VISTA GLIDE
'A system limited by the human imagination'
KEN RALSTON visual effects supervisor
The Vista Glide is a motion-control system, created by industrial Light and Magic (ILM), which uses a modified VistaVision camera.
The focusing, dollying, panning and tilting of the camera are computer-controlled (using a software program designed by Bill Tondreau) so that the movements of the camera can be exactly duplicated take after take.
It allows the same actor to play several different roles in the same scene and seemingly interact with himself.
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A SIDE
Shot by the camera operator in the normal method. Camera movements are recorded by the computer, which are repeated exactly when the other pieces are filmed. |
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C SIDE
Michael changes to Marty Jr. he is able to act and react with the aid of an earpiece that plays the recorded dialogue, as well as director’s cues from the previous takes. |
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B SIDE
Michael plays Marlene, Lea Thompson as Lorraine is added to the equation. |
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FINISHED SHOT
After all the sides are filmed, the footage goes to ILM, where the use of mattes and rotoscoping (hand drawing the matte around a specific feature, like an arm), the three shots are optically merged into a single image. During the filming,the director watches the action through a video monitor, connected to both the camera and computer, and can show an approximation of what the finished shot will look like.
