[Science] Why Polar Express can win 3 billion box office worldwide

The filming of "Polar Express" cost US$165 million and the global box office is $506,845,028. It is a masterpiece created entirely by computer CGI animation technology, similar to the creation process of "Guru" in the magic trilogy "Lord of the Rings". Zemigis, who has always been known as a "technical maniac", uses the most advanced "performance capture" technology in the film. "Performance capture" is more advanced than the traditional "motion capture" technology. It can simultaneously reproduce the facial expressions and physical behaviors of multiple actors in the form of three-dimensional special effects during the recording process, and provide it through a complete digital photography system All-round shooting information. Compared with "motion capture", which is a careless copy of the overall movements of the actors, "performance capture" shows a more delicate and expressive effect. This new technology can vividly reproduce all the small movements and complex expressions of the actors, and finally make the virtual characters have both form and spirit. In addition to obtaining more data, the "performance capture" technology also gives directors and editors the ability to freely choose the breadth, depth and various parameters of the shooting.

Hollywood industry insiders said that in the past 10 years, the computer graphics industry has been focusing on how to produce real effects such as smoke, water, and fire. This industry is undergoing a period of transformation, and it has begun to try to create real effects of human facial expressions, hair and clothes movement. The ultimate art in this field is to create lifelike humans, and perhaps one day digital technology can replace actors. The birth of "Polar Express" is undoubtedly a milestone.

The film is produced by Imageworks, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation, which has gathered a large number of American and Japanese animation and special effects masters. Before the production of "Polar Express", most of them participated in the special effects production of live action commercial films, including "The Lord of the Rings", "Harry Potter", "Spider-Man", "The Matrix", "Charlie of the Thunder", etc. Has a high reputation in the industry. Although it is the first independent production of a 3D cartoon, the past performance has given people high expectations for this debut.

Tom Hanks Transfiguration Show

This film is Tom Hanks’ third collaboration with director Robert Zemigis after "Forrest Gump" and "Remains of a Deserted Island". Hanks plays five roles in the film: the protagonist Xiao Boy, train conductor, boy father, tramp and Santa Claus. Hanks thinks that this way of acting frees him from a lot of limitations: "I would rather play this way as a kid sitting on a train bound for the North Pole. You won’t get hurt or tremble with the cold. Because everything is as long as Use a computer to do it.”

During the shooting, Hanks’ face was affixed with nearly 150 infrared light-sensitive points, in order to allow the infrared camera to capture the rich expression changes on his face, making the computer images produced more humane . What's interesting is that when Hanks plays different characters, he has to show the details of the age, personality and even habits of different characters. For example, when playing a train conductor, he has to remember that he wears a pair of glasses and tidy up his virtual hat and collar from time to time; when playing a tramp, he has to show an unfettered personality and bold temperament; playing Santa Claus At the same time, he has to show the feeling of "poo belly"; then to the core character of the film, the 8-year-old boy, he has to often show the child’s naughty and innocent characteristics

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