So many of us are sick and tired of CGI and the fact that it’s replaced many practical effects. Bad CGI can look too rubbery and cartoony, where back in the old days you had to work very hard to create something with practical effects, and really earn your victory fooling an audience.
These days there’s many films that are primarily greenscreen, especially the last three Star Wars films, but as Collider tells us, maybe the powers that be have been listening to the geeks about this. Producer Kathleen Kennedy, who now rules the empire, says that the next Star Wars will be a mix of CGI and practical effects.
“The conversation we’re having all the time now about Episode VII is how much CGI,” Kennedy said. “We’re looking at what the early Star Wars films did; they used real locations with special effects. So [for Episode VII] we’re going to find some very cool locations, we’re going to end up using every single tool in the toolbox.”
Kennedy also finds it remarkable at what the fans have been creating themselves. “Using model makers, real droids, taking advantage of the artwork that you can touch and feel, we want to do that in combination with CG effects.”
If this indeed comes to pass, it’s the right move to make. The first Star Wars was a major groundbreaker in special effects, and things have progressed in many wonderful directions since. But too much CGI could definitely spoil this stew, and if there’s anyone who’s aware of this, it’s JJ Abrams. If they can blend together CG and practical effects as well as the Lord of the Rings series did, then the new Star Wars should turn out alright.
