The Greatest Game Ever Composited

This week we breakdown shots from the Bill Paxton directed period golf drama, The Greatest Game Ever Played.
“Bill wanted the camera to be another character in the film,” says Dennis Berardi, Visual Effects Supervisor for the film. “He wanted dynamic, exciting shots to put the audience right into the action.” In addition to our fxpodcast covering work by the Mr. X visual effects team, our online print story also features the inventors of Flying-Cam who p

greatest/ladybug Toronto-based Mr. X Inc. delivered over a 150 visual effects shots for the Walt Disney Pictures release THE GREATEST GAME EVER PLAYED. The studio’s workload covered the gamut, from computer-generated (CG) crowds and flying golf balls, to virtual camera moves, dream sequences, matte paintings and even a CG ladybug.

In this week’s podcast we discuss in detail how the team went about creating their complex golf shots. As many of the shots in the film involved complex golf ball shots the production used Flying-Cam a radio controlled helicopter mounted 35mm camera, below, we also speak to the inventors of Flying-Cam. Allowing the breakdown of the gold ball shots from camera to screen.


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Often in shots the camera flys with the golf ball

For example, one shot required the camera to follow a powerful drive by character Ted Ray, played by actor Stephen Marcus. In this sequence, the camera takes off into the air, catches up to the ball in mid-flight and passes right through the ball’s interior to beat it to the green where the ball eventually lands. Realizing director Bill Paxton vision for this sequence was a complex task. “We opted to shoot the backgrounds using a remote-operated Helicopter,” recalls Berardi. “It was a considerable challenge to design the flight path for the ball. We also had to add the CG crowds and, of course, the ball.” The end result is a realistic and dynamic shot that will have viewers asking, “How’d they shoot that?” (See Flying-Cam story below)


greatest/blue In addition to these stylized shots, Mr. X contributed a number of highly realistic and ‘invisible’ effects to Greatest Game, such as the film’s opening shot, which features a wide coastal vista and then moves back to reveal Vardon’s cottage home. Although the shot was intended to establish the film’s locale on the coast of the Isle of Jersey, due to production constraints, the film was actually shot in a forest in Montreal. “We spent a great deal of time and care on that shot because we knew it would set the tone for the whole film,” says Berardi. “We had to remove all the trees, add a CG ocean to the background, and painted in the entire coastline as well.” The end result is as tranquil and realistic a view of the Isle of Jersey as any taken on film.


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Digital crowd replacement

Another challenge for Mr. X was the extensive crowd duplication required for the golf competition. The effects team decided to save time on set by using a 3D approach for the crowds, using its artificial intelligence engine to run simulations.

“There were never more than a few hundred extras on set at a time during the shoot, yet the climactic tournament near the end of the film required a sea of onlookers and a grand and epic feel. Visual effects allowed us to bring thousands of virtual spectators into the scenes, and to do so in an exciting and realistic way,” adds Berardi.


greatest/book1In this week’s podcast, Weintraub discusses the the now famous “phone book” shot, a great mix of complex physical camera rigs and digital stills and CG. During the early stages of production, Mr. X created a host of extensive previsualizations and designs for such shots. This preparation truly paid off once the shooting began, as the team’s involvement in the early planning of key sequences allowed it to streamline shooting steps and to resolve creative challenges.


greatest/book2The team also took care to establish a collaborative environment with the filmmakers. “Bill was very specific about certain things, but in other areas he gave us considerable latitude in which to design shots and pitch ideas,” says Berardi. The end result was a personal triumph for the team. “GREATEST GAME represents a leap forward for us as a studio, in terms of photo-realism,” Berardi comments. “This film pushed us to the best of our abilities in every area, and we’re really proud of the work we accomplished.”


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Flying-Cam

greatest/heliaIn September 2000, five hundred extras, all dressed for 1915, were watching the ballistic Flying-Cam big red golf ball point of view. The Flying-Cam pilot, also dressed for 1915, was located among the talents. After Flying-Cam’s successful participation in The Legend of Bagger Vance and Bobby Jones, Stroke of Genius and upon Director Bill Paxton’s request, Flying-Cam’s job involved getting shots from the point of view of a golf ball.

In that one shooting day in September, the Flying-Cam team accomplished seven different set-ups. Most of the shots started from the green, just a few feet away from the golf player. On call, the Flying-Cam helicopter was pulled back at full throttle up to a distance of 600 feet above tree tops (this shot is in the Trailer). On another location Flying-Cam did a full throttle backwards pull out, followed with a 180 degree pan and ballistic trajectory back to the green.

