The Morning Watch: VFX Artists React To Planet Of The Apes, The Stunts Of Star Trek: Picard Season 2 & More
(The Morning Watch is a recurring feature that highlights a handful of noteworthy videos from around the web. They could be video essays, fan-made productions, featurettes, short films, hilarious sketches, or just anything that has to do with our favorite movies and TV shows.)
In this edition, watch VFX artists react to both the bad and brilliant CGI used in some of the biggest blockbusters, including the layered CGI chimpanzees in the modern "Planet of the Apes" franchise, the action of "Black Widow," and more. Plus, go behind the scenes of "Star Trek: Picard" and learn just how they were able to pull off the stunts of season 2. And finally, if you've been thirsting over the new LEGO set of Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder but fear you'll never get the chance to play with it yourself, we've got an unboxing video for you to enjoy.
Okay, but 'Planet of the Apes' looked awesome
Sean Walker of Weta Digital joined Corridor Crew to help break down some of the best and worst examples of CGI in modern blockbusters, including films that Walker himself had a hand in creating. The man has worked on films like "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," the most recent "Planet of the Apes" series, all of the "Avengers" films, "The Hobbit" films, and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip," so it's safe to say that Walker knows a thing or two about digital artistry.
Walker confesses that the avalanche in "Black Widow" isn't completely snow-accurate, but that the thickness of the snow was required to make the explosions look more believable. The more you know! The video is 20 minutes long, but it's absolutely mindblowing to realize just how much CGI is used in some of our favorite films. If you heard a small explosion sometime today, it was my brain self-destructing after realizing the chimps in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" were reflected on the car paneling during the highway scene, because it's all digital! WHAT?!
Evan Evagora did his own stunts on 'Star Trek: Picard'
Next, Paramount+ introduces us to Guy Fernandez, the stunt coordinator on "Star Trek: Picard" who opens the behind-the-scenes video by shouting out his team, calling them all "amazing." Evan Evagora, who plays Elnor on the series, revealed that he did his own stunts in a fight scene with the Confederation Guards, and that was on his first day of filming. Thanks to the brilliant fight choreographer, the stunt coordination of Fernandez, and the dedication to really selling each move, Elnor was able to safely pull off a rather impressive scene. Fernandez was also able to coordinate his first major car sequence with "Picard," using toy cars to map things out with the director. Stunt work is one of the most underappreciated aspects of film and television (Academy Award for Best Stunt Work, when?) and it's a genuine shame considering how unabashedly awesome stunt work can be.
LEGO celebrates May the 4th
Happy "Star Wars" Day, y'all! David Hall of Solid Brix Studios gives us a look inside the box of the new LEGO Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder, as well as hosting a Q&A with the designers behind the new set. If you're like me, dishing out over $200 just isn't in the cards right about now for a new LEGO model, which means watching this unboxing video is the closest you'll get to playing with it for yourself. As nice as it would be to put together the Landspeeder myself, there's something so satisfying about watching a time-lapse build by a LEGO pro.
Design director Jens Kronvold Frederiksen and "Star Wars" LEGO Designer César Carvalhosa Soares join Hall to explain what goes into determining the scale and elements featured in each LEGO model, as well as how they determine which ships or sets to build. Luke Skywalker's Landspeeder has been on both fan and creative team wishlists for many years, but figuring out how to create new pieces to emulate things like the windshield and the curved shape of the ship delayed creation ...until now. Enjoy!