Movies - TV
The Animation 'Magic Trick' That Made Finding Nemo Work
By TYLER LLEWYN TAING
Pixar Animation Studios have always utilized their technology for emotionally authentic storytelling. While opening up about the creation of Pixar's fifth feature film, "Finding Nemo," director Andrew Stanton described the process of replicating the coral reef setting of the film as a "magic trick," replicating "the illusion of being underwater" instead of directly simulating water.
The film's director of photography Sharon Callahan described the lighting in scenes bouncing down on the ocean floor in caustic patterns, mimicking how natural light would filter through the surface of the water in real life. The film captured the way particulates are dispersed through the ocean and how light beams would diffuse through them.
Along with studying references from nature documentaries and underwater photography books, the art team at Pixar also enrolled in scuba diving classes to experience these details firsthand. While technology has progressed since the early days of Pixar, the artistic accomplishments of "Finding Nemo" have proved foundational for the future of CG animation.