VFX artists analyzeJumanji’s lion scene, complimenting the 1995 effects. The Joe Johnston filmstarring Robin Williams, Kirsten Dunst, Bonnie Hunt, Bradley Pierce, and Jonathan Hyde is about a magical board game that comes to life, unleashing a world of adventure on siblings Peter (Pierce) and Judy Shepherd (Dunst). Though the original film debuted in 1995, the animation is considered highly impressive.
In a recentCorridor Crewvideo, VFX artists Sam Gorski, Wren Weichman, and Jordan Allen take a look atJumanji’s iconic lion scene. Weichman points out that the movie came out at an interesting time because1995 was a little too late to do everything with animatronics and puppets, but a little too early to do everything with CG. “This is like the earliest of days when it comes to CGI animation,” he notes. The VFX artist goes on to say he thinks the animation inJumanjiis a product of its time. Despite that, he thinks the animators did a great job. Check out the video below:
“This shot, honestly, kind of blows me away,” Weichman says of the shot of the lion walking towards the camera before he jumps at Alan. “This is the only shot where they actually get a nice close-up, long shot of the CG lion rather than using the animatronic one.” Weichman also points out that CG hair didn’t exist beforeJumanji.Modern hair techniques were specifically inventedfor the movie. Gorski likens doing CGI in the nineties to being an astronaut, saying:
You’re literally in outer space. There’s no one to help you. Everything is ultra primitive. You have to know what you’re doing, and you have to be able to do it blind basically because there’s no previews.
What The VFX Artists’ Jumanji Comments Mean
Jumanji Has Helped Define Today’s CGI
The firstJumanjimovieis a beloved film that’s still a fun watch to return to, even as animation progresses through the years. Weichman and Gorski’s comments confirm something casualJumanjiviewers have suspected ever since the film came out:the animation is pretty darn impressive. Learning that certain CG techniques were invented during the animation process forJumanjionly adds to the novelty of the film. In a big way, audiemces have to thank the artists who worked onJumanjifor a lot of the CGI seen today.
Our Take On The VFX Artists’ Animation Comments
Jumanji’s Effects Only Make It More Magical
Weichman and Gorski’s analysisonly adds to the enchantment that surroundsJumanji. When Ithink aboutJumanji, I think “magic.” A board game comes to life and a brother and sister go on an adventure of a lifetime. Back in the ’90s, watching the movie felt like going to Disneyland. It was an all-encompassing experience that gripped viewers for an hour and forty minutes.
Little did we know the magic it required to bring these fantastical images to the screen. It’s more impressive than one might think, seeing how accustomed we are to CGI spectacles these days. One can overlookJumanji’s VFX, but recognizing how revolutionary it is only enhances the viewing experience. Not only did the artists who worked onJumanjihelp move CGI forward, they also succeeded in mystifying audiences for years to come.
Jumanji
Cast
Jumanji is an action-adventure comedy film by director Joe Johnston and starring Robin Williams. Two orphan siblings move into a home occupied by the former Parrish family, whose son disappeared years ago. When the two start playing a mysterious board game known as “Jumanji,” they unknowingly release the missing Alan Parrish later, along with various other jungle-themed dangers that can only be stopped if they finish the game.