By the end of the day an entire sequence of shots had been shot in some of the most unique, and dynamic ways possible, Bill Paxton said to the Flying-Cam team: “In 35 years working in the movie industry, it is the first time I’ve seen such an amazing system.”

fxguide spoke to Flying-cam founder Emmanuel Previnaire.


fxg: The camera on Greatest Game was a super 35mm – with a 200Ft load, is that correct?

We used the Flying-Cam proprietary 200ft load super 35mm camera, crystal controlled with Zeiss or Cooke wide angle prime lens. We provide a full frame gate suitable for super 35mm. The lens mount is centered on the super 35mm gate. From the ground control station, the flying-Cam camera operator has a LED signal check from the camera sync as well as end of roll. A remote timer is also available directly activated by the camera operator remote control.

fxg: The range on the web site says the Flying-cam has a 400m range – given some of the golf courses have 360 yard fairways – did you have to use dual operator – pilot relay operation?

For the sequences in the Greatest Game Ever Played the Flying-Cam pilot was able to see the Flying-Cam helicopter at all time and thus the sequence did not require a pilot in relay configuration.

The pilot in relay configuration was recently used in the Czech Republic for the motion picture, “Van Helsing”. Flying-Cam technology was requested to add a dynamic, exciting flavor to the sequence. The production requested a shot flying above a canopy of trees, diving down through a hole in the forest and chasing the film’s hero, Van Helsing, through a narrow, curving forest canyon. The sequence was to be the P.O.V. of a giant bat-vampire monster as he chases Van Helsing, as he drives a stagecoach pulled by six enormous, midnight black horses. Envisioned as one long continuous shot, the distance to be travelled by the giant flying bat was quite large, over 1000 feet, and was going to require special efforts from the Flying-Cam crew. The first pilot was positioned in the forest, at the end of the move, along the path of the carriage. The second pilot was at the top of a tall man lift, 150 ft above the ground and slightly higher than the treetops. The first pilot would control the machine for take off, and then hand control over to the second pilot, who would then begin the shot by flying out above the treetops. As the camera ship dove down through the trees, finding Van Helsing driving the stagecoach, the first pilot would assume control, and fly the second half of the shot through the narrow corridor of trees and rock, closing on the stagecoach. Only by using the two pilots in relay, working as a team could this type of shot have been achieved.

fxg: Normally a chopper can have a slightly angled forward motion – ie while the over all movement is directly ahead – it is not on a line directly through the middle of the helicopter – do you compensate for this?
Is there stablising in the rig ?

Flying-Cam uses its proprietary patented 3 axis remote head system. This unique system allows to control horizon even on top shot. Due to this unique feature we can compensate for any coupling movement inherent to rotary wing aircraft platform. The head is also gyro-stabilized with active Piezo gyro. The gyro gain can be adjusted remotely as well as the speed on all three axis. On the horizon, there are two options: speed control allowing a full 360 degree unlimited horizon rotation, or position control with 30 degree freedom left and right. The speed on all axis is adjustable from zero to 60 degree second on roll and tilt and up to 120 degree second on pan.

greatest/helicfxg: What is the rate of climb normally? Given you were emulating a golf ball – was this an issue ?

The Flying-Cam is light weight 30Lbs/15 kg with a stream line fuselage and use a extremely high power to weight ratio engine. This allows to reach 75 Mph / 120 km/h in 7 seconds. In fact some of the shots were done starting facing the golf player and pulling backwards not forwards. The gyrostabilization using heading lock system helps maintaining a high speed steady backwards move provided that the fuselage stays in line with the airflow. This is what was needed on several shots.

As the camera has on – off control – there is the flying time duration defined by the 200ft load – but what is the Flying- cams flying duration – how often do you need to refuel for example…

Our flight time is strictly limited to accomplish the shot (rehearsal, then shoot). Unlike a big one we do not need to come back to the airport for refueling and our landing base is just on the shoot location.

Concentration is the key factor here. Any ace helicopter pilot has a certain amount of concentration time limit. 7 minutes is what we consider a good limit. Our flight time is just double of that: 15 minutes. Refueling happens usually when we reload, so it does not affect the work flow.

