Illuminating article. Thanks for sharing.Illuminating article. Thanks for sharing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08056858639299313083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-12372230637241251952015-08-20T16:50:19.682+12:002015-08-20T16:50:19.682+12:00I've only watched Mary Poppins recently for th...I've only watched Mary Poppins recently for the first time as an adult. What an incredible masterpiece of cinema it is. Thank you for this brilliant insight into the creative process. Matt painting is an incredible technique.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-25155322514172173832015-01-25T18:21:33.681+13:002015-01-25T18:21:33.681+13:00Hi Sam
Thank you for that extremely interesting s...Hi Sam<br /><br />Thank you for that extremely interesting slice of matte history. I do appreciate all such background info and often make use of such stories in my blogging. If you have any 'on the job' photos from those wonderful days I would LOVE to see them.<br /><br />All the best<br /><br />PeterNZPetehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13863364769084676156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-26068268888801436162015-01-25T02:37:00.230+13:002015-01-25T02:37:00.230+13:00Thank you Peter,
I had spent many long hours, sho...Thank you Peter,<br /><br />I had spent many long hours, shooting Ko Hashiguchi and my matte paintings and artwork<br />onto 35mm film, for my first feature movie, in Enumclaw WA. Then I worked for a year building cameras and motion control for a 35mm animated clay Mark Twain feature, in Portland OR. <br /><br />I met Richard Edlund of ILM in Seattle, and we became friends. When he formed his own company in Los Angeles, he hired me to work on "Ghostbusters" and "2010" and some others. <br /><br />Richard had me work for Gary Platek and Gene Whiteman and Gary Platek and put me to work assisting Matt Yuricich, preparing and painting matte glasses, and cleaning brushes, for Matt and Painters Michele Moen and Deno Ganakes. <br /><br />It was a happy crew, painting away in oil paint. Matt smoked a cigarette in a long holder, and told me Hollywood stories, and explained his tricks for compressing contrast ranges and getting colors to work. He liked me, so he called me "Samovich." (I was sad to hear recently, Matt has passed away up in Bellingham WA). <br /><br />When Matt said a painting was done, he brought out a little box, and with great ceremony, produced a swatch of silk fabric, a piece of Marlene Dietrich's stocking. Matt had bought it at auction. He had me put it over the lens, to produce "just enough" diffusion to make the painting seem "more real" on film. A fascinating little ritual, and it really worked!<br /><br />There were 40 matte paintings in "Ghostbusters," and Neil shot the three moving ones on a computerized system called COMPSY. He had moire gags and rear-projection, and all kinds of trickery going on them. Very intent and focused person, doing fine detailed work. <br /><br />I shot 37 static matte paintings, operating the 65mm bipack camera, shooting painting elements onto 65mm color negative. We pulled black and white separations and did many wedge tests, for color and exposure. Neill picked the ones he liked, and I composited them back onto color film. It was tedious and methodical work, demanding of one's concentration, and after a while I quite enjoyed it.<br /><br />Elsewhere on "Ghostbusters," I also shot clouds and lasers for Gary Platek, and built and operated a whole bunch of 65mm film gear. We basically had to build a whole 65/70mm film studio in under a year. Which we did, but it was an intense year. <br /><br />I love the magic of movie matte painting, and I love making movies. I am back to Producing, and making my own movies again. <br /><br />Thank you Peter,<br /><br />Sam LongoriaSam Longoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07311568513869922029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-23248048695416219482015-01-24T15:17:58.471+13:002015-01-24T15:17:58.471+13:00Hi Sam
What an interesting letter! I'd love ...Hi Sam<br /><br />What an interesting letter! I'd love to see or read any anecdotes you might have from the GHOSTBUSTERS matte department.<br /><br />PeterNZPetehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13863364769084676156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-6501738255387381542015-01-24T05:37:04.445+13:002015-01-24T05:37:04.445+13:00What a wonderful blog you have!
