Building Sci-Fi Moviescapes: The Science Behind the Fiction [Paperback]

Matt Hanson (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0240807723 | ISBN-13: 978-0240807720 | Publication Date: July 1, 2005

Building Sci-fi Moviescapes provides a rare, behind-the-scenes examination of how the digital city and space-scapes in science fiction movies are created-through the eyes of directors, producers, production designers, and visualization artists.

This is a stunning showcase of some of the most impressive digital city and space-scapes to come out of the movies, from Hollywood, as well as the Japanese and European film industries. From seminal movies of the 1980s such as Tron and Bladerunner, to classic series such as The Matrix and Star Wars, to recent films such as Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, this book is the definitive guide to the imagined aesthetics of the future.

Through authoritative commentary and interviews with key directors, producers, production designers, and 3D visual artists, Building Sci-fi Moviescapes explores trends and digital visualization methods in science fiction films from the last three decades.

* A celebration in design and creativity in Sci-Fi filmmaking for the CG artist
* Access to reavealing interviews with key 3D industry professionals
* Rich creative inspiration for Sci-Fi filmmakers

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

View the Future of Sci-Fi Filmmaking!

About the Author

World leading authority on film and contemporary trends in moving image. An expert in field of music videos and their creators. In 1996 he founded the digital film festival onedotzero, cited by The Guardian as 'probably the most influential film festival of the early 21st century'. He currently runs his own creative studio, V.I.A. developing pioneering moving image projects. He has produced and commissioned over 40 digital films, devised two tv series on pioneering digital filmmakers, and produced a pioneering hybrid VJ/live film performance with the Light Surgeons, which toured internationally to rave reviews. Previous books include The End of Celluloid (RotoVision), and Motion Blur (Laurence King).

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press (July 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240807723
• ISBN-13: 978-0240807720
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,163,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Concept City Designers Might Be Interested, September 4, 2008

By 

Parka (Singapore) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Building Sci-Fi Moviescapes: The Science Behind the Fiction (Paperback)

Length:: 0:35 Mins

This book takes you behind the scenes to look at how sci-fi cities are created. It showcases some of the definitive movies in the science fiction genre, from 1982 up to 2004. You'll get to see how designs have evolved with time, and judge for yourself if they have withstood the change of time.

There are interviews with directors, designers and crew working on the set. They explain the process of conceptualizing the city set designs and their symbolism and function to the movie.

The pages are filled with lots of movie stills and a few design sketches.

Here's a list of the movies featured:

* Blade Runner
* Tron
* Dune
* Brazil
* Batman
* Patlabor
* Total Recall
* Alien
* Memories
* The City of Lost Children
* Johnny Mnemonic
* The Fifth Element
* Starship Troopers
* Dark city
* Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
* A.I. Artificial Intelligence
* Metropolic
* Minority Report
* Solaris
* Code 46
* The Matrix Revolutions
* Wonderful Days
* Natural City
* i, Robot
* Appleseed
* Immortel
* Casshern
* Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
* 2046
* Innocence: Ghost in the Shell 2

As you can see from the list, there are anime movies as well as European movies included.

This book is recommended to all sci-fi movie fans, particularly those who make a living designing and conceptualizing for a living.

(More pictures are available on my blog. Just visit my Amazon profile for the link.)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not as complete as I would have liked..., August 23, 2006

By 

Michael Valdivielso (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Building Sci-Fi Moviescapes: The Science Behind the Fiction (Paperback)

The Science Behind The Fiction: Building Sci-Fi Moviescapes is a good behind the scenes look at how the cities and landscapes of futuristic movies have been designed, from Blade Runner in 1982 to Innocence: Ghost In The Shell II made in 2004. I truly enjoyed the book, but some chapters, such as the one on Appleseed barely touched on the movie while other chapters, like the one on Immortel seemed to go on for pages without really saying anything.
And why have Ghost In The Shell II but not the first Ghost In The Shell? And why start at 1982? Why not start earlier? The book was good but could be better.