Besides the flight time, the Flying-Cam helicopter is completely ready to fly / shoot out of the box. No disassembly / assembly is needed for transportation.

Between locations, granted that we have a vehicle or a boat dedicated for the helicopter and necessary field equipment (video assist, tool kit, batteries case, changing tent and refueling can) on the ready mode we are very quick to operate from location to location. Only 15 minutes period (set up the equipment / reload / refuel) is needed to get ready from the moment we are on a new location, just enough for the Director and the Flying-Cam pilot to get tuned on what needs to be done.

On a demo we did for a NASA DART (Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team) exercise, we proved that starting from inside the vehicle up to the point the helicopter was taking off, only 2 minutes and 30 seconds were needed. This was emergency procedure for a collapse building site assessment after a terrorist attack. See the official NASA DART website to see some pictures of the Flying-Cam in action during the exercise: http://dart2.arc.nasa.gov/Exercises/TMR2004/TMR2004-d4.html

The NASA and Flying Cam UAVs are ready to take to the air.


fxg: How much was wind a factor? – Did this effect what days you could shoot as you had to fly in very specific directions (to match the path of the golf ball)?

The Flying-Cam helicopter is a very stable platform even in heavy wind conditions. Sometimes we fly in condition that a big helicopter will not stand. We usually say, when trees are falling, we stop to fly.

The top air speed of the Flying-Cam helicopter is 75mph /120 km/h and we always keep a safety limit of one third of the top speed. This means that the maximum wind that we can stand is /- 50Mph / 80 km/h. With that kind of wind nobody will be out there to shoot.

Though the precision needed for the shots is important for the evaluation of the wind speed limit. Safety is our first concern at Flying-Cam and for example if we need to start the shots close to an actor, it is better to fly with a wind that respect our official limits: 12 knots. If it is just a general over-fly, above a landscape, the wind is far less important. In a city, in a landscape with a lot of obstacles or on the side of a cliff, if there is wind, the air will be certainly turbulent and like even a boeing 747, we will be affected by air turbulence. But post production image stabilization has become so common practice that even in those conditions the Production will often confirm the shoot and prefer to proceed with image stabilization than to require the all crew to wait for better weather conditions. We also provide a full frame gate that together with the fine grain of 35mm allow for easy retouching or else most often to realize plates for blue screen post production.

fxg: Who was the DOP and pilot on this shoot ?

The pilot was: Dave Storey.
Dave Storey was recently hired by a company working with the DoD in US in the field of UAV (Unmanned Air Vehicle) for military surveillance. His credits include: Elektra (Sai Productions, Toronto with Jennifer Garner), The Beach (20th Century Fox) and many high-end commercials.

The camera operator: Emmanuel Previnaire.
Emmanuel Previnaire is the founder of the Flying-Cam system and Academy Award winner for inventing it. He is also the most seasoned Flying-Cam pilot and camera operator.
He has participated to many major features as a pilot or as a camera operator including:
Jar Head (Universal, Mexico � with Jamie Fox, Director: Sam Mendez) – still to be released,
Four Brothers (Paramount Pictures, Toronto � Director: John Singleton) ,
Hostage (Hostage Production, Los Angeles � with Bruce Willis, Director: Florent Siri),
As well as the Harry Potter films and serveral James Bond films.

And the camera assistant: Marc Asmode.
Marc Asmode, camera assistant has participated to more than 250 jobs with Flying-Cam. He is our most experienced Flying-Cam assistant. He worked before as a prep tech at Otto Nemenz camera equipment rental house.

In 17 years Flying-cam has shot in 47 different countries for more than 800 clients, flying-Cam participated lately for the following feature films:

Da Vinci Code (Columbia Pictures, England � with Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Jean Reno, Director: Ron Howards) – still to be released
Breakfast on Pluto (Pluto Films, Ireland � with Liam Neeson, DOP: Declan Quinn) – soon to be released
Eragon (Fox 2000 Pictures, Slovakia � with Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich) – still to be released

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Warner Bros) – still to be released
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Warner Bros)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Warner Bros)

James Bond 007 Die Another Day (Eon Production)
James Bond 007 The World Is Not Enough (Eon Production)
James Bond 007 Tomorrow Never Dies (Eon Production)

and commercials for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Formula 1 Bar Honda Seasons 2003-2004-2005, Porsche, Infinity, Coca-Cola, Kenzo, Alaska Tourism Borad, Wisconsin Tourism Board to name a few.