I saw a friend pl...What a wonderful blog you have!<br /><br />I saw a friend play "Mary Poppins" onstage recently, and realized just how much that show has meant to me over the years.<br /><br />I never did homework in school, I just sat in the back of the classroom for months, reading the World Book Encyclopedia, which had an excellent article on "Mary Poppins," so I was probably the only 10-year old expert in sodium vapor traveling mattes, and was therefore ruined for regular work. <br /><br />I ran the film in my movie theatre as long as Disney would let me rent it, just so I could see how the effects all went together, while I was making my first 35mm feature. That led to my working on "Ghostbusters," where I assisted Matt Yuricich, and photographed his fine matte paintings onto 65mm film.<br /><br />The first time I attended the Oscars, Dorothy Chandler pavilion 1982, I rode up in the elevator, chatting with Julie Andrews and Blake Edwards. Life is like that sometimes.Sam Longoriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07311568513869922029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-91150308531028971152014-07-17T06:57:57.302+12:002014-07-17T06:57:57.302+12:00A cynical way of seeing things could be that Mary ...A cynical way of seeing things could be that Mary Poppins was a blatent commercial for St Paul's Cathedral. As odd as it seems when I think of St Paul's Cathedral I actually think Oliver! more than anything (It's frequently shown near Fagin's hideout in particular during the Be Back Soon number). It would actually be interesting if there was some musical crossover all this time. Think about it Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-2261710539549815382013-10-25T12:51:09.956+13:002013-10-25T12:51:09.956+13:00Absolutely magical. The pinnacle of a great man...Absolutely magical. The pinnacle of a great man's career...several of them, in fact. Sodium vapor required an old Technicolor 3-strip camera. Also used for matting (not here) were infra-red and ultra-violet. Ub Iwerks probably saw it in operation at Rank and said, "Hey....!" It simplified travelling matte work enormously. Peter Ellenshaw was truly inspired when he did this. His work is sheer genius. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-41826525973487555602013-04-02T09:58:00.790+13:002013-04-02T09:58:00.790+13:00Song of the south has better live action animation...Song of the south has better live action animation combination than the sodium screen process that requires flat lighting, causing the actors to cast multiple shadows on the matching painted floors. In Song of the south Greg Toland lit the sets to match the animated backgrounds flat, minus the multiple shadows combined with what looks like large glass painted foreground elements all shot at the same time. The animated characters are the only ones requiring a matte, Mary Poppins and Bedknob and Broomsticks, both actors and animation require mattes.spokeshavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11785132711227936751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-9981939476303852462013-04-02T09:37:41.407+13:002013-04-02T09:37:41.407+13:00The animation live action combination is far bette...The animation live action combination is far better in Song of the South, minus the multitude of shadows the actors cast on painted floors to match the later added animation backgrounds behind. Due to the need for the flat lighting required to obtain a perfect matte from the actorsspokeshavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11785132711227936751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-4499414764048504032013-03-13T01:00:16.460+13:002013-03-13T01:00:16.460+13:00This blog is primarily aimed at 'matte paintin...This blog is primarily aimed at 'matte painting' and it's practitioners and although I try to include as much photographic effects info as possible there are bound to be some omissions here and there. In saying that, I'm confident there isn't much else out there that covers this specialty topic in anywhere near the detail my blog does.<br /><br />PeterNZPetehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13863364769084676156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-60738078439252713062013-03-12T22:04:17.082+13:002013-03-12T22:04:17.082+13:00Why is there no mention of the inventor of the sod...Why is there no mention of the inventor of the sodium vapor process, Petro Vlahos? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-22288190215291672182011-02-15T14:36:56.039+13:002011-02-15T14:36:56.039+13:00Hi,
Regrettably Jack Boyd isn't a name I'...Hi,<br /><br />Regrettably Jack Boyd isn't a name I'm familiar with at all, though if you are able to provide me with further details by email I'd be happy to edit my MP blog and add info him and his work.<br />I'm often altering my articles and adding facts and bits and pieces as well as correcting any errors. I hope to hear from you.<br /><br />PeterNZPetehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13863364769084676156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-53380336518419270762011-02-14T16:58:33.068+13:002011-02-14T16:58:33.068+13:00Very extensive blog about the various artists invo...Very extensive blog about the various artists involved in the creation of "Mary Poppins". I was surprised that you made no mention of the special effects art created for the film by Jack Boyd. He had a career filled with credits on Disney movies and "shorts". He spoke of his work on the scene with VanDyke dancing with the penguins.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-37085770368127107312011-01-02T15:48:10.152+13:002011-01-02T15:48:10.152+13:00What a great blog! I have been dying to find out h...What a great blog! I have been dying to find out how some effects were achieved. Grand!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-22018388836787317382010-09-19T03:18:28.007+12:002010-09-19T03:18:28.007+12:00Great stuff. A blog about matte paintings! That be...Great stuff. A blog about matte paintings! That being said, where is a photo of grossly under-appreciated effects man Bob Mattey?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-2546803990616476882010-08-30T01:29:44.191+12:002010-08-30T01:29:44.191+12:00Love your site. I have been interested in visual e...Love your site. I have been interested in visual effects for the last 55+ years, and would always point out to my brother when I saw matte lines in films - he said don't tell him, but he still asks how I knew.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7063592677187148799.post-17069693736172266752010-08-28T03:14:57.768+12:002010-08-28T03:14:57.768+12:00Rumor has it that during pre-production for 2001, ...Rumor has it that during pre-production for 2001, Stanley Kubrick screened Mary Poppins over a hundred times (taking notes all the while) to study the effects. <br />(Sorry I've gotten to this entry so late)Ivanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16443946766217092846noreply@blogger.com